Great video! Something I use to make simple toys is empty paper towel/toilet paper rolls. There are plenty of ways to fold/cut/string them together to make obstacles or small structures or places to check for hidden treats 😀
Thats very outdated info! I have a video coming out next month on wood beddings, but to summarize, kiln drying removes the dangerous phenols on pine bedding. Wood has to be kiln dried in order to be bedding as otherwise it is wet and wont absorb. And in lab tests pine preformed the best compared to many other commercially available beddings! I personally use Aspen as i am sensitive to pine (makes me itchy) but if that is not an issue the. It is totally safe! Its also the cheapest option on the market. :) like i said more details coming sooooooooonnnnnn 😉
So there's a really good video on here about mites/lice/fleas and the differences. All rats have mites and they can get out of hand for different reasons. The video is more thorough but figuring out exactly which one it is can help you figure out where they came from!
Ok, I'm confused...I thought height was more important than floor space because rats love to climb.. Also, if floor space is more important than height, why do so many RatPeople advise us to remove the levels from the cages? I didn't want the very bottom of my cage to be the only space they have to walk around freely & wrestle & chase each other..So..I kept all the levels but removed the ramps (they really are just in the way & limit how things can be set up) and I gave them MANY ways to reach the levels (so I know they get their climbing in). My cage may not be the same brand as yours, not sure, but it's the same size & looks the same. I haven't gotten my rats yet. Waiting for the call that they're ready for adoption. What do I need to change before my daughter & I bring our lil sweet peas home?
Excellent questions. Rats do enjoy climbing. Which is why we give them those opportunities. However they do not climb down very well. So tall cages with only climbing options isn’t good for them. You want floor space as they are fossorial(live on the ground). Think about wild rats on the ground. They wont climb a tree to escape predators, but they can climb a brush pile and hide inside quickly. And that isnt going to be super tall typically. Climbing some keeps their muscles in good shape and jn the case of older rats with hind end issues making sure they climb a little and regularly can be helpful to prevent the muscles they do have from wasting away. But because their true nature is digging and burrowing those should be priorities. Removing levels means you have more space to fill the cage up with enrichment of various types too. So taking away levels which are honestly just a pee magnet and cant hold bedding, but instead offering a bin or basket fastened to the cage with bedding in it may look the same, but it allows the rats more places to dig, and forage. And you can put other things like a hide there. It allows more room for ropes, perches, branches, hammocks, foraging toys, etc. making the whole set up more enriching and fun for them. Hope that helps!
More Rat Care videos here:
th-cam.com/play/PLZXFHBhc-AUNJ1rL5xHo7q50bAf12NdQM.html
I love your content so much! Good rat educational content is so hard to come by. Thank you for the great content, keep it up!
thank you 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻 so much :)
You are very welcome! 🙏
Great video! Something I use to make simple toys is empty paper towel/toilet paper rolls. There are plenty of ways to fold/cut/string them together to make obstacles or small structures or places to check for hidden treats 😀
that's a great budget-friendly tip! and there's so many things you can do with those items. :)
I LOVE your videos. I use the big mixing bowls from the dollar tree and cut out an entrance to make an XL hide for $1!
YEAH! They are massive aren't they? My boys love them!
I buy science selective in 4 pound bags from Amazon. It's $32 in Canada for it and 16 in the USA
Ohhh awesome!
So helpful! Thank you
You're welcome!
What is your opinion on kiln dried pine. I read that it is bsd
Thats very outdated info! I have a video coming out next month on wood beddings, but to summarize, kiln drying removes the dangerous phenols on pine bedding.
Wood has to be kiln dried in order to be bedding as otherwise it is wet and wont absorb.
And in lab tests pine preformed the best compared to many other commercially available beddings!
I personally use Aspen as i am sensitive to pine (makes me itchy) but if that is not an issue the. It is totally safe!
Its also the cheapest option on the market. :) like i said more details coming sooooooooonnnnnn 😉
@@RatRandomness Good deal. I'll be looking for it. Thanks
My rats ended up with mites! Do you suggest freezing things before adding them to the enclosure? I thought I was being so careful. ☹️
freezing is always best as mites can come from bedding or food. Usually, 24 hours does the trick.
@@RatRandomness thank you! Ugh I feel so terrible! I will start freezing EVERYTHING
It happens and thankfully mites are easy to treat with kitten revolution or ivermectin. try not to feel too bad!
So there's a really good video on here about mites/lice/fleas and the differences. All rats have mites and they can get out of hand for different reasons. The video is more thorough but figuring out exactly which one it is can help you figure out where they came from!
Ok, I'm confused...I thought height was more important than floor space because rats love to climb..
Also, if floor space is more important than height, why do so many RatPeople advise us to remove the levels from the cages?
I didn't want the very bottom of my cage to be the only space they have to walk around freely & wrestle & chase each other..So..I kept all the levels but removed the ramps (they really are just in the way & limit how things can be set up) and I gave them MANY ways to reach the levels (so I know they get their climbing in).
My cage may not be the same brand as yours, not sure, but it's the same size & looks the same. I haven't gotten my rats yet. Waiting for the call that they're ready for adoption.
What do I need to change before my daughter & I bring our lil sweet peas home?
Excellent questions.
Rats do enjoy climbing. Which is why we give them those opportunities. However they do not climb down very well. So tall cages with only climbing options isn’t good for them. You want floor space as they are fossorial(live on the ground). Think about wild rats on the ground. They wont climb a tree to escape predators, but they can climb a brush pile and hide inside quickly. And that isnt going to be super tall typically.
Climbing some keeps their muscles in good shape and jn the case of older rats with hind end issues making sure they climb a little and regularly can be helpful to prevent the muscles they do have from wasting away.
But because their true nature is digging and burrowing those should be priorities.
Removing levels means you have more space to fill the cage up with enrichment of various types too.
So taking away levels which are honestly just a pee magnet and cant hold bedding, but instead offering a bin or basket fastened to the cage with bedding in it may look the same, but it allows the rats more places to dig, and forage. And you can put other things like a hide there. It allows more room for ropes, perches, branches, hammocks, foraging toys, etc.
making the whole set up more enriching and fun for them.
Hope that helps!
@@RatRandomness Yes, Ma'am! Thank you!