Vinegar and water?

[Melissa's ZOO]

What is the ratio of vinegar to water?

I put about 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water in a spray bottle. I used it to clean the litter boxes. You could smell the vinegar but after I wiped it down there was no smell.

Is it okay to just spray things down and wipe it off or do I need to rinse it off as well? I assume it does not matter, since the vinegar is not toxic to the rats.

 

[Melissa]

You just want to make sure it's rinsed enough not to leave a lingering smell to harm their sensitive respiratory systems.

 

[jorats]

I never actually measured but what you wrote sounds good to me.
I don't rinse my cage down. Like Melissa said, as long as there's no smell.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

I think I will add a little more water, the initial spray was a little strong for my sensitive sniffer. The girls sure wanted to see what I was doing last night I have claw marks all up and down my legs and back from them scaling up to the table. They sure didn't mind the smell they were right in the middle of everything. :evilwink:

How do you keep your rats nails down? Cutting them is just not an option, talk about a fight.

 

[SoA]

I use a 50/50 mixture - sometimes a little more vinegar

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

It really did kill the urine smell in the litter boxes and on the trays.

I usually use Dial antibacterial soap, but after reading all of the stories about how to much antibacterial can actually be bad for you I stopped.

 

[Moon]

Vinegar is a fabulous cleaning tool.

 

[Melissa]

I use some natural stuff that has peroxide or something in it and it is animal safe. It works wonders and doesn't smell.

 

[user 78]

I keep a spray bottle full of vinegar/water, and it's been mixed anywhere from 50/50 to a 70/30. I used to use it straight, too, no water. I've never had a problem with the girls having resp issues with it. I only do a couple sprays per shelf/floor, and then wipe it down with a wet washcloth.

My girls also like the taste of vinegar, and lick my fingers madly when I put them into their newly cleaned cage.

To keep their nails down, you can try a brick by the things they use often. I've got one holding a litterbox in the corner, a small one in the corner of the shelf they like to sit and stare at me from. You can put them at the ends of ramps, under water bottles, etc.. It's not 100%, and it's mostly just going to take the edge off a bit.

Penn [and her sister previously] has a routine for nail trims. I give her a yogie, and hold her until it started to melt some. When she started smacking her lips, I'd trim one foot's nails. Rinse and repeat for the other 3 feet. It does help to have someone nearby to continue stuffing yogies into their mouths, but can be done by one person.

The little ones haven't need their nails trimmed yet, they're somehow keeping them blessedly short.

 

[RatsForever]

I use a 50/50 mixture and sometimes I do use peroxide also.

 

[Melissa]

Here we go. This is what I use. It is awesome.

http://www.shopnontoxic.com/natureclean ... aspx?ID=77