For our 31st foraging Friday I will be reviewing the Featherland Paradise 4 Large Drawers. Like many of my rat foraging toys this is originally a bird toy, but works just as well for rats. To use this toy you just have to slide open the drawers, place in some treats, crinkled paper, and/or small toys, then close the drawers.
To work this foraging toy your rats must open the drawers to get to any food or toys inside. This sounds easy, and really its not too difficult, but unlike most drawer foraging toys these are so big that opening the drawers is actually a fair challenge for rats. Additionally the top 2 drawers will block the bottom ones once pulled out fully and so if your rats open the top drawers first they will need to figure out how to push them back in to maneuver open the bottom ones, which adds an extra challenge. The drawers also can't fall out by accident as they have a mechanism stopping them from falling out which is helpful for keeping this toy together. Cleaning and refill wise this foraging toy is also easy to work with. To clean it you can just wipe it down and let it air dry. And to refill it you just want to open the drawers, fill them up, and then close them. Because the drawers are so deep and large I'd recommend first filling the bottom 1/3 or 1/2 of the drawer with bedding or crinkled paper before placing any treats or toys because this will make it easier for the rats to pull out the food or toys. Once they get the idea you can simply fill the drawers all the way with food or small toys, but again I prefer to fill the drawers partially with crinkled paper in order to add an additional foraging aspect (usually I'll put the food in first, then the crinkled paper and any small toys in order to make the rats dig to get to the food and treats underneath. Overall I really like the 4 Large Drawers foraging toy. Its fun for rats to figure out how to open up the large drawers, and the toy also acts as a nice mini level for any rats that climb on top of it. Its a lot bigger than other drawer foraging toys and I consider this a good thing, because that means it can fit more food, and as such it can be used like a food bowl with a foraging component for the rats main food quite easily. Link to this foraging toy: ​​https://amzn.to/33Wvu0R Video showcasing this foraging toy:
1 Comment
My rat foraging toy review series is winding down now and I only have a few more toys to review over the next few weeks. So I figured I could take a moment and recap some of my favorite clips of Bean using each foraging toy reviewed so far - Bean has become somewhat of a mascot for this series and so I think its only fitting to show clips of her using each toy. Hopefully you enjoy this compilation - Bean and my other rats have really been enjoying working with the various foraging toys and its great to see them play with and master each one! I will link all the toys shown below, along with link my foraging toy review playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGThSDBAdLEJCz3MLbBroobmYqsWtFOMB 1. Legendog Slow Feeder: https://amzn.to/35JoUxB 2. PVC Forager Bird Toy: https://amzn.to/2FtaMxk 3. Foraging Ball (Blue): https://amzn.to/3irRqHc 4. Foraging Ball (Yellow Carrots): https://amzn.to/3iCRSm0 5. 3 Sliding Doors: https://amzn.to/2RprKiw 6. Tip and Treat: https://amzn.to/3mecXpb 7. 4 Way Forager: https://amzn.to/32pDhVJ 8. Foraging Kabob: https://amzn.to/3itYUcT 9. Seek-a-Treat: https://amzn.to/3htH7kG 10. Foraging Wheel (Clear, Large): https://amzn.to/3kdSyis 11: Foraging Wheel (Blue, Small): https://amzn.to/2FpTZLF 12. Hanging Ball (Clear Ball): https://amzn.to/35wr5Ew 13. Hanging Ball (Treasure Chest): https://amzn.to/2ZwwGH3 14. Hanging Ball (Mouse): https://amzn.to/3kbsNPv 15. Teach N' Treat: https://amzn.to/3kdSHT2 16. Trixie Poker Box: https://amzn.to/3hpzkEw 17. See-Saw: https://amzn.to/35DiXBU 18. Food Tumbler: https://www.caitec.com/birds/bird-toys/bird-toys-foraging/food-tumbler/ 19. Bottom's Up Bird Toy: https://amzn.to/35vJwsR 20. 3 Pull Out Drawers: https://amzn.to/3ilp0yJ 21. Push and Pull: https://amzn.to/2ZxhIjQ 22. Tilt A Wheel: https://amzn.to/2ZAJ2Ou 23. Trixie Snack Board: https://amzn.to/3mkYbNI 24. 4 Corner Cage Mount: https://amzn.to/3iqhTVV 25. Foraging Pots (Oxbow): https://amzn.to/32ryvXM 26. Foraging Pots (Star): https://amzn.to/3cUmuvT 27. Knot Nibbler: https://amzn.to/3bTSbGF 28. Barrel of Fun: https://amzn.to/3hlV5Fb 29. Hide & Seek Container: https://amzn.to/2BXe9e1 30. Space Circles: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081GBBR6/ref=twister_B086NFWQWT?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 31. Dog Activity Board: https://amzn.to/31iuvIT 32. Gambling Tower: https://amzn.to/2RnRf3P 33. YINGGE Wooden Forager: https://amzn.to/32yVEro 34. Millet Holder: https://amzn.to/353juNm%20Millet:%20https://amzn.to/3iraeGN 35. Snack Rack: https://amzn.to/30Kj22C 36. Toss & Learn: https://amzn.to/2RnRsnD 37. Mini Piñatas: https://amzn.to/2YBC2jR Video showcasing these foraging toys:For our 30th foraging Friday I will be reviewing the Featherland Paradise 3 Sliding Doors Drawers. This foraging toy is technically made for birds, but like many bird foraging toys it also works great for rats. To use this toy you simply have to open the sliding doors on each level (each of the 3 drawers has a sliding door on a different side), fill the inside with treats and/or tissues/tissue paper/crinkled paper, close the sliding drawers, then hang up the toy using the large clip at the top. I'd also recommend removing the leather straps when you first get this toy - you can untie the straps by undoing the loose knot made with them through the bottom loop on the metal skewer supporting the drawers. As for the rats in order for them to use this foraging toy they have 2 options - the first is to use their paws to reach into the drawers through the hard plastic grates and pull out treats, while the second is to actually slide the grates open for full access to the drawers. My drawer's grates seem to be pretty difficult to slide (not hard for a human, but quite difficult for a small rat), and so for the most part my rats use their paws and teeth to help pull out any treats and crinkled paper that I placed inside the drawers through the grates. They did occasionally open the entire drawer by fully sliding the grate, but this usually seems like an accident and they are much more likely to simply reach through the grates with their paws to remove the insides of each drawer. Cleaning and refill wise this toy is also great - like a lot of acrylic bird toys its easy to clean and dry, and also easy to load, making it a quick and fun foraging toy to pop in the cage at any time . To refill each drawer you just have to slide open the grate, fill it up, and then slide it closed. And to clean the drawers you can easily soak, scrub, or even wash this toy in a dishwasher, then either towel dry or air dry it fully and have it immediately ready for use again. Overall this is a fun toy for rats and its pretty comparable to the Featherland Paradise 3 pull out drawers bird toy that I've reviewed in the past. Both toys are fun for the rats to use and easy for us to refill and clean, making them some of the better foraging toys to use inside the cage. Overall I prefer this toy to the 3 pull out drawers one simply because my rats usually don't open the drawer grates on this toy, making them work longer to remove all the treats/nesting material from the drawers. One of my main problems with the 3 pull out drawers foraging toy was that once the rats opened the drawers they could just sit there eating treats with no extra effort, so its nice that this toy requires them to (somewhat) keep working for the treats instead. Link to this foraging toy: https://amzn.to/3bIgbfM ​Video showcasing this foraging toy:
For our 29th foraging Friday I will be reviewing the JW Pet Insight Millet Spray Holder. This foraging toy is technically made for birds, but since rats can have and enjoy millet sprays it also works for them as well. To load this foraging item is simple - the top has a bar with a hook that can be slid up and out, after which you can insert the millet spray. After that just add back in the top, then hang it back up in the cage for your rats to enjoy!
As far as the rats go their interaction with this toy is pretty much the same as with the hanging foraging balls. Basically they just have to bite and pull pieces of millet from out between the holder's bars and that's it. It's not complex by any means, but like the hanging foraging balls it serves its purpose very well. In addition to that this holder also prevents any rat from running off with the entire millet spray and either hoarding it to themselves or making a mess (although lets be honest, that will happen regardless!) Mostly the holder forces the rats to share while giving them some extra foraging opportunity by making them maneuver the millet spray out between the bars of the toy. Cleaning and refilling wise this foraging toy is also super easy to keep up with. To refill it you just have to take out the top and insert a millet spray (or alternatively you don't even have to remove the top because the millet has ample room to be shoved into the holder even when closed), then hang it up in the cage (I recommend doing so using a c clip or other clip because the toy's hook is a bit too small for easy use). As for cleaning this toy is completely plastic so you can just wash it with soap and water, dry it off, and that's that! Overall this is a simple yet fun foraging toy that serves its specific purpose very well, Its not easy to get a full millet spray into a normal hanging foraging ball and this remedies that quite well, plus I like giving my rats the challenge of having to work the millet out from inside the holder instead of getting it for free. Additionally this holder can also be used with other foods such as fruits and veggies, larger dry treats, or even used to dispense nesting items such as tissues or tissue paper for the rats to nest with (which is something I've used mine for a lot in the past). All things considered if you are planning on giving your rats some millet spray then having a holder is a great way to ensure they get some extra enrichment out of it and that everyone gets their fair share. Link to this product: https://amzn.to/358dd3b Link to millet spray (US): https://amzn.to/2DxfARv
Video showcasing this foraging toy: |
AboutHey there! Here you will find tips and tricks on rat care and training, along with information not found elsewhere on this site. If you have questions or suggestions for me, feel free to contact me through the contact page. Archives
October 2021
CategoriesDisclosure: Esther (and her website Shadow The Rat) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
|