File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
I just got my 2 little pet rats.

They're a month old. Right now they just have an exercise wheel and 2 cardboard boxes with entrances cut into them. They're in a temporary home right now (an aquarium), and next week theyre getting a giant home-made cage from my aunt, so size shouldn't be a problem..

Question is: How do I keep them happy? What are some other *home-made/cheap* toys they could be entertained by? Other activities I can do with them other than the obvious taking them out and just playing with them? I want them to be happy rats :3
>> Anonymous
They're pretty easy to entertain

Throw a cardboard tube in there and let them go at it
>> Anonymous
>>318075
Gonna throw one of them in once all the tp is used up.

But I just feel like that will only keep them entertained for a short while. Is that honestly enough to do it? All I have to do to keep them happy and shit is just give them little places to explore?
>> Anonymous
Clean their cage often. Very often. At least twice a week, possibly more. This will not only keep them clean and healthy but will also encourage them to shit in the cage rather than all over your stuff when they're let out. They will often urinate while they're walking around as well, so lay out an old towel or sheet when you let them out. If you let them play outside keep a close eye on them, keep them in a closed pen if you can, and make sure you keep them away from any larger pets you might have.

But yeah, they're pretty easy to entertain. Give them some plain tissues (no perfumes or dyes) to chew up and make beds/nests out of, plenty of stuff to chew on, clean water daily, a good variety of food with plenty of fresh treats. Good nutritious food for rats includes collared greens, carrots, oranges, apples, etc.
>> Anonymous
Here are some cheap toy ideas: http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

The whole website is really good source for rat information.
>> Anonymous
they need a big ass cage first of all. aquariums wont do, rats have poor respiraation and need to be kept in a well ventilated environment. let them out in a chew-proof room for at least an hour a day, supplement their diet with occasional veg and pasta, give them lots of stuff to nest with and there you have it - happy rats.
>> Anonymous
A month old?

Give them lots of protien, eggs, tuna, chicken etc, they are too young to be living on their own really, usually best to go to new homes at about 6 weeks old.

>>318084

Rats are fairly clean animals, that are pretty easy to toilet train, so you can just clean out their litter tray every other day or so. I use baby wipes to wipe down surfaces in their cage and also the bars.

I empty the bedding out and wash their hammocks once a week and clean down the cage, the bedding is practically as clean as when I put it in.
>> Anonymous
Pretty much anything made for ferrets (except for plush toys) is good for a rat, so it doesn't hurt to check the cheapy bin at pet stores. A lot of rats lose interest in new things fast though, unless its edible. Plenty of time out of the cage should be plenty instead of a lot of toys. Natural things make great chew toys, like corn cobs, bones leftover from beef/pork ribs, wood that hasn't been treated (you can check a toxicity list for dogs on what type of wood isn't safe - common oak is definitely okay).

I use those long boxes that soda comes in now for my 2 yr old rat's house, give him a fresh towel every few days, and give him dentabone-type things to gnaw on. For treats, I recommend yogurt drops/chips - they love them.
>> Anonymous
Pythons. Rats'll love that shit.
>> Anonymous
>>318835
Not OP, but I was seriously thinking of buying a ball python, duct taping its mouth shut, restraining it, and letting my rats nibble it to death somehow. Then I could upload the video all over the web and troll snake owners.
>> Anonymous
>>318923
Hey! I remember you from a thread a while back. There was this guy who posted a video of a live chick being fed to a python, and you had this idea.

You should still do it! I gave you my support back then and you still have it! Shit would be hardcore!

Snake AND rodent owner, btw.

I never feed live animals to my snakes.

In b4 some snakefag tells me how I am depriving my poor, poor snakes.
>> Anonymous
>>318934
=)
You're right; that was me too. Haha, I've been discovered. It's gives me a kinda weird but fuzzy feeling that anons can recognize and remember each other. You gave me support? I didn't see any response to my post back then; maybe I didn't check back enough.

Props for using dead food. "Depriving your snakes"? Lol, do people actually use that argument? Reptiles have only a brain stem; they don't give a shit how they get their food.
>> Anonymous
>>318923
Enjoy your crushed rats.
>> Anonymous
>>318973
>Enjoy your crushed rats.

>>318923
>restraining it