# Pull-Out Tray



## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

Why not? I mean most rat shelves are wire and as long as their kept clean it shouldn't bother them. And if the shelves bothered them they can be covered. What are the faults of a grated bottom cages with pull-out trays. Wouldn't poo, urine, and food scraps just fall through the grates and end up out of reach making the environment more sanitary? It may also be easier to clean. So... Why aren't they used?


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## MoonRatZee (May 1, 2011)

I've heard that it's because (besides bumblefoot,) that they could get their feet or even their tail caught it in, which could cause injury. Not an expert, that's just what I've read when doing my pre-ownership research.


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## HuncaMunca (Dec 29, 2010)

I believe it's because then their feet are constantly on wire. If it's just the shelves that are wire, then they still have a soft place with bedding/fleece on the bottom. I'm not sure if all the poo, pee ect. falling through would accutally make it that much more sanitary either. 
Hopefully more people will chime in.


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## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

Hmm, perhaps they could get caught up in it. I thought bumble foot was caused by harsh wire with no soft covers or hammocks to use as an escape or wandering in a dirty cage. I'll have to look up more info on that.

Hopefully more people will lend a little more info.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

bumblefoot is usually caused by urine/feces on the walking surface, which gets into small incisions on the feet and causes an infection. it's not necessarily caused by wire floors - they just tend to be harder to completely clean in between the wires. it could be harder on their feet walking on wires all the time, though, so it's always good to have a flat area so they can rest their feet. i often leave the ramps and shelves of my martins cage uncovered and have never had a rat with bumblefoot. as long as you wipe wire shelves down once a day or so they're fine


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## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

Huh, I can only imagine that happening if the owner is lazy if that's the case as their is a condition in horses that is similar and easily preventable. Thrush is a sort of bacterial infection that occurs when the animal has been standing/walking in urine and feces, the heat from the excrement or sometimes thick mud alows bacteria to grow and begins to eat away at the frog of the hoof (a bit of tough tissue that cusions each step, it's v shaped and sets in the center). Though, it is possible for a good owner to be plagued by Bumblefoot or Thrush under unpreventable and albeit poor circumstances.


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## Lou (Apr 26, 2011)

I am sure rats don't want to have to stand on wire all day, I imagine it to be pretty uncomfortable for them.


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Some rats are genetically prone to bumblefoot too, no matter what we do there is always going to be some bacteria on the shelves, since we can't keep the cage sterile 24/7.

My issue with pull out trays is what is the point? In order for the grating above it to be safe on the feet it would have to be 1/2x1/2 mesh (which they never are) and, if it were, most of the poop wouldn't fall through anyway. It just seems pointless. The only kinds of pull out trays I like are the kinds with no mesh above them that lock so that the rats can't push the tray out and escape.


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## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

smesyna- Of course the cage can't be kept clean 24/7, it'd be immpossible, but it's generally not the little bits of daily bacteria, it's the build up of bacteria that will do damage (or try to do damage). My reasoning for pull-out cages is the design of bird cages, newspaper in the tray is soiled and removed daily and when properly maintained a birds cage can stay sparkling because all the droppings fall through and what doesn't gets wiped up. I thought rat poo was similar to rabbit poo, little pellets that would simply fall through out of reach and away from feet.

lou- Yeah, I doubt rats or any animal for that matter would like walking on wire all day. That's what hammocks, shelf covers and the like are for. Hammocks seem relatively common, so I don't think many rats (other than lab rats) have to walk on wire all day and then of course there is the recommended daily out of cage time.

Increased gauge of the wire may help with comfort and it would have to be powder coated to prevent or decrease urine absorption


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

My point was that the little bits that accumulate between cleanings _are_ enough for rats that are prone to it. Some wonderful owners on here have had rats get it despite keeping the cage very clean. Of course one should keep it clean, as non-genetically prone animals can get it too if it is dirty, and for other sanitation reasons, but I wanted to clarify.


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## HowlsOfAngels (Apr 9, 2011)

Alright, thank you, but I have a few more questions. Are the rats that are more prone to bumble foot also more prone to other infections? And if they are prone to other infections is it because they have weaker immune systems than other rats?


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Those are very good questions, of which I unfortunately do not have the answers to. The only stuff I have read on it discusses a genetic predisposition to bumblefoot, beyond that I do not know.


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