Best and safest toys and enrichment?

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Lunatchel

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
53
Location
Oreagon
What are some nice toys that rats just love and where can I get them? I currently feel that I don't have enough fun stuff in the cage and everything that I am finding at pet stores and on Amazon are hammocks and dye filled chews or plastic toys. They already have a hammock and I don't want my rats eating a lot of dye or plastic so I'm a bit stuck.


I am also trying to get a new wheel, I had a saucer but oswin would only run on it when I held a treat in front of her, never on her own. Would she be likely to run on a normal wheel or would she treat it the same?

I'm currently looking at this one, anyone know if it is really safe and silent? Know of a better or equal one for less money?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00852WQ9 ... E0KPPFHQZS
 
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Most dyes used are generally safe, I would be more concerned about what type of wood those toys are made of (a LOT of woods are toxic, including pine).

I like to give my rats paper toys so they can chew/shred them. Though a lot of paper and cardboard has chemicals in it, too, so you might want to look at paper items we eat off of so they're generally safe. Mine love those paper cupcake holders. Paper straws are also cute, but less fun for my rats. Though they do love it when I hide treats in dixie cups (without the wax lining) and crumple the end, so they have to chew their way to the treats.

I do recommend getting some extra rat hammocks to hang while this one is in the wash. Also, hammocks are made in so many shapes that it's fun to give rats a variety!
 
From what I've seen with the wheels you listed, they are made from plastic and mesh. I'd think it wouldn't take long before they chewed through the mesh. I've mostly seen them used with sugar gliders.

I use Comfort Wheels (giant 12") which you can get from any pet store. They are very common. I personally do not like Silent Spinners. They can, and have, ripped off toenails of other animals with thicker toenails (hedgehogs) so I'm sure they could do the same with rats. They are made from two pieces of plastic, the white and the colour, and the crack between those can catch toenails. So that's my two cents on that. Honestly, no wheels are actually silent unless you order a bucket wheel online from someone who makes them. But they can be pricey.

For toys, the bird section of Petsmart is a hit. Things like, wooden ladders (they climb them and chew them), ropes that attach to the cage for them to climb on and bird toys. Bird toys have a lot of interesting things. I'll show you some pictures of what mine have in some their cages right now.

In this cage they have two bird ladders (wooden ladders), a hanging white basket they sleep in, a hanging pumpkin that I put shredded newspaper in and hide treats, a bird toy hanging from the top of the cage (they love this because it's wood blocks covered in paper so they rip the paper off to get the the wood), another bird toy hanging in the middle (it's the orange one, they love this because it's plastic and wood toys attached to the toy, so they have to chew them off), then some other stuff.
0n0u.jpg


Another bird toy. This one has wood blocks they chew and plastic rings they try to chew off. They pull on the rope as well trying to take it places.
yo68.jpg


Two more toys. The one on the left is from the small animal section, the one on the right is a bird toy. The one on the left is just things for them to chew on, they love the pinecone. The one on the right is the same as the one mentioned above with the paper covering the wood blocks. If you look at the picture I also hang plastic rings (baby teething rings) around the cage for them to chew on.
pnml.jpg


I also put other things. They've got a cube hammock, from the small pet (ferret) section. A pylon from the dollar store and a tent from the dollar store. They also have a tree trunk hide in the back, from the small pet section.
hn3k.jpg


Tree branch wood perches also make good chews. This came from the bird section. And as you can see they love chewing on it. There is also a cereal box they hide in, a PVC pipe (from home depot) that is a tunnel and hanging basket they sleep in. I use shower curtain hooks from the dollar store to hang everything. And Dale, saying hello.
syt0.jpg


Boxes are tons of fun. Mine love when the box has 4 walls and a roof, with holes cut out for windows and doors, and of course they make their own doors too or decide a window should be a door!
enrl.jpg


And here are the ropes that I get from the bird section.
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Mine love digging boxes. For some I use the pumpkin basket in the pictures, and others get a shoebox with a hole cut in the lid. I use paper, cupcake/muffin cups, paper bags, or aspen shavings.
 
I have got the silent spinner from here and I have 3
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=12646
I also like these litter boxes better than the ones you have to push through the bars - I always break those
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=17020
My boys love to chew on these
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... atid=23918

I have that wooden ladder mentioned above, but they chewed through a rung which kind of made it useless as a ladder - darn boys!!
I get almost all my stuff from drsfosterandsmith.com even their food and litter is cheaper and with $49 order, shipping is free. If you place automatic delivery of any items they have on list for auto delivery (food, litter, some treats, toys, etc) every 10th order is free. They have great bird wooden toys too and you can get some great deal on sleeper/hideouts when they are on sale (small animal/ferret).


1095732 Those cages are awesome, but what do they do with the pylon? ♥ it Never thought about putting the ladders in just for chewing. You gave some good ideas.
 
dspch911 said:
1095732 Those cages are awesome, but what do they do with the pylon? ♥ it Never thought about putting the ladders in just for chewing. You gave some good ideas.

A couple sleep in them, or just go in on occasion. But usually I hide treats in the bottom. Because of the shape it's a bit harder for them to get them and I think they really enjoy it. They could chew them, since they are plastic, but so far I don't think anyone has. They are awesome for treats though.
 
Sounds like I am going to need to get more hammocks and some ladders, along with some hanging bird toys. I gave my ratties some of those muffin cups and they loved them!

As for a wheel I really really need a silent or at least very quiet one, the rats live in my bedroom and both me and my boyfriend have demanding schedules that require uninterrupted sleep in the time we actually have for sleep, we are both balancing working and going to school (not to mention saving time to give the rats lots of loves).

How about this one? Is it toe safe?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006US ... B9XCEIW1WT

Or is this one better? now i'm all worried about the mesh catching toes but the reviews are very good :/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00852WQ9 ... E0KPPFHQZS

[EDIT]
I just read a review and they mentioned these handmade wheels, any one have them or seen ones like them before? They look nice ^^ also what is the best diameter for female ratties?
http://www.carolinastormhedgehogs.com/s ... wheel.html
 
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I have Carolina Storm Wheels for my hedgehogs. They are completely silent. All you hear is the feet hitting the wheel, a light pattering sound. The downsides to the wheel are that you need to make sure you don't get the bearings wet (rollerblade wheel on the back) or it will rust and if you have heavy chewers, the wheels aren't that strong. For rats you'd want the Carolina Storm Wheel, not the Carolina Storm Bucket Wheel version. It's the biggest one. It's the one I'd recommend. I'd have more but the shipping to Canada is just too expensive, and I had some personal issues with the seller (the wheels are great though, and shipping is very fast in the US).
 
Sounds good to me! Im in the US so shipping should be ok :) The Carolina Storm Wheel is currently out of stock so I sent in an inquiry on when they will have more. Just ordered a tunnel hammock and a ladder for my ratties :)
 
I always make sure my boys have foam things to chew up. They love them. Either flat shapes or foam blocks. Newspaper the most recent big hit at my house. Keeps my boys busy making nests. Also hanging treats just out of reach is a great challenge.
 
I use bird ladders and bird toys. Peach's favourite toy is a coconut bird toy she uses to stash her food in!

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