Rat Pee Rock: What It Is and How To Use It

You will need to guarantee our rats have all the things they should thrive and keep completely satisfied. We examine issues off on our guidelines (both psychological or bodily) as we go: substrate, toys, litter… pee rock? What’s a pee rock? Do rats want one?

On this article, we’ll check out precisely what rat pee rocks are, how rats use them, learn how to discover them, and the way they will profit your mischief.

What’s a Rat Pee Rock?

Pee rocks are clean stones positioned strategically round your rats’ cage, which encourage them to pee. Rat pee rocks could be small or medium-sized and are a really enticing place for rats to pee, most likely due to how a rat would scent mark their surroundings within the wild.

Rat pee rocks aren’t a particular kind of rock or stone; any clear, flat, and clean stone you place in your rats’ cage that they will comfortably climb on and drag themselves over can act as a pee rock.

Some homeowners search for the right pee rock at seashores, whereas others choose to search out them in backyard provide or pet shops. So long as the pee rock is sufficiently small in your rats to make use of however massive sufficient to climb on (it ought to be round 1/third of the scale of your rats), is cleaned correctly, and is clean, it ought to be the right further enrichment in your mischief.

Do Rats Want Pee Rocks?

Rats, by nature, pee on a regular basis. They’ve their litter trays that they like to bathroom in or their favourite areas within the cage during which to bathroom. As well as, rats unfold their pee round their dwelling by dribbling it as they stroll, which spreads their scent and helps them really feel comfy and relaxed of their surroundings.

A pee rock may give your rats devoted locations to pee, which means much less is unfold round their cage (so much less cleanup for you!) and may provide attention-grabbing “assembly locations” for social interplay.

The place Can I Get a Rat Pee Rock?

Rat pee rocks could be discovered or purchased. So long as the rock is clean (jagged edges is usually a hazard) and is appropriately cleaned earlier than placement within the cage, it may be an excellent pee rock.

Stones and rocks could be discovered on seashores the place the stone is worn clean by the ocean or in aquatic outlets the place they’re utilized in aquariums. Even backyard provide shops can have rocks good in your rat to pee on, however in any case, they have to all be cleaned completely earlier than putting them into the cage. Scrubbing the rock with cleaning soap and water can take away any dangerous micro organism or different pathogens.

Some homeowners select one bigger pee rock (or a pair) to make use of of their rats’ litter tray and round their cage, whereas others use smaller rocks and add a couple of extra. The smaller rocks could be helpful when you have a bigger mischief (extra to go round!) and may encourage rats to empty their bladders totally.

What Will a Pee Rock Do for My Rats?

Rats can admire pee rocks for a couple of causes. Firstly, any new merchandise launched right into a rat’s dwelling can be an instantaneous supply of curiosity. Enrichment for rats is available in many types, and a rat pee rock is one thing new they will examine with their noses, tongues, and toes. Secondly, as soon as the pee rock is established inside the mischief, it could actually truly assist your rats litter practice.

Rats are clear and tidy animals; most rats will shortly study to make use of their litter tray for pee and poop (however largely poop). Nevertheless, as a result of rats will drag urine throughout surfaces to mark their territory, a pee rock will encourage this territorial marking and assist them focus their urine within the litter field.

Do Pee Rocks Assist With Litter Coaching?

Rat pee rocks may also help your rats to litter practice, however often solely regarding pee. Rats will greater than seemingly study to poop of their litter tray on their very own, as they’d discover a most well-liked place to poop within the wild and use it particularly as a bathroom. However pee could be extra tough as they dribble it to territorially mark, as talked about above.

Some rats will take to peeing largely of their litter tray as soon as they get into the behavior of pooping in it, however a pee rock could make the litter tray extra “enticing” to them. As a result of territorial marking is an innate habits for rats, a pee rock may also help them specific this in an applicable place that makes cleanup simpler for you!

Pee rocks need to be sufficiently big in your rats to rub themselves on as a result of they really stimulate the bladder, prompting urination!

How Can I Assist My Rats Use Their Litter Field and Pee Rock?

Most rats will study to make use of their pee rock and litter tray spontaneously. They’re very clever animals that don’t wish to reside in soiled environments, so a litter tray gives them the right place to poop. Nevertheless, some rats could be extra cussed or want extra encouragement!

Step one to litter coaching is to observe your mischief and see the place they determine to bathroom. Most will choose a spot and confine (practically all) of their pee and poops there, so intention to position their litter tray right here.

Subsequent, gather some soiled substrate and poops from across the cage and put them into the tray with clear litter. This step can take some time in case your mischief is especially busy doing different enjoyable issues that don’t contain litter coaching, however persevere!

Little by little, you’ll see your rats use the tray extra and different areas within the cage much less typically. Ultimately, they’ll maintain the overwhelming majority of their poops to their litter tray, however preserving pee confined could be tougher. That is the place the pee rock is available in!

By putting the pee rock into their litter tray, you’re encouraging your rats to pee inside it versus marking throughout their cage (whereas providing them enrichment). They’ll nonetheless mark across the cage (that is pure), however as every rat will intention to be the final to pee on the rock, it could actually drastically decrease the quantity unfold across the cage. They’ll seemingly begin utilizing it right away!

Closing Ideas

A rat pee rock could be the right addition to any cage setup, permitting your mischief to specific their pure behaviors and offering enrichment whereas making cage cleanup simpler for you!

A pee rock could be any flat, clean stone that’s sufficiently small to slot in your rats’ litter tray. So long as it’s appropriately cleaned, any stone discovered on the seashore or purchased in a retailer could be good for a pee rock.

Rats will often examine and use the pee rocks straight away however combining the usage of a pee rock with litter coaching may also help them litter practice sooner.