Think Simple...

Some rat owners do not realize how easy and cheap it is to provide their pet rats with a comfortable and fun environment to live in. Before breeding rats, I was absolutely clueless! I had no idea how many neat ideas were out there. I thought I would share some of my ideas below to help first time rat owners. :-)

First off, you need to think simple. Look around you. What are some things that are no longer in use that your rats would enjoy? If you are not able to come up with anything, then take a quick look at some of my ideas. They may be helpful. :-)


Rat Houses/Caves

Coffee can- Okay, so you are out of coffee. Time to pitch that old container. Hold it right there! Why not clean it out and put it in your rattie cage? They would love to snuggle up in there. And the best part is this: that old container will last for a long time! You can just clean it out on a regular basis.

Milk jug- This, too, makes a great rat house! Just take an empty milk jug and cut a large opening at one end. My rats love it. :-) 

Tissue box- Don't you dare throw out that empty box! ;-) Rats not only love to snuggle in these, but they also enjoy shredding them. I save all sorts of cardboard boxes for my ratties.

These are just a few ideas! The bottom line is this: just be creative!

 Toys and hammocks

Toilet paper tubes- Yes, there is even a use for toilet paper tubes! I put them in my rat cages and they love to roll them around and shred them. You can even cut up one of the tubes into little rings. Then, one by one, put the rings over each other until a small ball is formed. Put treats inside the ball and give it to your rats. It won't take them long to figure out how to get to those treaties!

Foil balls- I simply take a piece of foil and shape it into a small ball. Rats like to bat them around. I have actually seen my rats use their mouths to throw them through the air!

Socks- You can give your old, worn out socks to your ratties. They like to drag them into their caves to curl up on. :-) I even put old shirts in certain cages.

Thread spool- You may not have these handy, but I always do! ;-) My mom does a lot of sewing. I just put one or two in my rat cages. Once again, they really enjoy playing with these!

Homemade Hammock- Why waste your money on a hammock? They can be so expensive! Instead, save your old shirts and towels. They make the very best hammocks! You can make them deep or shallow. It just depends on what your rat likes best. My rats like deeper ones so they can really snuggle in them.

Again, you just have to be creative! These are just a few of my ideas. I have lots more. Trust me, the possibilities are endless! Well, I hope this post was at least a little helpful. :-)


*A quick side note*  The little baby rats have opened their eyes now! They have grown so much in the past week. They are absolutely adorable at this age! I will be posting lots of pictures soon. :-)