To me it seems as if he rat naturally uses special places for defecation purposes, since it is so easy to potty train rats. Rats never get 100 % potty trained, but even so they seem to like and use their potties. My rats always defecate in their potties, usually up to 100 %, but they do pee where they sleep...
When I let my ratties out of the cage they never actually pee anywhere, unless you include the marking drops. Male rats leave a drop of urine here and there wherever they go, that's just how male rats are (and some female rats too!).
Some rats are naturally potty trained when they are held and petted a lot. These rats don't ever poo or pee anywhere except in the cage (or if they a special place, like a potty...).
Sometimes I get questions about how I potty train my rats. That is simple.
To use potties in the cage
I suggest having one potty per level in the cage.
I also suggest using different litter in the cage
and the potties. You might have to try several
different combinations! The potty has be stable and
it really ought to be big enough for more than one rat
at the time. My rat potties are 40 * 25 cm, and 15
cm high made out of stable plastic.
I use newspaper in the cage and wood cuttings
in the potties. (Here in Sweden wood cuttings are
safe, we have other trees than in the US.)
Helping the rat to use the potties
When actually training a rat to use the potty
you should clean the cage but not the potty. When
the rat seems to get the hang of it you can empty
the potty and fill up with new litter, but it a
good idea to not clean the potty the first months,
and also put a little used litter on top every
time you clean the potty. Clean the rest of the
cage very often!
As soon as you have potty trained rats they
will teach any newcomers what to do, so you
actually only need to train your first few rats
yourself.
It usually takes a short while for the rats
to start using the potties, but it often takes
two or three months until they are really potty
trained and will continue using the potty even
if you clean both the potties and the cage
thoroughly at the same time.
Always bring a potty
When you have potty trained rats you
should never let them out of the cage without a
potty nearby. If you are traveling with your rats,
remember to bring a potty. You can use different
things as a potty as long as the rats agree about
it being a potty. Rats seem to decide what is a
potty and what is not mainly by smell.
Some rat owners I've met just let their rats
pee all over them. Other rat owners bring a
potty, maybe in a bag. Then you need to see
that the rat can get to the potty regularly.
Transport cages are perfect potties while
travelling.
Disadvantages
The only disadvantage I know of is that
the rats makes a real mess on the sides of
the potties, making them disgusting to hold
(while cleaning).
NOTE:
If an older rat stop using its potty you
can be sure that the rat is sick, and needs
a trip to the vet at once.
Written by: Eva Johansson.
Copyright Eva Johansson.
Last update: 11th of August 2006.