Litter Box training?

[lilshorti22]

i have a little corner litter box, and i've tried putting some bedding with some old poops in it,  so they'll learn to use it but they just dump it over. How do u teach them to use it or do i need a bigger heavier litter box?   Also does it matter if they are almost 1 year?



 i have two girls so will i need two seperate boxes?


   i apprieciate any ideas!

[Ensie]

This is what I did with my two girls and boy, and they caught on very quickly. They still tinkle from time to time to mark territory, but they know where to go for pee puddles and poo piles.

Two things you could also do if your rats are slow in the litterbox department:
(1) Put a litterbox in the cage as well. They should be able to make the connection.
(2) When they're out, watch them carefully and whenever they get that "Oh, I have to go make a deposit" look on their faces, you can gently pick them up and put them in the litterbox.

[DebW]

My litter box has 2 little plastic hooks that attach to the wires.  That keeps it from tipping over.  I've also drilled holes in the side of a plastic pan and attached it with twist ties to the wire.  If your cage isn't wire, I'm not sure how to keep it from tipping over.

I have 3 cages (1of boys and 2 of girls) who are litter trained pretty well.  I also have 2 other cages of boys who I've tried and tried with, but they don't have a clue.  I used the putting the poops in the pan method.  I also find that my older girls teach any new younger ones that I add to their cage how to do it.  The babies are litter trained very quickly.

Good luck and don't give up too soon.

[lilshorti22]

if i use a larger sort of not to tall container and fill it with corncob and some poops will they get the idea that,  thats were  all their poops are ...?


 if that makes sense....

[Ensie]

I swear I just saw this with my own eyes: little Bo was over by the front door, sniffing things through the screen. He does this little hop, beelines it for my desk, climbs up my leg, onto my desk and over to the litterbox that I set out for rattie playtime. He promptly proceeded to poop. That's MY BOY!!! I gave him an extra treat right then and there, never mind the fact that I'm smelling rattie poops at the moment.

For a homemade litterbox, I would just make sure that it is designed so that rats can just hop in, do their business, and hop out. I don't think the rats care what it's made of. I wish I had thought to make my own before I shelled out $ for cheap plastic ones. *sigh*

[Panda Phil]

 Like the others, I just put the box in (a $1.40 Tupperware sandwich container), threw in some littler and all the raisins I could find, and they took the hint.

 As far as tipping over goes, I've found that using binder clips (http://officemax.com/max/solutions/product/prodBlock.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&expansionOID=-536892803&prodBlockOID=52737   if you're not sure what I mean) are great for this if you have a cage with horizontal bars. Just clamp the lip of the box to the bars.

 Actually I've found these things have about a 1001 uses. You can use them to secure cage doors, to hold down the edges of floor mats and other things you don't want your bRats moving around, and the big ones are great for hanging hammocks.

[KoKo]

Well, I have a cut out half of a tissue box that lays against the side of their cage.  I just started putting their poops in there, and they usually use the corners of the cage, so it works good.  I have cat litter in there (with big pebbles), and they use it every day.  I have only found 2 stray poops in about a week (that's counting my new rat, who has only been with me for about a month).  That's pretty good!  Just put all of their poops in there and they will get the idea.  As for the pee, can't help you there.  When rats pee on you, they usually sniff or lick you beforehand.  Also, they usually pee on bare skin, so watch for those.  Hope I helped!

[lilshorti22]

yes all these posts helped very much! thanks everyone  

Im going to set it up tonight and i cant wait till the girls begin to start using their new toilet!

[Panda Phil]

 Let us know how it goes.