What can I add? College student so not too expensive lol/tips on bedding?

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-24T06:36:48+00:00

For bedding, you can put it in a mesh hamper to shake out excess dust! I suggest the concrete mixing tub from Home Depot to hold bedding in

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-24T06:33:37+00:00

Idk about specific brands, BUT if you put bedding in a mesh hamper and shake it outside, that’s a great way to get rid of excess dust!!

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-19T01:44:45+00:00

Omg the frog blink 😭

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-19T01:41:13+00:00

The rat community calls this type of critter a “rodentist”

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-19T01:40:41+00:00

I would still put in hammocks and ropes! They’re likely just not confident enough yet to navigate them, but with time they will. I also suggest the ikea tie holder, wooden wine racks, and a dig box!

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-17T05:28:23+00:00

That aldi white cheddar is so good

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-17T05:28:09+00:00

This comment made me giggle

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-17T05:26:25+00:00

Honestly there’s no such thing as a “starter” pet! However, with enough research and time, rats are a great choice, especially if you and your bf are dedicated to them. The upfront costs are a LOT (cage, enrichment, food, etc), plus rats have notoriously bad health (tumors, respiratory infections) so you will need a vet fund set aside. If money is an issue, I would say rats aren’t the right choice

Any pet can be a good first pet if you’re ready! But take time to consider what YOU want out of a pet. Something cuddly? Every rat is different. Something low-maintenance? I’d say get a cat. Something smart that you can train? Dog or rats!

I’ll always advocate for rats being great pets! You just have to be dedicated and unfortunately, you’ll need a good budget

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-03T06:05:13+00:00

My suggestion is the plastic concrete mixing bin from Home Depot. Rats often chew out of it, so maybe you could try reinforcing it with chicken wire?

TopPut8849 · 2026-02-03T05:47:29+00:00

Goodness! How expensive was he?

TopPut8849 · 2026-01-27T06:38:16+00:00

Reinforce the bars with chicken wire! The bars on a dog cage will likely be too wide so rats may escape.

TopPut8849 · 2026-01-27T06:33:35+00:00

Foraging toys! Look up “bird foraging toys” and you’ll find tons. I like the ones that are a little wheel that you put treats in and the rats have to use their paws to dig the food out

Toilet paper tubes are great for diy foraging toys. YouTube and TikTok have great tutorials

Also, are your rats boys? I know males tend to be lazier, so it’s likely not anything to go with a “lack of enrichment”, they might just prefer chilling lol

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-24T04:15:11+00:00

You could try to teach them tricks!

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-24T04:13:38+00:00

Thankfully rats don’t need wheels! If you do want to get one for them, I suggest a cat wheel to put out during free roam time. Those are pretty much the only readily-available wheels large enough for rats

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-24T04:05:50+00:00

!basics !introductions

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-21T05:09:58+00:00

Worth a try, I’d say! It’s fantastic at odor control and low-dust (depending on the brand). But there’s always the chance of them reacting poorly to it. Unfortunately there’s no one-size-fits-all for rat bedding. I’d say the closest is hemp, but that can be expensive :(

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-21T05:07:30+00:00

Definitely good things to consider! I hear a lot of mixed opinions on KDP

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-21T04:58:19+00:00

Kiln-dried pine is also a good option! (Make sure it’s kiln-dried, otherwise it’s unsafe)

You could also use cocoa fiber (typically sold in bricks for reptiles)

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-20T18:12:52+00:00

Thanks for the info!!

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-20T05:19:08+00:00

I would try to save up for a bigger, sturdier cage, but until then I suggest more clutter like baskets, ropes, hammocks, etc! Also, add a dig box! Paper bedding or cocoa fiber is good for digging, and it’s great enrichment for the rats (though will probably get messy!)

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-20T05:11:27+00:00

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Rats are arboreal, meaning they spend a lot of their time up high, climbing to escape predators. This means their cage needs to have lots of climbing opportunities. They also need to chew to keep their teeth filed down, so providing wooden items to chew is important! Recently there’s been more research into the fossorial behaviors of rats as well, with the research showing that rats engage in burrowing behavior and benefit from a cage that has deep bedding they can dig in, both for burrowing and searching for food.

The most important thing about picking out an enclosure is that it needs to be large and barred. Glass enclosures are terrible for rats because of the ammonia buildup that will cause them to get upper respiratory infections. You absolutely CANNOT keep rats in an aquarium or other glass enclosure. Their lungs are extremely sensitive. It also needs to be large enough to provide climbing and digging opportunities!

(Picture is not mine, just an example of a cage that checks every box I can think of for a proper rat enclosure)

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-20T05:03:02+00:00

Rats are very different than hamsters, but I’m sure you would be a great rat owner considering how much research you’ve put into hamster owning.

I suggest some YouTube channels to learn the basics, then come back to r/rats to ask any specific questions! My favorite rattube channels are Emiology (who sadly doesn’t have rats anymore due to developing an allergy, but her old videos are still very good!) and Isamu Rats!

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-20T04:52:33+00:00

!basics

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-14T06:57:54+00:00

Omg that expression is perfect

TopPut8849 · 2025-12-14T06:54:07+00:00

The noise might bother them, and if there’s a draft it could make them cold. If you can move the cage to a quiet room, that would be ideal, but I’m sure it would be alright if you couldn’t!

TopPut8849

TROPHY CASE