# Litterbox: Do your rats prefer a grate on top? Or no grate at all?



## RattyBoomBaLatty (May 29, 2013)

I'm ordering a litterbox today from amazon and I have to decide between one without a grate and one with a grate. It's $6 without a grate and $12 with a grate. Since it's double the price I want to know it's worth the extra money before I buy one with a grate - I fear I'll buy it and then won't use it. I've been poking around the litter threads and don't see too many where people say if they use a grate or not. 

So... what's the better purchase? $6 no grate. $12 with a grate.

THANKS!


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I've never used a grate (I use plastic tubs instead of pet store litter boxes), but I couldn't imagine my little guys liking them very much. Though my boys love to dig in their litter box, eat in it, and Soda loves to store his food there.

Personally I don't see a real point in a grate, but some people prefer it because it keeps bedding from getting flung out of it and food hoarded in it.


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## steeve (Jul 9, 2013)

Definitely go for no grate. Depending on the bar spacing, rats feet can get caught, fall through, and twist. And rats go in litter boxes because they can dig and feel the litter and have a solid floor to do it on. If they're standing on a grate they'll just pick a different corner where there feet aren't falling through bars. And I imagine some gunk would get stuck to the grate and then they'd step on it. Ew. 
If you're buying litter boxes, make sure they're big enough for the whole rat to jump in and dig around some. And make sure to have a few in their home (not always a bought one, you can use Tupperware to make your own).


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## Famous Amos (May 23, 2013)

If you want them to actually use the box they need to dig. Same as cats. The digging is half the process. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

I have grates on all three of my boxes and all my girls use them regularly. When I didn't have the grate there was a major mess. I love the grate--I'd say it's worth it for sure.


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## Solid Food (May 26, 2013)

I bought my litter box without a grate and I regret it *immensely*. My boys use their litter box to poop, but when they decide they want to snuggle inside the litter box, they kick out all the litter and poop out to make it more cozy for themselves. 

The point of a litter box is to keep the rat's cage poop free to make it easier to clean out, but if your rats kick litter AND poop all over the cage, then the litter box isn't really serving it's purpose and it actually makes it *more *of a hassle to clean out if there wasn't a litter box (poop AND litter everywhere.....). 

Do yourself a favor and buy it with the grate; at least you'll have the choice of putting it on and off if your rats decide that throwing poop and litter everywhere is fun.


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## RattyBoomBaLatty (May 29, 2013)

Thanks everyone! Who knew this was an issue people are so split on?


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## Daize (Jun 8, 2013)

I use the ones with the grates. My girl didn't like to use it, until I put a pee rock in it. Now she uses it all the time.


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## JBird (May 23, 2013)

My rats don't care either way... *I *prefer a grate on top!! I got a litterbox for a reason... to keep the poo out. I don't want them laying in it or playing in it or any of that nonsense. Yucky. My girls use theirs just fine. It makes clean up easier, though I do have to wipe & wash the grate with every cleaning. It gets kinda nasty! Still way preferable to having poo & litter strewn about the cage.  And hey, if they really hate it, take it off. I don't think their feet would be an immediate concern. If rats can do just fine climbing all over a wire cage, living in a wire cage, I'm sure they can survive a trip to the loo! The bars are just far apart enough that my nasty girls can get in their and dig with their front paws, but only just. 

I've seen the grated boxes for only about $2 more than the other ones. I get the smaller/medium sized ones, not the rabbit/ferret sized... those tend to be more than about $7 which is what I paid for mine.


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## RattyBoomBaLatty (May 29, 2013)

These are the 2 I'm looking at (because of free shipping via amazon prime)

http://www.amazon.com/Ware-Plastic-...qid=1374007471&sr=8-2&keywords=rat+litter+box
It has no grate and is $5.70

and

http://www.amazon.com/Ware-Plastic-...qid=1374007503&sr=8-5&keywords=rat+litter+box
It has a grate and is $11.82

I already got a pee rock (from a friend who has been on the pee rock hunt for me, even though she found the whole thing odd LOL). So I just need a litterbox now!


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I switched to a grated one after years of open ones and never looked back. What's the point of a litter box if they're going to roll in it and fling the dirty litter and poos everywhere?  I had this one, worked great, though I made my own clips for it, since the gap meant they could squeeze behind it.


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## RattyBoomBaLatty (May 29, 2013)

Jaguar said:


> I switched to a grated one after years of open ones and never looked back. What's the point of a litter box if they're going to roll in it and fling the dirty litter and poos everywhere?  I had this one, worked great, though I made my own clips for it, since the gap meant they could squeeze behind it.


OK - I consider myself officially swayed. I'm getting the one with the grate!! I've got babies coming on July 31 to join my single (lonely) rat, so hopefully we can start something new with the little ones and she'll hop on board too! She poos in one spot in the cage, so I think that's a good sign! THANK YOU everyone for your input. I totally appreciate it!!!!!


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