Rat Toys

[saphire]

To all the Rat People, what is the best toys for them if any?

Thank you.

Sorry Admin, I put this in the wrong section =/

 

[Dragonflye]

When I had pet rats, I used to fill a box or bowl with shredded paper for them to dig in. They love boxes- I used to make mazes for them.

Also, fill an empty toilet paper roll with treats, fold over the ends and hang it.

Pea fishing was popular too, but a bit messy- put water in a bowl and add some frozen peas.

 

[Ash]

Bird toys work great, too. I've also seen a lot of people use the baby chains for rats.

 

[3CsMommy]

Hard plastic cat toys with bells are popular. You can also cut a hole in a shoe box (no tape or staples in the box of course), stuff the box full of paper, scatter some dry treats like uncooked pasta inside it, close the box and let the rats go rummaging. They like to look for their food, like the pea fishing 'game' that was mentioned above.

 

[menagerie]

There are so many things to keep a rat entertained. Paper towels and paper for them to shred. Put some treats or food in a toilet paper tube and fold the ends in, these can be strung up and hung or just tossed in. Cheerios on a Kritter Kabob, a cob of corn on the Kritter Kabob. Wine corks (real cork, not the new plastic coated ones). Ping pong balls, wiffle balls, bird toys, cardboard boxes, wheat grass, pea fishing, bird ropes, bird perches. Nuts in their shells (e.g. walnuts, pecans, macadamias) but in moderation as they are high in protein and fats. Rats love cooked chicken bones and can be entertained with them for hours, since rats gnaw they do not pose a choking hazard. A hard boiled egg in the shell can be fun too.

A fun thing for the cage are kids plastic toys. The ones sized for dolls like boats, houses, jungle gyms, cars, buses. The possibilities with rats is pretty much endless since they don't have strict dietary requirements or a delicate digestive tract. And they don't ingest most of what they chew.

 

[saphire]

Thank you everyone, much appreciated

 

[Brittany_Lynn]

This makes me want a pair of rats.

 

[Riven]

My daughter has a pair of rats... their favorite thing it to chew on the edge of my daughter's blanket! I've sewn it several times before we learned to watch for that. We use carefresh, and make it deep, they love to burrow in it as well, fleece stuffs, hidey's, cat balls they like, about anything actually, lol.

 

[Rachelxx]

Rats are great, I've had rats for a few years now and can't imagine ever not having some. All the suggestions above are great, any cardboard you have from tissue boxes, wrapping paper rolls etc can be recycled as rat toys. Mine occasionally get a roll of toilet roll with tissue still on, or a half full box of tissues as they love to shred the tissue and make their own beds. Hard boiled eggs are my rats favourites. (I also give them my old socks sometimes if they get a hole, washed first ofcourse! they love to crawl inside and make tunnels or bedding out of them. Use your imagination.

 

[GorillaJTA]

I've also seen a lot of people use the baby chains for rats.

When I first read that, I saw "baby chins." I was like... :nah: "I don't think rats of any age are a chin-safe toy...." Read it again and was like :duh:

 

[LovinTheSmallAndFurry]

Bird toys work great, too. I've also seen a lot of people use the baby chains for rats.

So any kind of bird toy would be safe? I've seen several on BirdsOnTheRocks.com, but there's such a variety......


Also, can rats have chin toys---as in the hanging wooden chews (if so any kind of wood)?

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I just made some rat toys up for a couple people now, yes they can have hanging toys. Do know you can't have pine shavings, but was told regular KD pine was ok. I'm still learning myself, especially now that the kids are begging for rats of their own!

 

[LovinTheSmallAndFurry]

I just made some rat toys up for a couple people now, yes they can have hanging toys. Do know you can't have pine shavings, but was told regular KD pine was ok. I'm still learning myself, especially now that the kids are begging for rats of their own!

Oh that's so good to know! I've had some extras lying around I wanted to give our boys, but wanted to make sure first.

Yeah my bf used to have pine shavings in their cage--though not for long--before he found out it wasn't safe. Now we use a bunch of old cut up denim or towels...that way little bits of bedding aren't ALL over the living room, just in the chins section,

They are amazing little pets, that's for sure.

 

[Hammie]

my bf puts tissue paper and old shirts and such on top of the cage so they have to pull it into their cage to nest. I love the idea of pea fishing! Our girls looove frozen peas. Trying that later!!!!