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If you’re getting ready to bring home your first pet rats, you may be a little nervous about making sure you have everything you need. Rat essentials aren’t always easy to find in person, even in pet stores, and the last thing you want to worry about is your new friends getting hurt because you used the wrong bedding or cage.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to prepare your home with all the rat supplies you need, from a safe enclosure and nutritious food to comfort items and toys. This complete rat supplies list covers absolutely all the essentials with tips for new owners. There are some things we won’t cover but are still a good idea including basic first aid items to treat common injuries and a list of veterinarians in your area that treat exotic pets and rats.
Ready to learn how to set up a rat cage? Here’s what you need for a safe, secure rat habitat setup that supports a good quality of life.
Rat Enclosure
The first thing on your list of rat supplies is a chew-proof, escape-proof rat cage. Surprisingly, there aren’t many options which makes it easier – and harder. You’ll probably have trouble finding a good rat cage in stores. Most pet stores sell cages advertised for rats that are even advertised as “chew proof” but are not only too small but have plastic bottoms.
If you get a rat cage with a plastic bin liner, you may get lucky and your rats won’t be curious enough to chew their way through. If they ever decide to, though, rats can chew a giant escape hatch in a plastic bin in no time at all. My first rat cage came with my adopted boys and had a plastic bin liner. I woke up in the morning to an empty cage and a 6” hole.
Be careful with any cages designed for ferrets, rabbits, and guinea pigs too. They may have bar spacing that’s wide enough for a rat to squeeze through or too little space.
When choosing a rat cage, here is what you need to look for.
Most people agree the best rat cage is the Midwest Critter Nation cage (for U.S. rat owners) for several reasons. The entire front of the cage swings open which makes it much easier to clean and set up rat cage accessories. It offers ample space and can be expanded by attaching an add-on unit to the top to double the space. Because it’s so popular, you’ll find tons of custom fleece liners and other rat cage accessories if you decide to go that route. Replacement parts are also easy to find if you need to replace ramps or shelves.
It’s usually more expensive than other cages, but not by much for a huge jump in quality and features. If you can’t afford new, it’s worth it to try to find a used Critter Nation cage that’s in good condition.
Having used both the Midwest Critter Nation and the Prevue Rat Cage, the difference is night and day. The Prevue cage, and most rat cages, has a door that, while adequate, requires work to get igloos and other accessories in and out. Trying to clean a cage, remove shelves, and rearrange items quickly gets old when you’re reaching through a 13” opening into a large space that’s 31” deep.
Below is an easy-to-use comparison of popular rat cages on the market. We’re leaving out cages that are absolutely inappropriate but may be marketed for rats. Some of these cages do have issues that need to be mitigated to make them safe like wire grate floors and ramps. Use the checklist above and consider how much you’re willing and able to do to make sure your cage meets all the requirements.
| Rat Cage | # of Rats | Height | Footprint | Door opening | Price (Amazon) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B001NJ0DAE" size="small"] | Midwest Critter Nation Deluxe Single Story | 4 | 39” (25” interior) | 36” x 24” | 36” x 25” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B001NJ0DAE" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B001NJ0DAY" size="small"] | Midwest Homes Critter Nation Double | 9 | 64” (50” interior) | 36” x 24” | 36” x 25” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B001NJ0DAY" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B00XYJL6U2" size="small"] | You & Me Rat Manor | 2 | 32” | 22.5” x 16.5” | 7.5” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B00XYJL6U2" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B08BL95WCT" size="small"] | PawHut 4-Tier Rat Cage | 3 | 44.75” (38” interior) | 20.5” x 20.5” | 9” x 8.75” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B08BL95WCT" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B001W8MDKO" size="small"] | Prevue Rat Cage with Slide-Out Tray | 4 | 40” (28” interior) | 31” x 20.5” | 13” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B001W8MDKO" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B09X9LGK3D" size="small"] | Homey Pet 3-Level Rat Cage | 2 | 37.8” (25” interior) | 24.8” x 16.5” | 11” x 10” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B09X9LGK3D" type=""] |
| [azonpress_data element="image_html" asin="B08MZTWMY1" size="small"] | Yaheetech Off-Brand Critter Nation Double Story | 3 | 54” (interior: 41”) | 24” x 17” | 24” x 18” | [azonpress_data element="price" asin="B08MZTWMY1" type=""] |
Safe Rat Bedding
Rats have very sensitive respiratory systems and tiny claws that can catch easily on certain materials. The best rat bedding is dust free, nontoxic for rats, unscented, and does not have a material that can snag claws.
Do not use pine or cedar bedding, scented bedding, or anything dusty. This includes cat litter which is not safe for rats.
Paper bedding is a good option. Rats like it because it’s soft and they can use it to make comfy nests in their beds. It’s messy, though, and needs to be changed fairly often. Aspen bedding for rats is safe and some rat owners like it. Make sure the brand you use is very low dust. Keep in mind aspen bedding is harder to clean up than paper bedding if it makes its way into carpet, but it’s also cheaper.
If you want the least amount of mess and the easiest clean-up, you can use fleece bedding. You can use cut-up strips of fleece or make/buy custom fleece liners for your rat cage. Fleece does not absorb urine, though – it needs to be changed often! It also doesn’t give your rats the ability to dig and burrow. If you use fleece liners, one solution is to add an absorbent liner underneath. You can wash fleece bedding with a detergent designed by babies.
Cloth is acceptable as an alternative to commercial rat bedding if you or your rats have allergies. Just be sure to use a cloth that won’t unravel easily and does not have loops that can get caught around your rat’s nails or appendages.
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Rat Food
The base of your pet rat’s diet should be fortified pellets or kibble. Hard food is great for your rat’s dental health by helping to grind down their incisors as they eat. Pellets or kibble also ensures they get the proper nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Avoid food mixes with a variety of seeds, nuts, and pellets – rats are very preferential eaters and go for the high-fat, high-protein food. They’ll eat all the good stuff out of the mix and ignore the rest (if they don’t just throw it out of the cage completely!). The best rat food is simply uniform, fortified kibble or pellets.
Choose food that’s designed for rats specifically and look for 4-5% fat content and minimum 15% protein content. If your rats are under 6 months, look for a young rat food with a slightly higher fat and protein content.
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Food Bowls
Food bowls aren’t strictly necessary, but you will probably like having them on hand. Scattering food around the cage and using foraging cups and other toys is a better way to feed rats because it keeps them entertained and helps them stay active. Still, bowls are helpful for feeding them treats like fresh fruit and for very young or geriatric rats.
There are two types of food dishes for rats that work well: metal dishes that attach to the cage or sturdy ceramic bowls that sit on the floor but can’t be tipped over. Look for bowls that are easy to clean, can’t be chewed up, and weigh enough (or are mounted) so they can’t be tipped or carried away. The bowls can be pretty small – rats only need about 2 tablespoons of kibble or pellets every day.
We use the all-metal mounted bowls for our boys because they work with any type of cage whether the bars are horizontal or vertical. The bowl clamp is mounted to the cage and the bowl can be lifted out for cleaning. Note that the bowls may not be stainless, and the bracket system definitely isn’t stainless steel. The colorful cage-mounted bowls are also a good choice but they only work with vertical bars spaced 0.7” to 1.4” apart.
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Water Bottle
You’ll need a water bottle that mounts to the cage because rats always need access to fresh water. I love this no-drip water bottle because it snaps on and off – you don’t need to mess with the flimsy hook-on brackets most water bottles come with. You can also swap out the included water bottle with a clean 2-liter or liter-sized bottle.
Rat Beds & Hideaways
The best rat cage setup includes many hideaways, hammocks, and rat beds. Your rats will want plenty of places to hide, sleep, and, of course, stash food. Some rats will happily spend their days in a hammock, others prefer to be on the ground in an enclosure. Try a combination of hard and soft beds on the ground and hanging.
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Rat Cage Cleaning Supplies
Even if your rats are trained to use a litter box, their cage will still get messy (and very stinky). Rats pee as they walk and explore to scent mark their territory. If the ammonia smell builds up too much, it can be harmful to your rat’s delicate respiratory system. Just replacing the bedding isn’t enough to make the cage smell fresh.
At least once a week, give your rat cage a through cleaning by removing the soiled bedding and scrubbing down the cage. Do not use bleach – the residual smell can be incredibly harmful to rats! You can use warm, soapy water and a spray bottle, but you might find a pet enzyme cleaner is even more effective for removing strong urine odors. I use a brush to scrub hard surfaces and nooks, especially in the corners of cage liners and the nooks of their igloos.
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Toys for Rats
Rats LOVE to play with a variety of toys. They’ll even play with each other and come up with games! Keep your rats healthy and happy by supplying a variety of toys that encourage their natural instincts, let them use their intelligence, and prevent boredom.
DIY rat toys are easy to make and can be as simple as empty toilet paper rolls with treats inside, folded over at the edges. You can also find tons of commercial rat toys or use toys for birds and even cats and dogs. Aim for a variety of rat toys including:
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Use a critical eye to assess anything you give your rats to make sure it’s safe. Rats have sensitive respiratory and digestive systems and should not be given pine and other soft woods. Products made for rabbits are generally also safe for rats. Make sure toys are large enough for rats to use safely without nooks or openings that can snag appendages and cause injury.
A Friend!
What do rats need in their cage that isn’t on a typical rat supplies list? Another rat!
Rats are very social animals. They live in groups called mischiefs with complex relationships, learn from each other, groom each other, and sleep together in piles. Rats also communicate and help each other.
The worst thing you can do is force a rat to live alone, even if you spend plenty of time with them out of their cage.
Rats living on their own can develop unusual behavior and become very depressed. Imagine living, eating, playing, and sleeping alone every day of your life with only a dog or bird as companionship. That’s what it’s like for a rat to live on its own, no matter how loving and attentive their human is.
Rats should always have at least one friend living with them. Just make sure you check how many rats can comfortably live in the cage you choose.
