The 12 Best Bedding for Rats: Reviews 2022

Last updated:
Bedding for Rats

Mylifepets is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

In this article, we would be talking about the best bedding for rats, along with reviews for the top choices, as well as a couple of warnings about the types of beddings that could potentially harm your little rodents. So, whether you are thinking of purchasing paper, aspen, pine, fleece, or odor-reducing beddings, we will guide you in choosing the right substrate for your pet rat.

Things to Consider before Buying a Product

For some rat owners, they might think that rats get a bad rap for being dirty. But that isn’t true as these rodents are clean animals as they always bathe themselves like a cat, and they love to live in a spacious area that is free of feces and food wastes. Also, they make their own nests, food storage area, runway trail, and an area where they can do their business.

Before you purchase bedding for your pet rat, make sure that you are aware of what kinds of bedding is not good for your pet’s health. And like most small animals out there, pine and cedar shavings aren’t a good bedding option as it can be toxic to your pet’s health. Sand substrates might also harm your pet as they could inhale the sand’s small particles.

Aside from beddings that can be harmful to your pet, you should also keep an eye to the products:

Size – Especially if you are ordering online as you’ll have to look for a place to store it.

Warranty – You may think that this isn’t important, but it does, especially if you are not satisfied with the substrate you have ordered.

Material – It should at least have absorption abilities to help control your pet’s liquid wastes. It would also be great if you get a product that has odor control.

Brand – If you ever purchase a substrate, you should consider buying from a well-known brand to get your money’s worth.

Color – Beddings come in various color, therefore make up your mind of what kind of color you are getting that would suit in your pet’s cage as well as the area where your rat’s cage is placed.

Top 12 Best Bedding for Rats

Healthy Pet 30-litter Natural Bedding

This natural bedding from Healthy Pet is one of the most popular options in the U.S for a good reason. This bedding can offer you and your little rodent with a 99.9% free of dust product, and it is made with a recycled wood-pulp that is very different from the other products in the market. But don’t misunderstand the wood-pulp though, as it is not similar to wood chip beddings.

This also means that there wouldn’t be any cedar or pines in the product, which could potentially harm your pet’s health. The only difference of this product is that it’s like a paper-like product that is based on corrugated cardboard, which means this specific bedding can last much longer than regular a regular paper substrate.

Purina Unscented Paper Litter

This cat litter bedding may be specifically made for cats, but they can also be a great option for rodents as they are dust-free, and it is based on paper. The pellets of this product are very soft, which is a great option for rats that are very active and love to climb and jump around their cages. In addition, it is non-scented therefore it’s most likely free of any harmful chemicals.

Since this bedding is highly absorbent, it also means that the smell wouldn’t get terrible after a long time. If you want all-around bedding that is free of any harmful chemicals for your little rodent, then this cat litter bedding from Purina is going to be a good option for you, as it is affordable and has a good quantity.

Carefresh Small Pet Bedding

If you are looking for a substrate that’s been manufactured from scratch, then the Carefresh pet bedding might be the best product for you and your pet. It has a pillow-like texture that is also permeable with comfort and fluffiness, and it is particularly made for small animals. This bedding can offer a secure and warm home for your little rodents with a natural touch.

This product has also claimed to be completely made of 100 natural fiber, which is useful minor domesticated animals. It also boasts a 10-day odor control feature which is good, especially for those who can’t immediately clean up their pet’s cage. The bedding is also quite dry and more absorbent than shavings. Each package of this bedding comes in a clean and neatly packed way that is low in dust and easy to clean.

Kaytee Clean and Cozy Bedding for Small Animals

Most small animals like rats and hamsters, love diving into a sea of paper that is used as their bedding. And this bedding right here is a great option for your pet rats that love sleeping and playing in a sea of paper. This substrate comes with a new brand of soft and permeable material that is safe for your pet’s health. The product is also quite clean and cozy, which is good as it ensures that the product is truly new.

This substrate can also encourage your pet’s burrowing and nesting behavior, and it can absorb more liquid than regular wood shavings. The materials used also have a good level of odor control. If you’re worried about dust, you can stop as this product is dust-free and provides a clean habitat. Since this bedding is dust-free, it wouldn’t cause any respiratory problems to your pet rat.

Vitakraft Fresh World Bedding

By using a Vitakraft, you can bond more with your pet rat and will spend less time cleaning up their cage. This bedding contains baking soda to speed up its absorption process, which is good to keep your rat as dry as possible. Aside from absorbing, it also locks up the liquid to prevent it from getting squished out when your pet steps on the wet part.

It also has the ability to keep in the odor for you and your pet’s convenience for up to 14 days, this way, you won’t have to keep on changing your pet’s substrate. With these features, it makes it a great bedding option for small animals. Also, this brand is not only good for both owners and pets, as it is also good for the environment as well.

Small Pet Select Paper Bedding

This bedding claims that they can provide the best comfort and absorbent properties for your pet’s convenience, as well as for the owners as it is very easy to clean to help lessen your maintenance duties. Aside from rats, this bedding is also great for hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, and other small animals. But since this bedding is made of paper, it is a bit expensive than the others.

As for how one would create excellent bedding for their pets, you should understand that comfort and quality is the most important feature that beddings should have. Aside from total security, it can also expand thrice the package’s volume. Therefore, your pet would experience great satisfaction with this substrate from Small Pet Select.

FiberCore Natural Eco-Bedding

If you are looking for a healthier and cleaner substrate than the one you are currently using, then you might want to get one of these rats bedding from FiberCore. They are cleaner and healthier than most substrate in the market as these are specifically made for birds, as well as other small animals like mice and rats.

The bedding consists of recycled paper materials, which is very economical. The patented and special way of cutting and putting the strips of paper together is what makes the product special. The substrate is also absorbent, compostable, and dust-free that helps prevent any inhalant and allergy irritations.

Sun Seed Fresh World Bedding

This bedding is 100% made in the USA, and this product is among the other biodegradable bedding for small animals, including birds. It is manufactured from a warm and tender recyclable paper, more particularly newspapers and magazines that have already been recycled. In addition, it is also dust-free and can absorb liquid thrice its original mass in the form of liquid.

Aside from being dust-free and highly absorbent, it is also free from harmful chemicals that could possibly harm your rat’s health. And since it contains baking soda, it can help keep your pet’s home looking and smelling clean for days, even without cleaning or changing their substrate for a few days or so. Its odor controlling level is quite amazing which makes it a great option for rat owners.

Small Pet Select Aspen and Paper Bedding

This product consists of 100% all-natural materials to ensure your pet is safe and healthy while using the bedding. Exclusively, this product is actually made of corn cobs and it appears to be completely dust-free, which is a great option for both owners and pets. Aside from being dust-free, it is also toxic free and 100% biodegradable.

This pack is manufactured with renewable sources, and it comes with 56 liters of soft paper and another 56 liters of aspen shaving substrate. It’s paper bedding is highly absorbent and soft under your rat’s feet. As for its aspen shaving, it is made from the wood shavings of logs so it’s most likely free of dyes, additives, and other kinds of irritants.

Small Pet Select Unbleached Paper Substrate

At first look, this bedding looks like soft and absorbent bedding that is made of brown paper. This causes it to be very convenient as it functions like litters that are used to take care of messy areas. Other than unbleached paper, this bedding also made of a chunk of virgin paper. Therefore, this product is free from any sludge and is not a recycled print and is not a harmful leftover of reused papers.

This is also not made from pieces of recycled papers and it claims to be 100% dust-free. Since this substrate is pretty much safe for your little rodent, it is free from any irritants, additives, and dyes. Upon purchasing the product, it comes in 178 liters of paper bedding that can expand to up to 3,173 cubic inches.

Sophhresh Paper Pellet Substrate

This product is secure enough to be used in a small animal’s environment. This substrate is also included with baking soda to effectively control the odor. Like regular paper pellets, this product can also lock the moisture in for convenience. And if you prefer using a biodegradable product, you can get your Sophresh product in a safe and biodegradable form.

Since this bedding is manufactured from 100% recycled paper, it will not fall apart if the substrate was wet or soaked in water or other forms of liquid. If you want to use a substrate for your rat, we suggest that you consider purchasing this product as it is pretty harmless to small animal’s health.

Winship Stake and Lath Litter

Aside from rats, this bedding can also be used in the cage of hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, rabbits, reptiles, birds, and even chickens. It is manufactured from special fir wood cuttings. In addition, it is 100% organic which is great for your pet’s health, hand-filtered, and hand-harvested, so that only the comfiest and fluffiest shavings would be packed in the bag.

Every piece of shaving that is packed into the bag is free of dyes and chemicals that can be dangerous for your rat’s health. With this substrate, your pet might frolic and go into their natural behavior, which is good as this would mean that they like their environment’s substrate. With the beddings natural wood shaving smell, your pet might think that they are living in the outside world.

Conclusion

All kinds of rats bedding would be great for your pet’s enclosure. But opting for the best product will make sure that your pet has a safe environment. Also, always remember that quality is more important than the price, therefore not all products that have a high price means that they’re also the best product in the market.

Also, if you are considering ordering online, always check the product’s reviews to make sure you are getting a product that is worth your money. Most of the items we have listed here are of high quality, so we hope that you have found the best product for your pet.