How to choose rat cage accessories

Rat cage accessories by theme: quick answer

For themed rat cage accessories in the UK or anywhere else, start with the job the cage needs: a hide for cover, shelves for climbing, cups for foraging and bowls for feeding. Gothic and fairy rat cage accessories work best when the theme still gives rats real places to hide, perch and explore.

• Spooky and gothic rat cage accessories: dark themed hides, shelves and set-up pieces. Our gothic rat cage accessories guide shows how to use them.
• Fairy forest rat accessories: mushroom and woodland-style cage pieces.
• Rat hides and houses: start with cover, then add climbing and foraging.

Not sure your cage is big enough? Try our rat cage size and fit calculator first.

Rat hideouts, mats and accessories

For rat hideouts, choose a covered space that feels secure, has enough room for the rats using it, and can be cleaned properly. The RSPCA asks for a safe, dark hiding place for every rat, ideally one more than there are rats, each with more than one exit.

If you are building a cage from scratch, choose the essentials first: a hide, water, a food bowl, a climbing shelf or ledge, and something that makes feeding more active.

Our rat cage accessories

• Our full range of rat cage accessories, when you want to compare hides, shelves, bowls and enrichment pieces together.
• The Fairy Mushroom Rat Cage Accessory Kit, the fuller set-up option with several coordinated pieces.
• The Teapot Rat Hide and Teacup Shelves, a smaller hide-and-perch option.
• Our guide to what a rat cage should have in it, to read before choosing decorative pieces, especially for chewing, cleaning and supervision.

What are the best rat cage accessories?

The best rat cage accessories are the pieces that add a clear job to the cage. Start with cover, climbing, food interest and easy cleaning before decoration.

If you are building a first set-up, use the complete rat cage setup guide. If your rats are bored, compare our rat cage enrichment ideas.

Decorative accessories work well when they are stable, easy to inspect, easy to clean and useful for the rats. If a piece only looks good in a photo and does nothing for the cage layout, keep it outside the cage.

Which rat accessory should you add first?

Choose rat accessories by the job missing from the cage. A hide gives rest, a shelf or ledge adds movement, a food point makes feeding cleaner, and a foraging toy keeps busy rats working for treats.

• Rat hides are the first stop when the cage needs a proper sleeping corner.
• Our guide to rat toys that keep rats busy helps when the set-up needs more foraging and problem solving.
• The full rat accessories range is the place to compare pieces by job.

Choose the right rat cage accessory

Don't start with the most decorative piece. Start with the part of the cage that needs help: sleep, movement, feeding, foraging, or a calmer first set-up.

• Houses and cabins are the first stop when the cage needs a covered rest spot.
• Shelves and climbing ledges fill long empty drops and give routes across the cage.
• Foraging and training toys help when busy rats need a food-based job.
• The rat cage setup guide is the better starting point if you are still planning the layout.

Build enrichment into the cage choice

Start with the path your rats use every day. A good set-up gives them a covered place to settle, a climbing path, a food-searching job and enough open space to move without crowding. The RSPCA also asks owners to rotate toys regularly and replace chewed ropes, which keeps the cage new without buying more.

• For a first set-up, use the rat cage setup guide before buying extra accessories.
• For food-based enrichment, compare foraging toys and place them away from the main sleeping spot.
• For calmer rest, choose from hides and houses before adding more decorative pieces.
• For a digging job, our rat digging box guide shows a simple, supervised set-up; the RSPCA suggests a box of clean sand or compost.
• For wider planning, use the rat enrichment toys guide to match each item to a real cage job.

These are the pieces we'd look at first, by the job they do. Check the measurements against your cage layout on each product page.

Pet rat supplies: the full list

For costs, see our guide to how much a pet rat costs to buy and keep, and for the full shopping list in one place, our pet rat supplies page.

What to buy first

1. Hide. Give the rats a covered place to sleep or settle, one per rat plus one.
2. Shelf or ledge. Add a route through the cage's height and break up long drops.
3. Feeding point. Keep food easy to find and easy to clean around.
4. Foraging piece. Make food more interesting and give the rats a job to do.
5. Theme piece. Add the style once the useful layout is already covered.

Before you choose a rat cage accessory

• It fits your cage space and doesn't block normal movement.
• You know how it mounts, stands or sits in the cage.
• You can remove it, inspect it and clean it.
• It has a real cage use: hiding, climbing, perching, feeding or foraging.
• It has no small loose parts, rough edges or peeling finish.
• You will inspect it regularly for chew wear or damage.

Rat bed, rat hide, shelf or cage calculator?

People looking for rat cage accessories often mean quite different jobs. Use the choice that matches what the cage needs now, then choose the style.

• Rat bed or rat hide: browse rat hides and houses when the cage needs a covered sleeping or resting space. Our rat hide guide explains what makes a hide work.
• Rat cage shelf or climbing path: browse rat shelves and ledges, such as the Dragon Rat Shelf Set, when the cage needs safer paths through height.
• Foraging or feeding: read the rat diet guide, then choose the Rat Diner, the Rat Picnic Bench Food Bowl or our foraging and training toys when you want food to take more work than a plain bowl.
• Checking cage size first: use the rat cage size calculator if you are still deciding whether the cage has enough usable space.

Rat feeding schedule and feeding accessories

Feed rats twice a day, in the morning and the evening. The RSPCA says rats feed mainly at dawn and dusk, and asks owners to remove uneaten food and adjust portions so rats finish what they are given and stay a healthy weight.

Wood Green suggests about 15 g (half an ounce) of dry food per rat per day, about two tablespoons, though the PDSA says to weigh it out by the packet's guide. Fresh food comes out of the daily allowance, not on top of it. The RSPCA also suggests scatter feeding and hiding food in bedding, tubes and digging trays, which is where foraging cups earn their place. For which foods are safe, see our safe food list for rats.

Choose accessories for the space you have

The best accessories make the cage easier to use, not just fuller. Build from comfort and movement before adding decorative pieces.

1. Hide first. Give the rats a reliable resting place before choosing extra pieces around it.
2. Path second. Add shelves or ledges that make the cage easier to cross without long empty drops.
3. Food point third. Put bowls, cups or puzzles where the rats can reach them easily, away from the sleeping spot and the toilet corner.
4. Theme last. Once the essentials work, choose the pieces that make the cage feel like one planned world.

Build the cage by job

For a simpler choice, use our guide to what a rat cage should have in it and choose one piece for each cage zone: sleeping, climbing, eating, toileting and play. If you are buying for a new set-up, start with our first 30 days with pet rats plan and its supplies checklist, then come back here to choose the cage pieces.

Cardboard hides

A cardboard box makes a good temporary hide and something to shred, forage through and rearrange, but it is throwaway. Keep it dry, clean and stable, take off tape, staples and loose pieces, and replace it when it gets wet, heavily soiled, collapsed or damaged. For a hide that lasts, choose one you can inspect and clean by its own care instructions. Our safe rat shredding toys guide covers paper and card checks, and our pet rat care hub links every other guide.