Toys for rats (pics added)

Shiloveshorses · 06-29-2009, 10:31 PM

I need some ideas for toys for these rats. They spend a lot of time alone as they have to stay put up when Mico is out as they are terrified of him. They literally freak out whenever he comes near the cage. I tried to give it time but he wouldn't leave them alone and they were too scared. So we split the time between having them put up and having him out. So I decided to get them some toys. Right now they have several things to chew on, they have the cage to climb, and they have a parakeet chewy with a bell on the end. They have a toilet paper roll. They also have a wheel in there which they spend more time sleeping behind it than actually using it. I have considered taking it out to make more room and possibly put a hammock in there. What else would be good?

**taelesean** · 06-29-2009, 10:36 PM

an old tube sock, or the sleeve from an old shirt are fun things for a rat to explore.

Melissa_PQHorse · 06-29-2009, 10:46 PM

Ferret toys are always hits. And rats LOVE comfort, the slings you see for ferrets? Rats adore them, climbing ladders in the middle were popular with my crew but they do need changed as they will get nibbled.

midnyte · 06-29-2009, 11:04 PM

I know this isn't a toy suggestion, but a treat suggestion. Of course, you'd have to be there to supervise the snacking: my rats LOVED junebugs! They ate them like candy! It was totally by accident my sister and I discovered this fact when we had the rat cage out on the porch in the evening, and junebugs flew into their cage. The rats went wild! They each grabbed junebug after junebug and chowed down! We didn't let them eat too many at one time since the exoskeletons of the junebugs might not be too good for them in large amounts (just guessing, no scientific proof of that).
But there you are: rats love to eat junebugs!

mandelyn82 · 06-30-2009, 11:03 AM

Anything they can climb on, in, or around they like. I would always dump the nesting materials from the box/hideout and scatter new all over so that she had to collect it, that was two days of entertainment for her right there!

There was this cage/ball thing for ferrets, it hung from the cage ceiling, and I would put big apple slices in it or something tastey that was too big to fall through, and she really had to work to get to it, hanging upside down from the top or (when she showed how smart she was) pushing her nest box under it so she could stand on it.

You could also get a small sectin of Rabbit/Guinea pig plastic tunnel (the hamster size is a bit small) and put an old tube sock on one end.

Bits of untreated wood to chew on for teeth care. Those rabbit treats that are stuck together with honey or something... mixed seeds and such shaped into a 4 inch log type thing.

Get creative and use all natural/healthy materials. Like don't glue anything, or use tape, but you could use a twist tie to hang a tunnel at an angle going up to the ferret hammock.

It's why I lined a big rabbit cage with the small square garden fencing, to fit all kinds of stuff in there to make a "rabitat" (habitat for rats!)

Shiloveshorses · 06-30-2009, 12:15 PM

It's why I lined a big rabbit cage with the small square garden fencing, to fit all kinds of stuff in there to make a "rabitat" (habitat for rats!)[/quote]

What kind of garden fencing, was it the plastic or the wire? Where did you get that. They are in a three level cage right now, made for rats but the bottom is pretty small I think to put all kinds of stuff, so I am going to have to move upwards maybe with the tunnels you mentioned and a hammock, also I can hang things from the top. I just want it to be fun in there and things they can do to entertain themselves with.

mandelyn82 · 06-30-2009, 02:24 PM

It's the metal kind, small squares. BUT, you have to cut it with wire cutters and fold/flatten the ends so that they're not sharp, and it's very time consuming. I set up shop on the coffee table and watched 3 movies while I worked. You'd also need wire to twist and secure the pieces to the cage frame.

But you can find a large rabbit cage on craigslist perhaps (I paid $10 for mine and about $15 for the fencing) and she got a large 4ft x 2ft x 1 ft tall cage out of it with a ton of floor space.

Shiloveshorses · 06-30-2009, 05:06 PM

I didn't get much today as I was so late getting out but I did get some clothe for a homemade hammock and Dray loves it. He is curled up in there asleep now. He likes it more than Tat does. Or just Dray won't let Tat in. Tat was wanting to chew on it more than sleep in it. I will get some more clothe while I am out tomorrow to rig up another one. I just love that they love it so much.
Here is a picture of their setup right now and a picture of Dray in the hammock.

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06-29-2009, 10:31 PM
Shiloveshorses Started Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,369	Toys for rats (pics added) I need some ideas for toys for these rats. They spend a lot of time alone as they have to stay put up when Mico is out as they are terrified of him. They literally freak out whenever he comes near the cage. I tried to give it time but he wouldn't leave them alone and they were too scared. So we split the time between having them put up and having him out. So I decided to get them some toys. Right now they have several things to chew on, they have the cage to climb, and they have a parakeet chewy with a bell on the end. They have a toilet paper roll. They also have a wheel in there which they spend more time sleeping behind it than actually using it. I have considered taking it out to make more room and possibly put a hammock in there. What else would be good? __________________ Don't give up on today's dreams as they could be tomorrow's reality......... http://theadventuresofkarendeniseandshianne.blogspot.com/ Last edited by Shiloveshorses : 06-30-2009 at 05:06 PM.

06-29-2009, 10:36 PM
taelesean Administrator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 6,339	an old tube sock, or the sleeve from an old shirt are fun things for a rat to explore. __________________

06-29-2009, 10:46 PM
Melissa_PQHorse Long Yearling Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,198	Ferret toys are always hits. And rats LOVE comfort, the slings you see for ferrets? Rats adore them, climbing ladders in the middle were popular with my crew but they do need changed as they will get nibbled. __________________ http://melmissa.deviantart.com/

06-29-2009, 11:04 PM
midnyte Halter broke Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 199	I know this isn't a toy suggestion, but a treat suggestion. Of course, you'd have to be there to supervise the snacking: my rats LOVED junebugs! They ate them like candy! It was totally by accident my sister and I discovered this fact when we had the rat cage out on the porch in the evening, and junebugs flew into their cage. The rats went wild! They each grabbed junebug after junebug and chowed down! We didn't let them eat too many at one time since the exoskeletons of the junebugs might not be too good for them in large amounts (just guessing, no scientific proof of that). But there you are: rats love to eat junebugs!

06-30-2009, 11:03 AM
mandelyn82 Started Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 2,337	Anything they can climb on, in, or around they like. I would always dump the nesting materials from the box/hideout and scatter new all over so that she had to collect it, that was two days of entertainment for her right there! There was this cage/ball thing for ferrets, it hung from the cage ceiling, and I would put big apple slices in it or something tastey that was too big to fall through, and she really had to work to get to it, hanging upside down from the top or (when she showed how smart she was) pushing her nest box under it so she could stand on it. You could also get a small sectin of Rabbit/Guinea pig plastic tunnel (the hamster size is a bit small) and put an old tube sock on one end. Bits of untreated wood to chew on for teeth care. Those rabbit treats that are stuck together with honey or something... mixed seeds and such shaped into a 4 inch log type thing. Get creative and use all natural/healthy materials. Like don't glue anything, or use tape, but you could use a twist tie to hang a tunnel at an angle going up to the ferret hammock. It's why I lined a big rabbit cage with the small square garden fencing, to fit all kinds of stuff in there to make a "rabitat" (habitat for rats!) __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

06-30-2009, 12:15 PM
Shiloveshorses Started Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,369	It's why I lined a big rabbit cage with the small square garden fencing, to fit all kinds of stuff in there to make a "rabitat" (habitat for rats!)[/quote] What kind of garden fencing, was it the plastic or the wire? Where did you get that. They are in a three level cage right now, made for rats but the bottom is pretty small I think to put all kinds of stuff, so I am going to have to move upwards maybe with the tunnels you mentioned and a hammock, also I can hang things from the top. I just want it to be fun in there and things they can do to entertain themselves with. __________________ Don't give up on today's dreams as they could be tomorrow's reality......... http://theadventuresofkarendeniseandshianne.blogspot.com/

06-30-2009, 02:24 PM
mandelyn82 Started Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 2,337	It's the metal kind, small squares. BUT, you have to cut it with wire cutters and fold/flatten the ends so that they're not sharp, and it's very time consuming. I set up shop on the coffee table and watched 3 movies while I worked. You'd also need wire to twist and secure the pieces to the cage frame. But you can find a large rabbit cage on craigslist perhaps (I paid $10 for mine and about $15 for the fencing) and she got a large 4ft x 2ft x 1 ft tall cage out of it with a ton of floor space. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

06-30-2009, 05:06 PM
Shiloveshorses Started Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 2,369	I didn't get much today as I was so late getting out but I did get some clothe for a homemade hammock and Dray loves it. He is curled up in there asleep now. He likes it more than Tat does. Or just Dray won't let Tat in. Tat was wanting to chew on it more than sleep in it. I will get some more clothe while I am out tomorrow to rig up another one. I just love that they love it so much. Here is a picture of their setup right now and a picture of Dray in the hammock. __________________ Don't give up on today's dreams as they could be tomorrow's reality......... http://theadventuresofkarendeniseandshianne.blogspot.com/