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Foraging and toys
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Kits and bundles
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Castles and cathedrals
What toys are safe for rats to shred?
The best shredding toys are the plain paper and cardboard you already have. Rats love to chew, carry and tear things up to build nests, and welfare charities name exactly this kind of material. The RSPCA lists white tissue paper, shredded paper and paper strips as nesting material, says large cardboard tubes make good shelters, and recommends rotating enrichment to keep it interesting. RSPCA Australia adds that rats enjoy cardboard boxes and tubes for hiding in and destroying, and suggests hiding food in an egg carton.
| Material | Safe to shred? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Plain white paper, paper strips | Yes | No ink, glossy coating or glue |
| Unscented white tissue, paper towels | Yes | Unscented, no lotion or pattern |
| Toilet-roll and kitchen-roll tubes | Yes | Clean and dry, glued paper peeled off, wide enough for your biggest rat |
| Egg boxes (egg cartons) | Yes | Cardboard only, no raw egg left on it |
| Plain brown cardboard boxes | Yes, with checks | What it held, tape, staples, labels and plastic windows |
| Plain paper bags | Yes, with checks | No handles, wire, foil lining or grease |
| Dust-extracted hay | Usually | Sources differ: watch for sneezing (see below) |
| Natural-fibre rope | For climbing, not shredding | Replace when frayed into loose threads |
| Newspaper | Best avoided | Ink rubs off; PDSA lists it as bedding to avoid |
| Glossy magazines, coloured or foil card | No | Coatings and dyes are not meant to be eaten |
| Cotton wool, fluffy nesting fluff | No | Strands wrap round toes and legs |
| Plastic bags, bubble wrap, packing foam | No | Choking and suffocation risk |
| Rubber toys | No | RSPCA Australia lists rubber among items to avoid |
On hay, good sources disagree. The RSPCA and Woodgreen both list hay (Woodgreen specifies dust-extracted hay) as nesting material, while RSPCA Australia lists hay and straw among things to avoid, mainly because dusty hay irritates airways. We'd follow the UK advice and use dust-extracted hay in small amounts, and stop if any rat starts sneezing, since breathing problems are common in rats.
Scrunch a sheet of plain paper into a loose ball with a few pieces of their normal food inside. It costs nothing, it takes seconds, and most rats will unwrap and shred it straight away.
Quick reference
| Option | Why it works | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Plain loose paper | Easy to inspect and replace | Remove when soiled |
| Cardboard tube | Inspect edges, openings and attachments | Never force a rat through |
| Open cardboard box | Keep entry and exit easy | Check it again after chewing |
Check the whole object before offering it
A cardboard tube or box is not automatically safe just because it is cheap or plain. Check the actual item in your hand, every time. Rats cannot vomit, so the RSPCA warns that even a small amount of something harmful can kill them, and asks owners to contact a vet at once if they think a rat has touched anything harmful.
- Peel off tape, labels and glued paper, and pull out staples.
- Take out plastic windows, string handles, ribbons and twist ties.
- Reject anything dirty, damp, greasy or with a residue you cannot name.
- Skip packaging that held cleaning products, chemicals, medicines or anything you cannot identify.
- Avoid glossy, coloured, foil or scented card and paper. Do not assume a decorative coating is meant for pets.
- Check edges and openings: no sharp corners, and holes big enough for your biggest rat to pass through easily.
- Start with something simple so you can see whether your rat shreds it, carries it or ignores it.
The aim is a manageable activity, not the most elaborate miniature obstacle course you can build.
Try three simple starting arrangements
Start with one of these. They are example arrangements, not tested safety certifications, so supervise the first go and adjust for your own rats.
- Loose paper to carry. Drop a few sheets of plain paper or unscented tissue on the cage floor or a shelf. Most rats will carry it to their nest and shred it there.
- An open-ended tube to explore. Offer a clean cardboard tube with both ends open, wide enough for your biggest rat to walk through. Tuck a small treat just inside one end.
- A shallow box with paper inside. Fill a low, open cardboard box with scrunched paper and scatter a few pieces of their normal food through it. Cut a doorway in the side if the walls are high.
- Keep the first task obvious. If you add food, use a small amount from their normal daily diet rather than adding an extra meal.
- Leave a clear way out. Never seal a rat inside a box, never push one through a tube, and never make reaching ordinary food depend on solving a puzzle.
- Watch each rat. What is easy for one rat may be hard for another, especially an older rat or one whose mobility has changed. Lower or simplify the set-up for them.
More free shredding ideas
Once your rats know the basics, these use the same safe materials in new ways. Our 35 rat enrichment ideas has many more.
- A cardboard box with several holes cut in the sides, as Woodgreen suggests, so rats can pop in and out.
- An egg box with a treat in some cups and the lid closed loosely.
- A tube with paper stuffed loosely into both ends and a treat in the middle.
- A paper bag with scrunched paper and a little scatter food, rolled shut at the top.
- Strips of plain paper threaded through the cage bars for pulling out.
- A dig box of paper bedding with treats buried in it; see our rat digging box guide.
Paper and cardboard are soft, so they are for fun and nesting rather than teeth. For chewing that helps keep teeth in trim, rats also need things to gnaw: the RSPCA suggests commercial wooden chews, fruit-wood branches such as apple, or low-calorie dog biscuits. Our guide to safe wood for rats covers which branches to use.
Know when to replace rather than repair
Replace a shredding toy as soon as it is wet, soiled or chewed into small loose bits. Shredding changes the object, so recheck openings, loose pieces and any remaining attachments after each use, and remove soiled material straight away rather than waiting for cleaning day. RSPCA Australia notes that cardboard hides need replacing often.
- Wet or soaked with urine: out.
- Food stuck to it and going off, or any damp growth: out.
- Collapsed so a doorway is blocked or a rat could get stuck: out.
- Chewed down to loose shreds: leave the shreds as nesting if they are clean and dry, bin the rest.
- Remains of tape or glue now showing: out.
Keep the usual cage routes, food and water easy to reach while you try something new. If a rat keeps struggling with a set-up, simplify it or take it away. A toy is optional; the rat is not failing by ignoring it. Note which activity each rat chooses, so rotation follows what they enjoy rather than endlessly buying new things.
If your rat stops eating, has fewer or no droppings, or seems quiet or hunched, and you think they swallowed something unsuitable, ring your vet the same day. Rats cannot vomit, so they cannot bring it back up. Never use a toy as treatment for a health concern.
Make one useful observation today
Change one thing at a time so you can tell what made the difference. Write down what you offered, what each rat did with it, and what happened next. Keep veterinary care separate from optional accessories: a new hide, shelf or toy is not evidence that a health concern has gone away. For worrying symptoms, contact your vet instead of waiting for a home experiment to work. Our guides to rat body language and rat breathing and respiratory signs help you read what you see.
Toys that last longer than cardboard
For everything else a cage needs, see our pet rat supplies guide, the guide to what to feed a rat for which treats to hide, and our pet rat care hub for every guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use toilet-roll tubes?
Yes. Cardboard toilet-roll and kitchen-roll tubes are a classic rat toy, and care guides from the AFRMA and RSPCA Australia list cardboard tubes for play and hiding. Check the tube is clean and dry, peel off any glued paper or tape, and give big rats the wider kitchen-roll tubes so nobody gets stuck.
Are all cardboard boxes safe?
No. A box is only as safe as what it held and what is stuck to it. Skip boxes that held cleaning products, chemicals or anything you cannot identify, and remove tape, staples, plastic windows and labels. Plain brown cardboard from dry goods is the safest choice. If you are unsure about a box, recycle it.
Must I buy a shredding toy?
No. Plain paper, egg boxes and clean cardboard do the job for nothing, and rats shred them happily. Bought toys are useful when you want something that lasts longer, such as a wooden chew or a foraging toy, but a well-chosen box from the recycling is not second best. Watch what your rats actually use before you spend.
Can I hide their entire meal inside?
No. Do not make a rat's ordinary food depend on solving something new. Start with a few pieces of their normal food or a small treat, taken out of the day's allowance, so the toy adds fun without adding calories. Their bowl or usual scatter feed should stay easy to reach.
What if my rat ignores it?
That is fine. A toy is optional, and some rats take days to trust a new object. Try a simpler version, offer it in the evening when rats are most active, tuck a small treat inside, or rub it in used bedding so it smells familiar. Never push a rat into a box or tube.
Is newspaper safe for rats to shred?
It is best avoided. PDSA lists newspaper among bedding to avoid, and ink can rub off on fur and feet. Plain paper, unscented white tissue, paper towels and paper bedding are better shredding material. Recycled-paper cat litter is a different, processed product that RSPCA Australia does suggest as bedding.
Can rats shred fabric?
Rats will chew fabric, but it is not a good shredding toy. Swallowed threads can block the gut, and loose-weave fabric can catch toes and teeth, as RSPCA Australia warns. Give fleece and hammocks for resting, check them for holes daily, and offer paper and cardboard when you want something for them to destroy.
