# Throwing his bedding out



## AllAnimalsLover (Feb 14, 2016)

Watson is about 4 months old (Dumbo, male) and has developed a very odd habit. He keeps taking mouthfuls of his bedding (we use Aspen wood chips) and throwing it out of the cage. Sometimes he digs for those perfect pieces sometimes he just takes them off the top. He grabs his mouthful, waddles over, and spits/nudges out the bedding through the bars. He does it at different times and I don't think it has anything to do with a dirty or clean cage because he has done this just hours after I replace the bedding, hours before I clean the cage, and anytime in between. I don't catch him doing it often but he does it daily (I can tell by all the woodchips on the ground). I don't mind too much, I just sweep around the cage each day its no big deal, but it is quite funny to watch and I was wondering why he does this and if anybody else's rats do this. I have a total of 5 rats and not one of my other boys do this.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Umm maybe he is throwing out pieces that had pee of another rat on them, kind of defending his territory by make it smells more like him and less like the other rats? Just a guess. Have you ever tried another bedding? If yes, does he do the same thing with another bedding?


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

It is fairly common  Nothing to be worried about just a quirk lol

They don't like something, it is dirty, or sometimes they are just redecorating and will do it. 

Atleast it isn't poop...I've had rats toss poops out. lol


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## AllAnimalsLover (Feb 14, 2016)

Gribouilli said:


> Umm maybe he is throwing out pieces that had pee of another rat on them, kind of defending his territory by make it smells more like him and less like the other rats? Just a guess. Have you ever tried another bedding? If yes, does he do the same thing with another bedding?


I tried paper bedding (care fresh) before I got Watson but my rats were a little sensitive too it so I had to switch and Aspen was the next best. I don't think that it has to do with the other rats pee just because he does so soon after I put new bedding in (and he throws out quite a lot and my rats tend to dribble rather then pee in one big puddle). My guess was either he wants a certain "fluffiness" of bedding or he wants it to look a certain way (as another person mentioned he likes t redecorate). But just wanted to check to see if anyone had any answers as to why.


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## AllAnimalsLover (Feb 14, 2016)

moonkissed said:


> It is fairly common  Nothing to be worried about just a quirk lol
> 
> They don't like something, it is dirty, or sometimes they are just redecorating and will do it.
> 
> Atleast it isn't poop...I've had rats toss poops out. lol


Thanks. Ya I wasn't worried but sometimes odd behaviour that seems harmless really isn't. It just surprised me that only 1 out of 5 rats would do this. It is so funny and entertaining to watch though. I am definitely glad it isn't poop, sorry you had to do that. The previous cage I had my rats in they liked to poop in the corner of the top level and it would always fall out. Thanks


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I believe Moonkissed is right, I was just trying to find a reason but most likely just a way to redecorate or it just amuses him, rats and their silly antics, lol. Does he throw it out from a specific spot or just from all over his cage?


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## Els (Aug 23, 2021)

AllAnimalsLover said:


> Watson is about 4 months old (Dumbo, male) and has developed a very odd habit. He keeps taking mouthfuls of his bedding (we use Aspen wood chips) and throwing it out of the cage. Sometimes he digs for those perfect pieces sometimes he just takes them off the top. He grabs his mouthful, waddles over, and spits/nudges out the bedding through the bars. He does it at different times and I don't think it has anything to do with a dirty or clean cage because he has done this just hours after I replace the bedding, hours before I clean the cage, and anytime in between. I don't catch him doing it often but he does it daily (I can tell by all the woodchips on the ground). I don't mind too much, I just sweep around the cage each day its no big deal, but it is quite funny to watch and I was wondering why he does this and if anybody else's rats do this. I have a total of 5 rats and not one of my other boys do this.





AllAnimalsLover said:


> Watson is about 4 months old (Dumbo, male) and has developed a very odd habit. He keeps taking mouthfuls of his bedding (we use Aspen wood chips) and throwing it out of the cage. Sometimes he digs for those perfect pieces sometimes he just takes them off the top. He grabs his mouthful, waddles over, and spits/nudges out the bedding through the bars. He does it at different times and I don't think it has anything to do with a dirty or clean cage because he has done this just hours after I replace the bedding, hours before I clean the cage, and anytime in between. I don't catch him doing it often but he does it daily (I can tell by all the woodchips on the ground). I don't mind too much, I just sweep around the cage each day its no big deal, but it is quite funny to watch and I was wondering why he does this and if anybody else's rats do this. I have a total of 5 rats and not one of my other boys do this.


One of my rats (female, 5 months) recently started doing this exact same thing. I use kiln dried sawdust (I think this is the correct translation, it is the one where the dust has been extracted). I made a deep plexiglass base, so no bedding would end up on the floor anymore. Not so effective in this case 😂. I still hope she will get bored with redecorating the floor outside the cage, haha!


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