RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Fri Nov 04, 2005 3:58 am

Well, my parents said that after I get something on my floor I get to have a trial period where I can let the rats free range. I am planning to put lenolium (sp?) down on the floor (it is pretty ugly, but it will work), and then cutting the extra pieces in half and duct taping them to my wall so the wall does not wick up there pee.

I am going to go begging for boxes at kroger, and I will make a 2 1/2 foot barrier (is that high enough. My girls and boy are not real jumpers, but I have seen them jump about 1 1/2 feet, and there was that thing with Eve and door ledge), so that they can not get to near the door, and another one separating them from the bed, so I do nto roll on them.

Does anyone know where I can get big boxes if kroger does not give them to me?

I am planning to use a bin as there base (an igloo, water bottle, food, and litter box), is that okay, or should it be bigger.

I also need some advice on what to clean the floor with. We have been in the process of putting something down, and first the carpet got pulled up, but the cement absorbs there pee to. I am going to move the rats out for the day, and then wash the floor with a vinegar solution and then go over it with a bakingsoda solution. If that doesn't work I will have to spray something like bleach, but I hope not. Has anyone had alot of sucess with one type of cleaner?

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Rosie

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I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:09 am

Full time free ranging or just for certain times?

If you're leaving them out for any length of time, it might be worth looking at a couple of sleeping spots in case they want to get away from each other... alternatively, they might all pile into the same igloo regardless! LOL

I don't know if it's worthwhile, but perhaps consider a sealant to run along any joins in the lino for a good seal? It can smell quite strongly (of vinegar usually) so you might need to air it out for a day or so, but it's pretty good at preventing leaks because it's designed to seal around baths and sinks, and it's flexible so won't pull away so easily as the lino is trod on etc.

Cleaning wise - I think that vinegar/baking soda is probably kindest, or use a mild bleach solution if it's aired out well. Most of my free ranging ratness is done on furniture covered with blankets or duvets, so I just end up throwing them in the washing machine!

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:35 am

It would be full time as long as they do not jump over the cardboard. I would add boxes and stuff on the floor for them to run around with, along with a rattie blanket and a bunch of other toys.

A sealant is a good idea! I will ask my dad about it.

I forgot to add that I actually will get to open my windows! They have no screens, and with all the outdoor cats in our neighborhood having rats and open windows is not a great idea.

I tried covering the floor with a blanket, but the silly rats just burrowed under it. I hope that the vinegar/baking soda works, and if not my windows will be open for it to air out. If the baking soda/vinegar worked, could I move the rats in after I had the linolium down? I do not think there would be that many fumes.

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Rosie

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I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Fri Nov 04, 2005 4:53 am

I'd take it as you go - as long as you can't smell the fumes, they should be fine. But I'd be concerned to make sure that not only can the rats not get out, but that things can't get in - so you might want to look at screens or something for the windows, and make sure your dogs aren't going to be able to get into your room, push the door or cardboard out the way etc.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:34 am

I would definately get screens for the windows before I opened them. Faith climbs all over the curtains, and it would be horrible if she got out!

About the cardboard, I just meant that if my mom opens my door, the rats won't be able to run out. I always close it, so other animals getting in isn't a problem, but no one besides me always closes my door right away, so I just wanted a space where the door could be open for a few seconds without the rats running out

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Rosie

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I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:09 am

Something to watch for...Don't put igloos or boxes near the edges of the enclosure as they'll use those to jump out. Squeaker used to jump around 2 foot (I kid you not) off the floor to the top of my walls I had made for them. I finally had to just take the walls down and let them go where they wanted as they'd get out of the enclosure, anyway. Even if they're in the enclosure, it's a good idea not to wear shoes in that room as one might sneak out at some time or another. They're smart little buggers wink

If you need cardboard boxes, you might try supermarkets. They get big boxes.

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My zoo: Link, Cyrano de Bergerat, Pipsqueak and the girls Harley, Kira and Esie<:8 )~
Also, Arwen the garter snake, Merry the beta, 2 fantail goldfish, 4 applesnails (r.i.p. pinky), 3 cory cats and Evie, the Jack Russell Terrier.

Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:00 pm

Do you have wallpaper or paint on your walls? I thought there was nothing my ratties could destroy when I fixed up my room to be a free range area, but then they decided they were bored and somehow, god knows how, managed to chew big holes in the paint and now my room's full of little rat marks and holes in the wall.

Just something to think about.

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Marisa
Monopoly, Cobbles, Milford, Snubs, Naf, Mr. Schneebly and Insu

Sat Nov 05, 2005 2:01 am

Oh yes - do be sure that the paint on any woodwork and the walls is new and lead free. I don't know how old the house is, but if there's a possibility that any lead based paint is still in the room, do talk to your parents about stripping it all off and repainting/varnishing from scratch.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:17 am

The original paint was lead, but since my sister was 2 when we moved here, we stripped it all of and re did it. Goldy (RIP) actually scraped the paint off of part of the wall.

Well, the war has begun. The rats are in the extra room, and everything has been moved out of my room. I scrubbed the floor once, and now my mom is making me do it again (I cant smell anything though). NOw I am going to completely clean everything in the rats cage. Tomarrow I will go and get some boxes and tape, put the linolium down, and block off some areas of my room. Sunday I am going to build the little cabinet quarentine cage (I will probably get to use my big cage, because the rats will be free ranging, but if there is a problem with that, I can use that, and it will also work for bringing the rats to the vet for surgery and stuff when they have to stay over night)

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Rosie

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I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat

Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:49 am

I would be concerned that the rats would just chew the cardboard away. Someone else here suggested plexiglass which seemed like an awesome idea, and I plan on buying some soon to block off behind the dresser where the ratties love to try to go to chew on wires and cords... cardboard blocking it off is just not cutting it.

My rats are also jumpers... we actually taught them to jump when they were babies because it was entertaining... we'd put them on a table and keep moving it further away from us and give them a treat when they'd jump into our laps. Whoops, we're paying for that now. One of our rats can jump 2 1/2 feet straight up easy... and I'd say she can jump about 3' horizontally. Doh.

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Lise...

& Molly, Nora, and Tevy

Sat Nov 05, 2005 10:03 am

Just make sure, if you get plexiglass, that you anchor it well. It's rather heavy and you wouldn't want it falling on your rats.

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My zoo: Link, Cyrano de Bergerat, Pipsqueak and the girls Harley, Kira and Esie<:8 )~
Also, Arwen the garter snake, Merry the beta, 2 fantail goldfish, 4 applesnails (r.i.p. pinky), 3 cory cats and Evie, the Jack Russell Terrier.

Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:36 pm

Wait, don't you have a boy too? Or his he neutered.

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Sat Nov 05, 2005 11:57 pm

	amazing_rat wrote:
	Wait, don't you have a boy too? Or his he neutered.

I think I remember that she has a neutered boy...

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EMILY-------------------------------------------------

Rest in peace, Violet and Isadora. <3

Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:24 am

Ahhh, so she is just going to neuter Raoul after his quarentine? I am a bit confused.

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Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:28 am

I'm kind of confused about that too...probably...

And, I wish I could free range my rats! But I would be worried they would somehow get out...But I am getting vinyl floors soon, so we'll see.

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EMILY-------------------------------------------------

Rest in peace, Violet and Isadora. <3

Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:35 am

I do too, but I have really nice hardwood flooring in there, so that will stay. I am going to settle for now with making them a huge cage to add on to their current cage, which can already hold 5. Maybe eventually.....but I have a cat who loves my room.

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Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:45 am

What I do is that whever I'm home I let out my rats. So they get an average of 3 to 6 hours of free range in my bedroom a day...During the weekends they sometimes free range for about 9 hours a day, but I have found that after awhile they want to just sleep in their cage (which I leave open). Oh well.

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EMILY-------------------------------------------------

Rest in peace, Violet and Isadora. <3

Sun Nov 06, 2005 4:33 am

I think her girls are spayed... I'm pretty certain two are for sure, and I think the other two are done as well.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~

Sun Nov 06, 2005 6:23 am

I have 3 girls and 1 boy. The girls are all spayed. The boy (Shadow) is not nutered not nuetered, and unless he has hormonal agressian issues Raoul will not be neutered. I would like to fix all of my rats, but I need to savevet money for when they are sick and stuff.

It turns out that I am going to be putting down linolium tomarow, because I had to scrub the floor today.

Will cardboard work if I replace it every week. Plexi glass would work, but it is $8.50 for a 12"x8". Maybe a big sheet of plywood?

My dad is putting linolium down now. Apparently I am not competant enough to do it, so I am going to start working on the rats minigrotto cage in a minute.

Edit- It is done! I will post pics soon! I have this rubber stuff on the wall, linolium on the floor, and I will soon have a barrier separating my room.

Also, I finished my mini cabinet cage Mr. Green

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Rosie

* * *

I miss you Tut, Goldy, and Raoul Angel rat