I NEED HELP, I can't stand it any longer!

[Aspen and Misty]

My rats and there cage have an oder. I have been trying to get ride of the odor for a month. I have washed the rats and they don't smell AS bad but I can never get ride of the odor. There cage I have scrubed and I have done everythign but it wont stop smelling! If I can 't get ride of this odor, I'm afried I'm going to have to put them back in the aquirium :( . I can't live with it any more.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Any sugestions????


Ash

[sasvermont]

http://mutantspud.com/frc/info_pages/basics/litter_bedding.html

[Aspen and Misty]

Thanx. I don't use bedding expet in the litter pan and on 2 parts of my cage ot allow my rats to get away from the wire bottom. The wire is also a safe size so there legs wont get stuck. I need to get the smell of the wires and the rats but nothing works, nothing.

Ash

[Karen]

Maybe you SHOULD use bedding. It will cover the wires up, and help contain any odor on them. Also it's easier to throw away litter than clean the actual cage ... Have you soaked the cage with white vinegar? It's a mild acid and is the only substance that REALLY works on the bunny's litter box. It's cheap, too, unlike most fancy cleaning products!

[popcornbird]

I can't offer any help because I don't know a thing about rats, but the rats I have seen at pet stores had a terrible odor as well, and their cages were sparkling clean. Did the aquarium help?

[Aspen and Misty]

Originally posted by Karen
Maybe you SHOULD use bedding. It will cover the wires up, and help contain any odor on them. Also it's easier to throw away litter than clean the actual cage ... Have you soaked the cage with white vinegar? It's a mild acid and is the only substance that REALLY works on the bunny's litter box. It's cheap, too, unlike most fancy cleaning products!

Yup, we tried white vinger. I have also treid bedding and that stunk even worse! I have no idea why!! I cleaned it every saturday and gave them a fresh up every wednesday. They also got aspen all over the floor and it ended up doing damage to my carpet and we had to have a profesional come and clean it to get the smell out :eek: . So I'm not going back to the bedding. I guess when I go home I clean out there wire cage again and let it coak in the shower tonight and then also clean it again tomrrow be fore I go to school and let that sit and then give the rats another bath in smoe other type of shampoo, I've tried Ferret deoderizer, maybe I wil ltry a diffrent brand. I dunno, we'll see what happens.

Ash

[Aspen and Misty]

Originally posted by popcornbird
I can't offer any help because I don't know a thing about rats, but the rats I have seen at pet stores had a terrible odor as well, and their cages were sparkling clean. Did the aquarium help?

Yes, the aquarium did help, was not as stinky.


Ash

[petsbestern]

But aren't rats supposed to smell bad? I have never come across a rat that didn't stink. I would never have one as a pet because of this reason. Well, I don't like them either, but the smell is something I can't stand. I hate odors! I can't stand going near the rats at the pet store, and they are in tanks in our local pet stores...........clean ones too. I wish you luck in finding a solution. Maybe ask someone who works at pet stores. They might know of some product.

[primabella]

i used to want a mouse so bad and would visit the ones at the pet store after school. the rat cages were always next to the mice and i always smelled them. they did stink ( a LOT) and the aquarium was clean. anyways, good luck in finding something. i also think that maybe if you ask someone at a pet store or maybe even a vet, they could help you.

[Aspen and Misty]

Well our pet store people know NOTHING about animals. You can't even ask them where the Iams is without them going whats Iams? (I feed Chewy nutro though)

We put the cage in the bath tub and I used this stuff my dad made me. It worked wonderfully! No more smell, maybe I will use it on the rats (j/k). We had a nice flood while washing the cage, it was 2 inches deep and o boy was Chewy having fun. I first noticed it when I heard Chewy lapping up water and then pouncing in it! LOL, aparently the part of the cage that was not in the tub was leaking down the sides of the tub. Well after 2 hours of lots of towels, 1 flood and alot fo frustraion I have 4 very happy ratties and one happy owner!

Ash

[primabella]

well, i'm happy you got the smell out! good job :)

[luckies4me]

Just curious but do you have a galvanized wire cage? These trap odors very well. Do you have any wooden toys? If so that is where the smell is hiding. You can never rid wooden toys of urine smell, it soaks it right up. If you clean their cage once a week it should NOT smell. Your ratties should have some types of bedding to dig through or a safe plant in which to dig. You can use Rubbermaid containers and cut a hole on top,, fill it with bedding and they can dig throught that without kicking bedding everywhere. I reccomend Careresh.

Also if you are going to bath your rats you must only use a kitten or human baby formula as others are way too irritating to a rats skin. Another good brand is Aveno.

Also if you are using towls these must be changed EVERY day or the cage will become stinky very soon. It also traps ammonia which can lead to serious upper respiratory distress. A good odor neutralizer is Nature Miracle. It works wonders. Also as far as wire is concerned, it has now been learnt that wire does not cause bumblefoot and this is actually genetics that cause this painful blistering of the foot pads. But their feet can get soar but them walking on wire as long as they have some solid ground is fine.

Petsbestern:
NO RATS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SMELL BAD! And take this from a rat owner who lives with 20 plus of these cute critters! Why do you dislike rats? They DO NOT smell if properly taken care of. My rats are bathed twice a month and don't even need it as they are fastidous groomers. The only reason why I do this is because I show my rats. If a rat is smelly there is a problem with the cage not being cleaned often enough or a bad bedding that traps odors. As far as tanks they smell because they barely allow any air circulation which is why tanks are not meant for permanent housing.

[Aspen and Misty]

Yup, thats our problem its a galvanized wire cage. We had woodne toys. but we found out the urnine thing VERY quickly! I do clean the cage every week. The bottom gets changed twice a week and the wires are now wiped down with soap and water. It seems to be controlling the odor. They have tissues to pull around, I never thought about a box full of ceder, I will get one of them for them soon, good way to get new shoes :D

O I know about the kitten and baby shampoo I was just kidding about the other stuff. We do NOT use towels in there cage and they get fresh tissues twice a week, with there bed changing. They get fresh baby food every day and they get fresh food everyday because I only give them a limited amount cause they just through it through the wires anways :rolleyes: .

Ash

[luckies4me]

NOT cedar remember?

[luckies4me]

Oh yes if you scrub your wire cage you will NEED to ue a vinegar solution or you will subject your rats to zinc poisoning. If you spray it down with vinegal it neautralizes it and makes it safe.

[Aspen and Misty]

Originally posted by luckies4me
Oh yes if you scrub your wire cage you will NEED to ue a vinegar solution or you will subject your rats to zinc poisoning. If you spray it down with vinegal it neautralizes it and makes it safe.

Thank you for telling me this! I have been useing soap and water, is that bad for them??

I know, I know, no ceder. But thats what EVERYONE around here calls it. If you say Aspen they are like what? You have to say White Ceder for them to understand, lol. Its just a habit and I'm not gonan use ceder in my rats cage you've told me 1,000 times not to :D

Ash :D