Goosemoose Pet Portal

I'm just wondering what types of wood are known to be safe for rat chewies. I have a list of safe and unsafe woods for rabbit chews below, but I'd like to know what ones you're sure are safe for rats as well.

I understand that rats do not need chews and that most often they ignore them anyways, but I'm wondering for things like baskets, and toys I make for them like ropes with wood blocks on them and ladders that may get chewed from time to time.


Rabbit Safe Twigs (all aged 3+ months, with exception of Apple which is okay fresh):

Willow
Spruce
Ash
Birch
Maple
Juniper
Poplar
Apple
Pear
Hazel
Hawthorn

Not Rabbit Safe
any trees carrying single-seeded fruit
Plum
Cherry
Apricot
Peach
Redwood

Honestly, the general consensus is that they don't need them, period. Crunchy foods in their regular diet, and their habit of grinding their teeth together to wear them down (known as bruxing) negate the need for chew toys at all. In my opinion, it's all a marketing ploy by pet accessory suppliers, with no real knowledge of the animals they're trying to make money off of. LOL!

I haven't offered a chew toy in at least a decade... mine prefer fabric, anyway! LOL!

I know that they don't need these and that most often they ignore them anyways, but I'm wondering for things like baskets, and toys I make for them like ropes with wood blocks on them and ladders. I should have said that in my main post. Will edit..

Ah... so not for chews, but safe woods in general?

Because of pee-soaking abilities, I tend to avoid woods, but I do have a manzanita branch in the cage (made for birds), and a wicker basket that I use at playtime, to transfer everyone from cage to Grrreat Wall at once. :)

Avoiding cedar and pine, of course, is always a good first move. Any hardwoods should be fine. ;)

Thank you.  :) 

I like your wicker basket idea for moving them to another room. I have a nice big wicker laundry basket I think I'll use once I get some ratties.  :BlueDumboSmile:


Now to do some research on hardwoods...

I'm glad to see my rats aren't the only ones who prefer fabric to chew on LOL They don't chew on the fleece liners, but if it's a cube or a hat, they insist on chewing an extra escape hole. They have yet to chew on even cardboard in their cage!

I'm hoping to give my (future) furkids lots of fun stuff to chew and hopefully not chew the fabric.. I know I know.. it would be pretty amazing. My last rats left their hammocks alone most of the time but I had an old sheet I would put over their cage at night to block any light better - they pulled pieces of it through the bars to chew on...

I might just hang a piece of fabric off one of the doors on the outside. That might work.