# Any way to control the horrible smell?



## amyk (Jun 7, 2011)

My children have three male rats, about four months old. They are in a large cage and the shelves and bottom tray are wiped down daily. No matter how clean the cage is, the entire lower level of our home reeks from them. Do males have a stronger smell than females? I'm seriously ready to find them a new home, the smell is so bad and so embarrassing. Any tips for keeping the odor down? We currently have two guinea pigs and a hamster . . . nothing compares to the stink of these three rats. Even my daycare toddlers notice and ask me what stinks down there. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!


----------



## ratsrulesok (May 30, 2011)

bicarbonate of soda is harmless and is a natural odor absorber boys do tend to be a bit stinky and have a stronger smell due to territorial reasons, another item is a electronic odor control solution I recently got on amazon a very cheap air purifier with a built in odor killer without chemicals or anything untoward since using it and the bicarb our odors have been minimal even with some hot muggy weather hope that helps.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

So lets ask the basics...what bedding are you using, what type of cage is it? Galvanized wire cage? Plastic shelves? The boys themselves, do they smell? Or do they smell like boys? What diet are they on? If its poor or too much protein then their poop will smell. We need to pinpoint where the smell is coming from  I have many boys and they all smell a bit like cornchips but they don't smell up a room.


----------



## amyk (Jun 7, 2011)

I would love if they smelled like corn chips! I am using an Aspen pellet bedding, but right now it's only in the litter pan (when we put it all over the bottom of the cage they systematically shove it through the cage bars all over the floor). They were just moved to a larger cage (http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=KaItTtK0Lurz0gHRxZjkDg&ved=0CEgQ8gIwAw), but the smell has been a problem ever since we brought them home. The shelves are plastic - I would never put fleece of something in the shelves because they pee and poop ALL over the place. The rats themselves don't smell that bad I guess - it's more their pee/poo. They eat the basic square meal rat food. Literally, when you walk in our back door (which is at the top of the basement stairs) the smell greats you.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

OK so it sounds more like diet than anything, that and pee-river shelves from SP...those can smell VILE, and I removed the shelves and made my own with my superpet cages.

You have 3 rats? Do you hang hammocks? These will reek as well and may need to be changed a lot. I would put aspen all through the base to help with the smell. You can sprinkle Yesterday's News in the aspen for extra odor help.

OK good choices for food are;

1) order Harlan Teklad 2014 lab blocks online (depends on where you live)
2) use Oxbow Regal Rat (new formulation) but it can be pricey
3) Living World Extrusion for Hamsters (its seriously a good lab block for rats).

What else do you feed your stinky crew? Lots of proteins, or fruits? Lots of things like broccoli, kale etc...these can make a rat fart


----------



## amyk (Jun 7, 2011)

Actually, I love the "pee river" shelves . . . without those indentations, the pee and poo would run right off the shelves and onto the floor. And, they are getting cleaned every evening. We do have one hammock that should be replaced now that they have chewed it to pieces. I just bought some scrap fabric to sew a few new ones for them.

If I put the aspen pellets over the entire bottom, will that erase any hope of them litter training? It's just so much easier to wipe the bottom down each night, than to scoop and replace that bedding. But, I can see that the bedding would help absorb any pee and maybe cut smell a bit?

The only foods they get are the rat meal blocks (we buy them in bulk at the pet store, so no idea on brand).


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I would change your lab blocks and change out your hammock every 3 days...rats love to urinate in hammocks, causing a vile overall smell.

Eventually the plastic may absorb the urine smell, which is why we love powdercoated cages, even galvanized cages are porous and will absorb the urine smell. 

Don't worry we'll figure this out for you.


----------



## amyk (Jun 7, 2011)

Good call on the hammock - it does need washing. I guess I'm just not used to pets choosing to sleep where they pee :


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

amyk said:


> Good call on the hammock - it does need washing. I guess I'm just not used to pets choosing to sleep where they pee :


girls not so much, but boys...some are called marinators LOL Rats pee on each other, on us, dribble pee to use to figure out trails in the wild...what's a little urine amongst friends right? LOL

I would advise changing their staple diet. The best one for me (I have a lot of rescue rats so really notice a diet change) is the Harlan 2014. After that I love the Living World extrusion. Mazuri was okay but their poop smelled more than on the others.


----------



## blenderpie (Sep 10, 2009)

Also, cleaning them out too much may cause them to mark more, causing it to smell a lot worse. Next time you clean it out, try leaving a small amount of soiled litter. I know it may seem counter intuitive, but having their own smell will make them feel safer and less likely to mark and stink up the place.

Also, I don't have that super pet cage, but I have a super pet cage. I have done EVERYTHING to try to keep the smell down. The plastic is the devil. I invested in a martins because of it. I've soaked in every kind of cleaner, power washed it, and spot check every other day if not every day. Nothing helps.


----------

