# Rat chew toys!



## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

I am at loss. I have gotten my rats WAY too many chewies and yet they ignore them. I have to trim their teeth now (tnx to vivdaratlover for her advice on how to do it). I want to stop this growing after I trim so do you guys have and toys/chew toys that your rats ADORE! TYSM!


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

Can you send a pic of all the chew toys you have?


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

Also what food do you use?


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## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

VivDaRatLuver said:


> Also what food do you use?


I use oxbow adult rat food.


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## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

VivDaRatLuver said:


> Can you send a pic of all the chew toys you have?


I can do that later today!


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

To answer your question, I use wood bird perches, bird toys, and lava ledges at the moment. I also find that my rats like to chew on little wood blocks. These are the toys/perches I am currently using:















The pumice and mineral block/cuttlebone help to grind down the teeth while the wood helps keep them short.


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

RatCrazyGirl said:


> I can do that later today!


 Ok great! 



RatCrazyGirl said:


> I use oxbow adult rat food.


That is good! The pellets help grind down their teeth too. I also suggest letting them have some hard pasta as it helps grind down the teeth as well.


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## Clarkbar (Oct 28, 2020)

My rats don't like chewing on wood blocks. I try sticks and wood for variety, but they don't really care. I give them things like critter pops (crunchy rice treats), occasional acorns and other nuts in shells, dry pasta; spiral rotini keeps them busy for a while. Edible nylabones for dogs- avoid rawhide based dog chews though. Actual bones, like chicken bones.


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

RatCrazyGirl said:


> I am at loss. I have gotten my rats WAY too many chewies and yet they ignore them. I have to trim their teeth now (tnx to vivdaratlover for her advice on how to do it). I want to stop this growing after I trim so do you guys have and toys/chew toys that your rats ADORE! TYSM!


One of the things I use with mine are the "edible" hides & accessories. Like these (there are dozens of different types):

















'they're hard and heavy. It's something meant for them to chew on, and you don't have to keep replacing toys because of damage or boredom. I will warn you, when they start chewing on it - it can gt loud. It's almost as if they "scrape" more than "chew" - but they last forever. Also there are some "healthy" dog bones that are good for them to chew on, as well - like Nylabones










Although mine tore threw these in no time at all. And I only give them those on rare occassions. The others I mentioned above (I feel) are better.


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

The chewable hides are very bad for rats. 
*Pine Wood Shaving, Cassava Starch, Alfalfa, Sodium Alginate, Potassium Sorbate, Propionic Acid, Honey, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol.*
Those are the ingredients of the Snak Shak one. PINE wood shavings and alfalfa are both dangerous for rats and honey is high in sugar. I'm not sure about the Kaytee ones but some products from that brand tend to be unsafe and of poor quality.


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

The dog toys seem fine though. Whimzees are a favorite of my girls and good chewing toys.


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## Angels with Whiskers (Jan 20, 2021)

lfraser06 said:


> One of the things I use with mine are the "edible" hides & accessories. Like these (there are dozens of different types):
> 
> View attachment 303661


As VivDaRatLuver said, do not use these for your rats as they are very bad for them. There are different brands, (the ones I know off the top of my head are Edibilogz and SnakShak) and they all are bad for them.


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## TwilxghtRat (Nov 27, 2020)

If you have a close bond with your rats, I suggest a ’brux-off”. It sounds pretty funny, but bruxing is when rats’ grind their teeth together, which makes them shorter. Start by putting your rats in a place where they feel really happy and safe, like when I have my rats’ cage door open. Then, start making a chewing motion, it should make a clack sound. My girls typically start bruxing as well, and they brux more and more until it’s turned into boggling 😂
I also really recommend lava ledges, my rats love standing on them and chewing the bottom corners.


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## VivDaRatLuver (Dec 26, 2020)

The Kaytee one seems ok but I'm not sure if rats would like to chew on them.
here are the ingredients: *Sun-cured Timothy Grass Hay, Potato Starch, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Alginate, Honey, Propionic Acid (Preservative), Potassium Sorbate (Preservative). *


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## TwilxghtRat (Nov 27, 2020)

lfraser06 said:


> One of the things I use with mine are the "edible" hides & accessories.


I agree! Just watch out for alfalfa, rats can’t digest it very well and lots of those toys have it!


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

VivDaRatLuver said:


> The chewable hides are very bad for rats.
> *Pine Wood Shaving, Cassava Starch, Alfalfa, Sodium Alginate, Potassium Sorbate, Propionic Acid, Honey, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol.*
> Those are the ingredients of the Snak Shak one. PINE wood shavings and alfalfa are both dangerous for rats and honey is high in sugar. I'm not sure about the Kaytee ones but some products from that brand tend to be unsafe and of poor quality.


Good to know .... Thanks.


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## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

Tnx! And yeah I was aware of the snake shack!


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## _dizzy_ (Mar 28, 2018)

Something my girl rats really like to chew on are cow hooves and my boys like cow ears. One of my girls loves cow hooves so much that I got concerned she was grinding her teeth down too much so I had to take it out for a bit. Maybe try to see if you can find some in your area.
Try getting a blanket or something like it from goodwill and hang it over their cage. Most rats like to pull the fabrics through the bars and chew them. I think if your girls like to chew them they'll grind down their teeth when their teeth hit each other after going through the fabric. 
Paper and cardboard are a great way to get your rats to chew too. 

If you get get whole wheat flour and mix in water then let it dry to some of the wood toys you can encourage your girls to chew the wood. (Recipe is 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 cups water I like to use it as a glue for my rats toys) This actually got some of my girls to start chewing wood regularly. 

You can boil some blueberries in a small pot and soak the wood toys in the water so they absorb the sweetness(then use the leftover water to make edible glue)

Willow toys. I've noticed throughout all of my small pets that love to chew, willow is their favorite wood. My 5 rabbits all like/d it, my guinea pigs liked it, and every rat I've owned likes/d it.


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