Ratscaping for Tame Rats – Natural Design with Cork, Moss, Platforms & Digging Zones

Ratscaping: create a natural habitat for your (tame) rats

With Ratscaping, you can create a natural, challenging habitat for your pet rats . It's not only beautiful to look at, but also valuable for their well-being: rats want to climb , sniff , hide , nest , and (where possible) dig . In this category, you'll find materials and furnishings to support these needs practically and safely.

At DRD Rodent Shop®, we select Ratscaping products based on safety , usability , and enrichment – so you can build a habitat that remains interesting every day. Specialists since 2011 .

What is Ratscaping?

Ratscaping is the art of creating a natural rat habitat using natural materials or with a natural look. You work with different heights , routes , hiding places , and zones (sleeping, eating, playing, foraging). This encourages active behavior while providing peace and quiet where needed.

What can you find in this Ratscaping category?

You can make Ratscaping as large or as minimalist as you like. In this category you'll find, among other things:

• Dried moss – for texture, a nesting feeling and a natural look
• Cork tunnels & cork pieces – hide, climb and explore (also ideal as a "route element")
• Wooden platforms, walkways & climbing elements – extra dimension and space to move at height
• Grass houses & natural hideouts – quiet sleeping areas and safe hiding places
• Safe ground covers – for comfort zones and a natural experience
• Digging sand / sand mixtures – for sniffing and digging behaviour (as a separate zone or in a digging bucket)
• Digging buckets & sand zones – make digging and searching a daily activity
• Fresh plants & harvested produce – decorative and suitable for nibbling (with safety in mind)

Each product is designed to be functional: not “decoration,” but real enrichment that rats can interact with.

Why Ratscaping Works (and Why Rats Do So Well on It)

Rats are clever problem solvers. An "empty cage" quickly becomes boring, while a well-designed enclosure provides new stimuli daily. Ratscaping helps with:

• Mental stimulation – variation in routes, materials and foraging areas
• Natural behavior – climbing, hiding, nesting, sniffing and (zone-oriented) digging
• Structure and peace – clear sleeping and eating areas, less unrest in the group
• Active movement – more climbing and walking through clever height structure
• A more beautiful stay – aesthetic and practical (the ideal combination)

Expert tips: how to build a Ratscaping enclosure that works

• Work in layers: start with a base, then add routes/plateaus, and finish with hiding places and "details."
• Create zones: sleeping zone (rest), eating zone (overview), play/foraging zone (action) and optionally a digging/sand zone.
• Use multiple routes: Avoid a single "highway" in the cage; rats want to choose and be able to go in circles.
• Stability is key: secure platforms and bridges securely to ensure safety while running and playing.
• Vary the textures: cork, wood, moss, sand; the variety makes it interesting.
• Change smart: you don't have to change everything at once. Small adjustments (1-2 items) keep things fresh and safe.

Start Ratscaping today

Whether you're just starting out or have been keeping rats for years, Ratscaping is fun for you and valuable for your animals. Combine natural materials, play with heights, and make the enclosure a place where your rats can discover something new every day.