# Moving bedding?



## LynxieNeko (Oct 19, 2011)

Hi  
So I got my two female, 8 week old rats yesterday (Moxxi & Lilith ). I've never had rats before.
I had their cage ready for them when they got here and put them into the cage in the boxes they came from the store in. After about 4-5 hours, Lilith (who I've noticed is way more shy) moved from her own box into Moxxi's. [When I noticed this, I removed the empty box to make more room in the cage]. They both stayed in there all night, sometimes venturing out for a sniff.
I got them an igloo as a bed and lined it with snug, fluffy lining. (I lined the cage with some carefresh bedding), and set up a litter tray lined with shredded paper (I know they won't know how to use it yet, but it's there :3). 
Around 3-4am, they both came out of the pet store box and were active until at least 7am, running around the cage, drinking and eating, etc. But I noticed that they took the fluffy lining out of their igloo, and the shredded paper from the litter tray, and they keep pushing it against the sides of the cage. (It's now all mixed in with the floor lining :<) While they were sleeping this morning, I put the shredded paper back in the litter tray, and about half an hour later, Moxxi came out and moved it again and started pushing the linings against the sides of the cage (onto my floor -_-). Is there some reason they're doing this? It was like they were trying to make a wall or something. Or are they just exploring? (They even turned the pet shop box over!)


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## Ressal (Oct 18, 2011)

Hello!

My two girls are obsessed with moving their bedding. Wherever I put it, they will nudge it around (and more often than not it ends up in the food bowl!). I think they're just setting their home up to their liking. It's nothing to worry about but can be a nuisance if they're starting to push it through the bars on to your floor. Rats are very inquisitive (as I'm sure you've noticed by now) and will literally attempt to get in to everything, whether it be by turning things upside down or attempting to rip and shred things. It's all natural behaviour so try and encourage it!


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## LynxieNeko (Oct 19, 2011)

Awwwh ^^ 
Thank you!
They haven't done it so much today, but I'm sure there'll be a little pile of bedding waiting for me on the floor in the morning xD


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

Ressal is right. They're just being mischevious ladies. Playing, exploring, creating nests- and many are very particular about how the cage is organized. They will have it the way they want it. 

Also, for future reference, freeze carefresh in ziploc freezer bags to kill mites/lice before using it in the future. Overnight is plenty of time to kill nasties, then just keep it in the bags until you want to use it! They could get bugs otherwise. :3


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

If they are yor first rats, they wil surprise you with much more and you are going to love it! They are charming little mess makers whose minds you cannot change. Welcome to the ratty world.


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