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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / October 2005Water Dish, not Bottle
We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, but is there anything I need to know? Anything to look out for, other than excessively yellow water (my 10 year-old's joke)...? Thanks, Stu (who is wondering why Exit likes Pepper Jack Pesto and he doesn't) NP: Blackberry Blossom by Michelle Shocked :: We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the :: bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, :: but is there anything I need to know? Anything to look out for, other :: than excessively yellow water (my 10 year-old's joke)...? The water will quickly become contaminated. She *will* tip the dish up, resulting in wet bedding. Water dishes are not feasable, hence the invention of, and wide use of bottles.  SignatureIf God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs. I use a heavy, flat bottomed ceramic dish that I only fill about halfway. So far they have not tipped it over, nor pooped in it. They sometimes pull the bedding (blanket or towel) into the bowl. So it works, but it needs to be refilled at least once a day. Loose bedding might be more of a problem. But so far, I am happy doing it this way. On 10/9/05 10:14 AM, in article 1128878076.566648.269860@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Wuggamom" <xenafan1970@yahoo.com> wrote: > I use a heavy, flat bottomed ceramic dish that I only fill about > halfway. So far they have not tipped it over, nor pooped in it. They > sometimes pull the bedding (blanket or towel) into the bowl. So it > works, but it needs to be refilled at least once a day. Loose bedding > might be more of a problem. But so far, I am happy doing it this way. Two things: One, I totally see what you are saying about the heavy, flat-bottomed dish. Makes sense. Two, we use loose bedding (Clean Care or something). How does it work with a blanket or towel? Do you shake out the loose turds into the lawn and the rest get cleaned in the washing machine? I like the idea of bedding that doesn't add as much (ultimately) to the landfill, but I'm also super-nervous about rat poop contaminating the human health system in some way. Maybe I shouldn't be super-nervous, which I'm open to. Stu (who says thanks in anticipation of your response) NP: Sunday Bloody Sunday (Live 1983) by U2 Yes, I shake out the towels outside, then wash them with hot water and detergent in the washing machine. They come out smelling and looking clean. I do not worry about poop. Having a kid who took FOREVER to toilet train (and used cloth diapers) cured me of poop aversions... lol On 10/9/05 12:48 PM, in article 1128887296.107293.299870@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Wuggamom" <xenafan1970@yahoo.com> wrote: > Yes, I shake out the towels outside, then wash them with hot water and > detergent in the washing machine. They come out smelling and looking > clean. I do not worry about poop. Having a kid who took FOREVER to > toilet train (and used cloth diapers) cured me of poop aversions... lol I wasn't thinking aversion (as in yuck), I was wondering about cleanliness. I never realized that thing about the cloth diapers. I always thought they had to go to a service, that your home machine wasn't sanitary enough. But that's just goofy on my part (forgive me, I've only been a housewife for a few years). So of course you can wash rat blankets in the machine. Hmmmm... I wonder if my daughter's rat would miss playing with her old loose beddding. Hmmm... Stu (who is late) NP: 33 RPM Soul by Michelle Shocked Mine enjoy playing with an old sweater, burrowing under and inside it. The main drawback to cloth bedding (in my opinion) is that the poop is so visible everywhere... With loose bedding it can be buried. But I am cheap so I don't mind washing it every day. When I go away for a long weekend I will have to use loose bedding so they poor rats won't be walking on their own poop all the time. (And have someone feed/water them of course) > On 10/9/05 12:48 PM, in article > 1128887296.107293.299870@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, "Wuggamom" [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > NP: 33 RPM Soul by Michelle Shocked I actually make up a "Nappy bucket" with Nappy sanitiser and soak all rat washing in that, then through the complete rinse cycle of the washing machine and then a full wash cycle....LOL. I imagine the neighbours wonder what the hell is going on when they see all these chewed up facecloths and stuff on the line..:)) Regards Kate SignatureToday I may meet with injustice, ignorance, denial, all of which are due entirely to the other's lack of knowledge of good and evil and the difference thereof. http://community.webshots.com/user/ollieogg Chance is the path God takes when he wants to remain anonymous Albert Einstein. > Yes, I shake out the towels outside, then wash them with hot water and > detergent in the washing machine. They come out smelling and looking > clean. I do not worry about poop. Having a kid who took FOREVER to > toilet train (and used cloth diapers) cured me of poop aversions... lol I use cotton ragging for the ratties obtainable cheaply as paint rags or from diaper services who sell often-washed worn-out diapers as cheap rags. The rats NEVER sleep on mere commercial bedding (wood shavings or paper) if they can escape it. It is important the cloth be natural cotton as cloth with artificial fibers will "string out" if rats chew it up, & they can get limbs or neck tied up in the strings, & a well-strangled leg could end up having to be amputated. 100% cotton "fuzzes" when they chew it up & any slight stringiness is weak & short so they won't get tied in it. I also use worn out denims (hang a length of denim trouser leg on the inside wall of their cage & they love to climb the wall inside the denim), but be very careful about recycling old clothes as bedding, as much would have the potential to string out & strangle. Cotton batting is also nice from the rats' point of view, but they do make a mess of it & it has to be thrown out pretty regularly. -paghat the ratgirl SignatureGet your Paghat the Ratgirl T-Shirt here: http://www.paghat.com/giftshop.html "In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot." -Thomas Jefferson > :: We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the > :: bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Water dishes are not feasable, hence the invention of, and wide use of > bottles. I have absolutely no problems with my water bowls. No contamination, no tipping but of course I buy heavy set dishes and I do clean/change the water twice a day. You can also buy some water bowls that attached to the cage so there's less chance of tipping. You son is funny!! lol Joanne Owned by 14 rats On 10/9/05 10:17 AM, in article Mgc2f.258$S43.51984@news20.bellglobal.com, >> :: We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the >> :: bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Joanne > Owned by 14 rats Joanne, Thanks again. That's the way I was thinking of going (heavy dish, change it twice a day, clean it ever few days with a real scrubbing)... Also, may daughter (not son, but that's cool) Noelle says thanks for the compliment. As her father, I kvell in your compliment. Stu (who is really appreciative of a.p.r.r) NP: Gravity's Angel by Laurie Anderson > Also, may daughter (not son, but that's cool) Noelle says thanks for the > compliment. As her father, I kvell in your compliment. Oops! I had to go back and see why I thought son, and that's because there was no specifications and I forgot from the first intro and add to that, I have two boys myself who would make such a funny comments. ;) I too don't use bedding. I prefer to line the bottom of my cage with newspaper and the shelves with towels or other cloth. I do have corner litter pans with Yesterday's News and most of my rats have trained themselves to stick to the litter pans for #2. Joanne Owned by 14 rats On 10/9/05 10:02 AM, in article o2c2f.125304$G8.18052@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk, "Phil L" <neverchecked@hotmail.com> wrote: > :: We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the > :: bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Water dishes are not feasable, hence the invention of, and wide use of > bottles. Thanks Phil. I hear what you are saying. I think these are things to seriously consider, although it seems, at least in this instance, that it comes down to finding a water bowl that she can't tip over. That might require some experimenting, but should prove achievable. So we'll see. Thanks again, Stu (who will go to the new Target today, because he (and his family) are Target devotees) NP: One More Colour by Jane Siberry > We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the > bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, but [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > NP: Blackberry Blossom by Michelle Shocked LOL Your Daughter is up with the play alright...:) She isn't wrong. These delightful fuzzy butts will use a bowl of water for many delightful things... drinking alas being only 1 of them..:)) My guys have a bowl of water which usually gets run through in the middle of a game of chase, washed in, peed in.. not to mention the fact I have seen a few unsanitary floaties in there as well. Bottles are more hygenic..:) Best of luck either way. Regards Kate SignatureToday I may meet with injustice, ignorance, denial, all of which are due entirely to the other's lack of knowledge of good and evil and the difference thereof. http://community.webshots.com/user/ollieogg Chance is the path God takes when he wants to remain anonymous Albert Einstein. >> We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the >> bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, but >> is there anything I need to know? Anything to look out for, other than >> excessively yellow water (my 10 year-old's joke)...? There's a lot of concern in this thread about rats tipping over their bowl. Just walk into any petstore and they'll have water bowls for cats/dogs that are hard to tip over. They have this kind of shape: http://tinyurl.com/dezzv so a rat sitting on the edge it's no problem. (You might want one that's ceramic instead of steel because that's heavier, but they shouldn't be too hard to find either.) Tim SignatureTim Newsome nuisance.at.casualhacker.net http://www.casualhacker.net/ > We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the > bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, but > is there anything I need to know? Anything to look out for, other than > excessively yellow water (my 10 year-old's joke)...? For my hamsters, I attach their water bottles inside glass tanks using Velcro and it works perfectly. You might need to experiment with rats - using a glass bottle, for instance, as they will probably chew plastic - and source some heavy duty velcro, but why not have a go with this method? My concern with water bowls is that rats drink a huge amount for their size and lack of water will lead to kidney damage; additionally, some rats are born with congenitally weak kidneys. As with cats and human beings, symptoms only appear when the kidney/s have lost most of their function. If the rats filled their water bowl with bedding, how quickly would you be able to replace the water? If you went away for a few days and left them in someone else's care, would the carer be as attentive? Sue (back online again after 10 months without the internet!!! Woo hoo!) ---------------------------- pendragon fancy rats & hamsters pendrake rabbits Portsmouth, England, UK >>We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the >>bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, but [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > pendrake rabbits > Portsmouth, England, UK Welcome back Sue!!! Joanne Owned by 14 rats >> We, meaning Noelle, her mom and I, decided that we would set aside the >> bottle and work with a water dish. Implementation seems simple enough, [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > pendrake rabbits > Portsmouth, England, UK Welcome back, Sue! Wondered where you had got to! Tracey > (back online again after 10 months without the internet!!! Woo hoo!) Welcome back Sue SignatureRatty Hugs & Cavy Kisses Jackie Ably Hindered by The Buck House Crew: Nero, Zwart, Schwarz, Hat, Zydrundas, Vasyl, Spikkle, Marmeduke, Orion, FortyFive Degrees, NinetySevenPercent, Kai, Daichi & Torin and Emory & Meron cavy. Rats At The Bridge: Pubpsy, Rex, Stripe, Hoody, Groucho, Brownie, Harpo, Zeppo, Chico, Juniper, Ginger, Doyle, Bodie, Ebenezer, Obadiah, Alexander, Curtis, StuartLittle, Keel, Lysander, Bo, Isaiah, Malachi, Neziah, Whitham, Luke, Foret, Xaus, Melandri, Alzamora, Rossi, Quezovercoatl, Vizzimuth, Cecchinello, Chili, Vassenego, Ui, Khefin, Ysgafala & Titus. Cavies At The Bridge: Brock, Heinz, Tudor, Teddy, Joseph & Nikolas. |
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