Dried flowers and grasses for rats: a natural enclosure to explore

A rat enclosure with just a bare floor, a few levels and a hammock quickly becomes boring for such curious animals. With dried grasses, grains, moss and flowers you bring a bit of nature indoors. Rats sniff at them, pull out the ears, drag stalks to their nest and search between the stems for something tasty. That way the enclosure becomes a place to explore instead of just a place to sleep.

This category consists entirely of Zooply, our own premium brand. You will find dried grasses and grains, moss, cotton bolls on the branch, a large range of dried flowers in different colours and ready-made bouquets. We use these products ourselves when furnishing enclosures in our shop and breeding facility. Furnishing with natural materials is also called rat scaping.

In short

• ✓ Dried grasses and grains are the most fun for rats: to nibble on, pull apart and build with.
• ✓ Dried flowers add colour and structure; see them mainly as decoration and enrichment.
• ✓ Use them in dry spots; remove wet or mouldy pieces immediately.
• ✓ Hide a few pellets of rat food or a herb in between for a foraging game.
• ✓ Vary regularly, and the enclosure stays interesting.

What will you find in the Dried flowers & grasses category?

Zooply grasses and grains

For rats, these are the favourites. Zooply Oats and Zooply Wheat (100 grams each) are stalks with the ears still attached; according to the product information, they create a natural atmosphere and are safe to gnaw. Rats take the ear in their front paws and pick out the grains. There are also Zooply Millet Grass and Zooply Canary Grass (100 grams), Zooply Foxtail Grass and Zooply Bunny Tails (70 grams), Zooply Bulrushes (10 pieces) and Zooply Babala (5 pieces). These grasses and stems add height and structure in the enclosure and are perfect for dragging around and gnawing on.

Zooply Stone Moss, Rodent Moss and Cotton Bolls on the Branch

Zooply Stone Moss (75 grams) and Zooply Rodent Moss (250 grams) are dried moss that you place between the bedding or use as a soft layer in a corner. It instantly gives the enclosure a natural look. Zooply Cotton Bolls on the Branch (80 grams) are twigs with soft cotton bolls attached. According to the product information, besides decoration they are also suitable as nesting material. Rats love to pluck off the white fluff to line their nest with.

Zooply dried flowers in colours

If you want colour in the enclosure, you can choose from, among others, Zooply Amaranth (red, orange and green), Zooply Strawflower (yellow, white, light pink, pink and red), Zooply Statice (dark violet, white, pink and yellow), Zooply Limonium (white and pink), Zooply Sea Lavender pink, Zooply Daisy (pink and white) and Zooply Yarrow. Most come in 70-gram bags. These flowers are mainly intended as decoration and for structure in a rat scape. Rats will undoubtedly sniff them and drag them around; don't see eating them as the goal.

Zooply bouquets

If you don't want to combine things yourself, there are the Zooply Summer Bouquet, Spring Bouquet and Meadow Grass Bouquet, 100 grams each. These are ready-made bouquets of dried flowers and grasses. You put them down loose, divide them into small tufts or work them in between the bedding, cork and wooden accessories.

Why dried flowers and grasses are good for rats

Rats are intelligent and need lots of stimulation. In the wild they live among tall grass, shrubs and waste, and spend a large part of the night searching, collecting and building. In an enclosure, much of that disappears. Dried grasses and flowers give back part of that challenge. Your rats have to crawl through something, take something apart and choose what to take back to their nest.

In addition, many rats feel more comfortable when they can walk along edges and cover instead of across a bare open space. A few bunches of grass along the edge of a level or next to a house create a route where your rats feel safer.

How to use dried flowers and grasses in the rat enclosure

There are many ways to get started. Stick a few stalks of oats or wheat upright in the bedding, so it looks like a little patch of field. Put a bunch of millet grass or a bouquet in a corner where your rats like to potter about. Make a digging box with bedding and moss, and hide a few pellets of rat food or a few Zooply herbs in it. Or fill a cardboard box with grasses and flowers and let your rats pick it apart themselves.

Rats are climbers, so think in terms of height too. Stick grasses between the bars, tie a bunch to a level or put some moss in a hanging basket. That way you use the whole enclosure and not just the floor.

Start with a small amount. A rat enclosure full of dry material quickly becomes messy and is harder to keep clean. A few tufts in different spots already give lots of fun.

Furnishing safely

When furnishing, also consider safety. Firm stems, such as those of bulrushes and some grasses, are best stuck upright into the bedding or shortened, so that no hard points stick out on walkways or at the entrance of a house. Don't place grasses and flowers so close to the water bottle or feeding bowl that your rats can no longer reach them properly. And always keep part of the floor and the levels clear, so your rats have enough room to run and play.

Keeping them dry and replacing them

Dried flowers and grasses only stay attractive and safe if they stay dry. So don't put them in the wee corner or under the water bottle. If a piece gets wet from urine or spilled water, remove it immediately; damp plant material can go mouldy. Rats drag a lot to their nest. So check regularly there too whether everything is dry and clean.

After a few days to a week, a bunch of grass or a bouquet has usually been pulled apart considerably. Remove the leftovers if they are dirty and put down something new. Store the packs dry and dark, and colour and scent will last longest.

Varying for lasting curiosity

Rats quickly get used to a fixed layout. So vary regularly between types: one week oats and stone moss, the next week millet grass with cotton bolls or one of the Zooply bouquets. A new scent or texture immediately makes your rats active again. You don't need to turn the whole enclosure upside down; rats also love a familiar base. A few new elements at a time is enough.

Handy combinations

Dried flowers and grasses are the most attractive part of a naturally furnished enclosure. Combine them with:

• Rat scaping: cork, branches and other natural materials to furnish the enclosure further.
• Bedding: low-dust Zooply bedding as the base to stick the grasses into.
• Nesting materials: Zooply Nesting Material to build a nest together with cotton bolls and grasses.
• Dried herbs: Zooply herbs and vegetables to hide between the flowers.

Frequently asked questions about dried flowers and grasses for rats

Can rats eat the dried flowers and grasses?

Grasses and grains such as oats, wheat and millet grass are made for nibbling, and your rats are welcome to eat them. With dried flowers, the emphasis is on decoration and enrichment. Rats will gnaw on them now and then, but they are not food. Keep the amount small and make sure rat food, fresh water and a little fresh greens remain the basis.

What is rat scaping?

Rat scaping is furnishing a rat enclosure naturally with materials such as cork, branches, moss, grass and dried flowers. The aim is an enclosure in which your rats can climb, hide, dig and forage. It looks lovely, but more importantly, your rats can express more natural behaviour in it. Only use safe, untreated materials intended for rodents.

Can I also use flowers and grasses I have picked myself?

We advise against it, unless you are absolutely sure which plant it is and that it hasn't been sprayed or contaminated. Many plants in gardens and verges are not suitable for rats. What's more, they may contain insects, moisture or droppings from wild animals. With the Zooply products, you know what you are putting in the enclosure.

How often should I put down new flowers and grasses?

That depends on how enthusiastic your rats are. Replace anything that is wet, dirty or completely pulled apart, and add something new about once a week to keep it interesting.

Won't the flowers be destroyed straight away?

Often, yes, and that is exactly the idea. Pulling apart, dragging and rearranging is enrichment for rats. If you want something to stay attractive for longer, stick it firmly into the bedding or fix it between cork or bars.

Are the cotton bolls safe as nesting material?

According to the product information, the Zooply Cotton Bolls on the Branch are also suitable as nesting material. Rats pluck off the cotton and work it into their nest. As always, check the nest regularly for moisture and dirt.

Dried flowers and grasses at Knaagplaza

At Knaagplaza, the webshop of 't Knaagplein, you will find a wide range of dried grasses, moss and flowers from Zooply, our own premium brand that we use every day for our own animals. Turn the rat enclosure into a place full of scents, textures and hiding spots, and watch your rats set out on a new adventure every evening.