What kind of litter is needed for rats? Choosing filler for a decorative rat - sprouts of life. Which litter is best for little rats?

Despite the abundance of information on keeping animals, feeding and breeding them, I regularly encounter health problems with rodents caused by their owners. I would like to draw attention to a number of features in the maintenance and nutrition of rats, your companions and pets, from the point of view of a veterinary rodentologist.

Rat housing

In a cage or in the wild? Caging is preferable. Firstly, a rat will not be able to greatly damage your own home (it’s a rodent!). In addition, the rat will not run into the cage “out of need,” which will make your home look deplorable. Secondly, free-living means swallowing dust under cabinets, eating poison from household insects and the insects themselves, possible hypothermia, injuries and other troubles. Thirdly, the rat must regularly communicate with people so as not to go wild. And for physical health and entertainment, it is enough for the rat to regularly walk under your supervision, for example, on the sofa.

What kind of cell should it be? The cage should be spacious enough. The longer the rat is expected to stay in the cage, the larger it should be in order to provide the animal with the opportunity to play and walk, climb, and move vertically. It would be nice to hang a hammock, spiral pipe ladders, and divide the cage into floors, compartments, and rooms. Many rats like it when there is also a house inside the cage, a secluded place where it can hide its “stash” or can get away from your hands and eyes. The presence of such a secluded corner has a positive effect on the mental health of your pet.

I prefer wire cages. They provide better ventilation than aquariums. In addition, it is easier to hang various toys in this cage, it is easy to climb, and it does not isolate the animal from communication with people, from different smells and sounds. A long cage with many nooks and crannies is much more interesting for a rat than a multi-tiered skyscraper. The design of large plastic water bottles interconnected is very interesting. Bottle necks are used to connect the compartment chambers. They can be easily covered with a screw cap and the disconnected unit can be washed. You can arrange multi-room apartments: bedroom, toilet, storage room, etc.

It is very important that the bars of the cage are covered special material(vinyl) anti-corrosion and easy to clean. The distance between the bars of the grill should not be very large, since the animal’s paws can fall through and get stuck between them, causing serious harm, including fractures. The tiers in the cage should be easy to remove in order to diversify the room and not interfere with washing the cage.

Do not use cages or boxes made of wood. First of all, it's not hygienic. Urine is absorbed into the wood and cannot be washed off. The accumulation of ammonia causes irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract. This can cause the rodent to become sick. In addition, pine and cedar wood releases toxic aromatic hydrocarbons, accumulating in the animal’s body, which can lead to intoxication and damage to internal organs. Another danger of wooden cages is splinters and injury to limbs. And the reliability of a wooden cage for isolating a rat is questionable: it won’t be difficult for it to chew through a tree!

It is advisable that the floor of the cage is not slippery, preferably even lattice. The grate on the floor for draining sewage should not cause irritation to the palms of rats, various rashes and injuries; The mesh size of the grid should not allow the rodent's paw to fall through or get stuck. There should be a removable tray at the bottom of the cage. It should be deep enough so that bedding and various debris do not spill out of the cage. Plastic pallets, unlike metal ones, are more resistant to urine, easier to clean, and do not have sharp corners.

Where to put the cage? Where is more convenient for you and for the rat. Do not place the cage on the aisle or in the corridor: it can be dropped, the constant movement of people disturbs the rodent, and there is also a risk of drafts. Place the cage in the house so that there are no windows or radiators or air conditioners nearby. In addition, it is necessary to observe the light regime: rats also sleep. Constant lighting causes mental discomfort and contributes to reproductive dysfunction and the formation of ovarian cysts, which can cause the development of a tumor process. Leave it in semi-darkness for the night (night light or curtains not drawn).

What to use as bedding material?

Bedding can vary, although a hard floor is preferable to a soft floor for a rat. The rat loves to rustle papers - do not use newspapers or sheets of printing ink for this. Observe the condition of the rat's soles - is there any irritation from the bedding?

Shredder paper can be a good bedding - rats are very interested in collecting it in nests or playing hide and seek, as in thick grass. You can use hay or straw, sawdust, thin and soft wood shavings, grain husks, special cellulose fillers, pressed sawdust, granulated sawdust, paper napkins, rags, etc. Rags can sometimes cause injuries, especially if the strings get tangled around the toes, feet, or tail. For this reason, do not use rags or yarn for bedding in a nest with babies and the nursing mother. But it will fit well non-woven material with excellent absorption capacity (kitchen napkins).

Avoid products made from softwood. I have already mentioned that all products are from coniferous trees(pine, cedar, fir or spruce) contain toxic substances- aromatic oils (phenols), which give a specific aroma to wood. When inhaled, they dissolve in the blood and undergo detoxification in the liver, increasing the number of microsomal enzymes. Long-term toxic exposure leads to hepatomegaly and immunosuppression. In addition, conifers contain acids that irritate the respiratory tract and increase susceptibility to respiratory diseases. Dissolving in the blood, aromatic hydrocarbons are filtered through the kidneys, damaging them. Animals kept in wooden cages or on a bedding of pine sawdust, over time they become less resistant to infections, especially of the respiratory tract, and are also more difficult to tolerate therapy medicines and anesthesia.

You can use cat litter. But they often contain clay and, accordingly, a lot of dust. It's bad for your lungs! In addition, small granules can get into the throat, causing asphyxia and the rat suffocating.

Granular litter for rodents – great choice, but it is somewhat expensive, pay attention to the uniformity and composition of the granules.

The litter is changed as needed, but at least once a week. Regular shift litter allows you to avoid the accumulation of bacteria and ammonia, which are the causes of many diseases of the respiratory system. If you feel the smell, then imagine what your rat feels?!

Many rats use a separate place in the cage for toileting, encourage this and leave a little droppings for the smell when changing the bedding. In hot or humid weather, the cage should be cleaned more often (once a day or every two days). Availability high humidity in a cage (including from urine) can cause the development of fungus, which can enter the lungs of a rodent and cause a disease - mycosis, as well as cause intestinal disorders and skin diseases.

You can wash the cage hot water with soda or soap, scrub off heavy dirt with a brush. Do not use chlorine-containing disinfectants on galvanized surfaces. After using disinfectants, rinse the cage thoroughly. Residues from detergents and disinfectants can cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes, eyes and respiratory organs.

Temperature conditions.

Rats are nocturnal animals, so they do not tolerate high temperatures. When overheated, rats do not sweat like humans and do not breathe open mouth sticking out their tongues like dogs. They use their tail for thermoregulation: dilation of blood vessels leads to increased heat transfer. This is why tailless rats are so vulnerable to overheating and temperature changes. Overheating causes heat stroke, including loss of consciousness. With diseases of the heart and respiratory system, sensitivity to temperature changes increases sharply.

By touching the temperature of the tail, you can determine whether your rat’s body temperature is elevated. Usually the tail is cool to the touch, it should not be warm!

For temperature control environment use a thermometer by placing it near the cage.

If it is very hot outside, then you need to curtain the windows and place the cage on the floor, where it is cooler. The bathroom is usually cooler - place the cage there. Ventilate the room at night and close the windows during the day. Another way is to place frozen ice cubes in a cage; when they evaporate, they cool the air and give drinking water for rats (it's like ice cream for them). Instead of ice, you can use frozen vegetables or fruits, herbal infusions with juices.

You can use a spray bottle and make a “little rain”.

Rats usually tolerate cold temperatures more easily, especially if there is good bedding in which to burrow. But very low temperatures(in winter) can lead to hypothermia of the animal and exacerbation of chronic diseases. Rats with poor fur (Rexes and Nudics) are especially affected. It is necessary to provide warmth using heating pads or special heating mats, and close the cage and wrap it with cloth to prevent drafts.

Drinking water.

It is very important that your rats always have fresh water in their drinking bowl. The rat drinks twice as much water as it eats food. Thoroughly wash all components of the drinking bowl every day, scald them with boiling water and remove salt deposits from the walls.

Carefully inspect the drinker after washing and assembling: is the water flowing well, is it leaking. Better make a mark on outer surface bottles to keep track of water regime(water consumption).

For drinking, it is better to use bottled drinking water or filtered tap water. Fluoridation and chlorination of water makes it toxic to rodents.

For animals with heart or kidney disease, use water depleted in sodium (no more than 150 mg/l).

Melt water is perfect for drinking. Freeze the cubes and thaw them to the point of “cloudy ice” - these are salts and “dirt”. Melt water with a drop of honey added is life-giving moisture!

Hello Dear Readers, Users and Guests of the site.

My name is Evgenia and today I want to devote my review to the corn filler of the Zolotoy Kot brand. This is an environmentally friendly filler made from natural ingredients, so natural that my tailed inhabitants manage to eat something from it. I want to leave a review on behalf of the rat breeder; I don’t know how good this filler is for other animals.

"Golden Cat" comes in three types: small fraction, large fraction and pellets (granules). In this case, we will talk about the small fraction, although there is no difference between small and large (except for the size of the grains). They produce "kota" both in liter bags and in craft bags. If the number of rats in your house is 5 or more, buy in bags of 10 or 12 kg, this will reduce not only your time searching for filler (and this is not always available and not everywhere), but also costs.

The photo shows a craft bag with a fine fraction of 10 kg. The contents of the bag have a barely perceptible pleasant smell; among the inedible filler you can easily find corn kernels, there are no foreign objects, and there are no insects.

Many people advise pouring this kind of filler two fingers thick and cleaning the “dark” places every day with a dustpan. This method of cleaning may be good for some, but not for the rat breeder! It is unrealistic to clean up after numerous rats every day (and therefore not economical). And in general, during operation, no obvious darkened places were found; the rats manage to do their business in the corners of the cage so that all the dark contents remain at the very bottom of the filler. The filler retains the smell well, it lasts for a maximum of a week.

Minor omission: Golden Cat in the form granules keeps the smell better and longer (two weeks of the smell under lock and key!), does not spill out of the cage.

But still, what is the Golden Cat of the small faction really good for, besides eliminating unpleasant odor? It is absolutely harmless to rats: it does not cause an allergic reaction, does not irritate the animal’s respiratory tract, and does not cause “corns” on rat feet.

When choosing a filler, you need to know exactly whether it is suitable for your type of animal. Any good owner focuses solely on making sure that the pet feels comfortable living in his “home.”

Results: Golden Cat corn litter is environmentally friendly and safe for keeping rats, retains the smell well, does not generate dust, does not stick to the pan, but makes noise when the rat plays (especially at night), and also actively spills out of the pan and forces you to take a broom (suitable for cages with a deep tray). The price for a craft bag varies between 300-450 rubles per 10 kg, it lasts for a couple of months, which is very economical.

Thank you for your attention, I hope the review was useful for rat owners. Leave comments, ask questions, go to the profile and read other reviews about rat keeping =)))

Cage litter helps keep rats in clean and relatively hygienic conditions because... absorbs waste and neutralizes unpleasant odors to a certain extent. Unfortunately, often the wrong choice of litter and its improper use negate the pleasure of keeping rats, make life very difficult for the owner or his household, and can worsen the health of the animals. Therefore, it is very important to familiarize yourself in time with the main types of fillers, options for their use and understand what is most suitable for you and your rats.

Types of fillers

Unfortunately, it is impossible to unambiguously answer the question of which litter is best to choose for rats or, moreover, which litter is the best. Rats react differently to the same materials and litter that is ideal for one rat may cause a chronic runny nose or sores on the feet of another. But there are certain indicators or properties of fillers that make them better or worse for use in a cage; we will try to consider these properties on this page.

: sawdust, shavings, pressed (granules, pellets), wood chips;
: hay, corn, flax, cotton, grass pellets, hemp mulch (fire);
: cellulose, paper napkins/towels, office paper, newspapers;
: disposable diapers, mineral (bentonite, palygorskite, etc.), silica gel.

Wood litter for rats

Sawdust and to this day remain the most common filler. However, they are also one of the worst options, because... most often they are made from coniferous wood, and many rats react to needles in the form of irritation and inflammation of the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, as well as the lungs. In addition, sawdust can be extremely fine and dusty, which additionally leads to irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes. The rat begins to porphyrinate, sneeze, and in general the joy of life becomes overshadowed by ailments, including chronic rhinitis. At the same time, sawdust from non-coniferous wood can become a good filler if the cage has a false bottom: rats cannot reach the sawdust, and the sawdust does not generate dust and does not get into the nose and eyes. In all other cases, the use of sawdust as a filler for rats is highly discouraged.

Shavings Compared to small sawdust, it has one advantage: it is larger, so it does not generate dust and does not get into the nose and eyes. Large, dust-free shavings from non-coniferous (deciduous) wood can be used either under the false bottom or simply poured into a pallet or trays. This is far from the most the best option, but it has a right to exist if the rats do not react to the presence of shavings by sneezing, porphyrin, or runny nose. It is highly not recommended to use coniferous, dusty and small shavings as filler.

Pressed wood filler on the market it is presented in granules or pellets. Pellets remain a very popular type of filler; they better than sawdust They retain moisture and odor, but they rattle, generate dust, and when completely wet, fall apart into fine dust. Pressed wood filler is convenient if the cage has a false bottom; in all other cases it is not recommended for use, because inconvenient for rats when moving, can be very traumatic for the skin of the legs and can cause pododermatitis, and in the form of dust can irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes of rats. It is highly not recommended to use pine granules and pellets as filler.

Wood chips is on this moment a good alternative to all other types of filler. Please note that in pet stores it is sold as a filler for terrariums and at a relatively high price. You can also find it without any problems in hardware stores under the name “chips for smoking.” Wood chips do not generate dust or irritate mucous membranes, provided that a product made from hardwood tree. Trauma to rat paws is also within acceptable limits, however, for elderly, sick, too heavy rats or rats with a predisposition to pododermatitis, it is still not worth using this type of filler without a false bottom. For all other rats, the filler is suitable for pouring into trays and trays, as well as under the false bottom. It is definitely not recommended to use pine chips.

General recommendations: Do not use granules and pellets if you have elderly and weakened rats, rats with overweight or predisposition to pododermatitis; do not use small, coniferous, dusty, clumping or scented wood fillers; If a rat develops symptoms of a respiratory illness on wood litter (runny nose, sneezing, etc.), remove it immediately.

Vegetable litter for rats

Corn filler consists of crushed corn cobs and comes in three types - fine fraction, coarse fraction and granules. This type of filler is currently perhaps the most popular among rat breeders. Unfortunately, corn litter has a number of disadvantages: it is quite noisy, in rats with a large weight or a tendency to pododermatitis it can lead to injuries and inflammation of the skin of the feet, it is not suitable for elderly, sick and weakened rats, because It is difficult for them to move on such an unstable surface, it can cause pain when stepping on it, and some rats try to avoid it for this reason. However, he does not have negative influence on respiratory system and mucous membranes, which is why rats with chronic respiratory infections are often switched to it; it retains odors and moisture well, and the corn filler is completely safe to eat.

Linen filler There are two types: granules (pellets) and kostra (chopped plant stems). The filler has good performance in terms of moisture absorption and odor retention. Pressed flax granules have the same disadvantages as granules of any other filler: they are traumatic for the skin of the feet, turning into dust and dust when wet. The disadvantages of fires include possible dustiness and sharp parts, but this directly depends on the manufacturer. In some rats, flaxseed fillers can cause swelling of the mucous membranes, but this effect is observed in a very small number of animals.

Cotton filling has not poor performance odor retention and moisture absorption. In addition, it does not injure the skin of the feet and is not traumatic. However, it is worth paying attention to the fact that it can cause rhinitis in rats prone to inflammation of the mucous membranes or with chronic respiratory diseases. At the moment, cotton litter is quite rare on the pet products market.

Herbal granules They absorb moisture well and retain odor, but they have all the disadvantages of granules, and when wet they disintegrate into dust. If you don't replace it often enough, the filler can turn into a “grass porridge.” Not recommended for rats prone to respiratory diseases and pododermatitis.

Hemp filler in the form of a fire is enough good filler for rats, but, unfortunately, at the moment it is almost impossible to purchase it on the pet goods market of the CIS countries. Alternative option You can buy mulch at markets and in stores that provide gardening products, but in this case you need to pay attention to the quality: it should not be too dusty and uneven, mixed with debris, because this will increase its risk of injury.

General recommendations: Do not use granules and pellets if you have elderly and weakened rats, rats that are overweight or have a predisposition to pododermatitis; Such organic fillers require frequent changes during the warm season, because are a convenient environment for hatching fly larvae; dusty fillers can lead to inflammation and swelling of the mucous membranes, and sharp parts can damage the eyes of rats; do not use flavored fillers.

Paper litter for rats

Cellulose filler Suitable only for a small number of rats or for laying a second layer on top of granular litter, because In terms of odor retention, it is not up to par. The advantages of this type of filler include the fact that it does not rattle, rats like it, does not injure the feet, absorbs moisture well, however, it does not cover a large surface well and some of its varieties can be quite dusty.

Paper napkins or towels They are good for use in a cage, but they are not able to replace litter, at least on a permanent basis and for those rats that like to chew paper and drag it into their house or create “nests”. Napkins and towels have fairly poor odor/moisture retention and are easily “destroyed” by rats, so they need to be changed at least 2 times a day. But at the same time, they are hypoallergenic, ideal for use as bedding in houses, well suited for rats with respiratory diseases, sensitive mucous membranes, pododermatitis, and can be used in a cage with lactating rats. You can only use napkins and towels without patterns or dyes.

Office paper Not suitable as a filler for rats. The decisive disadvantages are the sharp edges, which can leave quite serious cuts, and poor odor and moisture retention. However, paper, torn (not cut!) into long strips, may be to the taste of rats for building nests and as an interesting activity for walking.

Newspapers magazines and other printed materials should also not be used in a cage, because in the production and application of printing inks, among other things, drying oils, phenols, formaldehyde, petroleum oils, synthetic resins, metal salts (cobalt, manganese, aluminum, iron, etc.) are used*. These substances or their traces are theoretically capable of harming the health of rats due to chronic intoxication, i.e. with regular and direct contact. It is better to avoid any contact with freshly printed products and products published before the end of the 90s: in the first case, due to fumes from printing ink, in the second, due to the use of lead salts in old pigments. In addition, newspapers and magazines are not able to sufficiently absorb and retain moisture and odors.

Inorganic fillers

Disposable diapers absorbs and retains odors/moisture very well and is especially suitable for elderly, sick and weakened rats, allowing them to be kept in hygienic conditions with a clean and dry cage. You can secure diapers both on shelves and directly in the tray using masking tape or other devices. Please note that only non-gnawing rats should be given diapers and only if they have no desire to tear apart the bedding. Unfortunately, there are known cases of death due to the inhalation of small particles of the inner layer of diapers, torn into small pieces.

Silica gel and mineral fillers with any composition (bentonite, palygorskite, etc.) cannot be used as a filler for rats, except in cases where the cage is equipped with a sufficiently high false bottom to prevent any contact of animals with the contents of the tray, and this is at least 5 cm. The entry of a mineral or silica gel filler into the gastrointestinal tract of a rat leads to its blockage and, as a result, an almost guaranteed death.

Using litter in the cage

Usually the entire surface of the pallet is covered with filler; the thickness of the layer depends on the type of filler, its properties and the number of animals. This method has its pros and cons, and, in my opinion, there are many more cons. This includes the noise of the filler when it comes to pellets or various granules, and inconvenience for the rats themselves, and the possibility of injury to the delicate skin of the hind legs, which can lead to pododermatitis (corns), and an increase in the overall negative impact on health if the filler is chosen incorrectly, for example , pine sawdust, and high price, because depending on the size of the cage, several liters of the same may be required corn filler. The advantages include a large absorbent surface, which will allow you to change the filler less frequently and, in the case of sloppy rats, provide fairly long-term protection from odor.

However, now another method is becoming increasingly popular, in which the cage tray remains unfilled (but can be covered with napkins, PVC mats, fleece), and the filler is placed only in a tray or several trays located in different places cells. It is not difficult to accustom rats to a tray; they learn on their own, but to speed up the process, you can collect and put them in trays rat excrement, found in inappropriate places in the cell. Soon the rats will understand that the trays are the place where waste is collected, and not the nearest shelf or random corners of the pallet. One of the disadvantages is the need to frequently change the filler in the trays. Keep in mind that not all rats are accustomed to using such a toilet and it is almost impossible to achieve 100% success from them. Never punish animals for mistakes!

An option with a false bottom is also possible: the middle of the false bottom is covered with some material (PVC mats, linoleum, etc.) to reduce its risk of injury to rats; the entire tray or areas in the corners of the cage with an open false bottom are filled with filler. Thus, waste products enter the filler, bypassing the closed part of the false bottom. This method also allows you to easily and simply get rid of contaminants, be it rat feces or husks from food, simply brushing them into a corner. This will make it easy to hold ground floor cages are clean, which is especially important for older rats or rats with a predisposition to pododermatitis.

Of course, it is also possible various combinations the above options. For example, trays on shelves have proven themselves in large cells even when the tray is full: the rat no longer has to run about its business with top floor to the bottom, just look at the nearest shelf with a toilet.

* Berezin B.N.: Synthetic polymers in printing; Pochinok A.P.: Encyclopedia on occupational safety and health T3; Knop A., Sheib V.: Phenolic resins and materials based on them; Gordon C. Miller: Printing and printing; V.A. Kabanov: Encyclopedia of polymers.

Lyricist Katharina From. Photo provided by Lyudmila Khludova. For assistance in writing the article, I thank the candidate of chemistry. sciences Maria Musalova, Olga Yudicheva, administration of the “Decorative Rats” group.

The paper filler can be ordinary writing or packaging paper, napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. It is not recommended to use newspaper or coated magazine paper, since printing ink may contain toxic components, and magazine paper will not absorb water.

Paper filler is similar in properties to sawdust. Is it true plain paper It absorbs moisture worse and retains odors much worse, but at the same time it is safe for animals. To increase the absorbent properties of paper, it must be shredded. The paper can be used either directly, by laying it in trays in several layers, or by first shredding it into a kind of washcloth or cutting it into separate pieces. For paper litter, shredded paper from an office shredder (paper shredder) is perfect if you have access to it at work.

Paper shredder - great way getting paper litter!

Using paper litter is more expensive, since napkins and paper towels, for example, are not cheap, and such litter needs to be changed much more often than sawdust (ideally, every day!), otherwise the problem of unpleasant odor will loom before you very quickly. Once in a pet store I saw an imported filler made of finely chopped paper, similar to confetti, which outwardly seemed to me to be a very good alternative to sawdust, but the price for it was simply exorbitant, more than 400 rubles for a package of a couple of kilograms. For that kind of money you can buy 150 rolls of cheap toilet paper, and using a roll a day to provide yourself with bedding for half a year!

Pressed paper filling is also an option!

By the way, your rats may well make your task easier, you just need to place strips of paper crumpled and torn from the toilet roll into the cage. Rats love to tear and chew paper, so after a while thin layer scraps, bits, and paper trash will fill the cage in an even layer, and the rats will not be bored!

Summary: apart from the somewhat high cost of the materials used, as well as slightly lower absorbency than sawdust, otherwise there are no shortcomings in the paper filler. Moreover, I think paper filler An excellent and very practical material for keeping small animals, if it is used without undue savings. 10-15 layers of soft porous paper will do the job very well, but if, in order to save money, you take only 1-3 layers of paper for bedding, you will very quickly be rewarded with an unpleasant odor and the need to change the bedding every day. Also, thick and hard paper with sharp edges can cut your rats’ feet, so it is better to use soft paper, such as napkins.

Cleaning the cage
Svetlana Pazhiltseva
Photo by Elena Kenunen

The cage is the place in the apartment where the rat lives. Here she spends most of our time, and we can make sure that your beloved animal feels comfortable in its own home.
What’s so special about rats is that if they are kept correctly, there is no “zoo effect” in the apartment. The cage where rats live should not emit an unpleasant odor. And for this there is no need to wash and clean all the waste products of your pet every day. It is enough to clean the cage only 1-2 times a week. But the combination will be very important good selection filler and low cell population. So if you keep one rat in a huge cage, but on newspapers, or on super-filler, but a large number of rats and in a cramped cage - the smell will undoubtedly appear.
We will consider it optimal to keep one or two rats in a cage with dimensions of 40*50*30 (h*d*w) and at least 3 cm of filler layer thickness (you can be generous here). As a filler for rat cages, we will use special medium-sized briquetted sawdust or granulated wood filler for cat litter. This filler is harmless, even if the rat starts to taste it or rolls its favorite cucumber in it. In addition, the filler perfectly absorbs moisture and retains odor.
Which type of filler to choose is determined by personal experience, selection based on personal preferences.

Cons of granular filler:
- high price
- when jumping and digging in the cage, the rats rattle the pellets loudly
- not every rat likes to sleep on hard granules
- some types of granules very quickly disintegrate into dust when wet and stick together.

And, of course, it is necessary to thoroughly wash the cage!
Our article will teach you how to do this correctly.

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At the first stage we have: a cage used and trampled by rats, a carrier for putting rats out, a brush, a garbage bag (Fig. 1).
Naturally, first of all, we will put the rats in a carrier so that they do not interfere and do not get underfoot (Fig. 2). Now you can safely take out various rat gadgets: drinking bowls, feeders, hammocks and remove the grid from the cage (Fig. 3).

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Clean the house and other toys from sawdust with a brush and remove them from the tray (Fig. 4).
Now our task is to carefully secure the used filler and used hammocks. To do this, take out a garbage bag (or any other bag of suitable size) and place the pallet inside (Fig. 5 and Fig. 6).

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Shake the remaining sawdust into the bag with a special brush (Fig. 7). We tie the bag so that nothing spills (Fig. 8). Please note - not a single piece of sawdust could escape unnoticed! ;)
We move on to the second stage - direct washing of the cage. For this we need: a bath (preferably with hot water), detergent, sponge, towel (Fig. 9).
We fill the tray with water and thoroughly wipe all the nooks and crannies (Fig. 10),

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We soap the grate on both sides (Fig. 11), in this state you can leave the cage for several minutes. We take out the floors, feeders, ladders and wash them separately - also soaping them on both sides (Fig. 12).
We thoroughly rinse all the grates and the tray (Fig. 13). If there is such a need, then the washed cage can be wiped with a solution