What should i put in my rats cage?

Question

I have 2 rats and i recently added on to it so that they would have more room ro run around and play. I need to fill up 3 levels of toys or something. Do any of you have ideas of things you can make or cheap things to buy so that all three levels can have fun stuff for them to play in?

And all you stupid people stop saying cats.

Answer 1

if you have old clothing...take the sleeves off and use those for them to go through like a soft tunnel...rats loves to run through hiding and poppin up like it is saying peek a boo. If you can find those little balls that have like little bells in them ...rats like to push them with their nose...and even pick it up and throw it. Sometimes...when they get used to your smell you can gently put them on their back and give their tummies little tickles..and you will hear them laugh...it is really cute....or if you run your hand right behind them like you are going ot catch them....they will run and jump...and laugh too. They love to socially play with you their master. Always keep the cage clean....nothing makes the rats soooooo HAPPY in a clean cage...because what you would do is rearrage the things in the cage every so often..and when they retrurn to their cage...they would just jump through the paper like they are jumpin on the beds....they love to shred more paper...and make little huts out of them. Any cartons(like milk cartons or candy box cartons) you have in your home that are empty, they are great for cutting up and make little hide out boxes with holes on top big enough that they can poke their heads through up and down the holes; go look around your house for odd shaped like rolls...round boxes...etc..that are not going to be used...since these will get damage when you make little huts and places for them to go to and fro. And they will nibble the boxes and materials too. you can even make hammocks in the corners with good strong materials to hold them in the corner/nooks in their cage. (Rats likes to be in "high areas"...like your shoulders)... If this is your first time having them...You are going to reallllly enjoy them...they are the best pets to have...easist to take care of ...and alot of fun to play with. They are very smart...and you can teach them games if you wanted to. The link I gave you below will give you ideas how to do that, also!! I hope this helps out. Just be sure you get them yogurt chips...they will be the ultimate treats for you to train them or reward them....They absoutley LOVE them!!!! And they also will need those hanging strips of fruit bars...they are like little fruits stuff stuck on a piece of wood and they like to savor those kind of things to get to the wood so they can chew on them...which is good for their teeth....also get them little barrels of salt/mineral blocks. They work their teeth on it...like they file it down...and same goes with their hands and feet...this is usually how they file their nails...And...they lick the salt...which is what they need (minerals in them) from time to time. There are a lot of great information about having pet rats online...Good luck and have a lot of fun with them. We had three females, Sapphire, Ruby, and Pearl....we loved them so much we called them They were the Gems of our lives....but they have all passed on...we just lost Pearl about 2 weeks ago. I envy you ....but I am excited for you too. I hope you do have a great time with them.

Answer 2

For toys this is what I have for my rats:

- Large Pet Igloo
- Wheel (Get solid of mesh wheels, 11")
- PVC Pipes (From Home Depot, etc. Cheaper then ferret tubes and easy to wash!)
- Hammocks
- Flower Pots
- Houses/Play Structures made from large size childrens building blocks, usually found at garage sales. :)
- Rope Toys (I get them from dollar stores, the pet section usually has dog and bird rope toys there)
- Bird Toys (Rope with blocks, bells, etc. are big hits around here. Lol)
- Ladders (I get the wooden bird ladders, but they have to be replaced when they get too dirty/smelly.. but my rats love them and they are fairly inexpensive!)
- Cat Toys (Balls with a bell in them are enjoyed!)

I try to set up my rats cages so that they have a variety of toys without taking over too much of the floor space. Things like tubes and igloos are good because they still have the space, but it adds extra interest. My girl rats can be found wrestling or sleeping in the PVC tubes a lot of the time. You can buy different ones and connect them together to make interesting shapes.

Garage sales often are a good place to find cheap childrens toys. I get building blocks (the large sized ones, not lego :) and create houses and play structures for them. Since you have two rats they will also keep each other company.

I find my rats enjoy if I change the cage around at cleaning time. It means they get to explore and see where everything is and it keeps them stimulated. Something else I do once in a while is hang food from the roof. (I have a hanging food basket for them). They climb to the top and have to figure out the best way to get the food. It's hilarious to watch! :D

Answer 3

Fancy rats are very interesting creatures. Congrats for having them. And since they're intelligent, they want to be mentally challenged. Kind of like Octopi. Of course, the only problem is that they're nocturnal, so they may only do their learning when you're asleep.
Anything that keeps them stimulated, like toys with food inside is good. Definately have a wheel. Hanging items, kind of like bird toys. Playing with them yourself is always the best option though. They like the socialization. Then you can teach them tricks.

Answer 4

i used paper towel rolls.(the tube). they loved chewing them up. a bandanna tied up in a corner like a hammock. (they will chew it up, so i buy several cheap ones at a time).
the colorful chew blocks...you can find a metal clip on chew block hanger to put them on. mine swing from it. HA!
large ferret tunnels...i just put one or two on each level. a small ferret bed..like a little tent. strong plastic cat toys with bells inside them. you can find any of these at a pet store. or on line....

here are some sites with rat toys.

http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

http://www.supertrolley.com/ratstuff/articles/free_toys.html

http://www.ratwarehouse.com/shop_view.php?cat=6

Answer 5

Put a wheel in, definatly a big wheel, some tunnels, bedding, they love to burrow through bedding, and just look in your local petshop for any fun little toys or treats for them, it keeps them occupied.

Answer 6

Buy toys that are made for a hamster. They always seem to have fun stuff to play with!

Answer 7

Rat Sak is cheap

Answer 8

Try a maze, I hear rats love running a maze.

Answer 9

mine like those plastic igloos and wheels.
whatever you do, don't use cedar or pine bedding. it's bad for them. aspen is better.

Answer 10

hmmm...they are rats. They don't care. You already have a bigger cage for your rats than my house, so I don't feel sorry for them if they go without an XBox!!