# My small horde



## silverynitrate (Apr 30, 2007)

Here are my three female rats. 

They have a cage full of fun things to do. Theres a hammock to relax in, a wheel to run around on (although only one runs, the others just climb on it), two parrot toys to climb and chew on, two levels besides the ground, a wood box for sleeping in, some cardboard tubes, a kleenex box for destroying and the remains of an old wheel because before I got the new cage, they liked to climb on top of the supports. I want them to be able to run around and be rats.

I assume things that are okay for parrots to chew on are okay for rats?

Now for the pictures:
Here is Tweek, my beige rat. I'm not sure on the correct color but she is the most friendly by far. She crawls onto my hand and then onto my shoulder. When I got her she bit a little but doesn't do that any more. She loves to climb on top of things.








This is Baby. She's kind of afraid of me.  I am slowly winning her trust with food and she will now crawl with all 4 feet onto my arm.








I just recently went to the pet store to buy food. Then I saw this:








Pip is a really sweet gray dumbo. I kind of suspect shes a little slow but almost as cuddly as Tweek. 








I just love her markings. I was nervous about introducing them, but it went much better than I had expected. They just got along right away, as you can see here:









Bonus ratpile:








I need to repaint my windowsill, haha.

What are some other toys that rats like?


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## Sara_C (Mar 10, 2007)

Aaaw your girls are absolutel adorable! I love the random ratpile in the last pic


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## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

What cuties! And yep, Tweek's a beige. 

And I really like the name Tweek, too, that's so appropriate for a rat!!


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Hello silverynitrate, welcome to the forums! 

Your ratties are gorgeous!

Parrot toys are ok as long as they are not made of cedar or pine. You have to watch for toxic paints and whatnot, too, but I can't imagine that they would use toxic paints on anything designed for animals.

As for what other toys to use, there are several posts on this already, in the Rat Homes forum. I have found various balls in the ferret and rabbit section. I give our girls nuts to chew on (pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds), as well as what you have already mentioned - hammocks, cardboard tubes etc. There was a discussion here recently where people have been buying the feathery cat toys for their rats, and they seem to be proving popular. Basically anything that is ok for them to chew on can provide stimulation. Rotating toys is also a good idea, as they can get bored of the same ones very quickly.


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## fallinstar (Nov 26, 2006)

aww they are gorgus


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

beautiful girls. i think i would classify tweek as a fawn actually with all that orangy brught colored goodness but that might be due to comp resolution to, i don't know. 

amoung the toys that DonnaK mentioned i also use hamster balls tied up in the cage for hidy-holes (seems to be a favorite with mine), organizing bins and ferret corner trays for extra landings and cuddle spots. but i think the new favorite is the dryer hose. its very cheap and easily pins up with safety pins. they love it. i have an igloo in there (get big ones so they can fit more then one easily) and dollar store things like hanging pots and cat toys. you can also make a bait bag with a bit of scrap fabric, some treats and string. wrap som yummy smelling treats in the fabric, tie it closed with one end of string then tir the other end to the top of the cage. keeps them entertained for quite a while (until someone manages to get the treats out by tearing the fabric to ribbons). tunnel hammocks and pocket hammocks are another fav. and of course lots of lose fabric to line the trays and for them to drag around. on another post there was a discussion about shreaded paper in a box. i believe that went over really well too.


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

twitch said:


> on another post there was a discussion about shreaded paper in a box. i believe that went over really well too.


That was me!  And, yes, it did. They wasted no time in digging around and making lots of lovely crinkly noises


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## Rachel-Phantom (Apr 18, 2007)

What beautiful ratties. Your dumbo makes my heart melt. I see why you got her. Shes so adorable.


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## Inesita (Feb 18, 2007)

Your rattlings are very pretty.


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## Strike2 (Apr 26, 2007)

Very nice rats.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Pip is SO cute I could die.


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