Smelly little bitty squirrels

[lizharrell1]

Anyone have any good suggestions for keeping my little ones cage smelling clean? I change the bedding (flannel bedding) out at least once per day, but their is a constant, no so pleasant (can't tell if it is from their milk or their urine) smell emanating from their cage. The babies are about 5 1/2 weeks old, eyes open and climbing everywhere (the babies, not their eyes) Help!!!!

[smoknbunny]

Anyone have any good suggestions for keeping my little ones cage smelling clean? I change the bedding (flannel bedding) out at least once per day, but their is a constant, no so pleasant (can't tell if it is from their milk or their urine) smell emanating from their cage. The babies are about 5 1/2 weeks old, eyes open and climbing everywhere (the babies, not their eyes) Help!!!!
Hmmm. First I wonder why they're stinky:thinking Sounds like they are healthy, right? One of the things I love about squirrels is even when you can smell their urine is doesn't smell bad at all. Maybe someone has an idea about stinky pee.
I use fleece for bedding. I have a MASSIVE supply - thank you Goodwill. So I can put in new stuff frequently.

[lizharrell1]

Yes, both babies are healthy and active. I still have a heating pad in part of their cage and I wonder if the heating pad is "heating things up" so to speak. Are they old enough yet to remove the heating pad? They both seem to spend a lot of time on top the bedding away from the heat anyway.

[smoknbunny]

Yes, both babies are healthy and active. I still have a heating pad in part of their cage and I wonder if the heating pad is "heating things up" so to speak. Are they old enough yet to remove the heating pad? They both seem to spend a lot of time on top the bedding away from the heat anyway.
Yeah - heated pee does get a bit whiffy:) I wouldn't take their heating pad yet. Do you have a picture of them in their cage? I'm curious to see. I may have a suggestion.
Do they seem to move away from their sleeping area to go potty? (sorry, baby word:D )

[smoknbunny]

Usually, babies don't need the heating pad, or to be stimulated to go potty, after their eyes open. By then, they usually are able to regulate their own body temperatures. Sometimes, we leave it in for a week afterwards, or longer if they like it, just to be safe, but if your babies don't like it, you can remove it. :)
Doh! Your right GB! at 5 1/2 weeks they should still be stimulated, huh:D

[lizharrell1]

They seem to just go WHEREVER or on WHOMEVER they please. And I meant to say their bedding is fleece, not flannel. My daughter just made off with my camera as she is on her way to Universal Studios for Rock the Universe, but I will try to get someone else's camera and take a pic a little later and post it.

[lizharrell1]

Okay, getting confused here (it's a Friday, so I am a little tired). At 5 1/2 weeks, they DO or DO NOT need to be stimulated? They seem to go just fine on their own. (And boy do they ever go)!!!!!!!!

[lizharrell1]

Okay, just checking. Thought for a sec I was doing something wrong!!!!!!

[smoknbunny]

If they are going on their own then you probably don't HAVE to stimulate them. Sometimes I do anyway, though, just to check on how it looks (clear or whatever). Plus if I stimulate them to pee, there's less pee in the cage:D

[smoknbunny]

Okay, just checking. Thought for a sec I was doing something wrong!!!!!!
Sounds like you are doing things right!:thumbsup

[lizharrell1]

Thanks for the replies. Sometimes I wonder if I AM doing things right!!!

[adoptedmom]

Liz, I agree with SnB, it doesn't usually smell - however if it isn't allowed to dry and it builds up, it will start to smell with time.

Does the cage have a flat surface for a floor or does it have a tray under the wire?

Try laying some napkins (white not dyed) or paper towels down in a corner away from the bedding (preferably a corner they have used already for this purpose). If they pee on you or you notice them doing their business elsewhere, promptly move them to the napkin. They'll get the hang of it. And you can throw the napkins out anytime you notice they are wet.

If the cage has a wire floor with a tray undeneath, you may have wet urine accumulating underneath - which would be the source of your odor. Try lining the tray with "CareFresh Pet Bedding" (undyed - you can get it any big petstore and most small ones). It is super absorbent and will allow the urine to dry.

[jme2323]

so at 5 weeks or more, they don't usually need heating pads?

[adoptedmom]

BTW the pet bedding I recommended is made of cellulose fiber, is pine and cedar oil free, and contains no inks, dyes, clays or chemicals.

[lizharrell1]

Where can I get this bedding? I live in sort of a small town and don't go into either Gainesville or Jacksonville Florida very often. But the smell coming from their cage is very noticable. The squirrels themselves don't smell, they are just wonderful sweet little things, but their poo and pee........now THAT IS another story!!!!!! I don't even think that I am being oversensitive or anything.

[adoptedmom]

Where can I get this bedding? I live in sort of a small town and don't go into either Gainesville or Jacksonville Florida very often. But the smell coming from their cage is very noticable. The squirrels themselves don't smell, they are just wonderful sweet little things, but their poo and pee........now THAT IS another story!!!!!! I don't even think that I am being oversensitive or anything.

Petsmart, Petco - anyplace that stocks products for rodents.

http://www.supershavins.com/cf_ultra1.htm

The above link will take you to a picture of the product. The below link is the Petco website.

http://www.petco.com/product/10791/Carefresh-Ultra-Pet-Bedding.aspx

I used this while raising my foxer. She's two now.

Is the floor of their cage solid or open?

[lizharrell1]

The Floor is solid. Is it okay to put newspaper down on the bottom to absorb some of the odor. What about things like pine or cedar shavings like we use in our guinea pig cages, or aspen?

[adoptedmom]

I would say no to the newspaper (inks, dyes) and no to the shavings (aromatic oils and not absorbent). The pet bedding or the napkins will work. If the expense is a consideration, try old t-shirts. Squirrels really prefer to pee outside of the nest, so if you put something (other than what the bedding is made of) down to make a lavatory area, they'll begin to use it.

What is the cage floor made of? Even if you are washing the fleece regularly, your odor source might be urine remaining in/on the cage floor somewhere.

[lizharrell1]

I just switched them 2 days ago from a box to a temporary cage while a more permanent cage is being mad for them. And I have kept the bedding changed out frequently, so I am pretty sure urine hasn't had a chance to build up yet. I am sure I will eventually figure out how to manage the smell. I have turned off their heating pad, but am leaving it partway in the cage if it seems like they are wanting it or anything, I can always turn it back on. I am fairly certain, that the pad is exacerbating the odor and I hope that once it is left off that the smell will dissipate.

[Anne]

My babies, whose eyes are open, all use a ferret litter box. I don't use much litter and I dump it daily. Don't use any pine or cedar litter , the dust/oils are not good for squirrels. Yesterdays News is OK is you can't get any other kind. On the same note don't use cat clumping or clay either.
I started my babies by placing them in the litter tray after feeding. But if they are slow using the tray, cut up some "squirrel used" paper toweling and put that in the litter tray.
Good luck:)

[lizharrell1]

Okay, now you are pulling my leg, right? A LITTER BOX? If you are truly being serious, I will certainly try it. I know ferrets can use one, so maybe you are on to something here!!!!!!

[adoptedmom]

I just switched them 2 days ago from a box to a temporary cage while a more permanent cage is being mad for them. And I have kept the bedding changed out frequently, so I am pretty sure urine hasn't had a chance to build up yet. I am sure I will eventually figure out how to manage the smell. I have turned off their heating pad, but am leaving it partway in the cage if it seems like they are wanting it or anything, I can always turn it back on. I am fairly certain, that the pad is exacerbating the odor and I hope that once it is left off that the smell will dissipate.


Heated squirrel urine - there's a scent Glade won't be offering anytime soon:rotfl

You are probably right - it may be the heating pad.

Good luck. Mine is sort of potty trained to go on a napkin - so it does work. (I say sort of because she doesn't have a cage and sometimes she'd rather just pee on me :osnap )

[lizharrell1]

Ummmmm......eau de squirrel pee.....coming soon from Estee Lauder at your favorite department store. EVERYONE will be wearing it this Christimas!!!!:crazy

[annick]

i might be sick but i loooooove how sqirrlies smell.... :D sometimes i wonder though why they pee all over their brothers and sisters?! :nono

[wheezer]

If you are sick, I am too. I love the smell of squirrel pee:D

I was afraid to use anything other than cloth bedding (like old t-shirts and sweat shirts) because I didn't want the little ones ingesting any other kind of bedding. I just changed the bedding daily:)

[JudyB]

:thankyou :thankyou :thankyou
Glad my nuttiness has just been validated
:multi :multi :multi :multi :multi