# Why are my male rats nesting?



## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

I've had my rats for about a month and a half now, and just this morning they've started doing something really strange. They have a plastic XL Sputnik hanging from the cage ceiling which they love. They used to love their hammock which is still in the cage, but now it seems that Sputnik is the thing. I find myself wiping it down several times a day if I see pee pooling in the bottom of it (don't want them marinating in that).

Anyway, this morning, I caught one of my rats picking up bits of shredded paper from the base of their cage and climbing to the Sputnik and leaving it there. He did this for a while and then had a little scuffle with the other rat (nothing serious). The other rat then ran downstairs, grabbed a load of shredded paper (he looked so silly!), and carried it to the top level of the cage. Didnt arrange it, but just dumped it. Now the original rat seems to be arranging the paper in the Sputnik! It looks like he's creating some sort of nest, but he's definitely male! I can't work out why he's doing this!

The only thing that's changed since I got them is, yesterday I introduced them to who will hopefully become their new baby brother (2 months younger than my boys). The intro was really good, better than I had ever imagined, so I have high hopes. Could my rat be preparing for this new arrival? Or is he just engaging in a bit of feng shui? Or has his decided his Sputnik needs more padding? (I don't really want to provide this because they pee in it so often...and they have the hammock for a softer sleep)

Please let me know if anyone else has seen this sort of behaviour in males!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

My male will relocate or rearrange bedding; I assume it is just to get comfy.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Sounds like they like the sputnik as a preferred bed than the hammock.


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## lalalauren (Jul 3, 2013)

Ahh so something as simple as that! I just found it so weird as it's the first time they've done anything like this! They also have a box filled with bedding on the ground floor which they used to rearrange and kick out some of the bedding (most of the bedding when it got too hot), but I've never seen them go through that much effort to get comfy! How cute  thanks! 


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## Mball77 (Jul 3, 2013)

I've gotten the crinkles bedding and paper towels just for nesting fun. Even if they don't use it for sleeping I think its instinct and my boys love shredding paper stuff. It might even just be fun for them so I'm sure to give them lots of extra paper towels and toilet paper. Its also kinda nice they pee in it and I can just take it out. Its a pain when they pull out the bedding and stuff it into their favorite free range hiddey holes but its also kinda adorable.


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## monster_paws (Jan 17, 2013)

My boy loves to do some interior decorating too. He shreds up paper towel rolls and tissue paper from my shopping sprees. I let him be, it's fun to watch or discover in the morning, not a huge pain to dump out on cleaning day either.


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