How do you potty train?

[OceanEyes117]

I just moved the kiddos into the big cage and now I want to potty train. The cage is three levels. Where do I start? How big do litter pans need to be? How many do I need? Also, How often do I need to change the litter and the fleece, respectively. Thanks guys...

 

[jorats]

You'll have to be very diligent... boys are harder to train than girls but it can be done.
You'll need to watch where they like to go pee and poop. I find that many times it's under ladders or corners. That's where you'll have to place your litter pans. You might need a lot at first or try with just two or three. Everyday, a few times a day, you'll have to go raisin picking. You grab all the errant poos and put them in the litter pan. This is necessary so the boys realize the poops go in the litter pan. It can take a long time so you'll have to be patient. Also, the rats should be over 6 months, if they are younger, they are still poop machines and you'll just get so frustrated.

 

[OceanEyes117]

Sounds good. What do people use for litter boxes? I need to procure some, but how big do they need to be?...

 

[Jherek]

Well, just big enough for them to stand in (i mean comfortable, able to move around). I like them to be about 4 times the size of a rat on all four legs. You can just get small kitty litter boxes or they sell smaller ones (and corner ones) in the small pet section. You can use tupperware as well although it's not as heavy and more apt to tip. Anything plastic with some weight to it that will hold little will do

 

[lilangel]

i use those ones here:

Product Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 6 inches ; 1 pounds


but those look so much better(i never see them at my petstore :

Product Dimensions: 14.5 x 14 x 8 inches ; 1.6 pounds

 

[Fidget]

make sure they're pans they can stand on the side of without tipping them! Like Jorats was saying you'll be putting more poops in the pan than they will for a while, the upside is you won't have to change them for a while cause you want some poops in there all the time :giggle:

 

[jorats]

I just buy the small kitty litter pans.

 

[audrey]

Do you start putting YN in the litter pans at first when they are learning, or after they already get the idea?

 

[Fidget]

Put the litter in the litterbox. Place the litterbox(es) where you see the most poops if they can possibly stay there permanently. If not then I'd start them there and move them gradually to where you want them - tho some might suggest you move them there right off the bat. No right or wrong, most is the kids individuality and it's trial & error really. Like Jo said, for the first while everytime you pass the cage pick up the poops that aren't in the toilets and put them in them. (no need to count & divide exactly between them if you have more than one toilet - we've had enough tough math here :giggle: )

 

[Rodentist]

We are using pyrex baking pans. We put some poops back in the box, but a couple times a day, we vacuum the poops up with one of these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8026263&st=dyson&type=product&id=1157067256196


We call it the "Poo gun". The point is that there are no poops except for in the litter box. They eventually get the point of "here is where poos go". Also, if you ever catch one using the box, dole out treats and compliments!

I had a lot less luck with this until I tried yesterday's news.....They really like to poop on that. If I use something else they revert to pooping where ever they please....

GOod luck!

 

[jorats]

We are using pyrex baking pans. We put some poops back in the box, but a couple times a day, we vacuum the poops up with one of these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8026263&st=dyson&type=product&id=1157067256196


We call it the "Poo gun".

You bought a Dyson for the rats? :shock: ... this must go in "the things you'll buy for your rats" list.

*makes sure hubby is not looking* I want a poop gun

 

[dubchick]

:giggle: a poop gun :giggle:

 

[audrey]

Hmm yeah Carefresh didn't work out (more interested in eating and digging out) so I guess I'll wait till they're six months and use YN.

 

[Jessekah]

I must have special extra intelligent ratties. I read about litter boxes so the day I bought my darlings home (3 mths old I think) I put one in - and from day one they used the litter box!
Go Ruby and Poppy!

 

[jorats]

I love it when that happens... some of mine took to it fast too while others take a while.

 

[allykatt]

I have had major setbacks with litter box training. THe problem is Dolly. THe ratties seem to know that they poop ont eh carefresh, no issue. BUt dolly is OBSESSED with pushing ALL the carefresh out of the litter boxes and all over the cage. I put it back, she does it again. Over and over. Luckily, they jsut keep pooing where she puts the carefresh, which is all over, but they mostly just go where she puts it. I have kind of given up, and I think I will try switcxhing litter to yesterday's news and see if she still does it with that. and also get a few more litter boxes. She is just SUCH a little crazy nester.

 

[jorats]

Ugh!! Jasper did the same thing with the Yesterday's News but then I bought a kitty litter pan with higher sides and now it stays in. :nod:

 

[jordon]

Do you need more that on litter box in your cage?

 

[PiedPiper]

Well, I suppose it depends on your rats, but I would say yes. You'll have to watch and see, which corners they naturally gravitate to and put a litter box there. I have a double FN, which has been split into two separate cages. Each cage has a corner litter pan on each level so, four litter boxes.

 

[Moon]

I have a single FN, and use only one litter box. I used to put two in, but the girls regularly (purposely) would push it off the shelf and on to the main floor, which of course is an even bigger mess than the occasional stray poo!!

So, it depends, as Pied Piper says. But I do think that most cages need multiple boxes.