Let’s be honest – rats have fairly simple tastes. They find just as much joy in a toilet paper roll as they do a brand new forage toy off Amazon, and they probably wont love you any less just because you didn’t spend your whole last paycheck decking out their cage.
Whether it’s an old cardboard box or a meticulously sewn hammock, your ratties will always appreciate your efforts and make the most of the toys you give them.
Here are some homemade, DIY toys that will keep your pet rats happily occupied and your wallet full.
Egg Carton Foraging/Chew Toy
An old egg carton makes a perfect foraging toy! You can leave it whole, or cut it into bits and scatter them around the cage. Try poking a hole in the top of the compartment and suspending it from the cage ceiling with a piece of twine for a hanging toy.
This encourages your ratties to forage for their food, engaging their natural instincts and giving them mental stimulation. It also keeps your bossier rats from hoarding all the food!
Cardboard Boxes
No discussion of homemade rat toys would be complete without mentioning the humble cardboard box.
From a simple hideaway to an elaborate multi-room mansion, the possibilities are endless. Your rats will slowly chew their own doors and windows into the cardboard, and eventually reduce it to smithereens.
And when the box gets too chewed up or smelly, you can dispose of it without guilt.
Hint: electronics boxes are the most fun, because they’re castle shaped.
Paper Towel/Toilet Rolls
Paper towel and toilet paper are two time-honored pet rat favorites. Recently I’ve seen people hanging the entire roll inside the cage for rats to pull from, which is just genius.
Rats just love shredding any kind of paper and using it in their hammocks and nesting boxes for extra warmth. These nesting materials do get peed on pretty quickly though, and need to be replaced every couple of days.
You can also turn the empty tubes into foraging toys by stuffing them with hay and little treats and pinching both ends like a Christmas cracker.
Hammocks from Repurposed Fabrics
You can make hammocks from all kinds of fabrics you already have around the house, like tea towels, old scarves, J cloths, or scraps. Just be cautious of any loose threads that could get wrapped around little ratty feet (it happens more easily than you’d think.)
Fleece is a particularly popular material for hammocks because it’s so soft and comfortable, and doesn’t fray the way other fabrics do. Like cardboard, it does also have to be replaced pretty often if your rats have a habit of peeing where they sleep.
If your ratties are anything like mine, they’ll probably want to chew out each of the corners one by one, so the hammock gets smaller and smaller. (One of the many entertainments of owning rats…)
If you feel like getting crafty rather than buying hammocks, try this tutorial.
Braided Ropes and Climbing Rigs
Old t-shirts and fabrics can also find a new life as climbing toys for your ratties! Try tearing them into strips and braiding them together. You can then tie both ends to the sides or ceiling of the cage.
Homemade ropes help your ratties practice their climbing, balance and agility skills, and keeps them fit and muscular throughout their lives. Just make sure they have something underneath to catch their fall – not every rat is super graceful!
For more cage design considerations, check out this article!
Hanging Shish Ka Bobs
Try stringing food or chewable wooden blocks onto a piece of twine. The more creative you get about where to hang them from, the more fun you’ll have watching each of your rats attempt to steal the best piece for themselves!
Sleeve of an Old Shirt or Sweater as a Hanging Tube
Repurposing the sleeve of an old shirt or sweater can create a hanging tube for your rats to explore. Suspend it from the top or sides of the cage, and watch as your rats climb through and investigate their new tunnel. This simple addition encourages physical activity and of course, adds another cozy rat-pile spot.
Office Supplies – Stacking Trays, Plastic Baskets
Office supplies can serve as handy additions to your rats’ play area. Stacking trays and plastic baskets can be attached to the cage bars and lined with fabric, creating extra levels and platforms for your rats to explore. These additions provide vertical space and diversify the environment, promoting physical activity and mental engagement.
Wood from Outside
Bring a touch of nature to your rats’ environment using bits of wood from outside. Rats enjoy the challenge of navigating branches within their cage, which helps maintain their muscle mass and agility even as they age. The uneven surface of the wood can also help wear down their nails, so they don’t scratch you every time they climb your arms!
You can also create perches and stepping stones by fixing smaller pieces of wood to the exterior of the cage. Try to find wood with irregular surfaces to discourage rats from using them as bathroom spots (rats LOVE to pee on any flat, smooth surface).
If you use wood from outdoors, make sure it’s a rat safe variety of wood and that you completely clean and disinfect it before sticking it in your rat’s cage. Anything from outside can come with pesticides, bugs and other nasties that can harm your ratties if you aren’t mindful of them.
Check Thrift Stores for Children’s Toys
Thrift stores can be treasure troves for finding affordable and stimulating toys for your pet rats. Look for children’s playhouses or other small-scale structures that can be repurposed as exciting additions to your rats’ environment. With a bit of creativity, you can transform these items into interactive and adventurous play areas.
Fastening Toys to the Cage
When attaching homemade toys to the cage, make sure you use sturdy fastening materials. Non-toxic options include zip ties, metal hooks, or clips. Always prioritize the safety of your rats and regularly inspect the toys and fastenings so that they’re secure to the side of the cage.
Include hammocks lower down in the cage as fall breakers just in case. Rats are pretty agile, but they can still get injured if they fall from higher up, especially if they hit things on the way down.
Keep in mind too that as your rats get older, you might need to make some accommodations to their cage design to keep them active, but also safe.
Conclusion
I hope this article helped you find ways to keep your ratties occupied, as well as starting your own in-house recycling program.
In your house, who is more entertained by DIY rat toys – you or them?
