Cage Cleaning: litter scoop and absorbent litter for rodents

Cage Cleaning: muck out fast, stay fresh for longer

A clean cage protects your animals' airways and keeps the odour in the room small. With the right tools and absorbent litter mucking out goes a good deal quicker. You will find plastic litter scoops as well as absorbent products such as spelt litter, softwood granulate and forest floor bedding, which take up liquid and hold down odour.

Tools and how to go about it

A wide litter scoop picks up damp patches and droppings in one go, without you having to swap all the bedding. Work in a fixed order: first the toilet and the damp corners, then rinse out bowls and the water bottle, and finally top up with fresh litter. That way a complete change is needed less often. Put the animals into a secure run or a transport box while you clean, then you work faster and more calmly and nobody walks through the wet litter.

Litter that saves you work

Spelt litter and softwood granulate take up a lot of liquid and work well as a base layer under the toilet and the sleeping spot. On top you can add straw or forest floor, which loosens the structure and invites digging. The better the base layer absorbs, the longer the cage stays dry. Store litter closed and dry so it keeps its absorbency. After a complete change it is worth wiping the tray out dry and letting it air properly before the next load of litter goes in. A second set of bowls is practical, because you can put the clean one straight back in while the used one dries off somewhere else.

Frequently asked questions

How often do I need a full clean out?
That depends on the number of animals, the cage size and the litter. If you remove damp patches daily, the interval gets noticeably longer.

What do I clean the tray with?
Hot water is usually enough. Wipe it dry afterwards and let the tray air before fresh litter goes in.

Where do the animals go meanwhile?
Into a secure run or a transport box. That way you work faster and your animals stay out of the wet litter.