How do you stop a rat from eating your wallbase?

[ATez]

Not only does it ruin the wallbase but it's also unhealthy for rats with the paint and the unknown wood that's being used! I have this problem with Zak only. My clinic gave me samples of different things to try, wood sticks (they stopped Crank from eating the entrence lol), hay and hay treats but none of those works with Zak. He was never interested with the hay stuff and lost interest with the wood sticks in about 5 seconds (same used with bird toys obviously).

Is there anything you can spray or cover the wallbase with that he'll find nasty?! I mean it's seriously a problem with him. It's not because he's hungry they have plenty of food and i don't know if he's just trying to make his teeth but then again rats don't need blocks or wood to do that...

 

[victoria]

Could you line the perimeter of the room with coroplast? We had to do that on one wall... we still have to repair it at some point, but at least their no longer chewing at it.

 

[alawr]

They sell stuff that tastes bad to dogs for chewing problems, maybe rats would think it was icky too?

 

[rhapsody]

I'd personally would try to block it off with something. I use heavy cardboard to block off areas - it gives them something else to chew, and its easily replaceable. Although as victoria mentioned, coroplast might be a more permanent solution.

Hmm, wonder if your Zak has been talking to the A&E hoarder rats. Apparently they too developed a taste for walls ...

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[Moon]

Yeah, your best bet is to block it off in some way.

 

[lj]

I missed that horders episode. That looks crazy.

 

[Moon]

I missed that horders episode. That looks crazy.

Here's a link to episode links:

http://www.watchseries-online.com/2011/ ... -lisa.html

 

[ATez]

Could you line the perimeter of the room with coroplast? We had to do that on one wall... we still have to repair it at some point, but at least their no longer chewing at it.

How did you get it to hold up against your wall? Because i would have to do my whole place... I do have a big board of coroplast but we're using it to block off the back of the TV stand atm.

 

[Moon]

Hmm... someone had a rat room a long time back and they had covered their baseboards with shaped stainless steel or something. It was very high tech looking.

 

[victoria]

Could you line the perimeter of the room with coroplast? We had to do that on one wall... we still have to repair it at some point, but at least their no longer chewing at it.

How did you get it to hold up against your wall? Because i would have to do my whole place... I do have a big board of coroplast but we're using it to block off the back of the TV stand atm.

It would be similar to a very large playpen with low walls. If you join different sections, they would hold each other up. Either that or prop them against the walls and use existing furniture/cages to hold them up. You can try cardboard to start with and see how it woks before you invest in the coroplast.

 

[Godmother]

Coroplast panels can be joined together with velco or with zip ties. It is the safest way to go, because rats will chew wires as well as walls... not to mention furniture.

 

[user 1946]

For some reason when I read the post my mind saw, "How do you stop a rat from eating your wallabies?" I was very confused as to why you had a wallaby and why your rats were eating him, until I reread the title more slowly... it makes much more sense now.

One thing that springs of mind for me, is what about rubber or vinyl baseboards? Most wooden ones have moldings which give a rat a place to really get in and start chewing.. rubber and vinyl doesn't have that. He might not also like that one as much. Who knows.

 

[Cinderwolf]

For some reason when I read the post my mind saw, "How do you stop a rat from eating your wallabies?" I was very confused as to why you had a wallaby and why your rats were eating him, until I reread the title more slowly... it makes much more sense now.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Godmother]

If you have the space and the funds, you could always invest in some kind of playpen for them. There is a small circular one (with lid) that is easy to find in Canada, but the best is a Martins playpen. It is collapsible when not in use, and it is spacious. www.martinscages.com

You could save on shipping if you had a VT address to send it to, although the current gas prices would probably wipe out any savings. In any case, if you can manage it, a playpen is great. I've had mine for four years and couldn't live without it, even though I also have a coroplast enclosure for them.

 

[ATez]

Thanks for all the options and ideas guys! I'm a bit too broke to try any of them atm but i'll let you know how things turn out in the future or if i have any more problems!

 

[SQ]

Basically, if you don't want a rat to chew something, you make sure they do not have access to it.
As previously mentioned, there are a number of ways to do this.

For example: I surround the area my rats are allowed to use as a play area with cloroplast cut to heights over 2.5 feet.
In most cases this has ment lining the walls of the living room with clorplast and having a removable section in the 4 th side as a doorway.
This has worked well for me.
Years ago Hannah decided that I needed a small doorway from the living room into the bathroom.
She recruited the other rats to help her with construction and also to distract me while Hannah and her crew worked.
Cloroplast panels attached as previously suggested by godmother solved the problem.

 

[ATez]

Basically, if you don't want a rat to chew something, you make sure they do not have access to it.
As previously mentioned, there are a number of ways to do this.

For example: I surround the area my rats are allowed to use as a play area with cloroplast cut to heights over 2.5 feet.
In most cases this has ment lining the walls of the living room with clorplast and having a removable section in the 4 th side as a doorway.
This has worked well for me.
Years ago Hannah decided that I needed a small doorway from the living room into the bathroom.
She recruited the other rats to help her with construction and also to distract me while Hanna and her crew worked.Cloroplast panels attached as suggested by godmother solved the problem.

:laugh4: