Frequently Asked Questions
Should Rats Be Kept Near A Window Or In A Darker Corner Of The Room?
I Am Planning On Keeping The Cage In My Room...Will They Keep Me Up Im Getting A Silent Wheel So That Wont Be A Problem.
The cage should ideally be placed in a relatively quiet location but still near the social activity in the home. Rats are nocturnal so should be located where it is fairly quiet during the day. Placing the cage on a table or stand will help the rats feel more secure. The cage should not be placed in direct sunlight or in drafty locations. Limit access to the cage by other household pets, as a rat will understandably feel threatened by a cat or dog hovering outside the cage.
Litter and Bedding
Litter is placed in the cage to absorb moisture from urine and droppings. By drying out droppings, it stops them decomposing and hence smelling. Bedding is used in the nestbox to make a comfortable bed, and also to absorb urine.
Wood shavings are the most commonly available litter sold to line the bottom of small animal cages. Many people feel that wood shavings are not an ideal litter for rats, because they give off essential oils and can be very dusty. However good quality wood shavings (as opposed to sawdust) can provide an excellent bedding for rats. Despite common misconceptions, there is no evidence that the most common forms of wood shavings (usually pine or spruce in the UK -- a white or pale yellow wood) cause any damage to rat health: studies have failed to find any connection between respiratory ailments and use of ordinary shavings. In fact, the rats kept on shavings in one study actually lived longer than those not exposed to moderate amounts of aromatic oils!
However, red cedar shavings, shavings or paper bedding treated with extra aromatic oils or other chemicals (often sold as deodorising beddings), shavings or paper bedding that is especially dusty, as well as sawdust (which is dusty by its nature) should all be avoided: large amounts of aromatic oils and dust can irritate rats' respiratory tracts.
For those who would rather not use wood shavings, there are now many alternatives to wood shavings available in the UK. It is advisable to make sure that any alternative litter is not toxic if ingested: recycled paper beddings are probably the safest, although these may be as dusty as wood products, and it is important to ensure that they have not been treated with aromatic oils (even "natural" ones) or chemicals to improve their deodorising properties. The authors have used Bio-Catolet - a cat litter made from pellets of recycled paper. Sterile and dust-free, this litter is many times more absorbent than wood-shavings, and is much better at controlling odour. Although on a weight-for-weight basis it is more expensive than wood shavings, Bio-Catolet is far more efficient: you use much less and change it less often than wood (for example, once rather than twice weekly for an average-sized cage containing two females). Because of its efficiency Bio-Catolet is good value for money. It can be found in large branches of ASDA, Sainsburys, and Tescos nationwide, or ask your local pet shop to order it for you.
In a pinch, shredded paper-towels can be a safe stop-gap until you buy more litter. Normal cat litter -- even the dust-free kind --is not appropriate for rats: the dust and clay can harm their health.
Bedding - shredded paper bedding from a pet shop is fine, although your rats will enjoy ripping up paper towels even more. Newspaper can be used as bedding, provided that it is printed with non-toxic ink. You can find out by telephoning the printer; if the ink is safe, the main disadvantage is that it may stain the rats' coats. Straw or hay does little to absorb liquid or eliminate odour, although some rats and humans like it. One of the authors had a rat who blinded herself in one eye on a sharp hay stalk, but such accidents are probably rare.
How To Put Down Pine Straw?
My Old Pine Straw From The Previous Owner Is Full Of Leaves And It Looks Trasy, Should I Rake It All Up Before Putting New Starw Down Or Just Put New Straw Over It??? Thanks
Let the existing pine straw stay put so it can further decompose into your soil. Put the new stuff on top.
How Do I Estimate How Many Bales Of Pine Straw I Will Need To Mulch My Yard?
Pine straw is sold in round bales, square bales, and bags all weighing from 25 to 50 pounds and yields 3 to 6 cubic feet. Square bales often measure 14 by 14 by 26 inches. Round bales measure18 inches in diameter and 26 inches in length. Customers tend to prefer smaller, lighter bales. About three inches of pine straw, that settles to 1.5 inches, should be used in new applications. That equals to half a pound of straw per square foot. A 40 pound bale will cover about 80 square feet. An additional inch per year is required to maintain the proper depth. Compared to alternative organic mulch, pine straw is typically the least expensive option.
Pine Straw In My Ceiling?
I Rent An Apartment And Have An Insect Problem In My Bathroom. I Knew There Was An Air Conditioning Unit Above My Bathroom Just Under The Ceiling Tile, However When I Pulled Away Partially One Of The Tiles I Found A Lot Of Pine Straw And It Looks As Though It Was Used To Fill The Space. Is This Dangerous? Is It In Violation Of Building Codes? Could It Be The Cause Of My Insect Problem? It Seems To Be All Around The Unit And I Am Afraid There Is A Fire Hazard As Well As This Stuff Being A Nest For My Insects.
Pine straw is highly flammable and is certainly a fire hazard. I'd recommend contacting your landlord and having them remove it. And yes, it is a great hiding space for insects and no doubt that is where they are coming from. Best of luck 
Where Can I Find Pine Straw Twine? The Orange Twine.?
Try your local feed store or farm supply store.
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Visit Our Local Pine Straw Location for information on installation and delivery
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