How to Keep a Rat Stimulated

Wild and domesticated rats are highly intelligent animals and they love to explore and play. It can be a challenge to keep them stimulated and happy because of their energy and curiosity. You can make some cheap toys for your pet to play with household items and you can choose to purchase some items for it to use.

Things You'll Need

  • Plastic bin
  • Compost
  • Grass seeds
  • Water
  • Plastic sheet
  • Plywood
  • Guinea pig playpen
  • Newspaper
  • Fabric
  • Ping pong balls
  • Box of tissue
  • Ceramic dish
  • Rocks
  • Frozen corn and peas
  • Wood block
  • Chicken and beef bones
  • Dog treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make a dirt box for the rat to burrow and play in. Use a plastic bin large enough for the rat to get in. Fill the bin with clean compost and sprinkle grass seeds on top. Water the seeds and wait for the grass to grow about half a foot tall. Use a plastic sheet underneath the bin to help minimize cleanup, then let the rat in to play.

    • 2

      Allow your pet free range time out of the cage. Let it climb up and down stairs or block off a hallway by shutting all the doors to other rooms and block off the end of the hallway with a sheet of plywood. You will need to supervise the rat when you do this to keep it from chewing your carpets and walls. You can allow it unsupervised free range time in an uncarpeted room that has no escape holes or furniture you don't want chewed up, such as a bathroom that is tiled. It will make cleanup easier, as the rat is likely to urinate or leave a poop trail. Do not leave your pet unsupervised for longer than half an hour.

    • 3

      Purchase the largest guinea pig play pen you can afford. Fill it with toys, scrunched up newspapers and old pieces of fabric. The more items you can add, the more fun your pet will have exploring and digging around. Hide some treats in the newspapers for it to find. Rats love to roll around and play with ping pong balls, which are too large for them to get their teeth around. Add a full box of tissues, and show your pet what to do by pulling a few sheets out; rats love to pull out and stash these to build a nest.

    • 4

      Fill a shallow ceramic dish with rocks and a small amount of water. Add some thawed, frozen peas and corn for the rat to fish out and enjoy.

    • 5

      Offer your rat items to chew, such as blocks of wood, cooked chicken and beef bones and nuts with the shell on them. You can give it low fat, low protein dog treats to nibble on as well.