The Top 10 Ratty Essentials Checklist

These items are the top 10 things we believe are a necessity for any rat

#1 A spacious cage with plenty of floor space and vertical space with multiple levels. The cage should be made of wire with 1/2" bar spacing, unless the rats are very large. The cage should also have a solid floor as ratties are prone to foot sores if kept on a wire floor. It should be no smaller than 14"x24"x12" tall, but ideally should be closer to 18"x30"x18" tall. Click Here to View Our Selection of Cages

#2 Safe Bedding: Unsafe beddings are pine and cedar. They cause respiratory and liver damage. Safe litters and beddings are hardwood beddings such as aspen and paper based beddings like Eco bedding (a shredded paper bedding) and Yesterday's News, a pelleted paper bedding, both made from recycled paper. Click Here to View Our Selection of Bedding and Litter

#3 Nutritious Food: A fresh, pelleted block food is best for rats, since they tend to pick out the "tasty" bits of mixed rat foods, which if they sit on pet store shelves or in a warehouse, aren't very fresh anymore when they are purchased, and most of the nutrients have degraded over time, not to mention the first ingredients are usually fillers such as corn and alfalfa, which have no nutritional value for rats. A pelleted food ensures your ratty gets complete nutrition in every bite. We offer Harlan Teklad and Oxbow's Regal Rat, both trusted brands that we use and love. Both put the "made on" dates on their food, so you know its fresh. Ratties should also be offered fresh fruits and veggies, approximately 20% of their diet. Click Here to View Our Selection of Rat Food

#4 A Water Bottle: a sipper style water bottle works best for rats. It keeps it clean and fresh for the ratties. Rats tend to dirty up water bowls in seconds. We only offer glass water bottles, as they are BPA free, and cannot be chewed up. Click Here to View Our Selection of Water Bottles

#5 A Food Dish: A place to put clean fruits and veggies, as well as your rats staple food. Heavy ceramic dishes work best, as plastic ones are chewed up quick and dragged around the cage. Click Here to View Our Selection of Food Dishes

#6 A hammock, tent, tunnel, etc: Rats LOVE cozy hammocks and such. I would never deny any of my rats a hammock. It is always their preferred lounging spot. They do chew them up, but even holey, they are still usable. Make sure to wash hammocks once a week so the ammonia doesn't build up and make them stinky! Click Here to View Our Selection of Hammocks and Other Cozy Things

#7 A Wheel: Most ratties love to run on wheels. Some older males loose the motivation to run, but most rats love them! We offer Wodent Wheels, a very safe wheel, the only wheel that has been approved by the SPCA. Click Here to View Our Selection of Wheels

#8 A Place to Hide: Ratties need a place to run and hide when they feel insecure or if they just need some alone time and privacy. We give our ratties plastic Igloos. We love them because they are easily washed. Wood ones tend to get stinky over time, and need to be replaced more often. Click Here for Our Selection of Cage Furniture

#9 Toys! Give em something to do to pass the time when they can't hang out with you. We offer TONS of toys to keep those ratties busy. Ratties at least need something to chew on, like a wood toy or chew stick. Click Here for Our Selection of Toys

#10 An knowledgeable and loving owner: Chances are your ratties love people, and most of all, you. Once you spend time with and bond with your ratties, you are a member of their family. Give them the love and attention they need, everyday, to keep your relationship strong. Also show your love by taking the time to learn how to properly care for your rats, and what to look for to ensure your rat is healthy.