Reddit reviews Kaytee Small Animal Critter Litter, 8-Pound

I would suggest getting at least one friend for him but preferably 2, assuming you want to start the cycle of rat ownership again. And you'll want to get rats of the same gender, unless you want babies once a month. Having 3 rats is very helpful if something happens and you lose a rat. It helps the remaining rats if they can cope with the loss of a buddy together and may lessen the chances of them getting overly depressed. And in most situations, the more rats you have, the happier they will be. They're highly social and tend to like having a bigger family.

If you're getting food at the store, stay away from seed mix type foods such as this. It's not healthy for them, and the dried corn in it can cause liver cancer. I'd recommend a block/kibble type rat food such as Oxbow. You can even buy the adult formula of Oxbow and just supplement with extra protein once or twice a week; and, in general, most rats don't seem to like the Garden Select variety, so keep that in mind too. You'll want to give them fresh veggies regularly and fruits as a treat (as too much fruit can cause runny poops.) I like referring to this guide when introducing new foods as some foods are very dangerous for rats, and some are only dangerous for a specific gender.

When getting a cage (NOT an aquarium) make sure you get 1/2" bar spacing to avoid escapes. And you can use this handy cage calculator to make sure your cage will be big enough. Some cages sold as rat cages are not actually big enough for adults to comfortably live and stretch out in. If you use a loose substrate bedding, stay away from cedar or pine (unless it's kiln dried pine) though kiln dried aspen tends to be the most recommended wood shaving bedding. Some people use recycled paper bedding, though it isn't as good at absorbing smells as the aspen or pine. If you use fleece, you'll need to change it more frequently than a loose substrate but it's much less messy, though terrible for controlling odor. I personally do a mix of both, loose bedding in the bottom of the cage and fleece lining the rest of the shelves.

You'll also want to consider getting a litter pan to litter train them, and use a different type of litter in the pan so they associate it with a bathroom area. I personally like using critter litter by Kaytee. Also, find a smooth flat rock to keep in the litter pan. For some reason rats like peeing on rocks.

You'll want to make sure to have enough hides, hammocks, etc for each rat to have their own if they aren't feeling like being cuddled up or just need a break from the other rats. Space pods are highly loved by most rats. I have 2 in my cage, one on each level. Cardboard boxes are a big hit as well. I buy cheap boxes of Kleenex and just shove the whole thing in the cage (after removing the plastic stuff around the opening.) They love "decorating" their cage with it, and they can use the box as another hide when they're done. PVC is also a big hit with a lot of rats. You can make little tunnels for them to hide or play in and some people even drill holes in them (for ventilation and) to suspend them from the roof of the cage to help change it up a little.

Also, you'll want to spot clean/pick up stray poops throughout the week until cage cleaning day comes. After the cage is clean (leaving 1-2 "dirty" things in their cage to prevent over cleaning, thus leading to over marking after you spent all that time cleaning) I suggest completely rearranging their cage each time. It keeps their minds stimulated and makes them highly interested in exploring their "new" home week after week. It's especially fun for them if you hide treats throughout the cage for them to find.

Lastly, you'll want to keep an emergency vet budget set aside. Rats don't need routine visits like a dog necessarily, but there is a high chance your rats will need to go to the rat at some point during their lives. They have a very delicate immune system and URIs are very common, as well as myco flareups, as almost all rats carry myco. You can read the article linked in the sidebar for more info on that. And in my experience, it tends to be emergency/short notice needs for the vet. Rats are prey animals and will hide an illness until they are no longer capable of hiding it, and by then they are usually pretty sick. Prices vary from area to area, but where I am, I expect to spend around $60-90 for a visit, including medications; from what I've read on here though, I'm on the lower end of the price range and some people easily spend double that.

Sorry this got a lot longer than I had expected it to, and if you read it all, thank you. If you have any questions, this sub is a great place and has a lot of great and very helpful people here. Good luck with your new baby (and future babies.)

This one?

My rabbit needs critter litter! Thanks for the contest!

I use a thin layer of [Critter Litter] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Superpet-Critter-Litter-3-63-Kg/dp/B0002DJG0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407748620&sr=8-1&keywords=critter+litter) at the bottom of the potty and then Lavender Woodshavings on top - as well as changing the potty once a day - this seems to keep the smell to a minimum. Just make sure that your bun doesn't try to eat the critter litter pellets! I do use candles occasionally in the room also, but well away from the buns' cage and it doesn't seem to bother her :) *Edit - spelling