Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Whee! So much rattie fun!

Shavings are not recommended as they contain dust and give off phenols, all of which can cause respiratory disorders in later life. They are also a pain in the neck to clean up!!!!

Be careful with wire wheels as well as they can trap their tails in them and they can also cause back problems if they are not big enough. Don't do what I did though and shell out for a wodent wheel, as it has a rough coating and it is impossible to get the trodden in poo off it!!!

The top two levels of my cage are covered in lino, which I wipe down with unscented baby wipes everyday. The bottom level is filled with about an inch of cardboard squares called EcoPetBed, which is dust free. This only has to be changed once a week. It also helps having a litter tray, as most most of my rats use this and I clean it out every day.

The rats can dig around in the cardboard if they want, although rats by nature are not really burrowers. Our favourite game is for me to scatter the bedding with some hemp seeds, linseeds and millet + a few dog biscuits and dried mealworms, so that they have to rummage around to find them. It keeps them occupied for ages!! They also like chewing the cardboard and decorating their 'nests' with it.

I use fleecy blankets cut into squares for bedding in the winter and Tescos value 20p facecloths in the summer.

Hammock strings, hmmmmmm - the best quality hammocks tend to use straps which are about an inch in width and quite tough. The normal ones - well I tend to improvise with bits of wire and string, as they don't tend to last that long. With your sewing knowledge I'm sure you could come up with something! How about wrapping garden wire in fabric and using that as a support?? Mine like the hammocks with pockets so they can snuggle up together in them.

Oh and lino is good in hot weather when they sprawl out on the shelves to cool down.

Please, please can we have some pictures of your two!!!

Catherine

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