[Crazy_Rat_Chick]

I have a male rat who will just NOT clean himself. He gets so stinky even when I clean the cage every day. My other rats have no problems with daily grooming and his cagemate also cleans him (or tries his best for the little critter he is). I pretty much have to wash him once a day but I am afraid he'll get dry/itchy skin. Does anyone know an alternative way to get the stink away? :?

 

[Spider]

Is it a pee smell? or a Poop smell? What are you feeding them?
Is the smell worst on his underside? If its a pee smell and he's the only one and you clean the cage every day than there is a chance he has a urinary problem and needs treatment. If he's an older Rat or a Fatty he might have a penis plug. Is his underside wet with Stinky Pee?
Try and narrow it down and you'll know what to do next.
Spider

 

[DonnaK]

Oh, yes, ratty diarrhea can really stink!

 

[Crazy_Rat_Chick]

Thanks Spider & DonnaK.
I't not a poopish smell and he's sure not having problems peeing. He's just very slobish and spoiled, and would rather someone else do the 'dirty work'. He has a yucky habbit of taking naps in the litter box and he's absorbing the smell and won't wash it off. I'll just continue washing him I guess, I don't really mind anyway. As I said I'm just worried about his skin drying out and him being itchy.

 

[Berks]

Mine girls have that same yucky habit, so it doesnt matter how often they groom or how much i clean them...they still dont smell perty! They do however seem to be picky about where they lay in the litter box. they push the litter to the front and sleep there, and pee and poop in the back corner. Messy lil girls of mine!
i have to use baby wipes on them since they dont care for baths too much.

 

[Forensic]

He's marinating to get nice 'n musky.



Ew.

 

[ratvocate]

Has anyone ever tried that liquid additive for their water? I saw it online somewhere. It claims to make their urine and poop less smelly. Not sure if or how it really works.

 

[Spider]

Are you using Carefresh in the litter tray? if you use something uncomfortable they won't want to lay in it.
I use Aspen in my tray, its hard and lumpy and they don't lay in it anymore. I used to confetti shred unprinted newspaper but it became they're second bedroom.
Spider
A little tip: most wood litters have some dust no matter what they say, I go outside with a big plastic collinder for spagetti and grab a big handful of litter and toss it up and down for a minute or 2. Its amazing dust and small crap flying everywhere, the result is zero dust, and it only takes a sec to fill the tray.

 

[Leala]

I also have the same smelly rat problem.
My rat cleans himself thoroughly all the time but he is still very smelly, however he does knock over his litter and it ends up everywhere all over the fleece which he then proceeds to sleep under >_>.
My parents are threatening to put him in the garage =(. I want him to be less smelly.. Any tips on bathing? Maybe he wont be as smelly after I give him a bath. He was kinda smelly when I got him.. Also it doesn't help that his temporary cage is made of galvanized steel -____-. The person whom I took the rat from let me borrow their cage until next Friday. I'm not really sure what to do. I love my handsome rattie and I really don't want him stuck out in the cold garage.

 

[Berks]

im still having the same problem. I switched from carefresh to yesterdays news, and now i may try aspen next time. They still lay in the litter box and all three of them smell lol. Since ive had the yesterdays news, my one girl who has always peed in the litterbox, is now peeing outside the litterbox. They just love keeping me on my toes! wait till they all get their baths this weekend. haha

 

[Poppyseed]

Leala~
Don't let them put him in the garage, it will kill your rat. It's better to put him up for adoption.

Spot clean the poops at least twice a day and wipe him off with some pet wipes, or give him a bath would be my suggestion. The galvanised cage is probably most of that Leala. Get some vinnegar and peroxide and put the ratty out of hte cage and take the cage out back and spray it down with vinnegar then spray it with the peroxide and scrub scrub scrub. That should get rid of the smell for now hopefully until you get an ungalvanised cage.

If all else fails please don't put him in the garage, it will kill him. try to find him another home.

 

[Leala]

I know very well that it will kill him. I wouldn't be able to do that.
Thanks for the cleaning suggestions. I don't have any pet wipes so any bathing suggestions?
I have puppy shampoo and regular shampoo.. No baby shampoo or anything like that.

I'm getting an non-galvanized cage when I pick up my other 4 boys next week. I think that will solve the problem.
The cage is also fairly small right now because it's a loaner. I feel really bad because it's tiny. But he doesn't seem to mind it so much. I can't wait to put him in the bigger one when I get it.
Hopefully that wont be stinky like this one.