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Pet rats are some of the smartest small mammals you can keep, which also means they need plenty of things to keep their minds and bodies busy.

Their teeth are constantly growing, and they naturally love to forage, climb, chew, and build nests, so one toy sitting in their cage just isn’t going to cut it.

A rat’s teeth never stop growing, so having safe things to chew isn’t optional. Regular chewing helps keep their teeth worn down and can also reduce the urge to chew on cage bars or other things they shouldn’t.

They also need mental stimulation. Rats are social, curious, and very food motivated, which makes foraging toys and simple puzzles a great way to keep them busy and give them a chance to problem solve.

And because rats are prey animals, they benefit from having cozy places where they can hide, nest, and relax.

A well equipped cage should ideally have all three—something safe to chew, something to forage or figure out, and a comfortable place to sleep.

• Safe materials: Stick with non-toxic pet safe materials such as untreated wood, natural fibers, hay, cardboard, and pet safe fabric or plastic. Avoid toys with small pieces that can come loose, strings that could tangle around little toes, or treated and painted wood.

• Mental stimulation: A basic chew toy is useful, but rats also need things that make them think. Puzzle feeders, foraging toys, and toys that make them work for a treat can provide much more engaging enrichment.

• Size and cage fit: Choose toys that make sense for both your rats and their cage. Anything too small could pose a choking risk, while oversized toys can take up valuable cage space without adding much benefit.

This woven timothy hay “waffle” is a simple affordable option that gives your rat something to chew, forage through, and even shred for nesting material. And since it’s made from hay and other plant materials, it provides both enrichment and plenty of opportunities for natural chewing. Rats also tend to have a great time pulling it apart piece by piece, which makes it a fun way to keep them busy.

These natural apple wood stick bundles get excellent reviews for their durability, materials, and simple design. It’s a great choice if your rats need plenty of safe chewing options and you’d rather stick with a toy made entirely from natural wood, without any fabric or plastic.

This is more than just a chew toy—it’s a full birchwood play structure that gives rats several ways to stay busy. It has a foraging platform, a hay and twig mobile they can tug and chew, and a top perch they can climb up to and use to check out their surroundings. At roughly 11″ wide × 14″ long × 13.75″ tall, it’s a fairly substantial piece that can serve as an all in one enrichment area for climbing, chewing, digging, and foraging.

This novelty shaped chew is loved by pet parents for its interactive design. It’s made from natural fabric, cardboard, and sisal, giving rats plenty to shred, chew, and forage through. It’s a fun option to rotate into your pet’s cage when you want to give them something a little different from their usual chew toys.

Dandelion root is naturally tough and textured, making it a great choice for rats that quickly chew through softer wood toys. It’s also one of the more durable options on this list, so it’s especially well suited for heavy chewers.

This handmade hanging chew is made from 100% natural materials, including willow and rattan, grapevine wreaths, timothy hay, loofah, grass, nuts, and corn husks. It gives rats plenty to reach for, chew, and explore, while also encouraging a little extra movement and activity. This toy is a fun way to keep them busy while giving them something safe to gnaw on.

This playful set comes with four strawberries and a small basket, giving your rats something fun to chew, carry around, and explore. The basket also doubles as a cozy little hideout, giving them another place to play or relax. And since it comes as a four pack, it’s an easy way to keep fresh chew toys in rotation without having to buy separate items each time. Other rat owners also say this toy holds up well to repeated chewing.

This foraging toy features a PVC pipe with colorful lids that flip up on both sides, revealing a large interior space for hiding food, fruit, insects, yogurt drops, or other treats. It comes with an attachment clip for easy hanging, is made from pet safe easy to clean materials, and is a favorite for multi rat households since both sides can be accessed at once. Pet owners with senior or less active rats also note that’s it’s easier to maneuver than some of the more complex puzzle toys.

Crafted from guger wood and pinewood, this puzzle toy is made from 100% natural pet safe materials with no dyes or chemical treatments. We love that it gives rats a chance to forage, problem solve, and chew all in one toy. You can hide treats inside for them to find, or simply let them use it as a chew toy on its own. Pet owners also praise its durability, noting that it holds up well to repeated chewing without breaking into lots of small pieces.

This soft colorful cube shaped hideout attaches easily to the top of a wire cage, giving your rat a private enclosed spot to rest or play. It’s made of soft polyester fabric that’s machine washable and dryer friendly, and measures roughly 9 x 9 x 12 inches.

This 12 count variety pack gives your rats plenty of small Timothy hay based chews to rotate through, so you can keep fresh options in their cage without constantly having to restock. These treats are a budget friendly way to add some variety to your rat’s chewing routine and works especially well alongside larger chew toys (rather than as a single enrichment piece).

This colorful set of blocks is made from natural wood and colored with pet safe food grade dye. The blocks are strung together on a sturdy cotton cord, creating a hanging toy that rats can climb, swing from, and chew. It’s a fun way to give them some extra activity while also satisfying their natural urge to chew.

Instead of buying one toy and calling it a day, try to have at least one option from each category:

• Chew toy for dental health
• Foraging or puzzle toy for mental stimulation
• Hammock or hideout for a cozy place to rest.

It also helps to rotate toys every week or two to keep things interesting. Rats can get bored with the same setup, so putting a toy away for a little while and bringing it back later on can make it feel new and exciting again.