Will pet rats make my apartment smell bad??

Question

I live in a non-pet friendly apartment but I like to have pets, I have a hamster and I was thinking about rescuing a pair of rats. Do they smell very bad? I clean my pets cages weekly, but anything very smelly I can't have because my apartment is like the size of a refrigerator box (lol) and I don't want to smell it! ;-)

Any tips for pet rats? I'm not too familiar.

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend sneaking rats in if your landlord doesn't allow it.  It wouldn't hurt to ask.  My previous landlord was against pets, but didn't mind if the animal was in a cage.

Rats can have a distinct smell if not cleaned up after regularly.  I'd recommend litter training your pet rats with a high quality litter like Carefresh or Yesterday's News to cut back on the smell and to make it easier to clean up after them.  Also, use fleece to cover all the floors to absorb urine.  It will keep the cage smelling better, wicks away the moisture, and doesn't fray like towels, etc.  You can throw the fleece in the wash every week to keep it clean (saves you money in the long run).  I'd also recommend spot cleaning every morning.  Before I feed my girls, I pick up any errant poops or leftover food bits (skins from grapes, etc).  This should greatly cut back on the smell.

That being said, I still think rats have a smell, just like a dog has a smell, etc.  It isn't strong, but it's definitely different.  

As for advice on rats, I definitely recommend them for apartment life.  I got mine while I was in college living in an apartment that didn't allow cats/dogs.  They're tons of fun and easily adapt to your daily routine.

Major points to focus on: you have to get more than one rat. Rats are highly sociable creatures and won't be psychologically healthy without a friend.  

Rats require pretty large cages.  Each rat should have about 2 cubic feet of space.  Rats also like to climb, so I'd recommend a cage that is pretty tall.  A good cage is the Rat Tower from Martin's Cages.  http://martinscages.com/products/cages/r...

Rats require play time outside of their cage.  Once your rats get used to you, you can try letting them free roam in a rat-proofed room like a small bathroom.  Bring their cage in there or a towel/box so they have a place to hide until they are comfortable enough to come out (food helps a lot here).

Really do your research before adopting pet rats (or any animal for that matter).  Rats have been known to live up to 5 years, so make sure it's really a commitment you want to make.  I'd really recommend check out these sites for more info:

http://www.ratguide.com

http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/

Lastly, if you do decide to adopt a couple of rats, first check your local humane society.  The cost is similar to a pet store, but the money goes towards helping other animals and you give a few a new home.  If that isn't an option, rats from breeders or a small, local pet store are your best bet.  They are usually socialized with humans at a very young age and healthier.  Ask the local pet store about where they get their rats from for further information.  Large pet store chains' rats are mostly feeder rats that have been dumped into pet cages for customers.  They are unsocialized and more likely to have health issues as they get older (if they don't have them now).

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

Not at all!

Answer 3

Female rats urine is a bit less strong.

The only way to keep the smell away is to clean your cage on a regular basis. Also, I have found that items made of cloth will soak up the pee and smell sooner, rather than later, when kept in the cage with my ratties. I give it to them anyway tho because they love em!

Answer 4

Well, you shouldn't smuggle pet rats into your apartment if they aren't allowed, because the landlords will find out eventually.

But it's good theat you're buying them from a rescue and not a pet store. Thank you for supporting rescues!

The best beddings to use for a pet rat is Carefresh or if you want wood shavings because they smell good, go with aspen. They might not be cheap, but they are the healthiest.

Rat Facts

Average life span of 2-3 years.

Length: body 9-11 inches; tail 7-9 inches.

Nocturnal, so will be most active at night.

Males are called bucks, females are does, and babies are pups or kittens.

Rats are social so do best if kept with another rat (or group of rats).

Rats reach puberty very young - at 6-8 weeks of age. They shouldn't be bred this young, though, so make sure males and females are separated before this age.

Females go into heat every 4-5 days (for about 24 hours) and may seem agitated or restless during this time.

Sites to help you:

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/careofrat...

http://www.petratscanada.com/ratcare.htm

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/...

Answer 5

they won't smell bad if you keep their cage clean...change it weekly...NEVER use cedar

Answer 6

Why push it? You are in a no-pet apartment complex. Respect that or start looking for a place that allows pets.

What happens to those animals if your apartment management decides to do a random inspection and finds your pets? You'll be given two options: Get rid of the pets, or get a new place to live.

Anyways, HAMSTERS smell worst than any rats I've owned/met.

Use proper bedding, clean the cage when needed, and there should be little to no odor. My apartment has 2 rat cages & a litter box and doesn't hold any pet-related odors.

Answer 7

First of all, good bedding can make all the difference, I use Soft-Sorbant, which comes in naturally scented versions, Lavender and Mint, but Carefresh is also a good bedding, and comes in lots of pretty colors :) Also, rats do not smell bad if you clean the cage regularly, but females are less likely to smell as much, as they do not mark their territories as much as males, and eat less, thus producing less waste. Second of all, ventilation is key, wire cages are best, and to rid cages of smell after cleaning, use a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water cleaning solution, or 1 part apple cider vinegar, 3 parts water, it works quite well :) Good luck, and I hope you choose rats, as they are awesome pets, very smart and cuddly :D

Answer 8

clean the cage and you'll be fine. dont use wood based bedding.

Answer 9

Ive never had a problem keeping small caged animals in non-pet-friendly houses. They are fairly easy to smuggle out before an inspection- but its mostly cats and dogs that landlords worry about- rats cant do much damage to a house if they are caged.

Female rats are a bit less smelly than males, but I dont think they smell too bad- If you only have 2 and youre cleaning out their cage regularly there is no reason they would be particularly smelly.

There was a stage where I was keeping close to 30 rats in my bedroom at a time... it did get a little smelly then! But nothing compared to how mice smell- and they are a popular bedroom pet- yuck!

Rats are great pets- you should definately get a pair because they love company. Males tend to be a little more placid and females are the party animals but both make great pets. You should consider getting them desexed whatever the s*x, though. Males will fight when not desexed (although if they have grown up together theyre usually pretty good) and females have an enormous risk of developing cancer when they are not desexed.