# Bedding for Rat Alternatives?! Tried fleece but that was chewed out!



## optimusprimesgurl (May 10, 2012)

Hi there! I got two ratty boys back home and switched them to fleece about a month ago. They were fine for a while and then started chewing holes to get under the fleece. That is a big no-no! I switched to fleece since bedding was expensive and smelled. I have been looking up and found newspaper, but I am worried about the ink. Any advice?


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

You can try giving them enrichment toys. Use an empty toilet paper roll. Put some treats in it, in layers, then seal the ends. Hang it in the cage. You want to do it in layers, so they don't get all the treats at once. I normally seal them with Elmers glue. It's non-toxic. You can also buy cardboard gift boxes at Hobby Lobby. Cut small holes in them and put treats in side and hang those. Also, I'm not sure if catnip is good for rats or not. I have to do research on it, but they LOVE the smell. I use it for my daughter's cats and if the rats smell it on me they go crazy........ just like the cats do. 
Apple wood is good. You can just buy the little chew stick that they sell at Walmart or pet stores. and hang them all over the cage. Just give them LOTS of stuff that it's OK to chew. Eventually, they might stop chewing the fleece. 

If you just want to try another type of liner...... Indented Kraft Paper. it comes in 300 ft rolls. it's not cheap, but it's less expensive than buying fleece all the time. Shop around for the best price.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Anything printed/ink in the USA must be non-toxic so Paper is safe along with soda boxes/most food boxes because they are made in the USA generally.

=] One of my friends uses newspaper and they don't seem bothered by it. But make sure you give them lots of fun stuff to nest with ^-^


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## Agapi (Jan 24, 2013)

*Cat litter*

Hi I dont know where you live but when we purchased our Rats the pet store had paper based Cat litter in the cages it looks like like small oblong pellets. Ther no dust with it and no smell (we have 3 in the same cage). 
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/ligh...r-based-cat-litter-25ltr-by-bio-catolet-15267 

- This is what we buy but whereever you shop or live you may find similar.


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## zurfaces (Jan 16, 2013)

My rat would chew to get under the bottom liner in my old cage that had a deep pan on the bottom. i figured out it was because they wanted to hoard their food in there. i put a cardboard box from AlDi on top of the corner they home their food in and problem solved. they now stash it in the corner of the cardboard box. So give them plenty of hide spots and chew toys.

sorry for typos Im on my phone and auttocorrect -.-


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## loganpz1 (Dec 28, 2012)

I don't have my rats yet, but Ive been researching like a mad man and I found that people that have Zilla terrarium liner absolutely love it. It's like a carpet liner for reptiles and it absorbs stuff really well. Best part is, it's reusable. Just gotta run it under water till it's clean again.


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