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Rats actually train pretty well, but don't expect perfection - they'll still pee sometimes just like that, from stress or during play. That's normal. But you can set up a main toilet if you understand their logic: rats really do pick corners themselves for doing their business, usually far from the nest and food bowl. If you notice where she goes most often, that's where you put the litter box. You can use a deep container with litter, wood shavings, or just paper - just not clumping litter, it's bad for their breathing.
The main thing people often miss: don't remove all the smell from the cage right after you set up the box. Leave a bit of used litter in the container - by the smell the rat will understand that's the toilet. If the box gets "redesigned" after cleaning, the rat might get confused. Also make sure the box is a comfortable size and height: if the edges are too high, she won't want to climb in.
The process will take 10-14 days max if you pick the spot right. If she stubbornly ignores the box though - check if maybe it's too close to the food or sleeping area. Rats are cleaner than they seem, you just gotta give them a proper choice.
A litter box with filler (or just a container) should be placed in the corner where the rat is already going to the bathroom - they usually pick one or two spots, and if you put the box there, she'll quickly get used to using it 😊 The main thing is to clean the litter box regularly and praise the little one when she uses it, that way she'll learn faster.
Rats don't always take to litter training perfectly, but there's a chance. The main thing is to understand that they naturally do their business in one or two corners of the cage, so that's where you need to put a container with litter or just a box. If you do it patiently and praise her every time she uses the litter box on her own, she'll get used to it in a couple of weeks.
Rats mark their territory with urine not just in the toilet, but also while moving around the cage - it's how they navigate their space. So even if you train them to use the main litter box, you won't be able to completely avoid puddles, and that's normal.
What actually works: watch for a day or two to see where exactly the rat poops most often (usually in one corner), and put a litter box or a bowl with litter there. Rats instinctively go to one spot, so if it happens to match, she'll quickly figure out what that thing is for. But with peeing - that's trickier. They'll make little puddles wherever, especially if they're stressed or playing actively. This is just a quirk of their physiology, not a lack of training.
If you want to minimize the mess, the main thing is to change the litter in the box frequently so there's a fresh smell, and clean up the soiled corners of the cage so the rat doesn't create new toilets in other places. Over time she'll still prefer the main spot, just don't expect perfect cleanliness.
Don't forget to change the litter in the box regularly - if it gets dirty, your rat might just pick a new corner instead of using the box! The smell of fresh litter attracts her, but she might ignore stale litter and start marking nearby instead. One more thing: some rats actually prefer to pee where there's already a smell, so for the first day or two you can put a bit of used litter from their favorite corner into the box, so the scent gets familiar with the new spot.
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