Did you know that a rodent’s teeth continue to grow throughout their lives? If rats and mice don’t grind their chompers down by regularly chewing material, their teeth will eventually grow so cumbersome that the poor creature will have serious issues preventing the proper chewing and digesting of food. This necessity is one of the primary reasons infestations of wild rodents can be so destructive; when rats and mice aren’t feeding, they’re chewing to prevent a permanent overbite. Our palmtop domesticated fancy mice and rats have the same health issue, but it’s up to responsible pet owners to provide suitable material for their pet to gnaw on at all times.
Thankfully, there are tons of delicious, colorful and woody choices out there for teething rats, and the little fur-balls aren’t too choosey about what they chew. Here are a few stellar examples that sensible pet owners can put their trust in to keep their mousey chums healthy and entertained:
Wooden Hanging Bird Toys
Sure, they’re intended for parrots, but the slight challenge of grabbing and holding the dangling wooden chew makes this toy even more stimulating for intelligent rats. Since both rats and mice often come out to play in the evening hours, consider avoiding bells and other noise making accessories.
Ware All Natural Small Pet Foraging Fun Toy
Perfect Chew Small Animal Toy Style: Rat
Individual Rodent Chews
While most individual small rodent chew toys are made of wood, some pet suppliers have gotten creative with other challenging and entertaining materials, including tightly-packed rice, woven wicker grass, calcium and even cheese! Here are a few creative chews that are sure to keep teeth down and spirits high:
Ware Natural Loof-A-Chews Small Pet Chew Treat
Ware Sisal Nature Small Pet Ball Chew
(Photo by greenchild /Creative Commons via Flickr)Once you’ve finished spoiling your mousey mate, why not pick up a mouse that you can take with you to the office? Safari ltd’s Incredible Creatures Mouse is almost as cute as your little friend, but it can go wherever you do and you don’t have to clean up behind it!
Don’t forget to let us know what your mouse or rat prefers to sink their teeth into, or if you’ve tried any of the goodies listed here. (No, not you- Your rodent!)
