The Wooden Rat (2025)

12/07/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK

In Sub-Saharan Africa, a continent with high rates of Tuberculosis (TB), researchers are using Gambian pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) to help identify TB patients. By smelling patient sputum (mucus), the rats are able to recognise TB-specific Volatile Organic Compound profile at a higher efficiency rate of success than the commonly used basic microscopy test. Training the captive-bred rats to detect TB takes about 5-6 mths. The rats are exposed to sputum samples through holes in the floor of a cage. Correctly pausing for 5 secs to smell a TB sample generates a reward (banana) while stopping at a non TB sample results in no reward.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7820466
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat.

The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural handmade products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all made of biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our social media, on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Mocha playing with The Wooden Rat Finders Keepers Foraging Toy.
FINDERS KEEPERS FORAGING TOY

This foraging toy will challenge your rat's olfactory and problem solving skills. Place food or treats in the holes of the foraging toy. Your rat will have to find which holes contain treats and retrieve them. This foraging toy adds additional complexity of movement as the toy will swing when they try to get the treat.

This foraging toy is made of 100% kiln dried wood and jute making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles.

Difficulty level: 4/10

06/07/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Vomiting is an essential survival reflex for many mammals against ingested toxins. Rats however lack the physical ability to vomit. This physiological limitation in rats is due to the gastroesophageal barrier where the esophagus and stomach have an unusually tight lower esophageal sphincter (muscle band). Pressure at the two ends of this barrier is greater than the pressure found in the thorax during any phase of the breathing cycle which makes it virtually impossible for rats to reflux (aka vomit). Rats have evolved to compensate for this inability with their keen sense of smell and pica habit.

Source: https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/natural-sciences/animals/mammals/rats-cant-vomit/
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat.

The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. Each Wooden Rat product is handmade with biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Mocha playing with the Flip and Hide Foraging Toy.

FLIP AND HIDE FORAGING PUZZLE TOY

The Flip and Hide Foraging Puzzle toy is available in 4 sizes and is made of 100% kiln dried wood making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles. Rat teeth are constantly in growth and the foraging toy is 100% safe for gnawing.

Hand Made with Rat safe material (100% kiln dried pine)

4 size options available: 5x, 4x, 3x, 2x

Difficulty level: 2/10 whiskers

28/06/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
There are many rat related idioms in the english language. One well known idiom is 'fleeing like rats on a sinking ship' referring to people abandoning an enterprise once it seems likely to fail. While the etymology of the saying is not 100% known, etymologists have found references from the 16th century where rats and mice were seen to have the ability to know when a structure was on the verge of collapse and flee. This eventually evolved into the latter in the 17th century where rats eventually took up life on the high seas and started (wisely) fleeing sinking ships as they sank.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. All The Wooden Rat products are handmade using biodegradable safe material. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally.

Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ().
PHOTO : Panqué getting a snack from the Wooden Rat Peekaboo Foraging Toy.

PEEKABOO FORAGING PUZZLE TOY

This foraging toy will challenge your rats cognitive and balance skills. Place food and treats between the wooden holders. The foraging toy adds the additional complexity of movement as the toy will swing when they try to get the treat.

The foraging Puzzle toy is made of 100% kiln dried wood, apple tree wood and jute making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles.

Difficulty level: 4/10 whiskers

21/06/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Male rats do not have ni***es. Unlike humans and most mammals, pre-natal testosterone release in the fetal male rat happens before the stage of mammogenesis where the teat is formed consequently suppressing ni**le development. Other species halt that same process after the teat is formed.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by the Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all handmade of biodegradable rat safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hides and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on our fun tips and facts, follow us on fb page (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram ().
VIDEO: Coyotl having her nightly snack in her Wooden Rat Wooden House.

THE WOODEN HOUSE
The Wooden House is available in 3 sizes (small, medium, large) and is made of 100% kiln dried wood making it safe for your pet rats. The Wooden house is constructed so that it can be easily taken apart for weekly cleaning or configuration changes.

The Wooden House is specially designed to be modular. Walls can be removed for rats post surgery to accommodate mobility and to ensure the surgery site is not aggravated. This is also recommended elderly rats or rats with mobility issues such as hind leg degeneration for easy access. The Wooden House is also suitable for other small pets like hamsters, gerbils, etc.

Size: Small, Medium, Large

15/06/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Scientists studying behaviour and neurogical mechanisms have determined that rats can track odours to wiithin ~1cm along a given path. This was determined in a study where rats were trained to follow odour trails drawn on paper spooled through a treadmill: using a pure odourous liquid deposited at a fixed rate on the paper or chocolate rubbed manually. In the study, rats were observed scanning the odour trail by moving their noses over the trail in a zigzag motion.

SOURCE (Sensitive Viewing Disclaimer: Research paper includes description of medical procedures on the rats as part of the study): https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms1712
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all handmade using biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally! https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Coyotl saying good morning from her The Wooden Rat cotton hammock.

HAMMOCK
Rats in the wild love to burrow and hide. Pet rats are no exception to this rule. The Hammock and corner triangle hideaway provides a soft and comfy hideaway for your pet rat. It can also be used as a great fall catcher. The hammock is available in 2 sizes, large and small and is handcrafted using 100% cotton fabric and cotton fleece (biodegradable). Cotton fleece is a lighter permeable fabric and is thinner compared to standard polyester fleece although just as cozy.

LARGE: Great for Mischief puddle piles and also as a fall catcher
SMALL: For the discriminating rat who likes to nap on their own

08/06/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Female rats do not have periods. Unlike humans, a female rats’ uterine lining is reabsorbed rather than shed through menstruation. If a female rat is bleeding from the va**na, it could indicate a miscarriage/beginning of labour if there is a possibility of pregnancy or a serious medical issue (uterine tumor, ge***al mycoplasmosis, pyometra, etc) that requires immediate vet intervention.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat.

The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. Each Wooden Rat product is handmade with biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Mocha playing with the Flip and Hide Foraging Toy.

FLIP AND HIDE FORAGING PUZZLE TOY
The Flip and Hide Foraging Puzzle toy is available in 4 sizes and is made of 100% kiln dried wood making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles. Rat teeth are constantly in growth and the foraging toy is 100% safe for gnawing.

Hand Made with Rat safe material (100% kiln dried pine)
4 size options available: 5x, 4x, 3x, 2x

Difficulty level: 2/10 whiskers

31/05/2025

🌿THE WOODEN RAT - STAR OF THE WEEK , NEW FORAGING TOY ALERT🌿

At The Wooden Rat, while we cater mainly to rats, we do often get requests about other types of pets. Recently, we received a very special request for a pet skunk named Cordelia.

Cordelia, possibly the most adorable little skunk in existence just celebrated her 1st birthday (🎊Happy Birthday Cordelia!!!). We were commissioned by her mum to design and build a special foraging activity board suited for her skills and needs.

A new foraging board design was developed and built that includes sliding, flipping and rotating activities. A modified rat sized version is currently being developed and will be available shortly in our etsy shop. Advance reservations for the new foraging activity board can be requested.

ABOUT SKUNKS....
Similar to rats, skunks are often misunderstood and even feared due to their wonderful self defense system. In reality, skunks in the wild are incredible animals essential to the local ecosystem. They help with pest control, dispersal of native seeds, improving soil quality and pollination. If you have a skunk family living in your area, consider yourself lucky and don't forget to leave them out some water during the hot sunmer. Skunks are smart little creatures and in some circumstances are also kept as pets as in the case of little Cordelia.

VIDEO & PHOTOS (credit: ): Cordelia playing with The Wooden Rat special foraging activity board.
The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are made of biodegradable safe material. Our Wooden Rat foraging toys are not just made only for rats. They are fun for other small animals as well! Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat.
https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Follow us on our fb page (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram () for news and fun tips.

25/05/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
There are 7 main coat & trait variations that are recognized in the breed Rattus Norvegicus (the breed from which most current pet rats are derived). The variations are: Standard (short smooth glossy coats), Rex (curly haired and 'woolly'), Tailless (sometimes referred to as a Sphinx), Hairless (naked), Satin (long, smooth, silky coats), Dumbo (larger low-set ears compared to standard rats) and Bristle coat (coarse fur).
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all handmade using biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally! https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Tochtli and Pollito having a after breakfast snooze in The Wooden Rat cotton hammock and corner triangle hideaway.

HAMMOCK, CORNER TRIANGLE HIDEAWAY
Rats in the wild love to burrow and hide. Pet rats are no exception to this rule. The Hammock and corner triangle hideaway provides a soft and comfy hideaway for your pet rat. It can also be used as a great fall catcher. The hammock is available in 2 sizes, large and small and is handcrafted using 100% cotton fabric and cotton fleece (biodegradable). The corner triangle hideaway is available on one size only. Cotton fleece is a lighter permeable fabric and is thinner compared to standard polyester fleece although just as cozy.

LARGE (hammock only): Great for Mischief puddle piles and also as a fall catcher
SMALL( hammock only): For the discriminating rat who likes to nap on their own

18/05/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Unlike humans, rats do not have tonsils. Instead, rats have a different form of lymphatic tissue called nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT). The NALT is located in the nasal cavity and functions similar to human tonsils by filtering and responding to antigens entering the respiratory system. This difference in types of lymphatic tissue between humans and rats are due to the evolutionary adaptation to each species specific environments and immune needs.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat.

The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural handmade products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all made of biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our social media, on our fb page (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram ()
VIDEO: Tochtli playing with The Wooden Rat Finders Keepers Foraging Toy.
FINDERS KEEPERS FORAGING TOY
This foraging toy will challenge your rat's olfactory and problem solving skills. Place food or treats in the holes of the foraging toy. Your rat will have to find which holes contain treats and retrieve them. This foraging toy adds additional complexity of movement as the toy will swing when they try to get the treat.

This foraging toy is made of 100% kiln dried wood and jute making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles.

Difficulty level: 4/10

10/05/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rats practice multiple mating systems include monogamy, polygyny (1 male, multiple females), and polyandry where one female mates with several males within a breeding cycle resulting in a litter with mixed paternity.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all handmade using biodegradable safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally! https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram ()
VIDEO: Mocha and Pika collaborating to get treats out of The Wooden Rat Breakout foraging toy.

BREAKOUT FORAGING TOY
Rats are inquisitive and intelligent little creatures. They are food motivated and enjoy a good challenge. The Breakout Foraging Puzzle toy provides enrichment and amusement to you and your little ratty friends.

The Breakout foraging toy will challenge your rat's problem solving skills. Place food or treats inside the bars of the foraging toy. Your rat will have to figure out how to extract the treats. This foraging toy is configurable to increase or decrease the difficulty by removing or adding bars. The Breakout Foraging Puzzle toy is made of 100% kiln dried wood and bamboo.

Difficulty level: 6/10 whiskers

26/04/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
A rat's genome is 90% similar to that of a human's and has a length of 2.75 gigabases, Gb). For comparison, the human genome is 2.9 Gb.

Note: A genome is the complete set of an organism's genetic instructions, composed of DNA. A gigabase (abbreviated Gb) is a unit of measurement used to help designate the length of DNA. One gigabase is equal to 1 billion bases.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by The Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. All The Wooden Rat products are handmade using biodegradable safe material. We have hammocks, hideaways and foraging toys and we ship internationally.

Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on fun tips and facts? Follow us on our fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ().
PHOTO : Mielita getting a snack from the Wooden Rat Peekaboo Foraging Toy.

PEEKABOO FORAGING PUZZLE TOY
This foraging toy will challenge your rats cognitive and balance skills. Place food and treats between the wooden holders. The foraging toy adds the additional complexity of movement as the toy will swing when they try to get the treat.

The foraging Puzzle toy is made of 100% kiln dried wood, apple tree wood and jute making it safe for your pet rats if they decide to give their toy a few nibbles.

Difficulty level: 4/10 whiskers

19/04/2025

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rat urine fluoresces under ultraviolet light and can be seen using a black light. This fluorescence is due to fluorescent molecules in the urine like organic compounds and phosphorus.
This fun rat fact is brought to you by the Wooden Rat. The Wooden Rat is a small Canadian family business dedicated to providing great natural products for small pets while being environmentally conscious. The Wooden Rat products are all handmade of biodegradable rat safe material. Check out our products on Etsy at The Wooden Rat. We have hammocks, hides and foraging toys and we ship internationally. https://thewoodenrat.etsy.com

Don't want to miss out on our fun tips and facts, follow us on fb page (www.facebook.com/thewoodenrat1) or on our instagram ().
PICTURE: Coyotl supervising UV light cage cleaning checks from inside her Wooden Rat Wooden House.

THE WOODEN HOUSE
The Wooden House is available in 3 sizes (small, medium, large) and is made of 100% kiln dried wood making it safe for your pet rats. The Wooden house is constructed so that it can be easily taken apart for weekly cleaning or configuration changes.

The Wooden House is specially designed to be modular. Walls can be removed for rats post surgery to accomodate mobility and to ensure the surgery site is not aggravated. This is also recommended elderly rats or rats with mobility issues such as hind leg degeneration for easy access. The Wooden House is also suitable for other small pets like hamsters, gerbils, etc.

Size: Small, Medium, Large

The Wooden Rat

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