The BRODENTS! Rodent Enthusiast Thread!

[ryukrem]

@sabatea
thank you!

I was actually thinking of putting fleece on the bottom, since I've heard it's okay for all small rodents. Is it true for rats?

I create fleece liners with U-Haul furniture pads. The padding soaks up the pee so there is no smell and the fleece is soft on their feet. I only need to clean my cage once a week and because of the U-Haul padding underneath, there is no ammonia build up. I love it!

[Kisiel]

@sabatea
thank you!

I was actually thinking of putting fleece on the bottom, since I've heard it's okay for all small rodents. Is it true for rats?

While it won't harm them, fleece is absolutely disgusting and stinks after a day or two. The main reason why I hate it is that it offers no digging, foraging and nesting opportunities like loose substrate does. I'm a strong advocate of scatter feeding (it's one of the best enrichment tools out there!) which can't be done correctly on fleece/liners. Rats love digging through the substrate to search for food and will pick out suitable pieces to make nests with. I clean out the main cage every two weeks, sometimes more, and they don't stink at all. The only smelly cage atm is the pregnant doe cage, but that's purely due to the fact that there is much more protein and greens in their diet right now.

Edit: the kinds of loose substrate I would recommend are marketed at horses. So either wood shavings (must be klin dried and dust extracted) or cardboard shavings/squares. They come in big bales of about 20kg and are very inexpensive. Lasts forever too. Things such as care fresh or paper pellets that you can buy at pet stores are way overpriced and not very good either.

[cornspurrd.]

Popping In to share a Danny Picture! He's Getting Big!!

[depressedanonymous,]

Popping In to share a Danny Picture! He's Getting Big!!

I thought that was a hamster at first (didn’t see tail and the angle makes snout look shorter) and I was S H O O K

[cornspurrd.]

In Gordon's Best Interest I'm Trying to find Him a New Home
Because Of His aggression Towards Other rats He Needs a home
with people to Play with Him more than I can, The Other
Boys Would appreciate The Extra Room Gordon Would Leave
Behind. I believe A friend Of Mine Is taking Gordon So I'm exited
to Provide Him a better home, while also Being Able to say
Hello To Him If I'd Like.

[Kisiel]

In Gordon's Best Interest I'm Trying to find Him a New Home
Because Of His aggression Towards Other rats He Needs a home
with people to Play with Him more than I can, The Other
Boys Would appreciate The Extra Room Gordon Would Leave
Behind. I believe A friend Of Mine Is taking Gordon So I'm exited
to Provide Him a better home, while also Being Able to say
Hello To Him If I'd Like.

Sounds like he needs neutering, not rehoming. Hormonal aggression is a health issue and requires medical attention from a vet, which will still be the case in his new home.

[The Lost Gremlin]

In Gordon's Best Interest I'm Trying to find Him a New Home
Because Of His aggression Towards Other rats He Needs a home
with people to Play with Him more than I can, The Other
Boys Would appreciate The Extra Room Gordon Would Leave
Behind. I believe A friend Of Mine Is taking Gordon So I'm exited
to Provide Him a better home, while also Being Able to say
Hello To Him If I'd Like.

Sounds like he needs neutering, not rehoming. Hormonal aggression is a health issue and requires medical attention from a vet, which will still be the case in his new home.

I second that with the neutering. If you can find a good vet who can do it and if Gordon is up to it health-wise, it would certainly be worth trying.
I had a rescue called Memphis whom was hyper aggressive towards other rats. I had him neutered, introduced him to a pair of girls and he became the happiest most chilled rat I had at the time. Never bit another rat ever again for as long as I had him.

[ghostmaker]

hey !!

i've been wondering abt what food brand + water bottle to get for one (possibly two) dwarf hamster.

i've been looking at higgins, is that alright for food??
i don't know which water bottles leak or not, and if they are chewable, so any help with that would be appreciated.

don't worry, i've done a lot of research !! i'm getting carefresh bedding, most likely a detolf cage, many safe toys, a big enough wheel so their backs aren't arching, a travel cage, plenty of wooden chews, and i'm looking to find a hamster vet c:

[cornspurrd.]

I would rather rehome my rat than possibly kill him. He's too old.

[ryukrem]

Popping In to share a Danny Picture! He's Getting Big!!

This is the cutest little ham oh my.