Urinating down the side of the cage

[coeurfragile]

Hi,

Morgan and Natasha have taken to urinating on the top level of their four level cage, causing it to run down the mesh and onto the carpet. Is this normal rat behavior?

They already have a spot they designated for the "potty" on the main level where the bedding is. Is it too dirty in their potty and they are going elsewhere? We already change the cage twice a week, but I'm wondering if we need to do spot cleaning in that corner daily.

It seems like we'd be changing out the cage bedding an awful lot.

[RascalRatties]

What you might want to try is seeing if they are going potty in the same place up top. My boys have a tall ferret cage and like to use 2 spots in the cage to go potty, both at the end of the stairs, so I have put a litter box in both spots and it works out well. As for it being normal behavor...not sure. If it looks like they are just peeing normal then I would say it's ok.

[Nokithis]

not only is it normal, but it's a rattie olympic sport.  put the cage on a large piece of vinyl flooring to protect the carpet.  i think i have seen others use plastic shower curtain liners, the plastic office chair pads, and countless other things.
rascalratties made a great suggestion with the placing the litterbox in the potty spots, however it's just how bad your girls want the gold!

[OldsGal]

You can try putting a litter box in that spot and see if that helps but more often then not they will just go to a different section of the cage and start peeing there instead is my experience.

Yes for some crazy reason some rats like to pee from the top of the cage.  I have a cage of girls right now who do this.  The only solution I have found to this problem is to lay a towel or shower curtain folded up under the cage to cage the pee.  Then you can just throw away the plastic when it gets too yucky or you can wash the towel.

This is also why I am having tile floors put down in the room I plan to keep the rats in when we remodel our home.

Staci

[CinemaGeek]

My girls do the same thing. I have a mini-potty in virtually every corner of the cage to try to prevent this. Instead, they just back up to a flat part and do it there! Seems that poo goes in the potties, and pee goes, well, everywhere else. 

[Nokithis]

ah cinemageek, it looks like my girls have some competition from your girls for the pee olympics!

[coeurfragile]

Thanks! Your responses make me feel a lot better knowing others do it too! I will probably try and put something down.

[dogsnbears]

I have the same problem, so I put litter boxes down, which they were too lazy to get into to pee. i have plastic down on the floor too. so i asked my dad to make a pee guard for me. (that's what i call it). it's a clear plastic the wraps around the back of the cage and has thick cardboard the goes on the outside corners to keep it's shape. and it slips into their drop in tray. i love it because it saves my wall and any drips slide into the bottom pan. and i can clean it as often as i like.

[ilovemylittleangels]

Lol!! My girls do that ALL the time - I find pee EVERYWHERE!! Down the sides of the cage, on the top shelf where they sleep...you name it, they've done it. Anyway, I just spot clean with some baby wipes then wipe it over with paper towel - it seems to help. If (more like when) they pee in their bedding, (I use polar fleece) I just chuck it in the washing machine and replace with fresh bedding while being washed. Hope this helps!

[Suebee]

not only is it normal, but it's a rattie olympic sport. 

So true...

When I get a house, I am going to be sure my cage area is floor instead of carpet... if not, I am getting one of those plastic chair mats, like you put at a desk. Oy.