Here’s a list of the best pet rat supplies list that I recommend giving some thought to. I’ve given this supplies list much consideration after going through my own art supplies.
Cheap Pet Rat Supplies List
For such small animals, they sure do need a lot of things. A lof these rat supplies can just be accumulated over time.
I’m not trying to say you need this RIGHT NOW (though for some of them such as rat cages and bedding, you probably do).
Water Bottles
Fill-top water bottles are easier to fill if you don’t want to constantly detach them from your rat cage.
I have seen these in use and I find it convenient to just have a pitcher to go around and fill it.
Most importantly, I like the idea of putting ice inside there for cold days.
Rats are sensitive to heat and are prone to heat strokes. It’s important (and a bonus) that this can allow ice-cold water.
Glass water bottles can prevent a rat that loves to chew from destroying it. I prefer these.
They’re somewhat heavier than most water bottles and I find that their lids do not screw on as easily as other water bottles.
However, they’re sturdy (if you do not drop them) and they cannot be chewed through.
I actually use these for just my rabbits because my rabbits chew on everything whereas my rats do not chew at all.
READ ALSO: Getting a Rat Neutered or Spayed?
Plastic water bottles will work for most rats. I commonly use water bottles from Lixit.
There’s the risk that a rat that loves chewing will chew a hole right through this so if that is an issue, I suggest just getting the glass water bottle.
Suggestion: get the biggest water bottle you can find. Rats drink an amazing amount of water for their tiny little bodies. You always want to make sure that they have plenty.
If you have a cage such as the Critter Nation (or something as ridiculously enormous), it may serve you well to hook up two water bottles.
Food Dish
Rats will often hide their lab blocks so having a food dish can often seem pointless.
However, some people like the concept of just having a place to put food even if it gets moved right away. I’m okay with that but I do not use any dish. I just hand them to my rats.
Rat Food
Grain mixes can help supplement lab blocks. Despite popular beliefs, a grain mix is not necessary to have a balanced rat diet.
Harlan Teklad (can also be named “Native Earth”) is my rat food of choice.
Your lab blocks should not contain more than 15 percent protein for rats older than 6 months of age.
Lab blocks with 18% protein can be given to pregnant females and baby rats.
Rat Cage
See my list of recommended rat cages. Remember to always adopt your rats in pairs and to get an appropriately sized rat cage.
If you choose a Critter Nation or Ferret Nation, you may also want to consider buying pans from Bass Equipment.
The pans that come with these rat cages do not have enough depth to hold stuff in so buying new pans for your rat cage is highly suggested.
Bedding
- Fleece cloth can be laid out as bedding though this would require much more frequent cleaning (including laundry) to keep odors down. Fleece definitely improves the look of your rat cage but it is a bit messier to clean.
- CareFresh is also suitable bedding but rather pricey and dusty. Be sure to freeze bedding for 24 hours before use as it can contain bugs.
- Yesterday’s News can be used in their litter box. Make sure you get the fragrance-free package.
Litter box
- Corner litter boxes are more space-saving but the regular rectangular ones work fine as well.
To successfully litter train, it helps to use different material in your litter box than you use as regular bedding throughout the rest of your rat cage. Example: don’t use CareFresh in the litter box AND as bedding everywhere else in the cage.
However, you can use Yesterday’s News as litter box material and Carefresh as bedding. Read more about litter box training here.
ALSO SEE: Can You Adopt a Pet Rat?
Hammocks
- Fleece hammocks are the most comfortable especially during cold nights.
- Nylon hammocks are suitable for summer nights because nylon is much thinner and lowers the risk of the rat getting too warm. You can also get these sleepers which act like a hammock but is a tunnel.
- All hammocks are at risk of being chewed and will need frequent replacing.
Nesting Box/Storage box
- Avoid wooden nesting boxes as mites and their eggs can hide in the pores of the wood
- Plastic housing (such as the igloos from Super Pet) can be easily cleaned. I usually run mine through the dishwasher when it gets dirty.
Rat Cage Cleaning Supplies
- Spray bottles: useful for diluting cleaning products with water.
Pooper scooper
- Vinegar – soak the litter box or cage pan in vinegar to remove urine smells.
- Scrubber – a sponge or scouring pad would do just fine.
Pet Shampoo
- Oatmeal shampoo is what I personally recommend. There are all-natural formulas out there.
- Herbal shampoos sometimes contain products to assist in killing mites. I generally try to avoid these as the smell can be too strong.
- Make sure that whatever product you decide to get, has a mild smell (like Oatmeal) or is fragrance-free.
