# Do rats hate having their cage cleaned?



## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Hey y'all, 

I was just curious... As I was doing my daily wipe down and exchange of cloth items. Do rats hate that? I always feel a bit guilty taking their blankets that they've gotten cozy and replacing them with clean ones... Seems like they like to build their home and with daily cleaning it just messes up their jam. Is that just me projecting? I just cleaned and all my rats are getting buck wild now, haha.


Also, I was curious about wheels. Do you have them? Do your rats like them? I found an awesome one thats totally solid with just holes on the side to get in, great for tails! And my rats are young should I get them a little one, or one big enough for adults? 

Thanks guys!!


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

my rats love cage cleaning day, but i only clean 2 to 3 times a week. I often let them run around my room while I clean, Charles and Storm couldn't care less, but my little guy Soda is always running around me, looking at the new boxes that I'm putting in, playing in the old boxes, even playing with the bedding. the only bad thing is that when I do a full clean out once a week and so have more then just our normal cleaning spray, which kills All bacteria and germs so a full clean out isn't neccasary, and I have a bowl of warm water with dish soap and even tea tree oil, and he spills it all over the carpet. When I'm done cleaning, I put them back in, and they go to work destroying my cage set up, and then they start boggling their eyes out.
Some rats like wheels, some don't. my rats used to love their wheel, ok only Charles did, but then he started to never use it. so I took it out, but they still use it when they run around my room, and when they get a bigger cage I'll give it back to them. I'm assuming your talking about the Wodent wheel, personally I wouldn't use one with holes they have to crawl though to get in, too difficult to get into for some rats. Comfort wheels and silent spinners are best, solid plastic, and easy to get in and out, especially since most older rats like to sleep in the wheels instead of run on them. get the biggest one possible, 10 inches minimum, bigger is better though. too small even at a young age can cause spine issues.


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

I think they do hate it. I always feel guilty too when they have arranged "everything just right" (messy and smelly). As a compromise I leave some of the old stuff.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

My rats love when I clean their cage and make everything "new" and stimulating again  Even if you don't rearrange things they still will bounce around checking everything out 

As for wheels, I take it the wheel you are talking bout is the Wodent Wheel? its always good to try babies with wheels as young as possible as it might become a lifelong habit that could keep them fitter and happier in the end.


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## DanaBug020 (Jun 29, 2012)

Just googled it, Yes its the Wodent Wheel. I bought it today (before reading this). I got a medium sized one, probably about 10in. I guess if they like it I'll buy a bigger one when they grow up. 

As for cage cleaning, I never realized the, "buck wild" behavior after cleaning was them being stoked to check everything out... maybe they do like it.


Oh! And how long do you all let them keep something cardboard in their cage? Until, it smells? And is there such thing as too many TP rolls because theres like 10 in my cage at the moment, haha.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Typically I throw out any cardboard boxes that are chewed up badly or have been peed/pooped on. though since we had a mite infestation in my house, I had to change cardboard out every time I cleaned their cage. so typically maybe every other cage cleaning, maybe every cage cleaning if things are bad. I clean my cage 2 to 3 times a week if that gives you an idea. typically boxes that they like they don't pee/poop on, so those can last about a week or two, which is typically how long it takes for them to chew it up to oblivian.


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## never-sleep (Mar 3, 2012)

When I clean my boy's cage I clean out the main base and his litter pan. I take bedding from the main base and replace the litter in his pan with it and throw the old litter away. I do it so he doesn't have to completely adjust the new bedding smell again. He seems to like it.


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## Rat-1- (Jul 22, 2012)

My rats like being in a cleaner environment but don't appreciate me taking them out of their cage into their carry case.


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