Rats themselves do not smell, if you are experiencing bad smell from them, then you are either: 1) not cleaning enough. 2) cleaning too often. 3) need to try different or deeper substrate. 4) A bad diet can also lead to smelly rats so make sure to feed only highest quality lab blocks or shunamite mix.
Cleaning too thoroughly/too often causes them to scent mark more as rats do not like when their cage does not smell like them. Try to clean different items on different intervals. Replace Fleece and paper every 1-3 days, kiln dried Aspen/pine or hemp at least once a week and wipe down the whole cage & accessories once a week. At least once a month, deep clean by soaking bigger items in hot vinegar water and scrub if necessary then rinse. If you have a big metal cage, take it apart every couple months to get in between the cracks/crevices.
When deep cleaning, add one item that still smells like them in the cage, I like to save a few poos and little bit of urine soaked bedding from the dirty cage to put into the clean litter box. Litter training (+ pee rock) is worthwhile to keep waste in designated spots so that spot cleaning is easy through the week!
Only use diluted vinegar water to clean cages, water bottles, and fabric. Wash fleece & ropes with hot water, 1 cup of vinegar, and a couple drops of dish soap. Commercial cage cleaning products and laundry detergents smell of chemicals & harsh scents, which rats will want to cover up by scent marking. Vinegar neutralizes ammonia from the breakdown of urine so only use vinegar!
If these tips do not help, try adding another inch of substrate, remove soiled substrate daily, or try mixing it around everyday. An air purifier also removes smells/dust from the air if your nose is sensitive. Make sure each rat has at least 2 square feet in the cage, a cramped cage gets stinky fast. Check out my blog on potty training to train them to go into a corner potty to make cleaning easier.
Paper substrates, fabric, and fleece do not neutralize ammonia so are not the best choice for main bedding unless you are committed to changing them every 3 days.. which is difficult when going on vacation/have a pet sitter. Only use kiln-dried pine, aspen, hemp, or properly maintained bioactive substrate as it will neutralize the ammonia in their waste. These preferred beddings can go 7-14 days between changing, bioactive can last months. If you or your rats do not like the smell of Aspen/pine opt for hemp. Remember that switching bedding can cause sneezes which is normal, watch for further symptoms or sneezes lasting 2+ weeks as those are signs of a respiratory infection. Ensure that any bedding you use is dust-free as dust is a common irritant for respiratory infection.
For food, only feed high quality rat blocks if available or Shunamite mix if you can’t access any other rat food. Make sure the protein and fat are the required percentage for the life stage. Adults need less protein and fat than babies, too high of protein can make them stink. I’ve found that Mazuri rat and mouse makes their poo stink worse then Mazuri 6F rodent breeder and Oxbow Essentials. Those are the 2 brands I personally recommend. Limit fresh foods like fruits and vegetables under 20% of their diet to prevent wet poops which will smell.
Rats that are afraid will “fear poop. ” Handling them in a way they are not yet comfortable with, traveling in a car, prescense of other animals or rats they are afraid of, and loud noises may cause these fear poops which smell worse than normal poop. Keep stress down for them, it will also promote good health and prevent aggressive behaviors. Bond at the pace they are comfortable with and let them settle in when you first get them for 1–3 days. Check out my blog on bonding for more information!
Also make sure you’re changing their water bottles daily and disinfecting them regularly about once a week with vinegar and hot water. Bacteria can easily grow in them causing stinky wet poops.
Following these tips should prevent rat cages from smelling. Remember that healthy rats don’t smell as they are incredibly clean animals!
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