# Rat Belly Band?



## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Alright, no one make fun of me!

I've only ever had female rats that had no issues with marking or "leaking" whatsoever. In a few months, I'll be getting males and I've heard stories about little trails of urine.

Has anyone ever sewn a little belly band, like they have for menstruating dogs, for their male rats to wick urine away during free-range time?


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Couldn't figure out how to edit the post, but they are also used for male dogs that mark, if I recall correctly.

It seems like the idea could be just as easily implemented on a smaller animal.


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## PipRat (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm pretty sure that even if you managed to get the band on the rat it would stay on for about 3 seconds before it was chewed through or wriggled out of!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Should I be looking to get females again instead, then?

I wanted to try to get laid-back rats this time.


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## Munchie (Mar 13, 2012)

I was about to say, my rats easily wiggle out of a harness no matter how tight, I'd imagine the belly band would come straight off (if it even went on in the first place)
If you have your heart set on males then maybe let them freerange somewhere you can wipe down afterwards? Wooden floor/table etc Or just wash your carpets a lot x3


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

My (very) active females never wriggled out of their harnesses, so I didn't know if the band would be a problem or not.

I don't have my heart set on either sex. To be honest, the testicles on the males freak me out a bit, but I'm always hearing about how lazy and cuddly males are. That's really what I'm looking for this time around.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

I've had male rats and if I recall there wasn't much of a problem, I'm sure in the beginning they will wanna mark everything but once they are used to it being 'there' home they will stop. But I don't think they will let you put anything around them or on their junk. Hope someone w/males currently and discuss the marking =]


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Some females mark too, just so you know.  You are just as likely to get a female pee machine.

It seems gross at first but it is just one of those little quirks of rat ownership. Not all of them will do it and they will not do it all the time (unless they are very determined to mark you as theirs, lol). Only two or three of my boys have been dribblers. My 4 girls peed on everything, me included.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Clare's been peeing every once in a while so far twice on the futon not happy about it lol but I can't get made =/ I'm a push over


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Oh? I must have gotten lucky with my previous four girls. I was under the impression that it was a male trait.

That knowledge makes me feel a bit better about my choice of getting males this time around! Thank you!

(_Oh, and I'll sew a belly band anyway just for some funny pictures._)


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

My boys have never peed on me or dribbled or anything. so.
My girl sure has though. Took a great big wizz on me the other day. Was so fun to wash off.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

yep, one of my girls is downright leaky, you get used to it after awhile. If a band could be made to stay in place that'd be amazing super awesome!


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## Lucys_Mom (Feb 27, 2012)

I have a chihuahua who used to mark things when he was younger, even though I neutered him. I tried the belly band, but it never stayed in place. When he was really small, I would take a sock, and shorten it, cut two little leg holes and one tail hole, and he would have a diaper. Once he got big enough, I bought the fabric female diapers at the pet store. They worked great, and both the sock and the diaper seemed to keep him from peeing, because he realized the first time that the pee didn't go where he wanted it to (of course I changed the diaper immediately). He never tried to mark in it after that. I would recommend using a sock, or maybe finding a diaper to use as a template, and make a smaller version (that is if you are good at sewing). I would only put it on when they were out of the cage, obviously. I'm thinking of making one for my hairless boys, because they leave pee everywhere they go. Plus, they might like the extra warmth. I've considered even making a little onesie...lol


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

My boys pee on EVERYTHING....my girls won't pee on me, but if I have them out, say on my bed, one of them relieves her entire bladder on my sheets at some point


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## Zilla (May 9, 2012)

The only time my boys ever pee is if I've had them out of the cage for a few hours without letting them go back for a potty break. That's when I know it's time to put them away for a little while. They only time they dribbled or marked on me or my furniture was when we first got them, within the first few days. Since then they haven't done it, or at least I don't really notice it. It doesn't really bother me anyway, I just wipe up after them. Lol


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## Nauseum (Mar 3, 2012)

My girls dirbble pee everywhere all the time and if I have them out for too long they will unload their whole bladder on me or my sheets. I didn't realize that some rats don't do this until I read this thread (these are my first rats) I just figured it was how rats were, haha!


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## Lioness (Nov 11, 2011)

Eh, my boys only dribble if I take them out right after waking up. It varies.

Regarding testicles: They can be a little intimidating, but once you get over them it's no big deal. A testicle isn't really different than any other body part if you aren't attaching sexuality to it. It's just a part of an animal. 
Only one of my boys is intact but he is definitely more cuddly - the other two act more like typical girls.

There was a really fantastic website dedicated to the humor of rat testicles (seriously, it was good and not gross) but I can't find it now. D: If I remember what it's called I'll let you know.


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## hcroark (May 6, 2012)

I've had the exact same question about the belly band! My boys leak too. I'm glad someone else was brave enough to ask!!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

hcroark said:


> I've had the exact same question about the belly band! My boys leak too. I'm glad someone else was brave enough to ask!!


Haha, I have no shame! I'm going to give it a go, if only for the giggles and pictures.


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