Rats are fossorial animals, meaning they instinctively dig and live underground. In the wild, they forage for food and water, using both mental and physical energy. Domesticated rats no longer need to search for food or dig burrows, but their instincts remain. To meet their natural needs, owners should provide at least an inch of accessible bedding for digging and a variety of cage enrichment. Additionally, rats should have at least one hour of free roam time daily in a space equipped with supervised enrichment items.
Why Enrichment is Essential
Rats are highly intelligent and easily become bored. Without proper enrichment, they may become destructive, chew cage bars, attempt escapes, or develop behavioral issues such as aggression, depression, barbering, and timidity. Research supports the importance of enrichment. Rats in enriched environments exhibit better cognitive function and behavioral regulation (Ishiwari et al., 2024). Another study found that enrichment can even help reverse cognitive deficits in rodents (Landreth et al., 2023).
Budget-Friendly Enrichment Ideas
Enrichment doesn’t have to be expensive! Many effective options are DIY or available at Dollar Tree.
• Foraging: Scatter-feed instead of using bowls, hide treats in dig boxes or toilet paper rolls.
• DIY Toys: Use baskets filled with shredded paper, paper bags, boxes, or hanging buckets with treats attached using pipe cleaners. Stuff toilet paper rolls with treats and wrap in paper tying with jute twine and hang from the cage as a piñata. Rats love to chew on wine corks you can string them up with jute twine!
• Climbing & Balance: Provide dog rope toys (cotton-based), jute or fleece rope bridges, zip-tied baskets, seagrass mats, or scarf organizers from Amazon/IKEA. Older rats may need fall breakers underneath. There are bird bridges that are great as well, just check that the type of wood is safe. You can buy bulk cotton rope and braid it for a thick climbing rope or bridge.
• Nesting Materials: Tissue paper, newspaper (vegetable dye only), packing paper, and fleece scraps. Avoid fabric other than fleece to prevent foot and choking injuries.
You can also provide cardboard boxes as an easy DIY hide. You can attach a toilet paper roll with the toilet paper attached to the top of the cage and they will nest with it pulling off sections to bring throughout the cage!
Foraging & Chewing: A Dual Purpose
Rats’ teeth grow continuously. Providing chewable enrichment prevents overgrowth and supports dental health. Some good options include:
• Chews: Shelled nuts, cooked meat bones, pumice stones, lava ledges, and rat-safe wood (e.g., apple tree sticks, grapevines).
• Ledges & Platforms: Lava ledges, bird ledges (available in bulk on Amazon), chinchilla ledges or fruit tree wood toys. Always verify the type of wood is safe for rats before introducing it to the cage.
Cage Setup & Additional Enrichment
Cages should fill empty space with climbing opportunities and foraging activities. Rats prefer cluttered cages. Dig boxes allow rats to satisfy their natural digging instincts. For free roam, consider thrifted baskets, dollhouses, and plastic toys for exploration. Empty cardboard boxes, oversized wheels, and critter space pods are favorites both inside and outside the cage. Consider removing ramps and shelves to replace with enrichment climbing items, this also helps prevent smell from standing urine.
MoomooChews Enrichment Toys
We create and sell foraging and chewing toys made with non-toxic wood, toilet paper stuffers, shelled nuts, and rattan balls. Every adopted rat from Moomoo Rattery receives these to support proper brain and social development. Available for purchase with rats or via domestic and international shipping—check out MoomooChews on Etsy!
US-based rat items & enrichment on Amazon:
Sources
• Landreth, K., Burgess, M., Watson, L., et al. (2023). Handling prevents and reverses cognitive deficits induced by sub-chronic phencyclidine in a model for schizophrenia in rats. Physiology & Behavior, 263, 114117. DOI.
• Ishiwari, K., King, C.P., Martin, C.D., et al. (2024). Environmental enrichment promotes adaptive responding during tests of behavioral regulation in male heterogeneous stock rats. Sci Rep, 14, 4182. DOI
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