Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / April 2006

You may want to experiment with the hammock more; they're very nice,
but different rats have individual preferences about appropriate
placement and tension. My rats prefer that hammocks be placed as high
in the cage as possible. Try different locations, but it can take them
a week or so to get the idea that it's a fun place to be so leave it
in each new position for a god long time before you try the next one.
If you'd like to encourage them to use it, try tossing some treats
into the middle.

I like to take old jeans legs and cut them into tubes, then attach
those to the sides of the cage with large safety pins in the corners.
Very simple, and doesn't need to be fixed when the rats chew holes in
the corners -- just move the safety pin!

--Theresa

http://tiger_spot.mapache.org

Wow, you've got lots of toys for them, great ideas too.
As for the hammock, leave it in, eventually they will warm up to it. I
haven't met a rat that doesn't like a hammock yet.

Definitely keep the hammock in - rats absolutely adore them, some will take
their time in trying them out and as soon as they do you won't be able to
prise them out!

Buy some cheerios and string them up in the cage, rats love cheerios and
this makes them work for their tasty treat.  Also you can buy cheap as chips
childrens' toys from the pound/dollar store or charity shops, some of which
make great toys for rats.

Tracey

Try those tough plastic toys ("Little Tikes" and the like), which
resemble houses, garages etc... from charity shops. The difficulty is
finding something big enough for the rats to go in and out of, but small
enough to fit in the cage. Our ratties even have a Barbie Jeep!