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What is the best bedding for rats?
The best bedding for rats is low in dust, free of aromatic oils, absorbent and soft enough to burrow in. Rats spend their lives with their noses in their bedding, and their airways are sensitive, so dust and strong smells matter more than anything else. PetMD recommends 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) of paper-based bedding or crumpled paper. RSPCA Australia suggests recycled-paper litter or shredded paper, with at least one area 3 to 4 cm (about 1.5 in) deep for burrowing. Woodgreen's list adds shredded card, unscented hemp, dust-extracted horse shavings and coco coir for digging, and the RSPCA suggests shredded filter paper or cellulose-based chips.
Our pick for most owners: a paper-based floor bedding, a deeper dig area, and plain tissue paper for the beds.
Rat bedding types compared
| Bedding | Safe? | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper bedding (soft paper fibre) | Yes | Soft, low dust, good for burrowing | Some coloured versions hide the colour of urine |
| Paper pellets (paper cat litter) | Yes | Smell control, litter trays | Hard underfoot as the only bedding |
| Shredded card | Yes | Cheap, chunky, hard to kick out | Less absorbent than pellets |
| Hemp (such as Aubiose) | Yes, unscented | Absorbent, pleasant smell | Can tint pale bellies yellow |
| Dust-extracted horse shavings (such as Bedmax) | Yes, per Woodgreen | Absorbent, good value in big bags | Must be kiln-dried and dust-extracted; PetMD prefers paper to any wood |
| Aspen shavings | No | Nothing paper cannot do | The RSPCA advises against aspen bedding for breathing and other health problems |
| Fleece liners | Yes | Shelves, hairless rats, dust-sensitive rats | No digging; needs washing often |
| Coco coir | Yes, for a dig box | Digging and foraging | Messy as the whole floor |
| Sawdust and standard pet-shop shavings | No | Nothing | Dust harms skin and airways (Woodgreen, PDSA) |
| Pine and cedar shavings | No | Nothing | Aromatic oils irritate skin and airways (PetMD) |
| Cotton wool and fluffy bedding | No | Nothing | Wraps round legs and tails; blocks guts if eaten (Woodgreen, PDSA) |
| Corn cob, hay and straw as the floor layer | No | Nothing | RSPCA Australia advises against them as bedding; hay and straw absorb little. A little hay for nest building is fine: the RSPCA lists it as a nesting material |
| Scented bedding | No | Nothing | Strong smells irritate sensitive noses |
Our rat bedding comparison tool lets you weigh these against each other for your own setup.
Paper bedding for rats
Paper bedding is the safest all-round choice and the one PetMD and RSPCA Australia both name first. It comes as soft fibre, pellets or shredded strips. Soft fibre is best for burrowing and comfort; pellets are best for smell control and under a litter tray. Plain white tissue or teabag-paper bedding makes a soft nest inside hides, as Woodgreen suggests.
Newspaper is the exception. PDSA lists it among bedding to avoid, and it absorbs little and can mark pale coats, so we'd keep it out of the cage.
Aspen, hemp and Bedmax bedding for rats
Here the good sources do not agree, so we take the careful line. PetMD says to use paper-based bedding instead of wood shavings or chips of any kind. The RSPCA warns against sawdust and against any bedding made of aspen, though it allows non-aspen wood chips. Woodgreen warns that sawdust and most standard pet-shop shavings can harm skin and airways, but names kiln-dried, dust-extracted horse shavings as a good floor bedding. RSPCA Australia rules out aromatic or treated shavings. Our pick is paper or hemp first, with dust-extracted horse shavings only if you prefer wood.
- Aspen: skip it. The RSPCA advises against aspen bedding because it can cause breathing and other health problems.
- Hemp (Aubiose and similar): named by Woodgreen; pick an unscented one.
- Bedmax and Littlemax: kiln-dried, dust-extracted horse shavings, named by Woodgreen. PetMD would still pick paper over any wood.
- Pine and cedar: skip both. PetMD warns their aromatic oils irritate skin and airways.
Fleece bedding for rats
Fleece is soft, dust-free and reusable, which makes it a good choice for shelves, hairless rats and rats with breathing problems. It doesn't soak urine into itself the way loose bedding does, and rats can't dig in it, so most owners use it on shelves and in beds, with loose bedding on the floor. Woodgreen washes hammocks and fabric at 60°C (140°F) with non-bio detergent, inside a pillowcase or laundry bag.
- Cut to fit. Cut fleece to each shelf or base, with a little overlap, and keep a second set so one is always clean.
- Add an absorbent layer. Put a towel or absorbent pad under the fleece so urine soaks through and away from the rats' feet.
- Add a dig area. Keep one tray or corner of loose bedding or coco coir so the rats can still burrow.
- Spot clean daily. Shake off droppings and swap any wet patches.
- Wash often. Wash fleece at 60°C (140°F) with non-bio detergent, at least weekly, and skip fabric softener so it stays absorbent.
Check fleece and fabric often for holes and loose threads. RSPCA Australia warns that loose-weave, long-fibre fabrics can wrap round toes and teeth, and that rats who eat fabric can get a gut blockage. Throw out anything chewed into strings.
Best bedding for rats for smell and odour control
Rat cages smell because of ammonia from urine, not the rats themselves. The best way to control smell is absorbent bedding plus daily spot cleaning. Paper pellets and dust-extracted horse shavings soak up the most. A litter tray of paper pellets in the corner the rats already use as a toilet catches much of the urine in one place, as Woodgreen suggests.
- Remove wet patches and droppings every day.
- Wipe any plastic shelves that have been weed on, as Woodgreen advises.
- Empty litter trays every other day, or daily with a big group.
- Use a wire-sided cage: solid tanks trap ammonia (PetMD, RSPCA Australia).
- Never mask smells with scented bedding or air fresheners near the cage.
Our rat cage cleaning guide sets out a daily, weekly and deep-clean routine.
When you do a full clean, keep back a small handful of clean, dry bedding from a nest and put it back in. The familiar smell helps the rats settle back into a freshly cleaned cage.
Best bedding for rats with respiratory problems
Rats with breathing problems need the lowest-dust bedding you can find: soft paper, paper pellets, fleece and plain white tissue for nests. Woodgreen lists temperature changes as a stress factor for breathing problems, and ammonia from dirty bedding irritates the airways too. Keep the cage clean, the room steady at 19 to 23°C (66 to 73°F), and see our rat temperature guide. A rat that is sneezing, wheezing or breathing noisily needs a vet, not just a bedding change.
Best bedding for hairless rats
How to lay rat bedding
- Cover the base. Spread 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) of your main bedding across the cage floor.
- Make a dig spot. Pile one corner or a tray deeper, at least 3 to 4 cm (1.5 in), with loose bedding or coco coir and a few hidden treats.
- Add a toilet corner. Put a small tray of paper pellets where the rats already toilet.
- Fill the beds. Put plain white tissue or paper wool inside hides and let the rats build their own nests.
- Line the shelves. Use fleece or a thin layer of bedding on solid shelves.
For hanging beds, see our rat hammock guide, and for a cage with a deep enough base to hold bedding in, our guide to the best rat cages.
Rat bedding we'd look at
We don't make bedding, so these are from other shops we'd look at. Check the bag for "unscented" and "dust-extracted" before you buy.
Back-2-Nature Small Animal Bedding
Pellets made from 99% recycled paper, with no additives and very little dust. Highly absorbent, so it suits litter trays and smell control. Hard underfoot on its own, so mix with softer bedding.
Burgess Excel Nap and Nest paper bedding
Soft bedding made from paper offcuts left over from making teabags. Good for the main floor and the toilet corner, and soft enough for beds. The maker suggests a 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) layer.
Carefresh Natural paper bedding
A soft, reclaimed paper-fibre bedding the maker describes as 99% dust-free, with odour control the maker says lasts up to ten days. Pick the natural colour so you can still check urine colour.
Carefresh Nesting
The same paper bedding blended with larger pieces, which hold their shape better for nest building. A good choice inside hides and for rats who love to burrow.
Hugro Hemp Floor mat
A mat of untreated hemp fibre, described as dust-free and suitable for animals with breathing troubles, that you cut to size for shelves or a base. Useful under fleece or as a dust-free floor for a recovering rat. Check for chewing.
For everything else about keeping rats, start at our pet rat care hub.
Questions owners ask
Is aspen bedding safe for rats?
We would skip it. The RSPCA advises against any bedding made of aspen, saying it can cause breathing and other health problems, and PetMD says to use paper-based bedding instead of wood shavings of any kind. Woodgreen does not name aspen. Paper bedding, shredded card or unscented hemp do the same job without the question mark.
Is Carefresh good for rats?
Yes. Carefresh is a soft, reclaimed paper-fibre bedding that the maker describes as 99% dust-free, which fits what PetMD and RSPCA Australia recommend: paper-based bedding with little dust. Choose the natural colour if you want to see the colour of droppings and urine clearly for health checks.
Can rats use Aubiose or hemp bedding?
Yes. Woodgreen lists non-fragranced hemp bedding such as Aubiose as a good floor bedding for rats. It absorbs well and smells pleasant. One long-running UK rat-care site notes it can tint the bellies of pale rats slightly yellow, which is harmless but worth knowing.
What is the best bedding for rats with breathing problems?
Choose the least dusty option: paper pellets, soft paper bedding or fleece, with plain white tissue paper for nests. Avoid sawdust, wood shavings, scented products and anything you can see dust rising from. Clean urine spots daily so ammonia doesn't build up, and keep up with your vet's treatment plan.
Can I use newspaper as rat bedding?
We wouldn't use it as the main bedding. It absorbs little, and the ink can mark pale rats. PDSA lists newspaper among bedding to avoid. Plain, ink-free paper or shredded card does the same job far better.
How often should I change rat bedding?
Spot clean every day: take out wet patches, droppings and old food, as Woodgreen advises. Then give the whole cage a full change and wipe-down about every two weeks, or more often with a big group or a small cage. If the cage smells of ammonia before then, clean sooner.
Is fleece better than loose bedding for rats?
Each has a job. Fleece is soft, dust-free and reusable, so it suits shelves, hairless rats and rats with breathing troubles. Loose bedding lets rats dig and burrow and soaks up urine better. Many owners use fleece on the shelves and a deep loose bedding on the floor.
