The long-awaited cleaning video! A few things to note, I am not an expert. I have not ever claimed to be one and probably never will lol.
some things that I meant to say in the video but forgot, I typically don't do complete deep cleans. I will change out the hammocks once a week, and sometimes more frequently if I notice that they get soiled quicker. I also realize I didn't show a fully final result. When the tie hangers were fully dried and sun bleached to help kill bacteria, I placed them inside so the girls had more places to jump from and run around safely. it's really important for double stacked critter nations to have things for the rats to catch themselves on safely in case they were to slip since sometimes they're little silly goofy goobers with the way that they climb and are prone to slip. in addition when it comes to the litter box, I will change that out as needed as well rather than on a set schedule
I understand that when it comes to small pets, there can be a lot of decisiveness in the community. please note that everything I do goes through my vet. if she recommends I change something, I change it. When I had first gotten rats, I used a wood chip bedding that was safe for rats. I know this decision is probably the most decisive one that I use paper bedding instead of wood, and to even further it, one that has dyes in it, albeit dies that no matter how much research I do, I cannot find evidence that they are bad for the girls. Just the same that we use hammocks with dyes in it, I cannot seem to find any evidence that this causes any health issues. When I first used the wood, my rat's all got respiratory infections. since switching to the tutti frutti bedding, I have not experienced any respiratory infections with any of my nine rats. this is something that I highly recommend you do plenty of research on on your own so you can create a conclusion that works best for you and your mischief. I also recommend you talk to a vet and gather their professional opinion.
WHEEL DISCLAIMER
what I was trying to get at in the video but didn't explain the way I would like to, is that my girls are incredibly old for pet rats. they're all over two. When your pet rats have a wheel that is too small for them for long enough, it can cause spinal injuries and change the spine shape. When I first got my girls from another owner, Tamaki actually had a curved tail because this was the spinner that she was constantly using. she used it so frequently that her tail had a semi permanent curve in it, that has since gone away since I took the spinner away from her. things like that are dangerous for the long-term. however, since they don't have access to the wheel every single day, it's not going to cause those curvatures. especially since they're so late in their life, if those curvatures were to even show up it would not be as detrimental as it would when they were younger. (again I would never let them get to that point anyways but yeah) if I were to notice any curves in their tails which is where they would show up first, then I would immediately stop them using it. but because I'm using this wheel sporadically that has not happened. I have run the scenario through my vet and they do not see an issue with it. please note though that I do not recommend allowing your rats to utilize a wheel that is too small for them for any long-term scenario, and especially if they're a bit younger, you don't want those issues while they're developing. always consult your vet
as for food, I have them on the oxbow diet. I also highly recommend the shunamite diet, you can find the Facebook group for USA and they will give you plenty of information on how to create your own mix. Right now I'm using up what I have of my oxbow and depending on the health of my rats when I run out I will probably switch back to shunamite.
if there's anything that you would like more detailed information on, please leave me a comment and I will make a video about it!
here's a list of products that I recommend, these are affiliate links so I might get a little bit of a kickback but they won't be more expensive for you.
critter nation: https://amzn.to/4m9F9I6
bedding https://amzn.to/4f7HUXU
rat food I use https://amzn.to/4f8mVnY
rodent cage cleaner https://amzn.to/40HNjzb
the cement base I use: 7 Gallon Mixing Tub u can get at home Depot, Lowe's, or cheapest at harbor freight https://share.google/gduNJ2khPuF65RtXA
hammocks I like:
glow in the dark stars https://amzn.to/45arTvQ
4 pack fuzzie hammocks https://amzn.to/3UG6d5P
strawberry hammock https://amzn.to/4ffzw91
#PetRatCare #RatCageCleaning #RatOwnerTips #SmallPetCleaning #FancyRats #DeepCleanRoutine #RatCareBasics #CleanWithMe #PetRatLife
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