# Chew toy recommendations?



## anzukurumi (Jul 3, 2017)

Hi!

I want to get some chew toys/ treats for my rats, what would you guys recommend?

I live outside the US, so I'm not really looking for specific brands, but more like what ingredients/materials to look for/avoid in a product.

Thanks!


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

Rats enjoy chewing pretty much everything you don't want them to. 

They seem to have particular fondness for soft plastics, papers, and fabrics. Wood doesn't seem to be nearly as appealing as we wish it was. I buy big bags of 3-inch trachea for my dog and have tied one up in each of my cages. Great source of glucosamine and it's soft yet crunchy enough that they spend most of their time gnawing on that. A combo treat+chew I like to give to my rats is an empty egg carton filled with veggies, berries, and rice cereal. Takes them awhile to pull goodies out of the little holes and they end up having a blast chewing it up. I also have a toilet paper roll hung up in the cage to give them something to shred. They spend more time shredding than gnawing, so they prefer things they can tear up. So when you're looking for chew toys, try to find things like wicker baskets, cardboard, frilly fabrics or even crinkly cat toys or soft plastic dog toys. Most of those things can be picked up in a dollar store, if you have something like that where you live. If you go to the pet store, you're less likely to find things that will appeal to rats in the small animals section, which is mostly filled with wooden block chews that aren't nearly as satisfying to chew up as say, their hammock. Just be sure there's no catnip and try to avoid painted toys because some paint may not be safe for the rats to chew.


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## devioustearex (Sep 21, 2017)

anzukurumi said:


> Hi!
> 
> I want to get some chew toys/ treats for my rats, what would you guys recommend?
> 
> ...



I want to know this as well! I plan on making a trip to the dollar store but I want to have a few ideas on how to keep them entertained. I want to eventually take out the wire shelves in my cage but I don't have enough climbing media to do that. 

I grabbed a bin to see how hanging up would go and it worked great! I guess the problem with the dollar store is that I don't seem to find much they can use to chew on there. I'm thinking a craft store or Hobby Lobby might have more things that are cheap and not painted.


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## Tiwohunter (Nov 16, 2015)

I totally agree with the wood comment! All the rats I?ve ever had have had little to no interest in wood. They?ll take it and then immediately drop it. Yay, it?s wood. Woman do I look like a termite to you? Lol

Anyways, my rats LOVE lava rocks. It?s their favorite chew, not the stepper/ledge things but actual lava stones. Coconut husk pieces and balls made of banana leaves wrapped in twine are also big time favorites. Seagrass and wicker balls stuffed with crinkle paper or treats are always fun - as are those bamboo finger traps - simply stuff something in there. My males, the lazy bums they are, really enjoy getting stuff out of them. It?s more of a that does not go there than anything because they don?t tear it up, they just want it out. 

And I saved the best for last - dog treats and chews. Not just any *I don?t want to harp but again, not just any, be label fluent and aware* but some are rat safe and they come in mini mutt sizes (or the bakery style chews can be broken easily) that are close to perfect for our little fuzzbutts


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## Tiwohunter (Nov 16, 2015)

I had a thought- I?m combining my mischiefs and found the CUTEST wooden puzzles made with untreated wood. They look like houses and can be a hideout as well as a possible chew. I doubt they will do more than the ?gotta nibble this a few times? thing but mine have a habit of eating any house so ~ plus they were cheap. That?s it!


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## anzukurumi (Jul 3, 2017)

Thanks for the tips!

That's weird, my rats seem to like chewing wood, they destroyed my diy wooden ladders and kabobs, and they go crazy for aspen chopsticks  I don't have any wooden things in their cages anymore though, because of the pee smell :/

I also make cardboard treat toys and treat garlands for them sometimes, they have a lot of fun with those!

devioustearex: I have bins and hammocks instead of wire shelves. I also have some plastic soap shelves attached to the bars of the cage, sort of like perches/steps. 

Tiwohunter, thanks for the ideas! I got some chewy dog treats last week and they were a hit


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## anzukurumi (Jul 3, 2017)

How about rubber toys? Are they safe?
I saw a diy on a rat blog a while ago, it was a holee roller type dog toy filled with treats, but it doesn't really seem safe.


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## Shadow <3 (Jan 25, 2017)

anzukurumi said:


> How about rubber toys? Are they safe?
> I saw a diy on a rat blog a while ago, it was a holee roller type dog toy filled with treats, but it doesn't really seem safe.


I give my girls mini Kong balls to chew up, and these are made of rubber. The rats just rip them apart and then leave them be. Since rats have that esophageal skin flap that prevents them from swallowing what their gnawing on, chewing plastic or rubber toys should be just fine.

I've seen people use mini kings stuffed with treats before for their rats as well, so I assume those are also alright.


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## anzukurumi (Jul 3, 2017)

Shadow, thanks!

I guess it should be ok then


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