Do rats smell?

[Hannah Ferina]

Hey all
I'm adopting 2 male rats from my local animal sanctuary next friday.
I've got everything all set up, cage, bedding, toys and got them some rat food (blocks).
I'm not concerned about how they smell but my mom is. She's said her friend had a few rats and they made their house stink really bad.
Now that's just tells me they didn't Clean their cage at all.

Thanks in advance!
-Hannah

 

[Megan Fleischman]

When I change the litter boxes each day there’s no detectable odor. More so if I let them go for two or three days. At some point I was experimenting and found that adding a bit of coco husk to the paper bedding absorbs even the litter box odors! We also wash the fleece bedding in the cage once a week. Avoid any pine or wood shavings, those have their own odor.

as far as the rats themselves...I always think my rats smell like corn tortillas. Especially if they get wet. I have three females and can’t quite remember what the boys smell like (had boys when I was a girl).

 

[Hannah Ferina]

I went to the animal sanctuary in hopes of getting two females but they just had two males that needed loves.

I knew they didn't smell.
I'll show this thread to my mom and hopefully she will change her mind about them.

(p.S I'm 29 but live with my mom cause she needs help, her house her rules)

 

[jorats]

Rats do have an odour, just like cats or dogs do. But they certainly don't make the whole house stink. I've had 10 to 20 rats in my home and each time we had company, they were shocked to find out I rescued rats and had so many because it really doesn't smell bad.

 

[Fidget]

Rats are as clean as their environment.