# Need help with bedding



## mage99 (Aug 7, 2012)

Hey everyone I want to ask you is it good to make the bedding of each floor of my homemade wooden cage with fleece (polar) I tried with PVC foil but my ratties found a way of chewing it so I think it will be good with fleece and I need an advice of how should I clean when it gets durty arouund 2-3 days maybe? Also I think that my rats will pull the fleece couse I don't have a way of pinching it here's a pic if you can tell me some ideas for this http://prikachi.com/images.php?images/753/5087753Z.jpg http://prikachi.com/images.php?images/316/5103316Z.jpg here it is with PVC foil but I will remove it just wanted you to see that I don't have a way of pinching it in the corners so I need an advice


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

If your wood shelves are not covered with water proof paint you need to do that first. You can keep fleece on the shelves with velcro, but make sure to put something under the fleece like newspaper or paper towels. Oh and just because I didn't see it in your cage, make sure to have litter boxes in it. or if you want you can get some plexiglass to put on to the shelves and make a tray to put bedding it. That way you can just slide it out to clean out the cage.


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## mage99 (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks I have litter boxes just not in the pic and thanks very much for the advice  am want to ask you is there a problem if I put towels for bath under the polar fleece and I will change the fleece once daily is this a decision too?


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Not sure, I don't use fleece personally. the reason though you need to put something absorbent under it is because fleece just pulls urine away from the top and pools it up to what's ever under it, Which can cause health issues and on wood can cause it to rot.
You can probably do the bath towels under the fleece though, it will probably work if your changing it every day or so. Though that does sound like a hassle cause you'll need to make 7 to 8 or 9 sets so you only have to do a rat load one a week.


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## mage99 (Aug 7, 2012)

Well yeah I will get enough fleece  and under bath towels I will see if it's good and btw the wood can't rot it's some kind of special I don't understand these things xD but it wont rot I'm sure and changing the fleece once a day or two won't be a problem with the urine cuz my ratties pee in their litter boxes rare cases that they have peed not in the box .Oh and I'm very happy that you told me so many things and advices it really worked for me Thanks!


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

If you have special wood that can't rot, then it has been treated with lethal chemicals and you need to get a new cage as soon as possible. Rats can and will chew on wooden enclosures and will ingest those chemicals.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Do you know what type of wood Exactly? I would be very wary of non rotting wood, if your rats eat it it Could kill them or make them very sick.


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## mage99 (Aug 7, 2012)

As I said they have never got the interest of chewing the wood and if they do it I WILL change the cage but for now everythings fine.And NO I am sure that there are no chemicals on the wood it's some special kind I don't know it so if they chew I will change !


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

If it's special wood that doesn't rot, that means that there are chemicals in it. There is no miracle wood in the lumber industry.

If they decide to start chewing overnight, it will be too late. I strongly urge you to find another caging solution before anyone gets harmed.


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## elliriyanna (Jul 27, 2011)

Actually there are non-treated woods that don't rot naturally or at least they take a lot. They use them for fences in Kentucky so it may be that however I would try different levels it will make your life easier


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## mage99 (Aug 7, 2012)

From the 3 years no chew .... and yes thank you ellirivanna I don't think it's treated really


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## elliriyanna (Jul 27, 2011)

I know someone who sets up hammocks like levels so instead of worrying about scrubbing levels she just washes the hammocks  the rats seem to love it.


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

> I know someone who sets up hammocks like levels so instead of worrying about scrubbing levels she just washes the hammocks  the rats seem to love it.​




I do that with my old man, it's much handier plus he's a lot less likely to pee or poo on the hammocks, since he considers them beds. It works out for us all!​


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