Question about Litter Training

[moshev]

How difficult is it to train rats to use a litter box within the caged area?
I have no information on this and have recently considered this as an option for my rats if it is reasonable to expect them to adapt to this.

[adoptaratcanada]

How difficult is it to train rats to use a litter box within the caged area?

Do they live in the cage, or are they free rangers?

Rats seem to use particular spots in the cage to do their business, espeically poops. Although I've never trained my rats to use a litter box/pan, they always seem to back up into a corner and do their thing. We can take advantage of that by putting the litter container where they seem to favour it already.

Whether you want a litterbox or have them go in a particular area, you can collect the poops and put them there, and they will get the idea.

I have no information on this and have recently considered this as an option for my rats if it is reasonable to expect them to adapt to this.

Apparently it can be done quite successfully for poops, but not so much for urine. I hear all the time that someone has their rats litterbox trained, but they don't always post if it's for one or both.

I'm not sure if it varies between the sexes (I imagine un-nuetered males will still scent mark everywhere, but I don't know for sure).

Here is some more info from the Dapper Rat website:
www.dapper.com.au/articles.htm#litter I imagine most of you know this, but "raisins" refers to the poops *I* didn't know that when starting out (but no, I didn't toss any Sultanas into the cage! heheh

Linda

[Die Fledermaus]

Very good information, Linda.

I most wish I could potty train my six guinea pigs. My rabbit, Poppy, naturally used a pan, like a cat!

With hamsters the idea is save a little soiled bedding, and then wash and clean everything! Then put the soiled bedding, just a little, back in the place in the cleaned habitat with fresh bedding in the place you hope they will go. The smell is supposed to give them the idea.

[moshev]

Thanks for the information posted. I have been doing some research and found that the idea of leaving some of their feces would help to litter train them. I am only considering this because of a possible upgrade to a cage that provides pans on the bottoms of the cages but not runners along the side to keep the litter in.They do have a product through a pest control company that I know of where artifically scented rat urine can be purchased. It is used for scenting baited areas for rats.No lisence is required for its purchase.Another old job of mine-I was an owner of a pest control company and remember reading about the product in one of the chemical catalougs one time.
I will repost if I decide to try this training method and report any failures or success for our members here. Once again-thanks for the information posted on my query.

[Die Fledermaus]

Sure! Keep us posted. I am NOT an old hand with rats, so there is much I need to learn, also.