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There's always been a big to-do about rat toys, I haven't found a store yet where I could walk in and find all my rat needs, especially toys, in one place.
Rats Are very smart indeed, so they need constant stimulus.
You can buy an assortment of bird toys, ferret toys, cat toys and dog toys.
These toys include but are not limited to:
Dangling Bird toys that are not made of pine or cedar wood, These toys should also not be made of cuttle bone or calcium chews, as these can be binding to rats body.
Cat toys that have chase able parts, like kitten play mats are almost always enjoyed. Some rats will also roll and play with jingling, or crinkle balls are also a big hit.
A lot of rubber dog chew toys are fun for ratties, as well as edible Nylibone chews made for dogs.
Most Ferret made toys are very much loved by rats, I've never gone wrong with one yet.
There are also an assortment of home made toys that rats are keen to enjoy.
* Pop sticks- If you go to the craft store, or save your own, you can soak your Popsicle sticks in Juice over night and then let them dry. They shred up easy but it's a lot of fun.
*recycle Blocks- If you take those old chewing blocks you spent money on but no one will touch and you put a dab of peanut butter in between them (or your pop sticks) and then freeze them you'll have a block that everyone will fight over Very Happy
*The Sock- You know those mismatch socks you cannot find the brother of? Fill the toe of one with healthy hard treats, tie it off and tie it to the side of the cage, Your Ratties will spend much time trying to desperately open and remove it's yummy insides.
*Nuts- Hard nuts still in the shell are a good work out for some under used teeth.
*Pinatas!- Rip up some paper in long strips. Find a used up paper towel or toilet paper tube. Get some small yummy, dry healthy treats together
Take a large bowl and add about a cup of flour, start adding Juice until the mixture is about as thick as pancake batter.
Dip the paper into the mix, squish off any excess back into the bowl, And place over one end of the tube, keep doing this until the whole side of the tube is covered, let dry.
Put the dry, covered side of the tube down, add treats (the amount is really up to you but I wouldn't fill it more then half way.) Cover this side of the tube with the dipped paper, Let dry. Tie a string around it and hang inside the cage. Add rats.
*Pasta ropes- I use old blanket shreds and lace uncooked pasta on it like a necklace and hand it in the cage
*Egg hunt- using plastic Easter eggs one can create a fun and reusable toy. Fill one half of the egg with dry treats and give to your rats. They'll attempt to chew it and open it for it's tasty insides
*Rat bag- Brown paper bags for lunch can get a sprinkling of treats added and given to rats. Who will shred until hearts content.
*Cork them up- Old wine corks are pre-flavored and are a tone of fun to shred.
A few places to find other great toy ideas include :
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm
http://www.suzsugargliders.com/nosewaccessories.htm
Originally Written by: kenRakuu--Thanks
Other Good additions (original writer's names in parenthesis)
My new little rat loves water, so for rats that love water I guess try:
KIDS BATH TOYS! (jemmas)
My boys love old blankets. They spend hours running in and out and then settle down for a snuggle. And ladders... anything they can climb is a plus.(elizabethrae.)
Some of you have probably already heard of this website, but I'll post it anyway
http://www.dapper.com.au/
If you click on "The Ratty Fun Pages" there is a range of home made toy ideas, and how to make them. So yeah, check them out (ShadowPhoenix)
ICE CUBES especially if you break them into funny shapes or put them into molded trays. (kinsey)
Here's something I did. I took one of those plastic cat toys covered in holes with a little bell inside and tied a long strip of fleece to it. I then took cheerios that I broke into one-quarter size pieces and stuffed it 1/3 full or so, then hung it from one of their ladders. They have a lot of fun pushing it around and trying to grab onto it long enough to get a piece out. (Crasher)
mine like playing with empty toilet roll tubes with ttoilet paper stuffed in little balls inside...they love nibbling them and shreading the paper. (Maddy)
a lot of baby/toddler toys are really good for them too. Like I have a bunch of brightly colored links, and a teething toy hanging up in our cage, and not only does it make the cage look more festive, but they love to push the teething toy around on the links. (Lynxie)
Cardboard boxes are the greatest thing ever if you ask my guys...I made them a multileveled condo and they love it...only problem is they poop all over the place inside of the rooms and it's really hard to clean it up. (Drasar)
Digging boxes-All you need is a large container, some sterile soil, and some seeds! You first germinate the seeds (fun ones are parsley, oat, wheatgrass, etc, anything not on the forbidden food list really) according to the package, then you replant them in your digging box and let it grow a little longer. Make sure your digging box is high enough to prevent dirt from being kicked out. Your rats should have a blast pulling up and eating the sprouts, as well as digging, as they are burrowing animals. (smesyna)
There's always been a big to-do about rat toys, I haven't found a store yet where I could walk in and find all my rat needs, especially toys, in one place.
Rats Are very smart indeed, so they need constant stimulus.
You can buy an assortment of bird toys, ferret toys, cat toys and dog toys.
These toys include but are not limited to:
Dangling Bird toys that are not made of pine or cedar wood, These toys should also not be made of cuttle bone or calcium chews, as these can be binding to rats body.
Cat toys that have chase able parts, like kitten play mats are almost always enjoyed. Some rats will also roll and play with jingling, or crinkle balls are also a big hit.
A lot of rubber dog chew toys are fun for ratties, as well as edible Nylibone chews made for dogs.
Most Ferret made toys are very much loved by rats, I've never gone wrong with one yet.
There are also an assortment of home made toys that rats are keen to enjoy.
* Pop sticks- If you go to the craft store, or save your own, you can soak your Popsicle sticks in Juice over night and then let them dry. They shred up easy but it's a lot of fun.
*recycle Blocks- If you take those old chewing blocks you spent money on but no one will touch and you put a dab of peanut butter in between them (or your pop sticks) and then freeze them you'll have a block that everyone will fight over Very Happy
*The Sock- You know those mismatch socks you cannot find the brother of? Fill the toe of one with healthy hard treats, tie it off and tie it to the side of the cage, Your Ratties will spend much time trying to desperately open and remove it's yummy insides.
*Nuts- Hard nuts still in the shell are a good work out for some under used teeth.
*Pinatas!- Rip up some paper in long strips. Find a used up paper towel or toilet paper tube. Get some small yummy, dry healthy treats together
Take a large bowl and add about a cup of flour, start adding Juice until the mixture is about as thick as pancake batter.
Dip the paper into the mix, squish off any excess back into the bowl, And place over one end of the tube, keep doing this until the whole side of the tube is covered, let dry.
Put the dry, covered side of the tube down, add treats (the amount is really up to you but I wouldn't fill it more then half way.) Cover this side of the tube with the dipped paper, Let dry. Tie a string around it and hang inside the cage. Add rats.
*Pasta ropes- I use old blanket shreds and lace uncooked pasta on it like a necklace and hand it in the cage
*Egg hunt- using plastic Easter eggs one can create a fun and reusable toy. Fill one half of the egg with dry treats and give to your rats. They'll attempt to chew it and open it for it's tasty insides
*Rat bag- Brown paper bags for lunch can get a sprinkling of treats added and given to rats. Who will shred until hearts content.
*Cork them up- Old wine corks are pre-flavored and are a tone of fun to shred.
A few places to find other great toy ideas include :
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm
http://www.suzsugargliders.com/nosewaccessories.htm
Originally Written by: kenRakuu--Thanks
Other Good additions (original writer's names in parenthesis)
My new little rat loves water, so for rats that love water I guess try:
KIDS BATH TOYS! (jemmas)
My boys love old blankets. They spend hours running in and out and then settle down for a snuggle. And ladders... anything they can climb is a plus.(elizabethrae.)
Some of you have probably already heard of this website, but I'll post it anyway
http://www.dapper.com.au/
If you click on "The Ratty Fun Pages" there is a range of home made toy ideas, and how to make them. So yeah, check them out
(ShadowPhoenix)ICE CUBES
especially if you break them into funny shapes or put them into molded trays. (kinsey)Here's something I did. I took one of those plastic cat toys covered in holes with a little bell inside and tied a long strip of fleece to it. I then took cheerios that I broke into one-quarter size pieces and stuffed it 1/3 full or so, then hung it from one of their ladders. They have a lot of fun pushing it around and trying to grab onto it long enough to get a piece out. (Crasher)
mine like playing with empty toilet roll tubes with ttoilet paper stuffed in little balls inside...they love nibbling them and shreading the paper. (Maddy)
a lot of baby/toddler toys are really good for them too. Like I have a bunch of brightly colored links, and a teething toy hanging up in our cage, and not only does it make the cage look more festive, but they love to push the teething toy around on the links. (Lynxie)
Cardboard boxes are the greatest thing ever if you ask my guys...I made them a multileveled condo and they love it...only problem is they poop all over the place inside of the rooms and it's really hard to clean it up. (Drasar)
Digging boxes-All you need is a large container, some sterile soil, and some seeds! You first germinate the seeds (fun ones are parsley, oat, wheatgrass, etc, anything not on the forbidden food list really) according to the package, then you replant them in your digging box and let it grow a little longer. Make sure your digging box is high enough to prevent dirt from being kicked out. Your rats should have a blast pulling up and eating the sprouts, as well as digging, as they are burrowing animals. (smesyna)
