Rat question..

[joey]

I have kept gerbils in a 30" long tank, with soil as substrate, and they did not smell. they burrowed and nested and had young...

I know you are talking about rats. but are gerbils close enough.....

It does seem like a natural alternative, but each to their own.

 

[dymndgyrl]

Ask all the tarantula keepers why they don't use soil from the outside - mites, lice, ants, untold misc. insects, molds, fungus spores, pesticides, fertilizers, internal parasites, external parasites . . .

So where do you get "sound scientifically"?

Bringing in dirt and putting it in an enclosure does not make a "natural" habitat - you are taking away the animals ability to leave, burrow elsewhere, flee from what may be bothering it or it's choice to not live where it has been defacating for a month, and IMO taking a big chance on it's health.

I do know alot of people who have a play area for their rats with soil to dig in, but for the reasons above, not to live in 24 hrs. a day.

 

[crashergs]

Newspaper Is Cheap And Easy And Safe, No Wood! (respiratory Inflamation)

 

[Njal]

Sound Science

Call me a post modernist but it seems odd to suppose that a fledgling industry, at best a few decades old, that is rat breeding and rat fancy could have learned how "best" to care for rodents, shunning nature and evolution. Isn't it this same industry that sells toxic shavings to pet owners? It is also crazy to suppose that the scientists breeding rats for experimentation and dissection were interested in creating a wonderful "pet environment" for their subjects.

Fact is, rats WILL soil anything they are kept in and even soil will need to be changed periodically. Again, this method is not perfect, but shows promise as a superior bedding material to available alternatives. I suggest any rat lovers try it for themselves and judge its pros and cons. I am confident I will be borne out. Wake up!

I invite all who question the soundness of this proposal (of limited wild imitation for domestic rat care) to consult any of the following (assuming they embrace traditional Aristotalean science where experience and experiment is frivolous):

http://www.ratbehavior.org/DiggingBox.htm
http://www.ratbehavior.org/WildRats.htm
http://www.ratbehavior.org/WildAndDomesticRats.htm
http://www.ratbehavior.org/norway_rat_ethogram.htm

There are numerous more articles supporting my thesis in peer reviewed publications:

Adams, N. and R. Boice. 1983. A longitudinal study of dominance in an outdoor colony of domestic rats. J. Comp. Psychol. 97(1): 24-33.

Anisoko, J. J., N. T. Adler, S. Suer. 1979. Pattern of post-ejaculatory urination and sociosexual behavior in the rat. Behavioral and Neural Biology. 26: 169-176.

Austin, 1948. Predation by the common rat Rattus norvegicus, in the Cape Cod colonies of nesting terns. Bird Banding. 14: 60-65.

Barfield, R. J., D. E. Busch, K. Wallen. 1972. Gonadal influence on agonistic behavior in the male domestic rat. Hormones and Behavior. 3: 247-259.

Barnett, S. A. 1958. An analysis of social behaviour in wild rats. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 130: 107-152.

Barnett, S. A. 1975. The Rat: A Study in Behavior. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Barnett, S. A., C. S. Evans, R. C. Stoddart. 1968. Influence of females on conflict among wild rats. Journal of Zoology, London. 154: 391-396.

Barnett, S. A. and R. C. Stoddart. 1969. Effects of breeding in captivity on conflict among wild rats. J. Mammal. 50: 321-325.

and so on and so on......

One could also consult similar movements with other pets including the raw food diet for dogs and cats and similar methods being used with larger livestock.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

OK so now I;m sure you have some good ideas as to what bedding can be used. Some people prefer different things. Experiment and find out....but please, no wood shavings


side note: so are you advocating the use of a raw meat/food diet with cats and dogs? Maybe I am confused here.... and am confused as to what this has to do with the original question. Do take notice the person in question has a HAIRLESS RAT, which can change what bedding needs to be used due to the sensitive skin/tear ducts.

 

[Leon945]

hehe, hi all!
im the guy with the original question.. which I made about a month ago.. LOL
i've been using newspaper and they seem well enough...
i change it every 3 days aprox..
everything is fine and dandy!

i've seen the comments,
i liked the one that said to go to walmart, but keep in mind, i'm in Mexico, wal marts here dont have as much stuff as they do over there..

hehe but im allright
thanks everyone!