Cage Decor, Toys and Entertainment: Cage Decor- Rats spend alot of their day sleeping, so provide them with comfy places to rest. Igloos, Roll-a-Nest beds, Kleenex boxes(these are disposable), plastic storage containers with holes cut into them, etc are great hidey hole places. Hammocks are a must...and there are so many different varieties (ex. Light wieght, hammocks w/ pockets, fleece lined...there are cubes, tubes, and space saving corner hammocks) . They are also quite easily made. One way is to buy wash clothes, (on sale) no hemming is required, place grommits in each of the four corners and use wire shower curtain hangers to secure them to the cage. If you enjoy sewing there are endless possibilities! Toys- Rats love to play. When they can't be out of their cage playing with you, they need something to occupy their time. Below is a list of entertainment ideas. Chew Toys: Hard shell nuts - Rats love to chew. Hard shelled nuts such as walnuts, pecans, and hazel nuts will keep rats entertained for long periods of time although some will give up on walnuts, as they are especially hard to gnaw through. Nuts are high in fat so they should be given out sparingly. Hanging parrot toys - I have found that the greatest selection of hanging chew toys can be found at parrot stores/online stores. Many times you can by individual toy pieces or toy kits, which include wooden pieces and rope, so you can create your own homemade hanging chew toys for your rats. http://smartbirdtoys.com/  http://www.birdtoyoutlet.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=28  http://www.busybird.com/ We always save out the chicken bones from dinner to give to the rats. They love them and will not choke on them. Toilet paper tubes filled with treats such as dried veggies (http://www.justtomatoes.com/OJPEAS-P.html), unsalted sunflower seeds and peanuts in the shell (sunflower seeds and peanuts are high in fat, so best used as an occasional treat), and whole grain cereals. Try to keep junk foods to a minimum. Once the toilet paper tube is filled fold both ends or cover with tissue paper tied to the tube with string. You can place these on the cage floor or hang hang it from the cage. Pinatas - To make a homemade pinata place on top of each other several layers of paper towels. Place treats of your choice in a pile in the center of the top layer of paper towels. Bring the corners of the papertowels up together creating a bag filled with treats. Use string to tie the top of the "bag" together and hang from the cage. For those who can't resist, there are cute animal shaped mini pinatas that can be purchased and filled with treats. http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/20442/product.web Out of cage fun: Fishing for peas is a HUGE hit around here. Fill a large baking dish up to an inch with water throw in peas and/or other veggies and watch your ratties go to town. I like to do this on top of the kitchen table covered with an old table cloth, blanket or towels. A play area made of cardboard boxes and oatmeal tubes. You can get very creative here by making a multiroomed castle, or a maze with tunnels and rooms. Or if you prefer not to put in a lot of work simply place different shaped boxes on a table or floor of a rat-proof room (see free-ranging) and watch them run in and out of the different hidey places. Hiding treats and toys throughout will make for added fun.