I have my washing fleece down to a tee. 1) I shake it out into the compost bin. 2) lint brush the hair etc 3) put it on a hot heavy duty wash with vinegar in the fabric softener department. I use Tide Powder which works excellent on urine as I cloth diapered and know this ;) I also put a squeeze of Dawn dish soap and a couple drops of eucalyptus oil. 4) I put it through another rinse 5) dryer on high heat.
Nice!! I will have to try the Dawn Yea that "wipe-it" stuff is concentrated eucalyptus. I have not tried vinegar although I know a lot of people use it.
That's pretty-much what I do (1) I shake them out, (2) I skip the lint brush, they're just gonna get hairy again anyway (just be sure not to do a load of darks right after!), (3) Put it on hot heavy wash with vinegar in the last rinse (I should try the dawn tho!), (4) Put it through an extra rinse, and (5) Dry on high heat
When I get my new cage in the next few days, I'm gonna sew elastics to the bottom and wrap it around the bottom of the platforms. Maybe that could work too 😊
Currently fighting the battle of good grades so I can get my first two rats, and this was really helpful in showing my dad that they can be a lot easier to take care of than he thought! Thank you for the great tips!
We've been using bedding for about 5 months now and it's a MESS, my girls kick it out of their cage, it gets all over, it's just gross honestly and I've heard the fleece is so much better for them so I'm finally taking action and getting fleece for them. Thank you so much for this video!!
Aww your rats legs are broken like my little ratakiss were . He jumped when he was a baby :( seeing that brought back so many found memory's of just chilling together
My rats kept undoing the binder clips, so I found another way to keep the fleece in place. I put small plastic hooks on the bottom of the trays, layed the fleece on top of the tray, cut holes into the fleece in relation to where the hooks were, and then hooked the fleece onto the hooks. Super easy solution to those of you who don't want to use binder clips.
i just got a ferret for my twentieth birthday and i've been watching critter/ferret nation cage tours and i love that u guys use fleece! it's so cute and such a fun way to decorate my mom brought him home with bedding and a really flimsy plastic cage (which i returned immediately after doing some research and got a ferret nation obviously) and he loves his fleece sometimes he won't sleep in his hammocks he sleeps on the floor! ur babies are so cute
I took a fleece blanket (2.50) and an absorbant pad (9$ with a waterproof lining underneath) and I sewed it all together into pads that fit their cage and I wash it all in my machine
Wow, hearing some of that really makes me appreciate my boys!! They hardly chew their liners at all! They mainly just like to burrow under them and sleep :p A hammock how-to would be much appreciated! I even have a sewing machine, I just don't really know how to do anything with it.
This video is very helpful! X I actually get my fleece from the dollar store, and I hope it works just as well! :) I actually don't have a rat yet, but I'm hoping to get one soon. I've been planning everything out and writing down information and getting the supplies. :) I can tell owning rats must be really fun!
wow just changed my cage over to fleece and it is amazing! I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it! (still in the litter training process but I watched your other video on that!) thank you so much for all your advice and help! don't know what I would do without it!
I'm a few years late to comment here. We took in a rat last winter someone left in its cage in a Steakhouse restaurant parking lot on a 15degree night! She's super sweet. But I want to give her a nicer home. I'm going to try fleece because she's such a sweetheart and deserves it. I think I will try this with my ferrets cage too. Thanks!
I consider myself the queen of fleece since i constantly buy it (I dont have rats yet, but i will be a ratmom soon!). I found it cheaper to buy fleece blankets rather than the fabric itself. Blankets can come in all colors and mostly every supermarket has them. I often buy them on sales that drop to 1$ a blanket.
It’s so weird...I’m completely freaked out by the wild roof rats 🐀 in my garage and neighborhood but not at all fazed by pet rats. I actually had pet rat when I was in high school. Looking back I had no idea what I was doing when it came to rat care at age 16. So glad there’s more information out there now.
Oh, and I would personally LOVE to see you sew some hammocks... I just recently started sewing thing for them using a sewing machine. I know with practice and time I will get better, I use patterns from online, but it would be great to actually be able to watch someone doing it.
Great video. I use fleece for my critter nation and my boy rats leave it alone. My girls chew them up like crazy, but like the chewed bits for playing with and making nests etc.
very informative. My family used pine shavings with my first rat years ago. Fortunately, her respiratory system must have been robust because she never had breathing problems. When I got my rats a few years ago, I did a little more research and found that Aspen shavings were better because they didn't have the aromatic oils in them. Took my rats to the vet for the first time, and they informed me that Aspen shavings still have dust, so it was better to use paper shavings like Carefresh, but it was the most expensive. Now I know that fleece is pretty, reusable, cheaper in the long run, and healthier for rats! This is especially true if the rats are litter trained, something I never got around to doing.
Thanks for this video! Just got rats and trying out your method here. I quickly found that I didn't put clips close enough to the corners and they pulled up the fleece to burrow under it, haha. Learning experiences with these smart creatures. :)
Your videos are the best! Thank you for pointing out all the benefits of fleece. Once I finally get this cage, I will definitely switch. The places I still use Kay-Tee bedding I think it would be hard to hold fleece in place (it’s a deep pan, but not removable, as it’s not actually a pan but the bottom of the cage (You and Me Rat Mansion). We would be interested in seeing a video of how to make the hammocks! Thank you so much!
how often do you change them out? I read an article that said to change them every day but that seems a bit excessive-especially with potty trained rats. Is once a week too long to change out the fleece?
Thank you for the helpful tips with the fleece. My boys always pull the fleece off the top floor in the CN cage. I am going to have to try the binder clips.
I'm buying two 30"x30" fleece baby blankets from dollar tree. Use one wash one. $2. Then I'll get more later. I was going to get cage bedding. Not any more. I'll just get litter for their litter box.
i think fleece is a brilliant idea.. I first heard about it when i was researching guinea pigs, and now I am getting a pair of rats soon and figured why not use fleece for them too... My only concern is the pee odor, could you line the vase underneath the fleece with like those puppy training pads or newspaper to help absorb the pee better and reduce odor?... My bf is very reluctant to let me have rats because of their stink since his father breeds a tonne of them for snake food and the shed he keeps them in reeks to high heaven cos he doesnt clean their cages.
Kerrie Owen Yea some people complain about the fleece smelling. If you potty train them it wont be too bad. I would not put pee pads down because they will end up chewing it and that could be toxic to them.
any advice on keeping fleece in their hides? I've only had my boys about a week now but every time I put their bedding into their hides, I'll wake up the next morning to find it pulled out and even shoved either into their water dish or shoved onto their litter tray.
Another good option are sewn fleece liners- you can make them yourself or buy them, but I'm not very crafty and lazy. I use these for my guinea pigs and have bought them for the rats I'm getting soon. They have a layer of fleece, an absorbency layer then another layer of fleece. They are really easy to use for guinea pigs and wash really well- I know that they won't as long with rats, but they only cost £16($25).
Great video! I got a critter nation for Christmas, and this video is super helpful for my chewy girls. My question is, do the rats chew the binder clips, and if so, is it possible to ingest a piece?
Great video! I am preparing my cage for my rats that I will have soon and I will be using fleece too, but wasn't sure about it yet. I heard that fleece doesn't absorb that much. Do you have that problem too? Since you don't use towels any more underneath the fleece?
I have a big two layer rat cage,but the only pan I have is under the metal part and the top level is just bars. I don't know how I would go about putting fleece in. If I did I would have to pop the bar part out every time and it's hard to get it to come out.
Wait. Can you still wash the fleece after it's used with regular washing pods? Pods are what I use, is it ok to wash the fleece with the soap pods in the washer, then dry them, then put them on the critter nation pans? Is it safe and ok for rats? I have 3.
The kind of cage i have (all living things luxury rat pet home) i don't have trays to tuck the fleece under on the bottom, so i was just using rocks to hold them down. They ended up tearing the fleece up anyway, so now i just don't even bother using the rocks,i just throw old cloths in the bottom do they can burrow through them instead of the fleece at the bottom (most of the time). It's more to wash tho and really stinks when they pee all over them,i also don't bother putting fleece over the Lil plastic levels cuz they just pee all over the levels and it's just easier to wipe it up with a baby wipe. All in all, the cage just stinks all the time and the levels are getting ruined from them peeing on them, have any advise? I don't have the money to get a better cage right now
This video really helped! I plan on using fleece in the future when I get more ratties! Could you post a video on how to make your fleece hammocks? It would be WONDERFUL!
hello, I was wondering if you have any info on a young female rat vibrating her ears. what can I expect her next move to be. I recently adopted a male rat aproxamatly 3-4 months old than her, she turned 6 months old on St. Patrick's Day. and this morning her ears vibrated so fast they blured out. not that it was not the most presious thing I've ever seen just thinking she may be ready to mate and or want to. altho that was not the plan, and the have been housed separately the whole time.
im not sure if you will see this because the video is quite old.... but i did have a question: you just use the fleece? no absorbent layer underneath? i get my critter nation cage tomorrow and i'd love to make liners and not have the bedding everywhere
goodwill or a second hand/thrift store is where to acquire fleece throws for around $3 a piece as well as cotton/denim/canvas for hammocks or whatever. I used to use thick cotton towels underneath my fleece and I would clip the edges down eveywhere so it cant get pulled up and chewed to shreds. How did you teach you rats to use a litter box?
One question for you...would you consider added a layer of U-Haul pads underneath the fleece? That acts as the absorbent layer to prevent the urine from pooling on the CN trays. This is my plan. I have the fleece and U-Haul pad, but just need to get them sewed together.
A 15 min soak in a mix of warm water and white vinegar also works well to take away any urine smell. I soak it before I wash and then use the cheapest unscented gentle detergent I can find and it always comes out smelling like... well, nothing lol which is always odd because I still expect it to have a male-rat odor.
i recommend using uhaul pads and sew the fleece on the top and bottom to absorb also the front load washing machines dont work that well because my grandma had one and it stopped working so she had to buy the top load
But don't it stink after a couple of day? I just rescued 2 large male rats and trying to find ideas on how to care for them. I don't own washer that I can wash the bedding they have everyday or every other day.
So you can't use regular detergent for fleece? Also, I just read an article about how fleece should have something under it as it doesn't absorb pee or liquids and it either pools at the top or seems through. Do you have any problems with that? Sorry for my long comment.
My boyfriend used to use a detergent that was for sensitive skin, I think. Pretty sure it was All free and clear. Since the rats are so sensitive. Also the ammonia in the pee is really bad for the rats because fleece isn't actually absorbing the pee, so you definitely want to have something underneath that will absorb it if they aren't litter trained.
Hi ratgirl44! I have three female rats in the double critter nation. How do you deal with the dripping from the water bottles? I'm transitioning to fleece but have been using a pan with bedding to catch the water underneath, however, they think it's a litter pan and it has become kinda unsanitary. Also, how many rats can live comfortably together in a double critter nation? Thanks!
Does fleece get stinkier than bedding? Do your rats pee on the fleece or in their box and if they pee on the fleece do you have to change it immediately to avoid bad odor? I'm getting my first pair of rats soon and I was just wondering what you find works best for odor control :) thanks
Don't know if this is relevant at this point since this comment is so old, but from the research I've been doing (getting rats soon!!) you shouldn't just use fleece if they pee around the cage. The fleece doesn't really wick the pee away and the ammonia can be toxic for the rats. I've seen recommendations to use newspaper or bed pads underneath the fleece to keep the bad stuff away
This video is sooo old but I recommend getting a rock. I know it’s weird, but rats love to pee and poo on rocks. Wash the rock obviously, and it’s a great way to litter train your babies. It’s worked for me!
i live with my parents. i don’t think they would like the idea of my cleaning my rats liners in the washing machine. does anyone clean in a bucket of water and soap? if so, what kind of soap and how do you dry it?
ive one question though.. fleece is GREAT but what about flannel? they chew but meh i used bedding with holes in it and really just wait till its not usable AT ALL .. 1 small hole who cares? lol. ill still lay it across my pan. cover it with my nail trimming sand paper lol. how long can you use them? well how many rats do you have? 1 or 2? forever... 12? well depends how much they chew lol. but still prolly bout 2-3 months. even then though like u said u give them to a local shelter? if its SOOO chewd up not to use just cut them into about 1 or 2 inch squares the rrats will use it as bedding. drag it into the house or cover up the food stash lol many thing they do with small of anything
im thinking of switching to fleece instead of the bedding I have don't worry its not pine or cedar ive kept small pets before anyways I think my rats don't like it because they are constantly sneezing one worse than the other and I think its bugging my allergies as well
Just wondering if you knew what mm size the binder clips you use are? Sorry for such an odd question it's just I've bought the CN cage & fleece and don't want to waste money on clips that are too small/big. Thank u! X
Thanks for your video. I've been using newspaper with plant based ink. I will try the felt. I also think it is way more attractive. I have a some ground that I can shake the poos or down the toilet.
It keeps the fleece down and then I also have it in the cage during the summer my rats are in my sunroom and sometimes it gets a little warm they like to pancake out on the tile to cool down
You may have answered this many times before, but what cage do you have? I'm shopping for a cage as a first time rat owner and I want to make sure I get a good one. This looks really easy to get into for cleaning.
This may seem like a dumb question but how often do you wash the fleece? Once a week? Every few days? I've always used aspen but I love the idea of using the fleece instead.
I have a zeno 2 cage, and I really, really want to use fleece as bedding. Does anybody know if this is possible? And do I only need one layer of fleece? The fabric just seems so thin, and really bad at absorbing pee!
How many yards should I use just for the big pans and just for the small pans? I like having 2 different fleece colors/ patterns on the separate sized pans.
AmberMDesigns You can measure them to be exact and then go to a conversion site to get the right yardage. You might want to get a yard and half to two yards of each fabric and then play with it. Or just make 2 sets of liners in different patterns and then swap out the colors.
I have my washing fleece down to a tee.
1) I shake it out into the compost bin.
2) lint brush the hair etc
3) put it on a hot heavy duty wash with vinegar in the fabric softener department. I use Tide Powder which works excellent on urine as I cloth diapered and know this ;) I also put a squeeze of Dawn dish soap and a couple drops of eucalyptus oil.
4) I put it through another rinse
5) dryer on high heat.
Nice!! I will have to try the Dawn Yea that "wipe-it" stuff is concentrated eucalyptus. I have not tried vinegar although I know a lot of people use it.
That's pretty-much what I do (1) I shake them out, (2) I skip the lint brush, they're just gonna get hairy again anyway (just be sure not to do a load of darks right after!), (3) Put it on hot heavy wash with vinegar in the last rinse (I should try the dawn tho!), (4) Put it through an extra rinse, and (5) Dry on high heat
All detergant makes a cheaper no fragrance laundry detergent like baby deft and dryer sheets also.
With the mangled fleece you could cut it up to put in a dig box for the rats :)
I LOVE THIS IDEA
That's such a smart idea
i sew hammocks 😁
Useful thank you
BINDER CLIPS
I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT
MY RATS ALWAYS BALL UP THEIR FLEECE
How cute 😄😄😄 I just got two large male rats and they are wonderful pets. I already adore them. I named the Larry and moe.
Rachel Traintracks mine dont, but I also have a heavy tile like she does in one corner of each level
Rachel Traintracks ikr great idea
When I get my new cage in the next few days, I'm gonna sew elastics to the bottom and wrap it around the bottom of the platforms. Maybe that could work too 😊
Currently fighting the battle of good grades so I can get my first two rats, and this was really helpful in showing my dad that they can be a lot easier to take care of than he thought! Thank you for the great tips!
NO WAY IM LITERALLY DOING THE SAME THING AND IM ALSO TRYING TO CONVINCE MY DAD ALSO DID U GET THE RATS
@@notacat.15 I DID!!! THEY JUST TIRNED A YEAR OLD. GOOD LUCK AND I RECOMMEND NOT GETTING FAVROC BECAUSE IT GETS SHREDDED LOL
My rats have passed on but your videos help me to remember them 👼😭☹
We've been using bedding for about 5 months now and it's a MESS, my girls kick it out of their cage, it gets all over, it's just gross honestly and I've heard the fleece is so much better for them so I'm finally taking action and getting fleece for them. Thank you so much for this video!!
Not to mention their bedding is bright blue and sticks to everything.....
Aww your rats legs are broken like my little ratakiss were .
He jumped when he was a baby :( seeing that brought back so many found memory's of just chilling together
She had a birth deformity I believe though
Id love to see a video on how to make the hammocks!
me too!!!
Please post a video on your hammocks please or let us know how we can buy them from you!!!
My rats kept undoing the binder clips, so I found another way to keep the fleece in place. I put small plastic hooks on the bottom of the trays, layed the fleece on top of the tray, cut holes into the fleece in relation to where the hooks were, and then hooked the fleece onto the hooks. Super easy solution to those of you who don't want to use binder clips.
i just got a ferret for my twentieth birthday and i've been watching critter/ferret nation cage tours and i love that u guys use fleece! it's so cute and such a fun way to decorate my mom brought him home with bedding and a really flimsy plastic cage (which i returned immediately after doing some research and got a ferret nation obviously) and he loves his fleece sometimes he won't sleep in his hammocks he sleeps on the floor! ur babies are so cute
I took a fleece blanket (2.50) and an absorbant pad (9$ with a waterproof lining underneath) and I sewed it all together into pads that fit their cage and I wash it all in my machine
WHAT TYPE OF FLEECE SHOULD I USE? I MIGHT BE GETTING A RAT AMD WANNA KNOW.
Wow, hearing some of that really makes me appreciate my boys!! They hardly chew their liners at all! They mainly just like to burrow under them and sleep :p A hammock how-to would be much appreciated! I even have a sewing machine, I just don't really know how to do anything with it.
I'd love to see a video on how you make your hammocks!
I love making mine because I can make 4 in one sitting because my two rats love to destroy there hammocks
Just realized this video was made 6 year's ago😂😂
This video is very helpful! X I actually get my fleece from the dollar store, and I hope it works just as well! :) I actually don't have a rat yet, but I'm hoping to get one soon. I've been planning everything out and writing down information and getting the supplies. :) I can tell owning rats must be really fun!
Vivi Vicious Great job!! The dollar store has some great finds!
I have 5 , 2 month old male babies (: I have to find them all homes , all my girls found a home !
I wouldn't recommend getting just one rat. Rats are very sociable animals and need company so 2 or more rats would be best.
Soda Snap Did you ever get your rats?
DO NOT JUST GET ONE. PLEASE.
Just got my rats and you are so helpful. I'm gonna do this for sure
wow just changed my cage over to fleece and it is amazing! I recommend it to anyone who is thinking about it! (still in the litter training process but I watched your other video on that!) thank you so much for all your advice and help! don't know what I would do without it!
Glad I could help!!
Thank you for this video! Very informative, I ordered this cage yesterday and I wanted to use fleece but I wasn't sure, now I will!
flynnxbaaby glad to help!
at my local Walmart they have a ton of fleece, less than $5 a yard, and sometimes they have 1/2 a yard (pre cut) for $1
I'm a few years late to comment here. We took in a rat last winter someone left in its cage in a Steakhouse restaurant parking lot on a 15degree night! She's super sweet. But I want to give her a nicer home. I'm going to try fleece because she's such a sweetheart and deserves it. I think I will try this with my ferrets cage too. Thanks!
I consider myself the queen of fleece since i constantly buy it (I dont have rats yet, but i will be a ratmom soon!).
I found it cheaper to buy fleece blankets rather than the fabric itself. Blankets can come in all colors and mostly every supermarket has them. I often buy them on sales that drop to 1$ a blanket.
Your rats look sooo happy !! :D
It’s so weird...I’m completely freaked out by the wild roof rats 🐀 in my garage and neighborhood but not at all fazed by pet rats. I actually had pet rat when I was in high school. Looking back I had no idea what I was doing when it came to rat care at age 16. So glad there’s more information out there now.
Oh, and I would personally LOVE to see you sew some hammocks... I just recently started sewing thing for them using a sewing machine. I know with practice and time I will get better, I use patterns from online, but it would be great to actually be able to watch someone doing it.
I got fleece baby blankets at dollar tree I never tried it as bedding yet but it's a cheap option also find big fleece blankets at goodwill from $1-$3
I really like your videos. Thanks for sharing. I used to take newspaper.
im sorry about your rat it must of been hard to lose your friend.❤️wish you all the best. love your videos they help me with my rattie home👍🏼
I don't have a dryer... Is it okay to just hang them on the washing line outside or on a clothes horse inside??
Rikki Chambers sure!
I love your channel and all your videos so much! You've re-kindled my love of rats and their adorable ways. Keep smiling :3
Annabel Hudson Thank You!!
I've never heard about towels being dangerous, now that I know they can be harmful I will definitely stop using them! Great video by the way :)
Great video. I use fleece for my critter nation and my boy rats leave it alone. My girls chew them up like crazy, but like the chewed bits for playing with and making nests etc.
Your videos help immensely. Thank you.
very informative. My family used pine shavings with my first rat years ago. Fortunately, her respiratory system must have been robust because she never had breathing problems. When I got my rats a few years ago, I did a little more research and found that Aspen shavings were better because they didn't have the aromatic oils in them. Took my rats to the vet for the first time, and they informed me that Aspen shavings still have dust, so it was better to use paper shavings like Carefresh, but it was the most expensive. Now I know that fleece is pretty, reusable, cheaper in the long run, and healthier for rats! This is especially true if the rats are litter trained, something I never got around to doing.
Yea! I think a lot of people don't think about fleece but it really works well.
This video is so helpful!! My only problem with fleece is it gets SO messy and stinky halfway through the week. Thank you so much for posting this :)
Thanks for this video! Just got rats and trying out your method here. I quickly found that I didn't put clips close enough to the corners and they pulled up the fleece to burrow under it, haha. Learning experiences with these smart creatures. :)
Nathan Phoenix yes they are!
It makes me so happy seeing your rats all happy! I want to know your first experience with small rodents.
I buy all my fleece from goodwill- they ALWAYS have cute fleece blankets for under $4
EXCELLENT video. Answers all my questions about using fleece for my rats.
Your videos are the best!
Thank you for pointing out all the benefits of fleece. Once I finally get this cage, I will definitely switch. The places I still use Kay-Tee bedding I think it would be hard to hold fleece in place (it’s a deep pan, but not removable, as it’s not actually a pan but the bottom of the cage (You and Me Rat Mansion).
We would be interested in seeing a video of how to make the hammocks! Thank you so much!
how often do you change them out? I read an article that said to change them every day but that seems a bit excessive-especially with potty trained rats. Is once a week too long to change out the fleece?
My rats chew through the fleece within minutes, but i can't find anyone else out there with the same problem so I can't figure out a solution! Help!
Thank you for the helpful tips with the fleece. My boys always pull the fleece off the top floor in the CN cage. I am going to have to try the binder clips.
Glad I could help!
Hey tip you can use those free blankets they give you at the airport for bedding BEST FLIGHT EVER!!!! My rats love it!!!!! 😍
very informative! I use fleece as well!
omg your rat cage is so beautiful and clean!
I'm buying two 30"x30" fleece baby blankets from dollar tree. Use one wash one.
$2. Then I'll get more later.
I was going to get cage bedding. Not any more. I'll just get litter for their litter box.
i think fleece is a brilliant idea.. I first heard about it when i was researching guinea pigs, and now I am getting a pair of rats soon and figured why not use fleece for them too... My only concern is the pee odor, could you line the vase underneath the fleece with like those puppy training pads or newspaper to help absorb the pee better and reduce odor?... My bf is very reluctant to let me have rats because of their stink since his father breeds a tonne of them for snake food and the shed he keeps them in reeks to high heaven cos he doesnt clean their cages.
Kerrie Owen Yea some people complain about the fleece smelling. If you potty train them it wont be too bad. I would not put pee pads down because they will end up chewing it and that could be toxic to them.
I got 2 fleece remnants from walmart for about $2 per 60" x 22 " roll or close to that size. Look in the clearance section of the fabric area. :)
any advice on keeping fleece in their hides? I've only had my boys about a week now but every time I put their bedding into their hides, I'll wake up the next morning to find it pulled out and even shoved either into their water dish or shoved onto their litter tray.
Another good option are sewn fleece liners- you can make them yourself or buy them, but I'm not very crafty and lazy. I use these for my guinea pigs and have bought them for the rats I'm getting soon. They have a layer of fleece, an absorbency layer then another layer of fleece. They are really easy to use for guinea pigs and wash really well- I know that they won't as long with rats, but they only cost £16($25).
3:53 scared the shit out of me lmfaoooo
Great video!! I’m thinking about getting two rats and this is very helpful. Also your rats are adorable ❤️
Thank you, my rats love fleece especially in winter! Sorry for you'r loss Amber was a great rat! 🐀❄️😔
Really good video. You are very well spoken and did a great job keeping to the information. Thx!
+Adam D'Agosto thanks for the kind comment
So useful for my rat thank you
Great video! I got a critter nation for Christmas, and this video is super helpful for my chewy girls.
My question is, do the rats chew the binder clips, and if so, is it possible to ingest a piece?
OMG I'm going to be up all night watching your videos!
Ya! You have ikea fleece :) me too. Its likec1.99 for the fleece blankets. Please make s video on making hammocks
sarah54754 so great!
Great informative video! Also I would love to see how you make your rat hammocks. :-)
I also use the really chewed up stuff scrunched up in their hides for them to sleep on/burrow in.
Great video and lovely to see you use cruelty free xxx
Yes! I have switched everything in my house to cruelty free except a few things my husband uses.
Great video! I am preparing my cage for my rats that I will have soon and I will be using fleece too, but wasn't sure about it yet. I heard that fleece doesn't absorb that much. Do you have that problem too? Since you don't use towels any more underneath the fleece?
Cheyenne G I think the fleece is better at absorbing than other materials. It is pretty messy at the end of the week though.
I have a big two layer rat cage,but the only pan I have is under the metal part and the top level is just bars. I don't know how I would go about putting fleece in. If I did I would have to pop the bar part out every time and it's hard to get it to come out.
your rats seem so calm …
Wait. Can you still wash the fleece after it's used with regular washing pods? Pods are what I use, is it ok to wash the fleece with the soap pods in the washer, then dry them, then put them on the critter nation pans? Is it safe and ok for rats? I have 3.
The kind of cage i have (all living things luxury rat pet home) i don't have trays to tuck the fleece under on the bottom, so i was just using rocks to hold them down. They ended up tearing the fleece up anyway, so now i just don't even bother using the rocks,i just throw old cloths in the bottom do they can burrow through them instead of the fleece at the bottom (most of the time). It's more to wash tho and really stinks when they pee all over them,i also don't bother putting fleece over the Lil plastic levels cuz they just pee all over the levels and it's just easier to wipe it up with a baby wipe. All in all, the cage just stinks all the time and the levels are getting ruined from them peeing on them, have any advise? I don't have the money to get a better cage right now
This video really helped! I plan on using fleece in the future when I get more ratties! Could you post a video on how to make your fleece hammocks? It would be WONDERFUL!
A few others said they would like to see it too so I will be doing a hammock one in the future!
RatGirl44 Yay! That is awesome! I cannot wait to see!
hello, I was wondering if you have any info on a young female rat vibrating her ears. what can I expect her next move to be. I recently adopted a male rat aproxamatly 3-4 months old than her, she turned 6 months old on St. Patrick's Day. and this morning her ears vibrated so fast they blured out. not that it was not the most presious thing I've ever seen just thinking she may be ready to mate and or want to. altho that was not the plan, and the have been housed separately the whole time.
She's in heat.
im not sure if you will see this because the video is quite old.... but i did have a question: you just use the fleece? no absorbent layer underneath? i get my critter nation cage tomorrow and i'd love to make liners and not have the bedding everywhere
goodwill or a second hand/thrift store is where to acquire fleece throws for around $3 a piece as well as cotton/denim/canvas for hammocks or whatever.
I used to use thick cotton towels underneath my fleece and I would clip the edges down eveywhere so it cant get pulled up and chewed to shreds.
How did you teach you rats to use a litter box?
One question for you...would you consider added a layer of U-Haul pads underneath the fleece? That acts as the absorbent layer to prevent the urine from pooling on the CN trays. This is my plan. I have the fleece and U-Haul pad, but just need to get them sewed together.
You could try it if you don't have major chewers.
A 15 min soak in a mix of warm water and white vinegar also works well to take away any urine smell. I soak it before I wash and then use the cheapest unscented gentle detergent I can find and it always comes out smelling like... well, nothing lol which is always odd because I still expect it to have a male-rat odor.
i recommend using uhaul pads and sew the fleece on the top and bottom to absorb also the front load washing machines dont work that well because my grandma had one and it stopped working so she had to buy the top load
But don't it stink after a couple of day? I just rescued 2 large male rats and trying to find ideas on how to care for them. I don't own washer that I can wash the bedding they have everyday or every other day.
im sorry for youre loss...😢
I actually use an old pillow case for one of my levels and fleece on the others.
So you can't use regular detergent for fleece? Also, I just read an article about how fleece should have something under it as it doesn't absorb pee or liquids and it either pools at the top or seems through. Do you have any problems with that? Sorry for my long comment.
My boyfriend used to use a detergent that was for sensitive skin, I think. Pretty sure it was All free and clear. Since the rats are so sensitive. Also the ammonia in the pee is really bad for the rats because fleece isn't actually absorbing the pee, so you definitely want to have something underneath that will absorb it if they aren't litter trained.
Hi ratgirl44! I have three female rats in the double critter nation. How do you deal with the dripping from the water bottles? I'm transitioning to fleece but have been using a pan with bedding to catch the water underneath, however, they think it's a litter pan and it has become kinda unsanitary. Also, how many rats can live comfortably together in a double critter nation? Thanks!
Any ideas other than tiles for securing fleece to the bottom of a cage without removable levels?
Does fleece get stinkier than bedding? Do your rats pee on the fleece or in their box and if they pee on the fleece do you have to change it immediately to avoid bad odor? I'm getting my first pair of rats soon and I was just wondering what you find works best for odor control :) thanks
Allison Revelle I wish to know that too. I hope someone answers.
Don't know if this is relevant at this point since this comment is so old, but from the research I've been doing (getting rats soon!!) you shouldn't just use fleece if they pee around the cage. The fleece doesn't really wick the pee away and the ammonia can be toxic for the rats. I've seen recommendations to use newspaper or bed pads underneath the fleece to keep the bad stuff away
This video is sooo old but I recommend getting a rock. I know it’s weird, but rats love to pee and poo on rocks. Wash the rock obviously, and it’s a great way to litter train your babies. It’s worked for me!
Never set up a cage like yours but I like it. Can I get a tray for a 10 gallon glass tank to tuck the fleece under?
i live with my parents. i don’t think they would like the idea of my cleaning my rats liners in the washing machine. does anyone clean in a bucket of water and soap? if so, what kind of soap and how do you dry it?
Your cage is beautiful😭😭💕😍
ive one question though.. fleece is GREAT but what about flannel? they chew but meh i used bedding with holes in it and really just wait till its not usable AT ALL .. 1 small hole who cares? lol. ill still lay it across my pan. cover it with my nail trimming sand paper lol. how long can you use them? well how many rats do you have? 1 or 2? forever... 12? well depends how much they chew lol. but still prolly bout 2-3 months. even then though like u said u give them to a local shelter? if its SOOO chewd up not to use just cut them into about 1 or 2 inch squares the rrats will use it as bedding. drag it into the house or cover up the food stash lol many thing they do with small of anything
im thinking of switching to fleece instead of the bedding I have don't worry its not pine or cedar ive kept small pets before anyways I think my rats don't like it because they are constantly sneezing one worse than the other and I think its bugging my allergies as well
I love your videos, but I was wondering if you could do one on 5 to 6 week old rats. Thanks!
+Zoe Arnold yep!
Just wondering if you knew what mm size the binder clips you use are? Sorry for such an odd question it's just I've bought the CN cage & fleece and don't want to waste money on clips that are too small/big. Thank u! X
amy vox They are the medium size I think? Im sorry!
What bowls should I put in their cage? I know ceramic, but water,food? I am getting a glass water bottle for them.
I really need your help with how to save as much money with the fleece and hammocks because I am 13 and I use my own money for my pets.
Bailee Dawe i actually don’t own any rats or hamsters or anything but you can actually diy hammocks pretty easily with an old shirt.
i don’t have pans, just a bottom to my cage and they keep pulling the fleece up. any suggestions ?
Love your cage. Where do you buy all the toys and accessories?
You are so organized.I am thinking of buying ratties 💚 Can I use Velcro or it is dangerous for them ?
I'd use industrial strength velcro and sew it on really well. Just try it! Sounds like a good idea if you ask me!
What if you dont have a dryer? ( i live in australia where most people just hang their clothes out to dry)
what do i do if my cage has a base and i can’t clip the fleece down , to prevent them from putting it in a ball
Thanks for your video. I've been using newspaper with plant based ink. I will try the felt. I also think it is way more attractive. I have a some ground that I can shake the poos or down the toilet.
Excellent vid! Just subscribed because I plan on adopting rats soon. Just wondering, what do ratties like tile for?
It keeps the fleece down and then I also have it in the cage during the summer my rats are in my sunroom and sometimes it gets a little warm they like to pancake out on the tile to cool down
You may have answered this many times before, but what cage do you have? I'm shopping for a cage as a first time rat owner and I want to make sure I get a good one. This looks really easy to get into for cleaning.
+J Dyer it's a double critter nation I have a video all about it!
I'll definitely look that up! Your videos are so informative.
This may seem like a dumb question but how often do you wash the fleece? Once a week? Every few days? I've always used aspen but I love the idea of using the fleece instead.
Do you put anything under the fleece to help absorb some of the pee? My current crew is having a hard time with the litter training.
I have a zeno 2 cage, and I really, really want to use fleece as bedding. Does anybody know if this is possible? And do I only need one layer of fleece? The fabric just seems so thin, and really bad at absorbing pee!
Double or triple layer the fleece
How many yards should I use just for the big pans and just for the small pans? I like having 2 different fleece colors/ patterns on the separate sized pans.
AmberMDesigns You can measure them to be exact and then go to a conversion site to get the right yardage. You might want to get a yard and half to two yards of each fabric and then play with it. Or just make 2 sets of liners in different patterns and then swap out the colors.