Glad to hear! Although I’m not to sure about the words on pictures part. Did you find the extra words distracted from the voiceover, or did it work well together?
same here! I was so grossed out when I saw the bars leaving yellow stains on the paper towel, so I started cleaning them frequently and the smell got so much better. I just hope I can paint over the pee stain on the wall when I move out
Your videos are great and I love how you try to reply to so many ppl!!! I have three female rats and you are so helpful because I am still trying to figure this whole thing out!!! Keep up the great work!!! You have 1 new subscriber!!!!
Great video! Although I heard baking soda is bad for small animals, a while back carefresh changed their recipe to include baking soda and it resulted in lots of small animal deaths. Their recipe has since gone back to normal which is good. Baking soda is frequently used in diy pest poison so is lethal. So maybe best not to use ‘Fresh News’. Great tips otherwise and a very detailed video 😊
It can be, but not unless they ingest it - which, as long as you have normal rats (no pica) shouldn’t happen (the baking soda is encased in the litter itself, so unless your rats regularily eat their litter than it shouldn’t be a problem).
Super helpful for a new rat owner like me!! Thank you very much for sharing and for including all these pictures and text on screen as well as in the audio! ❤
6 років тому+10
I love your channel so much, seriously! I am going to pick up my two ratties in a few days and your videos helped me so much! Thank you for this! Greetings from Czech Republic! xx :)
Can you do a video about scent marking? I have two girls and one marks me every day during playtime. Her sister does not do this at all. The marking one also marks me far more often than my boyfriend.
You sound like such a sweet girl! Your channel is awesome, and I don't even own rats, lol! I started watching videos about pet rats a few months ago, I have guinea pigs and I love watching videos on their care, so I stumbled upon the Rat Guru channel, then yours, and I love it! They seem like wonderful pets, and maybe one day I might own a few. I can't imagine how you don't have more subscribers, your so great! Happy New year to you, and to the fur babies!
Before I get my rats I plan on actually putting thin acryllic sheets on the walls behind the cage so the walls can easily be wiped down. I have had rats in the past and not only pee can get on the walls but porphorin can be slung there as well. Great tips! I plan on using baking soda and an air purifer outside the cage as well as wiping down the bars frequently!
Great video. I think that people who don't like fleece, don't understand how to use it. My rats are very well litter trained, and I don't need to change the fleece more than once a week.
That’s pretty cool! I’ll admit, I’ve never really learned how to use fleece properly, and every time I try it stinks within hours. But I know others (like yourself) have used it with great success, so I tried to include the little I’ve learned about it from others in this video :)
what do you put under your fleece? my boys are kinda litter trained but they mark their territory alot so the fleece does end up smelling after a day or two. I still only wash it once a week since changing it too often makes the marking worse
I put two layers of fleece with newspaper between them and under! Then when it gets stinky half way through the week I take the top two layers off leaving a less stinky bottom two layers.
I have a hamster (anyone who has had hamsters knows a lot of them aren’t cuddley..) for. Along while I really wanted a bunny I still do but my parents say no because of the mess and a few other things. Well I was thinking of other pets and doing more research I found rats! I’m really scared of the smell though, my hamster doesn’t stink at all only when I forget to clean out his potty cups. The smell makes me want to DIE! But still I love him so much I hand wash the cups everyday mostly. I have a area in my room that would fit one of those wire story cages but still I’m so scared of smell! I clean my hamsters cages once every 2 weeks (he has a connected bin cage so one week I clean one them one week the other) So it wouldn’t be to hard to clean the rats when I clean my hamsters. I think rats are so cute! Their tail kinda freaks me out but that face is just so cute!
I find that rats smell much less than hamsters. My issue was that I went from gerbils (literally odorless) to rats (smell less than mice and hamsters but still have some smell). This wasn't a problem for me, but my family could tell the difference. Rat's can also be litter trained, and many people have litter trained rats housed on fleece with no smell issue at all (I've never had luck with fleece, but my Yesterday's News does an amazing job at keeping the cage odorless! And with four rats, I'm cleaning the cage every 1.5 to 2 weeks - not bad at all (I also do spot cleanings every few days, but its just wiping down the bars and removing soiled bedding)) But I have to mention, rats aren't cuddly pets. Sure, I've had some cuddly older girls - but its very much on their terms and it they never get cuddly until they get older (6 months is when rats are considered adults, but my girls don't usually start enjoying cuddling until 1 to 1.5 years old). And even then, not all rats get cuddly. Rats from an ethical breeder that knows their parents personality and health can help, but even that is no guarantee. That's not to say they aren't amazing and interactive pets, but interaction (especially with younger rats) is probably going to be more play, training, and other interaction based. (BTW, this might help with your tail fear: its actually not scaly at all, and is covered in very small furs. It feels soft to the touch, and is usually warm - I find it to be one of the cutest things about them (I have quite a few pictures with a rat sleeping with their tail covering their eyes! Its so cute!))
Is vinegar/water solution bad for the rats to breathe in? I've been told it worked well for cleaning, so thats what I am constantly using to wipe down the bars and cage floor and I clean while my rats are inside the cage (or usually on top of it) The Apple Cider Vinegar has been hugely helpful for me, they started drinking even more than before and the smell is definitely better now.
I don't know to be honest. However, it smells strong enough that I don't feel comfortable using it without thoroughly airing out the area afterwards. I keep hearing good things about Apple Cider Vinegar, so might just have to try that one day! I was reading some rat breeder website that said they started giving it early on and saw an improvement in health? IDK if that's unjust correlation but in any case it seems to help in one way or another.
I did hear that Apple Cider Vinegar is healthy for humans to mix in their drinks so it might be the same for rats. Mine definitely prefer it to regular water :D As for the smell, it was a life saver, took a while to be noticable though, about two or three weeks
I would definitely only use it in an aired out area. With a vinegar solution it has to be white vinegar and water, not apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a great additive to their diet however it does breakdown calcium so do use sparingly in elderly rats.
The males I adopted from the humane society smelled but they were feeding a mix food. Once I switched to Oxbow the smelly poops went away. Just got 4 older girls ( 2-3) years had the same issue, however they are not litter trained so they are much stinkier than the boys.
Yup, diet makes such a difference! I've had the same thing happen to me, with new rats smelling much better after going onto a better diet and living on better bedding (and especially with my former feeder bin rats them going from an overcrowded, under-cleaned cage to a well ventilated and not overcrowded cage also helped a lot)
I recently got some pet rats, and I think my mom and I clean it too much because the cage suddenly smells rather bad. If this is the case, if I clean it again to get rid of the odor, will they overmark the cage again? It just happened overnight. It didn't smell bad before. What should I do?
The best thing to do would be to clean it again but keep a few handfuls of dirty bedding. After you clean everything put back in the dirty bedding and if possible some dirty nesting material. That should help them feel less freaked out by the new arrangement and lessen how much they scent mark everything. What are you using as bedding? And what do you feed them? I’ve found food and bedding were the biggest things when it comes to smell with my rats. I know that they smell best on their Oxbow adult especially when I make sure to limit the fresh/wet foods. And they also smellbest on something like Yesterday’s news which is meant to absorb and reduce odor and does a great jjob. If you’re using fleece though make sure to place an absorbent underpaid under the fleece as otherwise the pee will just pool under the bedding and stink like crazy!
Thank you! I'm using fleece, and because they're still babies I'm feeding them the Oxbow mouse and young rat food. I do stuff their houses with tissues though, so I could leave a few of those in the cage. Thanks again, Shadow! c:
I have around 30 rats since I foster and also some are of my own mischief. I use the Back 2 Nature bedding which works wonders for me but the cage itself just reeks. My rats just refuse to use just the litter box and just spray their piss everywhere!!!😂🤦♀️
I don't personally use fleece as my main bedding as I've had terrible luck with it, however that being said I know many people use binder clips and that's what i use for the fleece on my wire shelves.
One thing I've started to do for greasy males every now and then is rub a little coconut oil on their back where it's the greasiest. It looses the orangey skin grease and encourages them to groom it off. As a bonus it keeps their skin from drying out, it works with rats who are afraid of bathing, and a little coconut oil is good for them to ingest
@@ShadowTheRat My breeder gives me a kit for itchy rats. I had two 3.5 year old rats, and their skin just got quite sensitive. Thump, thump thump...itching ALL the time. Once a month I had to shampoo them with an anti itch pet shampoo partially dry them, and then slather them with virgin coconut oil. It would take about three days for their hair to fluff up again. But itch relief was instantaneous. This was also treatment for mites in healthy rats. All of the above plus one drop (on their neck)of REVOLUTION for dogs diluted to her specifications. Their fur would gleam! Their TAILS would get like silk. Weekly applications of the oil to just their tails would eliminate and prevent those little black head pimples.
I have a quick question I’m getting a oil defused is it safe for the rats if I keep it outside there cage and it makes a room smell like whatever I want
No, oil defuses are not safe to have around rats. They are pretty strong respiratory irritants for them, and rats are already prone to so many respiratory problems that you don’t want to increase their risk. If smell is an issue I suggest you invest in a good air purifier as this will reduce the smell quite a bit. If the room the rats are in is moist it also helps to have a dehumidifier, and if they are in a small room adding ventilation via keeping open the windows and doors also helps. Finding a good bedding and food is also key, and you may have to experiment some before you find the best combo for yourself. As for items you can use around the rat cage you can use those baking soda packets for fridges (keep them out of reach of the rats of course). Overall you want to avoid anything too smelly near the rats, and you just want to try and protect their respiratory health as much as possible.
I've read not to use pine or cedar shavings. The wood has oils, and the rats are so close to it, the oils get into their lungs. The dust from the wood can get in their eyes and noses. I used to put paper towels down. My rats pretty much decided what corner was going to be their litter area. I changed the paper towels a lot. I think it was also easier for them to walk on a flat surface than in litter or wood chips.
They can but I’d make sure to get the reusable washable ones as the throw away ones may contain toxic chemicals that could harm your rats if they chew or swallow it. Personally I’m not a big fan of cloth bedding but I know many people use puppy pads or fleece successfully
It’s covered with fleece, so that won’t happen. Also, rats don’t eat fabric - they just chew it up and spit it out. So it’s perfectly safe if they chew a bit of usual (that’s actually why I didn’t recommend another common under pad (puppy pads) because these contain certain harmful chemicals that could kill your rat if they ingest them).
Its possible they peed on each other, I have a girl who sometimes pees on her cagemates and it can make them smell lol. Luckily she tends to groom it off pretty quickly but if not sometimes I'll wipe them down with a warm washcloth (rarely though as Espresso hasn't peed on them as of late)
It can be, but not unless they ingest it - which, as long as you have normal rats (no pica) shouldn’t happen (the baking soda is encased in the litter itself, so unless your rats regularily eat their litter than it shouldn’t be a problem).
@@ChloeEIizabethPrice to attempt to reduce oder and smell idk this was three years ago. Ah and it turned out we couldn't even get our air vents cleaned cuz of rat damage so now they have to be replaced
I like this format for an informational video. The images show exactly what you’re describing and the voice-over explains everything thoroughly.
Glad to hear! Although I’m not to sure about the words on pictures part. Did you find the extra words distracted from the voiceover, or did it work well together?
Shadow The Rat No, the words were a great addition because they added more of an accurate explanation so there was no confusion
Cleaning the bars and walls behind is great advice! No one told me this but I discovered it eventually and it makes such a difference
same here! I was so grossed out when I saw the bars leaving yellow stains on the paper towel, so I started cleaning them frequently and the smell got so much better. I just hope I can paint over the pee stain on the wall when I move out
Your videos are great and I love how you try to reply to so many ppl!!! I have three female rats and you are so helpful because I am still trying to figure this whole thing out!!! Keep up the great work!!! You have 1 new subscriber!!!!
Thank you :)
Nice info as I will be using fleece and didn't know you needed an under pad. Than you
Good luck using fleece, I've never had much luck with it but I don't think I ever used it right.
Great video!
Although I heard baking soda is bad for small animals, a while back carefresh changed their recipe to include baking soda and it resulted in lots of small animal deaths. Their recipe has since gone back to normal which is good.
Baking soda is frequently used in diy pest poison so is lethal. So maybe best not to use ‘Fresh News’.
Great tips otherwise and a very detailed video 😊
It can be, but not unless they ingest it - which, as long as you have normal rats (no pica) shouldn’t happen (the baking soda is encased in the litter itself, so unless your rats regularily eat their litter than it shouldn’t be a problem).
Super helpful for a new rat owner like me!! Thank you very much for sharing and for including all these pictures and text on screen as well as in the audio! ❤
I love your channel so much, seriously! I am going to pick up my two ratties in a few days and your videos helped me so much! Thank you for this! Greetings from Czech Republic! xx :)
That awesome! CongRATs on the soon to be new ratties :)
Thank You For This! My Parents Won't Let Me Get Rats Cause Of Their Smell I Will Be Telling Them About These Tips :)
Very informative and correct, thankyou for providing such knowledgeable and correct information regarding rat cages and odour.
I'm glad you enjoyed :)
Im so glad I have tarantulas and insects,they don’t need constant cage cleaning! And they don’t stink!
Can you do a video about scent marking? I have two girls and one marks me every day during playtime. Her sister does not do this at all. The marking one also marks me far more often than my boyfriend.
Sure! I like that idea quite a bit, after all i actually know some people who think rats don’t have bladders just because they scent mark :P
The Intro presentation 💖💖💖
I love rat-smell, hahah... they smell like a meadow.
Great video, thank you... I don't wanna come off like a contrarian.
You sound like such a sweet girl! Your channel is awesome, and I don't even own rats, lol! I started watching videos about pet rats a few months ago, I have guinea pigs and I love watching videos on their care, so I stumbled upon the Rat Guru channel, then yours, and I love it! They seem like wonderful pets, and maybe one day I might own a few. I can't imagine how you don't have more subscribers, your so great! Happy New year to you, and to the fur babies!
Before I get my rats I plan on actually putting thin acryllic sheets on the walls behind the cage so the walls can easily be wiped down. I have had rats in the past and not only pee can get on the walls but porphorin can be slung there as well. Great tips! I plan on using baking soda and an air purifer outside the cage as well as wiping down the bars frequently!
Great video. I think that people who don't like fleece, don't understand how to use it. My rats are very well litter trained, and I don't need to change the fleece more than once a week.
That’s pretty cool! I’ll admit, I’ve never really learned how to use fleece properly, and every time I try it stinks within hours. But I know others (like yourself) have used it with great success, so I tried to include the little I’ve learned about it from others in this video :)
what do you put under your fleece?
my boys are kinda litter trained but they mark their territory alot so the fleece does end up smelling after a day or two. I still only wash it once a week since changing it too often makes the marking worse
I put two layers of fleece with newspaper between them and under! Then when it gets stinky half way through the week I take the top two layers off leaving a less stinky bottom two layers.
I have a hamster (anyone who has had hamsters knows a lot of them aren’t cuddley..) for. Along while I really wanted a bunny I still do but my parents say no because of the mess and a few other things.
Well I was thinking of other pets and doing more research I found rats! I’m really scared of the smell though, my hamster doesn’t stink at all only when I forget to clean out his potty cups. The smell makes me want to DIE! But still I love him so much I hand wash the cups everyday mostly.
I have a area in my room that would fit one of those wire story cages but still I’m so scared of smell! I clean my hamsters cages once every 2 weeks (he has a connected bin cage so one week I clean one them one week the other)
So it wouldn’t be to hard to clean the rats when I clean my hamsters.
I think rats are so cute! Their tail kinda freaks me out but that face is just so cute!
I find that rats smell much less than hamsters. My issue was that I went from gerbils (literally odorless) to rats (smell less than mice and hamsters but still have some smell). This wasn't a problem for me, but my family could tell the difference.
Rat's can also be litter trained, and many people have litter trained rats housed on fleece with no smell issue at all (I've never had luck with fleece, but my Yesterday's News does an amazing job at keeping the cage odorless! And with four rats, I'm cleaning the cage every 1.5 to 2 weeks - not bad at all (I also do spot cleanings every few days, but its just wiping down the bars and removing soiled bedding))
But I have to mention, rats aren't cuddly pets. Sure, I've had some cuddly older girls - but its very much on their terms and it they never get cuddly until they get older (6 months is when rats are considered adults, but my girls don't usually start enjoying cuddling until 1 to 1.5 years old).
And even then, not all rats get cuddly. Rats from an ethical breeder that knows their parents personality and health can help, but even that is no guarantee. That's not to say they aren't amazing and interactive pets, but interaction (especially with younger rats) is probably going to be more play, training, and other interaction based.
(BTW, this might help with your tail fear: its actually not scaly at all, and is covered in very small furs. It feels soft to the touch, and is usually warm - I find it to be one of the cutest things about them (I have quite a few pictures with a rat sleeping with their tail covering their eyes! Its so cute!))
Thank you! I have 7 Male rats, and sometimes the smell is overwhelming lol
Is vinegar/water solution bad for the rats to breathe in?
I've been told it worked well for cleaning, so thats what I am constantly using to wipe down the bars and cage floor and I clean while my rats are inside the cage (or usually on top of it)
The Apple Cider Vinegar has been hugely helpful for me, they started drinking even more than before and the smell is definitely better now.
I don't know to be honest. However, it smells strong enough that I don't feel comfortable using it without thoroughly airing out the area afterwards.
I keep hearing good things about Apple Cider Vinegar, so might just have to try that one day! I was reading some rat breeder website that said they started giving it early on and saw an improvement in health? IDK if that's unjust correlation but in any case it seems to help in one way or another.
I did hear that Apple Cider Vinegar is healthy for humans to mix in their drinks so it might be the same for rats. Mine definitely prefer it to regular water :D
As for the smell, it was a life saver, took a while to be noticable though, about two or three weeks
I would definitely only use it in an aired out area. With a vinegar solution it has to be white vinegar and water, not apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a great additive to their diet however it does breakdown calcium so do use sparingly in elderly rats.
My rats absolutely loved the taste of ACV though. :)
HERPA filter. Okay, that made me laugh. XD
Where do you put the rats when you clean the cage
Perfect video!
The males I adopted from the humane society smelled but they were feeding a mix food. Once I switched to Oxbow the smelly poops went away. Just got 4 older girls ( 2-3) years had the same issue, however they are not litter trained so they are much stinkier than the boys.
Yup, diet makes such a difference! I've had the same thing happen to me, with new rats smelling much better after going onto a better diet and living on better bedding (and especially with my former feeder bin rats them going from an overcrowded, under-cleaned cage to a well ventilated and not overcrowded cage also helped a lot)
I recently got some pet rats, and I think my mom and I clean it too much because the cage suddenly smells rather bad. If this is the case, if I clean it again to get rid of the odor, will they overmark the cage again? It just happened overnight. It didn't smell bad before. What should I do?
The best thing to do would be to clean it again but keep a few handfuls of dirty bedding. After you clean everything put back in the dirty bedding and if possible some dirty nesting material. That should help them feel less freaked out by the new arrangement and lessen how much they scent mark everything.
What are you using as bedding? And what do you feed them? I’ve found food and bedding were the biggest things when it comes to smell with my rats. I know that they smell best on their Oxbow adult especially when I make sure to limit the fresh/wet foods. And they also smellbest on something like Yesterday’s news which is meant to absorb and reduce odor and does a great jjob. If you’re using fleece though make sure to place an absorbent underpaid under the fleece as otherwise the pee will just pool under the bedding and stink like crazy!
Thank you! I'm using fleece, and because they're still babies I'm feeding them the Oxbow mouse and young rat food. I do stuff their houses with tissues though, so I could leave a few of those in the cage. Thanks again, Shadow! c:
I have around 30 rats since I foster and also some are of my own mischief. I use the Back 2 Nature bedding which works wonders for me but the cage itself just reeks. My rats just refuse to use just the litter box and just spray their piss everywhere!!!😂🤦♀️
Do you have a video or tips on how to attach fleece to the bottom of the cage??
I don't personally use fleece as my main bedding as I've had terrible luck with it, however that being said I know many people use binder clips and that's what i use for the fleece on my wire shelves.
My rats didn’t get the nickname “stinky babies” for nothing. The poo smell is real.
How bad is the smell? Is it like stinks up the room or just in the cage.
Does it matter what soap, or laundry detergent you use to wash fleece or other things?
I have a question, are potty pads good absorbents for rat cages?
One thing I've started to do for greasy males every now and then is rub a little coconut oil on their back where it's the greasiest. It looses the orangey skin grease and encourages them to groom it off. As a bonus it keeps their skin from drying out, it works with rats who are afraid of bathing, and a little coconut oil is good for them to ingest
Good to know! I’ve heard of using coconut oil and olive oil for hairless rats who have dry skin, so it’s nice to know it works well for buck grease.
@@ShadowTheRat
My breeder gives me a kit for itchy rats. I had two 3.5 year old rats, and their skin just got quite sensitive. Thump, thump thump...itching ALL the time.
Once a month I had to shampoo them with an anti itch pet shampoo partially dry them, and then slather them with virgin coconut oil.
It would take about three days for their hair to fluff up again. But itch relief was instantaneous.
This was also treatment for mites in healthy rats. All of the above plus one drop (on their neck)of REVOLUTION for dogs diluted to her specifications.
Their fur would gleam! Their TAILS would get like silk. Weekly applications of the oil to just their tails would eliminate and prevent those little black head pimples.
I have a quick question I’m getting a oil defused is it safe for the rats if I keep it outside there cage and it makes a room smell like whatever I want
No, oil defuses are not safe to have around rats. They are pretty strong respiratory irritants for them, and rats are already prone to so many respiratory problems that you don’t want to increase their risk.
If smell is an issue I suggest you invest in a good air purifier as this will reduce the smell quite a bit. If the room the rats are in is moist it also helps to have a dehumidifier, and if they are in a small room adding ventilation via keeping open the windows and doors also helps. Finding a good bedding and food is also key, and you may have to experiment some before you find the best combo for yourself.
As for items you can use around the rat cage you can use those baking soda packets for fridges (keep them out of reach of the rats of course). Overall you want to avoid anything too smelly near the rats, and you just want to try and protect their respiratory health as much as possible.
Shadow The Rat ok thank you good to know
Can you put newspaper under fleece for absorbency?
You can, but newspaper is pretty poor at odor control so you’ll have to change it pretty often.
So what should I use instead?
Yes! It is grate for absorbance, just change it every 2 or 3 days.
I've read not to use pine or cedar shavings. The wood has oils, and the rats are so close to it, the oils get into their lungs. The dust from the wood can get in their eyes and noses. I used to put paper towels down. My rats pretty much decided what corner was going to be their litter area. I changed the paper towels a lot. I think it was also easier for them to walk on a flat surface than in litter or wood chips.
Ooooo, it is HEPA Filter. "High Efficiency Particulate Air
"Herpa" filter sounds like a venereal disease.
Lol it kinda does - acronyms are weird :P
@@ShadowTheRat
Your videos are so good, I re watch the old ones. I missed the herpes thing the first
time. LOL
Do you "recomend" males or females?
I’m going to get 2 rats (because I have to lol I want 2) my cage is really big
I’m also doing the same I got my cage for my birthday and am getting two rats today!
Will puppy pads work
They can but I’d make sure to get the reusable washable ones as the throw away ones may contain toxic chemicals that could harm your rats if they chew or swallow it. Personally I’m not a big fan of cloth bedding but I know many people use puppy pads or fleece successfully
Shadow The Rat so what will you suggest and also I’m your biggest fan
What is the rats eat the u haul pad 😬
It’s covered with fleece, so that won’t happen. Also, rats don’t eat fabric - they just chew it up and spit it out. So it’s perfectly safe if they chew a bit of usual (that’s actually why I didn’t recommend another common under pad (puppy pads) because these contain certain harmful chemicals that could kill your rat if they ingest them).
thanks :3 i wasn't quit sure what it was made of since once my rat did get into a puppy pad!(she was ok thankfully) and i wanted to be cautious!
that's smart :D thanks that's great idea!
My rats smell like wet dog its really weird, cuz I changed their cage like not that long ago
Its possible they peed on each other, I have a girl who sometimes pees on her cagemates and it can make them smell lol. Luckily she tends to groom it off pretty quickly but if not sometimes I'll wipe them down with a warm washcloth (rarely though as Espresso hasn't peed on them as of late)
@@ShadowTheRat oh okay! Thanks so much
Banking soda is lethal to small animals
It can be, but not unless they ingest it - which, as long as you have normal rats (no pica) shouldn’t happen (the baking soda is encased in the litter itself, so unless your rats regularily eat their litter than it shouldn’t be a problem).
I have rats in my air vents and I need to remove the smell.....🥳😂
Then why are you on a video about pet rats?
@@ChloeEIizabethPrice to attempt to reduce oder and smell idk this was three years ago. Ah and it turned out we couldn't even get our air vents cleaned cuz of rat damage so now they have to be replaced
Too much pooping is another reason not to get a pet rat.
Cool!
Vinegar neutralizes ammonia.