Review: Critter Nation & Ferret Nation Scatter Guard for Rats

Critter/Ferret Nation Scatter Guard Review: For Rats, or Just Ferrets?

rat cageThe critter nation and the ferret nation can make a HUGE mess of your home. This is at its worst when you have no scatter guards and use bedding in the cage. Within the hour, you will have so much of a mess that it could fill your dust pan twice! How do we solve that problem? Scatter guards! But… are these PARTICULAR scatter guards good for rats? They are found on Amazon, as is the rat approved critter nation, but do they live up to the price like the cage itself does? Depending on your preferences, they might just!

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Why Does My Pet Rat Stink? How Can I Control Rat Urine and Feces Odor?

Unfortunately, our fancy rats just aren’t so “fancy” when it comes to their stink. Now, we can’t judge them; after all, you cannot say you haven’t had to whip out the air freshener after going to the bathroom at least a few times in your life. We’re all guilty of poisoning the air with our fumes; even our rats. However, there are ways around this issue, but first we must understand why this stinkiness occurs.

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Coroplast Corrugated Plastic and Other Scatter Guards: Why They Are Important and What You Should Use

corrugated plastic coroplast for pet rats
How to Keep Your Rats From Being Messy and Floors Clean!

4 week old baby rat kitsWe all love our rats dearly, we truly do. From their cute little noses to their long, perfect little tails, they steal our hearts with every ounce of cuteness within their little bodies. However, the mess we don’t love so much! This is why coroplast, other scatter guards, litter catchers, and floor mats are so important to catch bedding, poop, food, and other things that the rats make a mess of outside of the cage. When they kick all of their waste and bedding outside of the cage, it tracks all over the home- and it doesn’t smell very pleasant. For those of you who are suffering, LOOK NO FURTHER! We’ve got the answers! Read more

Protecting Ratty Feet: Avoiding Wire Shelves, Ramps, and Floors

Wire is really bad for our little ratties, unless it is only the cage walls. Cage walls are recommended to be wire, actually. However, using wire as a ramp, floor, or shelf can cause a lot of health issues for rats. It can even handicap them or deform their little paws! We may have to buy cages that use these wire features but we can always find a way around them. Read more

Why Aquariums and Glass Cages Are Bad Homes For Rats

rat aquariums and rat cages

We all want our pet rats to be healthy and happy. Fancy rats require the proper cages in order to maintain a long and healthy life, much like other animals. If you are currently shopping for a small animal cage, you need to beware of glass aquariums. Glass cages do not provide ample space, they tend to be poorly ventilated, and they can trap humidity and cause the temperature to rise too high for a rat to be comfortable. They are an all around bad idea. Read more

Pet Rat Coats: Hairless, Rex, and Harley

harley coated rat

Have you ever wondered what some of the more common and the most sought after rat coat varieties were? Pet rats come in all sorts of varieties, with the standard coat being the most common. The standard coat is about 0.5 inches in length, lays flat against the body, and it tends to be glossy or slick. This is the coat type that you will see on a majority of rats. The other coat types tend to be slightly harder to find, with the rex being the most common of the three special coats and the harley rat coat being the most rare.

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Does My Pet Rat Have a Mammary Tumor? Is It Benign or Malignant?

Does My Rat Have A Mammary Tumor?

Mammary tumors in female rats, or does, is quite common. These cysts can grow very large, and will require a small animal veterinarian in many cases.

Mammary tumors in female rats, or does, is quite common. These cysts can grow very large, and will require a small animal veterinarian in many cases.

“Tumor” is a very scary word for us rat lovers, because many of us know how common they are. Even if a new owner has not yet experienced a tumor on their rats, it’s almost sure to happen. Rats develop tumors, both cancerous and noncancerous, at an alarming rate.

Mammary tumors are definitely something to be concerned about, however they are not as serious as other tumors. Mammary tumors do not spread into other tissues, and are usually contained in one area. If you are worried that your fancy rat may have a mammary tumor, it may be time to get her to the vet so that it can be removed!

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Why Does My Pet Fancy Rat Poop and Pee On Me When I Play with Him/Her? How to Stop It!

Does your pet rat seem to like to use the bathroom on you every time you get him or her out?

If so, we all feel your pain.
Every single rat owner out there has been turned into a toilet more times than they can count! It’s just a part of rat ownership. So, exactly WHY does the entire rat species deem it necessary to poop or pee on us? Well, I definitely have the answers for you; even though you might not like what I present you with. Just know that there are ways to lessen this behavior and to potentially eliminate it with enough perseverance.

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Why Does My Pet Rat Boggle and Brux? What Boggling and Bruxing REALLY Means!

Have you ever witnessed your pet boggling and bruxing? Did it maybe freak you out? If it did, there is no reason to worry about your beloved pet. Rats naturally boggle their eyes and brux their teeth. While bruxing, you will hear your pet rat grinding it’s teeth, chomping, and exhaling as if it’s tired of chewing on some food. As they brux their teeth, you’ll usually see the rat’s eyeballs bouncing or jiggling as they brux. Boggling looks absolutely terrifying to a new rat owner who has no idea of this happening; it almost looks like a mini rat seizure, which would definitely warrant a visit to a rat or small animal veterinary specialist. Check out what it means when they boggle and brux! Read more

Understanding Pet Fancy Rats

Welcome to Understanding Pet Fancy Rats!

Now that I have your attention, it’s time for you to enter our realm: the realm of the fancy rat! These creatures are far from the diseased sewer monsters that many believe them to be, and it’s our job to prove it! Therefore, we welcome anyone and everyone to attempt to understand this drastically misunderstood pet and give them a touch the rat fever!
Here, we will discuss nearly anything “rat”. From blue rex rats to dumbo hairless rats, we will cover any type of rat. Any type of rat behavior issue. Maybe you want to know why your rat is bruxing, or why your pet only wants to sleep in its litter box. Rats can be difficult to understand sometimes, just like humans! Either way, we love them just the same.
If you are coming by to find out some information regarding what rats eat, then we can help with that too! There are many things that rats should eat and things that they shouldn’t eat, which every new and seasoned rat keeper should be aware of. We’ll even release recipes for you guys to try at home! If you have any recipes you would like to recommend, we’d be happy to share them with the other readers!
I myself have over 14 years of experience with pet rats, and there isn’t much that I have not come across. I have raised many different litters. I have even performed plenty of rescues. I’ve been through tragic losses, and am always here for anyone to talk with. Drop in and ask us questions; we might just write an entire post to answer your questions! I have answers from breeding to introduction issues; no matter what is going wrong, we will try to help. Thank you all for visiting, and please poke around; you never know what crazy things you will find here!

Are You a Rescue Organization? Need Help?

If you are a rescue, we would LOVE to help spread word among readers, raise awareness for the public, and assist with any other favors that you might need. All animals and rescues are a soft spot with me; and this is ESPECIALLY true of pet rats. If I can even help just one ratty soul find his or her permanent, loving spot in this world, I’m definitely up for the task. I wouldn’t think twice about it!

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