There goes the keyboard- Wire chewing deterrents?

[EndlessDream]

So I have two rattie boys Matthias and Martin. For free ranging time they get to run around my room for about an hour a day-- the problem is that my desktop computer is on a small table at the foot of my bed, only about two feet off the floor. I have about 8-10 cords (power, monitor, monitor power, monitor speaker, mouse, headphones, webcam, keyboard, tablet, gaming controller, ipod) plugged into the thing at any given time. The two cords plugged into the wall are no problem, they're securely wrapped in towels. (the towels stay put because they're squished between the wall and my bed/table.) What is the problem are all the other cords, which while I wouldn't say are rat magnets, they still get chewed.

When I first got my boys, the plan was to let them run around half my room, blocking off the half with my bed and computer. However, Martin is a little terror when it comes to getting places he shouldn't be, and foiled every one of my plans to keep them on the other side. So I gave up and let them have free run of the room during free ranging.

I don't consider the bathroom a very safe alternative (or fun, at that! it's pretty small) due to lots of things they can and will climb and fall from, plus soaps, chemicals, and the cat litter box. And since we have cats, no other rooms are safe for rats to run around.

Those plastic cord protectors are expensive, and not feasible for this many cords. (we're talking something like $100 to protect them all!) The only other options I can think of are to try blocking off the entire computer corner while the boys are out, which with Martin means taking a very long, thorough time to properly proof it from him. Or to just unplug all the cords and put them away in the closet, which is still a lot of work and honestly would probably make letting the rats out a chore rather than fun if I have to set up my computer again every day.

So is there something I can spray on the cords, or coat them with that isn't really expensive and also feasible for a lot of thin cords?

[cagedbirdsinging]

There is a bitter apple spray that you can buy online, or most pet stores, to try.

Ulrik pulled the "D" key right off of my laptop. It was attached in a special way and is completely broken now. BRAT!