Sleeping in litter box...UGH!

[Jems71]

OK so Mama (Altana) has had a rough week...with the possible Stroke or PT, she is getting around much better, a lot stronger, but still quite wobbly and falls over when walking....but can feed herself small bits of food as long as she is leaning against something for balance...I am still hand feeding her baby cereal and esure on a spoon now not dropper she holds the spoon and licks off the food s doing much better. She has even climbed in and out of a low hammock only cpl inches up for her...this is all great ...BUT...She has taken to sleeping in the litter box...and eats the litter! :doh:
I would prefer her not do this...or at least not all the time...I almost think once she gets in there its hard for her to get out...but I take her out and she goes right back in...I got up numerous times through the night last night to see how long she was in there for or if she had gotten out....NOPE...she was in there and pretty much in the same place so I pretty much know she stayed there all night..now she is nin there again...
So since I cannot sem to control this and she is ver determined this is her new favorite spot what shall I do?
I thought maybe change little morning and evening and rinse out box daily? I have ever tried to get her her own box to climb into and even put the Boxo I use for litter in it...but she climbed out and went to the old litter box... :wallbang:

Any words of advise? Anyone?

 

[ryelle]

What litter do you use?
Just keep the litter clean. Sid is on a blanket on top of some wood based cat litter. It directly soaks up any urine so i dont mind and prefer him to be laid on it than in the wet. im changing the blanket 3 times a day at the minute and trying to remove the soiled litter once a day.
In the summer my rats sleep in the litter trays, im not sure if its just cooler for them than the hammocks and stuff

 

[SQ]

It is normal for rats to sleep in the litter box, nibble on litter, and stash food in the litter box.
If you are concerned that she has difficulty getting out, you can easily make a low sided litter pan. Buy a dollar store dish pan and cut two sides very low so that she is able to easily enter and exit. This is what I do for infirm rats that can still get over low edges.

Do you keep a dish of soft food (baby cereal or mushy blocks) in her cage at all times in a place easily accessable to her?
The others will eat it too so you will go through a lot but from what you have writen, she needs this.

Glad to hear that she is doing better.
Hope she makes a good recovery.

 

[blytherue]

I know how you feel. At least one of my boys possibly 2 will use the litter box, but Panache just wants to sleep in it. :gaah: I had carefresh in it at first, but he would toss it all out to sleep in there. So I stopped putting the bedding in there since it was so messy. Now I just put a fleecey in there for him and dump out the poopies daily. At least no one pees in there...

 

[Jems71]

Do you keep a dish of soft food (baby cereal or mushy blocks) in her cage at all times in a place easily accessable to her?
The others will eat it too so you will go through a lot but from what you have writen, she needs this.

Glad to hear that she is doing better.
Hope she makes a good recovery.

Thanks for the well wishes...

I hand feed her soft foods (Baby cereal mixed with ensure) 3-4 times a day, she will eat approx 20-30mls each time...
I do keep some in the cage but I think the others eat it mostly...
She can and has been eating the extrusion blocks dry not softened...I break them into 3-4 smaller pieces, as long as she can lean against something for balance she can eat them no issues thank goodness her front paws can hold stuff again! and I give her a dish of veggies, peas, corn, small bits of steamed brocolli, lightly cooked carrots and as long as its cut small and sha has a place to lean against she can hold it and eat it...so I keep the litter box clean and stash some broken blocks and treats in there, as well as the other bos I have convinced her to use for bed!