covering shelves for un-potty-trained rats

[itschelsea]

so i see how everyone here likes to cover their shelves with fleece, but my rats just arent potty trained. i know i should cover the shelves to make it easier on their paws, so any suggestions?

[Johnny_]

They WILL pee on them whether they are potty trained or not, for poo I usually just roll the fabric up and shake it outside.

[PnutLuv]

Mine are about 80% poop trained and about 5% pee trained :lol

I still use fleece. It's easy to shake out & wash.

[itschelsea]

hahah okey doke thanks guys! 

[undergunfire]

If you have a cage like an FN or something with larger doors, I suggest a hand-vac. I get in my FN with one of those and get all the crumbs, litter, and poop....works so well and my hands don't even get dirty!

My boys are about 70% potty trained with their poo. Now, if I could only get them to put all their crumbs in the litter box  .

[Brooke711]

I used linoleum to cover the shelves in my wire cages. Mine aren't potty trained so the bottom floor of course is where the bedding is, and I leave the ramps as they are. I got lucky and found a 3 pack of linoleum self adhesive tiles at the dollar store! So it's not a huge loss of money if you have to replace them, they stay where they are put, and they are super easy to wipe of and clean.

[furmama]

I have a FN 142, and I used fleece for the bottome part for about 2 months, but, i found it was so hard to spot clean fleece, I was changing it out every other day (Mind you, I have 18 rats (a second FN is the works) ). So, about 4 days ago I put the peel and stick tiles on the pans, and I love it now, I can easily vaccum up the spilled food and then wipe down the pee. The odor is SO much better now. I use old flannel pillow cases on the shelves because those are easy to change out daily if needed. My girls are 98% poop litter trained, and somewhat pee litter trained.

[Pumpkinseed]

I have a FN 142, and I used fleece for the bottome part for about 2 months, but, i found it was so hard to spot clean fleece, I was changing it out every other day (Mind you, I have 18 rats (a second FN is the works) ). So, about 4 days ago I put the peel and stick tiles on the pans, and I love it now, I can easily vaccum up the spilled food and then wipe down the pee. The odor is SO much better now. I use old flannel pillow cases on the shelves because those are easy to change out daily if needed. My girls are 98% poop litter trained, and somewhat pee litter trained.

where do you find that?? I look all the time and cant find anything even similar...

[furmama]

Home depot! they have a decent selection. I picked out the cheapest, it was 69 cents a tile, it took 11 tiles to  do the bottom pans. One of my local dollar trees had some, but not enough to do the cage in one pattern/color. It was 3 for a buck.

[Pumpkinseed]

Home depot! they have a decent selection. I picked out the cheapest, it was 69 cents a tile, it took 11 tiles to  do the bottom pans. One of my local dollar trees had some, but not enough to do the cage in one pattern/color. It was 3 for a buck.

i'll have to make eric take me when he gets home <.<

[Brooke711]

Home depot! they have a decent selection. I picked out the cheapest, it was 69 cents a tile, it took 11 tiles to  do the bottom pans. One of my local dollar trees had some, but not enough to do the cage in one pattern/color. It was 3 for a buck.

Yeah, I got mine at the dollar tree... packs of 3 tiles for $1. My local store had 4 or 5 different patterns to choose from too.

[Heatherama]

The thing I don't like about the tiles is that pee can still seep between them and build up.  I used one piece of linoleum for my Martin's with fleece on the bottom pan.  A few wipes a day with baby wipes and it's clean.  You can get a linoleum scrap at most carpet or flooring stores.

[RattieLove_84]

Yeah my kids are not potty trained either. I do plan on giving it a try though when we decide on a new caging solution, however. I have tile and some fleece that I plan to use. I am glad to see others have tried this with un potty trained ratties, so atleast I'm not alone. 

[RachelnJoe]

I went to Wal Mart and bought cheap plastic place mats. I just take them out and rinse them off every couple of days. It works really well. And they're cheap enough that I don't mind replacing them when they get chewed up.