Staving off the onslaught of boredom or monotony can be quite the endeavor, even for the most well-equipped pet enthusiasts. Investing in things to make your rat’s life more enthralling without potentially breaking the bank might initially seem easy. Still, after looking at all the possibilities, you’ll find the best enrichment toys that can easily fit within your budget and your fur baby’s enclosure.
When shopping around for these little trinkets, you’ll want to do extensive research to ensure you are getting a quality product that won’t be breaking down anytime soon. You should also double-check to ensure all toys and products are made of safe materials for your rat to nibble on, especially when cutting corners on price, which means spending more on trips to the veterinarian.
Do Rats Need Enrichment?
Rats are some of the most intelligent pets you can get. Whilst this makes for some somewhat whimsical experiences depending on what toys you get and how you interact with your rat, you’ll need to put a substantial amount of effort into making sure their constant curiosity isn’t left unchecked, as this can crop up into less than desirable behaviors, or even lead them to attempt dangerous activities.
Assuming for a moment that your rat didn’t get enough enrichment to alleviate its constant attention-seeking gaze, your furry friend might be apt to become incredibly stressed out with the repetition of its environment. This turbulence eventually blossoms into actions like biting, scratching, or potentially injuring other rats in the enclosure, desperately trying to vent frustrations.
What Are the Best Rat Enrichment Toys?
As noted above, the best enrichment toys are affordable, durable, entertaining, and have some value for long-term use. One of the most popular strategies for purchasing enrichment toys is to simply get several of them at a time and routinely swap them out amongst your growing pool, giving your rat variety and you time to inspect said toys carefully for damage.
Certain toys and brands are meant to endure extreme teething or rough play, but others can fragment into smaller pieces that may damage your rat’s intestinal tract or bruise and scratch its nose and face. To that end, you must be vigilant for your sake and your rat’s.
1. VESPRO Hamster Toys Set
The first entry is a toy set by VESPRO, specifically their 6-style package. In it, you’ll find a Chinese pine cone, which can be lovingly pushed, pulled, and nibbled on safely; a seaweed ball, which offers the same level of play but different textures for a more varied experience; and two different-flavored grass cakes, which bring unique scents and flavors to play.
Finally, there are sweet bamboo sticks and apple twig sticks. While these might not appear to be the most intricate toys, their utility comes from how they are mounted or partially hidden in your rat’s enclosure. This allows you to create foraging opportunities and add some unique styling options.
2. TRIXIE Small Animal Suspension Bridge
TRIXIE isn’t precisely a phenom in the small animal toy market, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t producing some fantastic items for the adventurous consumer. This wonderful little suspension bridge, with its jam-packed design, brings quite a few possibilities to the table.
The suspension bridge is excellent for improv naps or casually scoping out the surroundings. Still, the bridge itself has a little ladder attached to the upper rungs and a pair of monkey bars, or a ladder, depending on how you want to view it, running across the upper parts of the bridge itself. All four corners have a small chain that can be meddled with to create unique sounds or simply be entertaining to pull on for cause-and-effect stimulation.
3. Jevnd Rat Enrichment Toys
Anytime a product is entertaining and practical from a health standpoint, you know you are on to something good. Jevnd’s feeding puzzle game for rats miraculously manages to combine both of those worlds, simulating a foraging experience that helps bring your rat some more than welcome stimulation and can also help alleviate stress and boredom.
The toy is meant to be attached to the side of the enclosure, and the bottom-heavy base is filled with food and other delightful little snacks. The rat will put pressure on the top of the toy to rotate it, causing their “reward” to pop out at the bottom, thus combining problem-solving and entertainment in one!
4. Mwaowm Foraging Treat Dispenser for Small Animals
Foraging is essential to a rat’s existence because it gives them the sense that they are more in control of finding their nourishment and allows them to return to nature just a little. More importantly, the stimulation and satisfaction from seeing their food causes them to be active and solve puzzles simultaneously, aiding cognitive ability.
For these reasons, Mwaowm’s Foraging treat dispenser makes a great addition to most rat enclosures. The all-wood design with small compartments to figure allows you to cultivate a delightful buffet for your rat to find and tons of enjoyment for you and your rat at the end of the day.
5. Niteangel Treat Ball for Small Animals
The treat ball by Niteangel is precisely what its name claims to be: a small ball with decorative decals on it and a small opening that treats will occasionally be dispensed out of the more your rat opts to push it around and play with it.
Now, the toy itself is exciting and fun to play with. However, you will want to be mindful of where you place it as if your rat is allowed some out-of-enclosure time with this toy, and you might be stuck finding seeds all over your floors for ages to come.
6. Jevnd Wooden Rat Climbing Toys
When it comes to affordability and durability, Jevnd certainly knows how to make some truly sensational toys. For example, they have a simplistic yet fascinating wooden toy ladder that can be easily attached to your rat’s enclosure for hours of entertainment.
While it may initially seem rather bland, the true value of the toy comes into play when you consider all the distinct ways it can be mounted or what other enrichment toys can be placed around it. This allows it to be a foundation for a potential obstacle course or a connection between different areas of play. The possibilities are truly endless, and the product itself is incredibly affordable. You honestly can’t go wrong.
7. Oooct 2 Pack Hanging Rat Rope Net
Bringing things full circle and in swinging fashion, we have the two-pack hanging rat rope pack by Oooct. Most people can appreciate a good hammock when they find time to relax throughout their busy lives, but your rat will have the luxury of lounging about in one at all times if you treat them to these great enclosure pieces.
The rope nets’ materials are durable and safe, ensuring that your pets won’t be able to easily gnaw through the rungs themselves to compromise them in a few days of owning them. They won’t be injured if they manage to digest some, making it a great option no matter how you look.
Can You Make Your Own Rat Enrichment Toys?
Hypothetically, yes, you can make your rat enrichment toys and potentially save a lot of money for the endeavor. Still, all things in life come at a particular cost, and this time, that rare commodity is that of time and, to a lesser extent, safety for yourself and your pet.
If you decide to make some DIY enrichment toys for your rat, you’ll need to research the materials you intend to use and the best way to make something entertaining out of them. You don’t need to be an expert craftsman to make something neat. You’ll definitely want something that can take a beating or won’t fall apart, putting your furry friend at risk.
If you do decide to go this route, you will likely want to check out a few ideas or how-to videos before taking the plunge, ideally with someone who is relatively experienced in this area. You can also go to a local pet store and ask for some advice on what materials and designs they would recommend for beginners.
What Toys Do Rats Like Best?
Because rats are such inquisitive little creatures, anything satisfying their desire to explore, learn, and unravel mysteries will greatly add to their enclosure. To that end, you’ll likely want toys like puzzles or ones that allow them to repeatedly discover new things about themselves the more time they invest in them.
Foraging boxes and chew toys are also great runner-ups because rats (like most things) enjoy eating their fill, and if there are delectable treats hidden within their day-to-day meals typically don’t, then all the more satisfaction can be had.
How Long Should You Play With Your Rat per Day?
The general consensus is roughly an hour to about an hour and a half each day of playtime. While this doesn’t necessarily mean you have to play with your furry friend personally throughout the entirety of these sessions, the more time you invest in your furry friend, the tighter the bond between you becomes, allowing more cuddling or memorable experiences to be had.
Another perk of spending time with your rat is slightly longer lifespans; companionship makes people happy, and despite being a fraction of your size, they still appreciate the love and company that you can share. These moments of bliss remove stress and keep them healthier for longer, extending their lives by association.
When Is the Best Time to Play With Your Rat?
Ideally, when your rat has had some time to acclimate itself to being awake and has been able to eat, it would be prime playtime anytime after those two metrics have been fulfilled. Unfortunately, this usually conflicts with most people’s lives, but it is ideal for the rat.
It’s worth noting that your rat can also get used to waking up when you are home and in the mood to play with it. However, interrupting sleep patterns, eating schedules, and your pet’s internal clock will usually harm its health. Be mindful when making room in either of your lives to embrace one another.
