I've been a proud rat owner for almost 9 years. I've had boys and girls, and every variety of rat that you can imagine (except naked - but that won't be long anymore ;) ). So I would say I'm pretty experienced in the rat-field. So I thought I would give you all a little list of a few rat tips and tricks I've learned over the years; I hope they're helpful, let me know in the comments!
N°1: Toys & Hammocks
Rats love to climb, jump, lunge, hang, run, play and go crazy. This means they need space. Recently I bought a critter-nation-like cage. But all to soon I learned that your cage can be as big as your room, but if you don't use the space in it wisely, the rats get nothing out of the big space that you've invested in for them. So the solution to this big, empty space in the middle of your cage are hammocks. Rats can jump, sleep, play, and pee in these, and they love it. I got my hammock of Wish for literally 1€, and they haven't even chewed a hole in it. LOVE. Bird toys are also great for rats, I go to the bird section in my pet shop as often as I go to the rodent section. Bird toys and ladders are just awesome.
N°2: Rat Proof your Room
Rats are, and will always be, rodents. This means chewing, chewing, and even more chewing. But don't lose hope! I am here to give you some tips,to prevent the worst.
Put all your cables away! I truly feel like this is a must. I think they like the texture of electric cables, because i feel like it is the ting they chew most. I either hide mine behind the furniture, or put them in one of those plastic, holey balls. You know which ones I mean. For the fabric chewing, I am not as advanced on tips yet, so please leave me some in the comments. I make my bed, so that I can easily see where they are pulling and destroying my sheets. As for my clothes, I have hung them all; no way they can access those. Also, when I take my ratties out of their cage, I (almost) never have any music on, so that I can easily hear where they are and what they are destroying.
Put all your cables away! I truly feel like this is a must. I think they like the texture of electric cables, because i feel like it is the ting they chew most. I either hide mine behind the furniture, or put them in one of those plastic, holey balls. You know which ones I mean. For the fabric chewing, I am not as advanced on tips yet, so please leave me some in the comments. I make my bed, so that I can easily see where they are pulling and destroying my sheets. As for my clothes, I have hung them all; no way they can access those. Also, when I take my ratties out of their cage, I (almost) never have any music on, so that I can easily hear where they are and what they are destroying.
N°3: Mixing Food
I used to give all my rats these food 'blocks', which they sell in the pet shop closest to my home. They are basically blocks filled with everything a rat might need, nutrition wise. But I stopped doing that; rats love variety. So now I give a couple of those blocks to make sure they get all the nutrition they need, but I mix them with something else. Whether it is uncooked pasta, sunflower seeds (which they a-dore), or a tiny bit of cat food, they love it.
Also, fresh, healthy food, like peas, carrots, apples, and so on, are great for your rats. If you don't already, you should really start giving your rats fresh food, even once a week is already an improvement. Learn what your rats can and can't eat here.
Also, one of those iron food-balls are absolutely amazing. They swing all over the place; a real missions for the rats!
Also, fresh, healthy food, like peas, carrots, apples, and so on, are great for your rats. If you don't already, you should really start giving your rats fresh food, even once a week is already an improvement. Learn what your rats can and can't eat here.
Also, one of those iron food-balls are absolutely amazing. They swing all over the place; a real missions for the rats!
N°4: Boxes & Scraps
bbDecorating your rat cage doesn't have to cost you a fortune; on the contrary. I mean, sure, it is nice to spend all your money on your babies, but we all know we can't really afford it. And yes, there are cheaper options like the hammocks from wish I mentioned earlier on, but what if I tell you can decorate your cage with mostly free things?? Ripped jeans (and not those fashionable ripped ones, I'm talking proper 'bend-crack-sh***t' jeans'.), empty cereal, wine and cookie boxes, crumbled up paper, etc. And rats love it. I have a pile of unwearable jeans, ripped pillowcases and boxes, so that I can regularly just throw everything in the bin and switch it out.
N°5: DIY Yogi Drops
I've followed this recipe a couple of times, but they do melt very quickly. But hey, it's cheap, easy, and the rats love them. (You obviously don't need to use an icing dispenser)
N°6: Know Your Sites
Evidently, this is not the only blog/site where rats are a common subject. So here are some of my most used and most helpful sites:
the dapper rat
Rat First Aid
Virginia's Rat Page (basically a lot of helpful information)
the dapper rat
Rat First Aid
Virginia's Rat Page (basically a lot of helpful information)
I hope you found this blogpost helpful, let me know what you think, or any of the questions you have, in the comments, and if I don't know the answer, maybe one of you can help! xxx