Top 7 Best Rat Toys To Make Their Cage More Fun

What are the best rat toys? Today, we’re going to find out! Rats are highly intelligent and active creatures. This makes them great pets, but it also means that they need a lot of stimulation and exercise in order to live a fulfilling life. A very good way to aid them with this is by enriching their enclosure with rat toys that they can play with. This prevents them from getting bored and under-stimulated.

Bored rats can be destructive. They can start chewing on their water bottle, cage, or food bowls. Since rats have such strong teeth they can easily break these items.

There are many kinds of rat toys available on the market. There are tunnels, bunk beds, swings, rope nets, and much more. On top of that, there are many varieties of these different kinds of toys.  All of this can sometimes make it hard to decide on which toys are the best for your rat to have.

But fear not, I’m here to bring order to this chaos! I’m going to give you a complete overview of the best toys available for rats. I’ll go over the top 7 of my favorite toys that any rat loves to have in their cage.

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1) Marshall Pet Products Super Thru-Way

Marshall makes great pet products and their super Thru-Way is one of the best rat toys you can buy. It’s a tunnel that expands for an impressive 15 feet and allows your rat to run around, chase each other, and generally have a lot of fun.

There are many other tunnels available for rats, but the reason why I like this one so much is because of its impressive length and the fact that it’s bendable. Many rat tunnels are straight and not very long. In contrast, these tunnels are very long and you can bend them in shape. This does a much better job of simulating a real-life tunnel and is thus much more fun for your rats to play in.

Also, this tunnel is transparent, which means that you’ll be able to look inside while they’re playing! Because of this, the toy is not only a lot of fun for the rats, but also for the owners!

The tunnel is made for ferrets but rats love it just as much. Rats are natural diggers and in the wild, they spend a lot of time in tunnels which makes this an excellent toy to simulate their natural environment. It’s also easily stored in the box when not in use. The tunnel does have quite a strong plastic smell which takes a while to air out.

Pros:

• An impressive 15 feet in length.
• Allows your rats to play fun games with each other.
• See-through so you don’t miss any of the action.
• Simulates their natural tunneling environment.

Cons:

• Quite a strong plastic smell when opening – takes a while to air out.

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2) Living World Teach N Treat Toy

I’ve said it many times, rats are very smart. Really, they’re among the smartest animals on the planet. Unfortunately, many rats do not have a lot of opportunities to show off just how bright they really are. That changes when you buy the Living World Teach N Treat Toy.

Most of the toys on this list will give your rat a chance to work out their muscles, but this one gives them a chance to work out that big brain of theirs.

This toy is an interactive game that you can play with your rat. The way the toy works is that it allows your rat to forage for treats by observing and listening to you. You hide the treats in the toy and your rat has to figure out how to get to them.

The toy has several different levels of difficulty, so once they figure out level one, you can move on to level two to make it harder for them until they reach the highest level.

The only downside this product has is that for some rats it’s quite easy to figure out. The toy is designed with many small animals in mind, some of which are notably less intelligent than rats. Because of this, your rat might be able to figure out how to complete the puzzle quite easily. This does depend on the animal, some rats will have no issue figuring it out, while for others it might take quite a long time to complete the puzzle. If your rat is very smart and figures it out quite quickly there’s no need to worry. You can simply not use the toy for a few weeks to let your rat forget it. After a few weeks, use it again and your rat will have to figure it out again.

It’s a great toy to include in your arsenal because it’s one of the few toys that you can play with together and it’s a great way of bonding.

Pros:

• Great brain teaser toy for your rat.
• A fun way to feed snacks.
• A good way to bond.

Cons:

• Might be a little easy to figure out for some rats.

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3) Prevue Hendryx Naturals Coco Hideaway with Ladder

This one is officially a bird toy but that doesn’t mean that rats can’t use it. Many reviews state that rats love climbing and sleeping in it and it’s easy to see why. It’s a very cozy place for them to cuddle up and take a nap in. It’s also a great place for one of your pets to go to if they want some alone time.

The toy is a coconut that’s been hollowed out and turned into a house. It comes with a ladder for easy access for your rat. The nice thing about this toy is that it’s made from 100% natural and sustainable materials. We all know that rats have a tendency to chew on things, so if they’re going to chew on something it might as well be something natural!

The coconuts are also big enough for 2 normal-sized rats to sleep in or one big one. On top of all of that, it looks great in their cage.

Pros:

• Great place for a rat to relax.
• Made from organic and sustainable materials.
• Looks great in the cage.
• Easy to connect.
• Not very expensive.

Cons:

• There has been one report of mold growing on the toy. Keep an eye out for this. It shouldn’t happen, but if it does, take it away immediately and ask for a refund.

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4) 10 Pack Small Animal Combo Apple Wood Chew Toys

Rats are rodents and because of that their teeth grow throughout their life. Since their teeth never stop growing they need to grind them down otherwise they become too long and can result in health issues.

The best way for them to grind down their teeth is with the help of chew toys. Chew toys give them to have a fun and easy way to keep their teeth in check. If you do not provide chew toys for your rat they will start gnawing on their water bottle, their cage, or other toys that are not designed for that purpose.

This pack of toys offers great value. For $16 you get 10 chew toys bringing the average per toy down to $1.60 which is quite a steal. They’re all made of applewood and you get a lot of variety.

Due to the nature of chew toys (they’re chewed on… a lot) they will naturally have to be replaced quite frequently. With this pack, you will get enough chew toys to last you quite a while.

Pros:

• Good value.
• A lot of variety.
• Made from real applewood.
• Very visually appealing.

Honestly, there are no cons to this product. In my opinion, it’s the best chew toy out there.

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5) Niteangel Small Animal Activity Toy, Rat Cotton Rope Nets

Rats love climbing and having a place to climb for them in their cage can contribute massively to their overall health and happiness. It’s a great way for them to get exercise and on top of that, it helps to keep their nails short.

This climbing toy is made of quality rope and is very easy to connect to the cage. Also, you can buy multiple rope nets and combine them very easily. It also comes in two colors, green and purple, giving you a choice to make it fit better with the rest of the cage’s design.

Furthermore, the net is very sturdy and does not break down easily.

However, since the net is made from quite thick rope there have been some reports that it’s a little hard to clean.

Pros:

• Good quality materials, it does not break down easily.
• Safe for rats to chew on.
• A great way for your rat to get some exercise.
• Helps to keep their nails short.
• Easy to hang.
• Ability to combine multiple nets.

Cons:

• The fact that it’s made of quite thick rope could make it a little hard to clean.

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6) Suncoast Wodent Wheel Senior & Tail Shield

Rats have a lot of energy and since they spend a lot of time in their cage they need a way to release all this pent-up energy. The best way for them to get exercise is through the use of a wheel. However, not all wheels are equally good. Most wheels are made for hamsters and those are usually too small for your rat.

The Suncoast Wodent Wheel is an excellent size for your rat. And not only that, the way that it’s designed makes it very quiet compared to other wheels. Also, since it has an enclosed design many rats prefer this one over any other wheel out there.

Pros:

• The design makes it very silent.
• Enclosed.
• Perfect size for rats.
• A great way for your rat to get much-needed exercise.
• Good build quality.

Cons:

• Not the cheapest.
• Slightly difficult to clean.

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7) Niteangel Luxury Double Bunkbed Hammock

After a long day of playing, your rats need a place to chill. The Niteangel luxury double bunkbed hammock is the perfect place. It’s made of high-quality materials and soft fabric and features two layers. Your rats can choose whether they want to be on the top bunk or on the bed bunk. It’s also quite big – there’s enough space for 5 adult rats in this hammock.

It’s also quite easy to hang in their cage due to the 4 durable straps it comes with. Also, it comes in 3 different color varieties, chocolate, gray, and purple, and is machine washable.

Pros:

• Spacious enough for up 5 adult rats.
• Very comfortable.
• Easy to hang.
• Comes in 3 different colors.
• Can be washed in the washing machine.

Cons:

• Rats can destroy it quite easily by chewing on it, so check for damage regularly.

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Related questions

Now that I’ve gone over the top 7 toys for your rat let’s discuss some related questions. I’ll go over things such as free DIY toys, whether rats get bored, and more.

What can I give my rat to play with?

If you’re on a budget and currently can’t afford some of the toys, don’t worry. There are also many free alternatives that you can amuse your rat with. Rats love shredding stuff, so giving them some paper to shred will entertain them for a while. You can also crumple up some paper so that they can use it as a ball.

Cardboard is another inexpensive toy. You can use the rolls from paper towels as tunnels and rats will enjoy them quite a lot. Of course, since they’re made of cardboard they won’t last very long, but they’re pretty much free anyway so replacing them shouldn’t be a big issue.

Do rats like cat toys?

They do! I’m sure you’re familiar with cats and how they love to chase a feather on a stick. Rats actually like this too and behave quite similar to a cat when you play with them this way.

Do rats get bored?

Rats do definitely get bored if they do not have a stimulating environment. It makes a lot of sense why. They’re naturally intelligent creatures and in nature, they spend a lot of time running and playing around. In captivity, they spend most of their time in their cage. If this cage does not contain toys that can entertain them they will get bored.

Bored rats will start destroying things and will be unhappy. Therefore, it’s very important that you keep them stimulated both mentally and physically.

Do rats need a salt lick?

Some rat owners wonder if their rat needs a salt lick. Fortunately, they do not. Rats get all the salt they need from their diet. In fact, it’s quite easy for them to consume too much sodium, so a salt lick is not necessary and not recommended.