Homemade Rat Bedding

Rat bedding can be expensive if bought in a pet store. However, a cheaper alternative is to make rat bedding from common household materials or those found in nature. By recycling materials for your rat bedding, you'll save money, time and have less of a negative impact on the environment.

  1. Materials to use

    • Paper or cloth are the best materials to use for your rat bedding. Cardboard and paper towels can work as alternatives. The best kind of paper is clean and free of ink, so avoid newspapers and magazines. Rats commonly will chew on bedding and ink can be toxic. Some common household material sources are empty cereal boxes, old towels, tissue boxes, old clothing and paper that hasn't been printed on. If you're interested in a more natural look for your rat cage, try gathering leaves or grass. Take special care with cloth as to avoid long strings because your rat can become tangled. Do not use cedar or pine, these materials can cause respiratory problems for rats. Make sure you wash dirty cloth before use, and use hypoallergenic laundry detergent without perfumes or fabric softeners.

    Where to find materials

    • Spend 15 minutes and search your household for materials to use. If no materials exist that meet the proper criteria, consider checking with your local recycling center to see if they have materials you can use. If you can't find materials from your home or a recycling center, you can always buy bulk paper or cardboard from an office supply store.

    Prepare your materials

    • Shred the paper or cloth until it resembles the consistency of standard store-bought bedding. The best way to shred the materials is using scissors or pliers. You'll need at least enough material to provide at least two inches of depth across the bottom of the cage. When you've accumulated enough shredded material, place in the cage for your rat's comfort.