The Ultimate Rat Toy!!!

[Goosemoose]

For quite some time I have tried to find an actual toy that my girls seemed interested in. This weekend while at Wal-Mart, Paul & Aileen (who just left after being here two weeks    ) suggested different cat toys. We finally got one of the toys that resembles a rabbits foot with a bell on the end of a string attached to a stick. I HAVE NEVER SEEN RATTIE EXCITMENT LIKE THIS!! Patches has been full on racing around the house after this thing. She POUNCES on it, she makes 180 degree turns at full speed, it is absolutely amazing. When she catches it she tries to pull it in. She pretends to give up then turns and pounces on it. When I get time over the next day or two I will take a video and put it online, it is that funny! I am going to have to reinforce it with a stronger elastic because eventually Patches manages to eat through the string

I'm sure some of you have already done this. For the rest of you, go to your local pet store!!! Let me know if your rats have the same effect.

[Ree]

I got one similar - but with feathers attached to it.  This wonderous toy has even enticed my fat lazy man rats to chase it.    

And yah, they do like to munch on the elastic...*grumble*

[jo.lin]

yeah, i have one with feathers and a bell on it too, and my boys absolutely LOVE it.  it's one of the few things, outside of treats, that gets them really excited...

i put elastic on mine about a month ago, and it is much better now.  oz was able to pull the bunch of feathers off of the string that attatched it to the wooden handle, so i was FORCED to fix it.  elastic is definitely a good choice.  they munch on the elastic, but it lasts longer, and they can pull on it a little more, and it springs back...

[stripedrats]

I've never tried the cat toys on a string, but my girls love chasing small crank powered moving toys. They love them, and it's incredibly funny to see this toy moving across the floor, and five little ratties running after it.  

[amymckee]

Mine really like the feather on a stick thing, too.

This week I bought one of those "Freddie Krueger" gloves for cats. You know- they have wires in the fingers to make them longer, with bells/pom poms on the end. Well, Pepper enjoyed it (big surprize) but the others did not. This thing SCARED THE @&*# out of everyone else. Most of them hid, but Scooter cowered in the corner of the cage, and wouldn't even let me pick him up for about a minute. His heart was beating so fast! For some reason, they just really don't like bells.

[Aristophanes]

Heck, we've even had luck with a length of paper that we drag around on the floor, or rattle along the side of the cage.  Even Martial, our chubbiest lil' feller, chases it back and forth and round and round.  You'd think they'd get enough of that chasing each other!

[Ensie]

*Ensie runs to get her bouncy-thingy-on-the-end-of-a-stick toy. Will report back later.*

[SADCAT]

Mine go nuts for the feather-on-a-stick toys! Unfortunately I have to buy them frequently because they tear them up even faster than the cats do!

[LittlePixie]

Hey... I've got one of those... because I bought one of those cat toy stockings for them at Christmas... oOoOooo..

[ratmommy_2003]

great idea! i am always looking for new toys for my boys!

[-Dani-]

My rats turn there noses up at the toys I buy them.

 But somtimes I put a slice of carrot or something onto a peice of elastic, the girls try to run away with it, LOL! but they soon either chew the elastic or just eat the carrot,