The Rats Vote — Paper or Pine Chips?

I decided to leave the decision up to the rats. Here’s how they voted when I used pine shavings in their playpen and paper in their condo.

 

Paws down — they prefer the unbleached paper (specifically, CareFresh Small Pet Bedding).

 

Oi vey. Of course.  I can get pine shavings in huge bales for $7.99 at Wilco. Unbleached paper comes at a heftier price.

 

But since fancy rats only live about two years, I figure it won’t bankrupt me to buy the pricier item. It doesn’t take much each time to swap it out, and they’re being GREAT about using their potty box, so that makes it even easier.

 

Disclaimer

 

Now, for complete transparency, I must state that this was just their FIRST vote.  I cleaned the terrarium this morning thoroughly using Windex and a pet-friendly, non-toxic carpet cleaner, so it just might be that they objected to the after-smell of the cleaning chemicals. I will know more when I turn them out to play again this afternoon and evening. If they continue to avoid the terrarium, I will put unbleached paper back in it and see if that calls them back.

 

They usually LOVE running into the terrarium for tussles with each other. They have a blast in there. They also run all over the top of their rat condo, into a bird cage that’s sitting open above it, and along the window sill that runs behind both play spots. They have zero interest in jumping down. (Maybe that’s because they see cats in here all the time, but it’s a good thing. I’d hate to try to catch nine scuttling, play-focused rats!)

 

Keeping Rats Local

 

The mama rats and one of the babies climb up the door of the rat condo as soon as I open it to ascend to the top so they can go play.  The others are less likely to try that, so I pick up their rat box (with them in it) and place it on top of the terrarium so they can venture out when they choose. Most of them choose to venture out within 30 seconds. The rest are still a little shy.

 

But the ones who are entirely happy are beginning to want to climb on me when I stand by their “gym.”  Yesterday, one of them climbed my sweatshirt and parked herself in my hoodie for a while. She did that several times, so then one of the babies decided she would try, too.

 

Update:

 

I just opened the door to the rat condo a tad and tied it ajar so the rats can ascend to their play spaces under their own recognizance.  They’re entering the pine shavings terrarium without hesitation now, and tussling, so maybe it was just the new aquarium smell that put them off at first. That’s good to know…