Stinking rats

[reallyneedmoresleep]

I’m looking after my friend’s 3 rats over the holidays. They’ve just arrived and have apparently been cleaned out this morning but they absolutely reek! What can I do? Please help - it makes me feel a bit sick

They can be very whiffy even when just cleaned out. You will get used to it, just keep the cage as clean as poss. I am surprised you didnt know they smell

I had rats. Take anything material out of the cage. It holds the smell. Mine had only plastic things which I cleaned every day or every two days. The rats were bathed once per week and had a rat deodorant that they wore. I used a odour neutral bedding in the cage. That makes a huge difference.

Thanks for replying. I had no idea they would smell like this! I thought they might get a bit whiffy after a few days but this is unbearable. Apart from their hammock it’s all plastic in the cage and they have odour control cat litter at the bottom. Is there a cage disinfectant that might help?

The more you clean the more they will scent pee esp if they are boys. I don’t have any plastic in the cage with my lot. Using a pee stone helps. I wouldn’t try any new cleaners that you don’t know they can handle because rats are very susceptible to respiratory problems. For the same reason don’t use air fresheners near them.

What is a pee stone? Just a stone I put in there and they’ll use it as a urinal?

It's the plastic that will be making them stink. I use hammocks and bedmax (rat safe sawdust) and my 5 boys take a good week to even start to smell. Don't wash them, there's no need and most rats hate it. They're not normally very smelly at all.

Also Yes to the pee stone - any smooth flat stone will work.

If they've moved out of their home to yours then they're most likely going overboard with 'marking' ( rodent speak for peeing everywhere )

It should settle .
I had male mice and for such teeny creatures they stink

Male guinea-pigs are more civilised but ours still held a bladderful for a clean cage .

Could be worse, could be mice! They smell way worse.

Hopefully your nose will adjust to the scent.

Try a fizzy mix of vinegar & bicarbonate of sods - mix in a jug & scrub all over the bars and all the bits, plastic toys, it gets rid of the pee smell & slight stickiness.
Air dry outside if humanely possible in all this rain.
Spot clean the cage dAily & wash all fabric bedding every 2-3 days. If needs be, change the bedding substrate 4/5 days. Admittedly young males can stink to high heaven especially if trying to mark territories.
It was for this reason I only ever had girls & if I wasn't strict on the cleaning regime then they could get a bit niffy as well....

Ours take a good few days to start to smell with bio catolet maybe change to that? Ours don’t have a hammock now as that always smelled horrid. Poor you if you hate it that much.

The rats are going home today. Thank you so much everyone who commented. The pee stone made a big difference, as did wiping the bars of the cage. I actually got quite fond of them in the end- such friendly chaps!