S
sampeartree
Guest
Within the last 2/3 weeks I've introduced a new boy to my two others, and once the new boy was integrated into the other boys' cage full-time (which happened super quickly, I'm so proud of them!) I immediately noticed that the odor intensified and even smelled a little different.
I had cleaned the entire cage head to toe, like you're supposed to when putting a new rat into an established cage....But that night the smell was like, if I hadn't cleaned the cage in 2 weeks?
I have to completely clean the cage every 3-4 days now because the smell is unbearable.
For context: The 2 original boys are about 5 months old and he new boy is a hairless 3 month old, all un-neutered. I do notice that the hairless has sort of a "gunky" smell that's similar to the rest of the cage smell. Could it be him? Do I need to bathe him?
I use dust-free paper bedding. I just recently put a box of refrigerator baking soda behind their cage and a cup of vinegar beside it, and I've noticed a small difference. I put in a few drops of vanilla extract into their full water bottle yesterday but I don't think its been long enough to know if that worked. I spot clean their plastic levels with a 1:1 ratio of vinegar&water every morning.
The only thing I can think of is diet? My boys are REALLY picky and won't eat those little pellets that come in the standard food boxes, only the seeds and colored bits. Should I try oxbow?
I had cleaned the entire cage head to toe, like you're supposed to when putting a new rat into an established cage....But that night the smell was like, if I hadn't cleaned the cage in 2 weeks?
I have to completely clean the cage every 3-4 days now because the smell is unbearable.
For context: The 2 original boys are about 5 months old and he new boy is a hairless 3 month old, all un-neutered. I do notice that the hairless has sort of a "gunky" smell that's similar to the rest of the cage smell. Could it be him? Do I need to bathe him?
I use dust-free paper bedding. I just recently put a box of refrigerator baking soda behind their cage and a cup of vinegar beside it, and I've noticed a small difference. I put in a few drops of vanilla extract into their full water bottle yesterday but I don't think its been long enough to know if that worked. I spot clean their plastic levels with a 1:1 ratio of vinegar&water every morning.
The only thing I can think of is diet? My boys are REALLY picky and won't eat those little pellets that come in the standard food boxes, only the seeds and colored bits. Should I try oxbow?