Mental Stimulation

[bruxxy]

I feel like my girls are bored. I let them out for playtime/excercise everyday, but I'm away for most of the day and I know they are just sitting at home in their cage doing nothing. I want to do something for them that will excersie their active little minds when they are with me. Possibly teach them a trick or two or design something for them that will be both fun and will require them to use their minds...Does anyone have suggetions or ideas? I would love to teach my girls a few tricks but have no idea how to do this.

 

[lilspaz68]

If it makes you feel any better, I am sure they are asleep most of the time you are away during the day. When I was off work with my back injury, the whole time they would sleep all day and I had towait til they woke up early evening before I could do anything with them :roll:

 

[Willow Bean]

I've been working on Willow, since she has the longest attention span, and she has learned to "stand" on her back feet. I started using a yogie held above her head and eventually just just my hand and then give her cuddles and praise for doing it.

For "mom's not at home and I'm bored" though I saw some things in the bird aisle at the petshop. They are puzzles for birds and they get a nut or a treat if they figure it out. Maybe something that the rats would like? it hangs in the cage so you don't have to interact with it to make it work. They might just chew it though... I like to leave the radio on while I'm not home and sometimes hide treats or HT blocks around inside their cages to stimulate them. you can also try tying bits of fabric or loofa to the bars inside or outside the cage. That would give them something to do.

 

[mamarat]

A thing my rats like is to drag paper towels through the bars, just put a corner of the towel through, and they will do the rest. Another thing, place a cardboard box close to the cage, and they destroy it from the inside. I also hang a stuffed toy on the outside and they try to bring it into the cage. They are so fun to watch and they play for hours, helping each other.

 

[Moon]

My favourite destructo toy:

1) Take some treats... cheerios, etc, and wrap them up in paper.
2) Stick the balled up treats in a sock that has lost its buddy/is worn through/unwearable for other reason
3) Hang the contraption in the cage.

 

[chicky82]

Whenever I feel the need to stimulate my guys with more than an empty box or tp roll :lol: I look at this site: http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm for ideas, i like the ratty pinata, it's fun to watch them try to get into it or I string rice puffs, cherrios and pasta up just out of reach and watch them destroy it :wink:

 

[jorats]

The dapper site is an excellent site full of ideas.

 

[LA]

If it makes you feel any better, I am sure they are asleep most of the time you are away during the day. When I was off work with my back injury, the whole time they would sleep all day and I had towait til they woke up early evening before I could do anything with them :roll:

Same here Shelagh. They are awake in the morning until about 10 or 11 and then go to sleep until evening. But it's kinda funny, depending on how 'late' in the morning they are up determines when they wake up. If they go to bed when we leave for work on Saturdays which is 9am. They will most likely be awake at 7 or so. But if they are up until 11am they will sleep until 9pm or so.

I bought TP from the dollar store. I give them a sheet at a time and they move it around and make bedding. Also if you put a kleenex box in the cage that is highly entertaining. But mine really do their best work at night.

 

[PiedPiper]

My favourite destructo toy:

1) Take some treats... cheerios, etc, and wrap them up in paper.
2) Stick the balled up treats in a sock that has lost its buddy/is worn through/unwearable for other reason
3) Hang the contraption in the cage.

What a great idea, Ashley! Quick, simple to do and God only knows, there's no shortage of socks that've lost their mates in this house! LOL! Thanks!

Whenever I feel the need to stimulate my guys with more than an empty box or tp roll :lol: I look at this site: http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm for ideas, i like the ratty pinata, it's fun to watch them try to get into it or I string rice puffs, cherrios and pasta up just out of reach and watch them destroy it :wink:

And thanks to you, Chicky82 for posting the link to that great site! Lots of fun stuff to do there, too!