The Wooden Rat (2026)

17/05/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Estonian neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp affectionately known as “The Rat-Tickler” spent many years tickling rats as part of his study on the neuroscience of affect at a time when many researchers discounted that animal emotions could be studied scientifically (or even existed). Through his studies, he demonstrated that rats enjoyed being tickled and are motivated by having fun as much as humans are. The rats in the study were particularly ticklish in their nape area and would often seek out the human hands they knew would tickle them.
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: Chapulin looking for a snack from her 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

10/05/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Baby rats are born deaf and blind and are fully dependent on their mother's milk for survival. Around 2-3 weeks old, the pups can start to eat some solid foods like grains, fruits, and vegetables. By 3-4 weeks after birth, pups are generally fully weaned and eating solid food.
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: Jabón peeking out from her castle doors to check for dragons.

02/05/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Adult rats communicate using two types of ultrasonic calls: alarm calls (22 kHz) for aversive and dangerous situations and appetitive calls (50 kHz) for friendly nonaggressive behavioral situations such as laughing.

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: Mapatchli trying 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

26/04/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Due to the morphology of their paws, rats walk by putting their toes and anterior part of the paw down first to the floor, and THEN the heel of the pad. In comparison to humans who walk by putting the heel of their foot down first and then the toes.
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: Cookie pondering if she has more treats to steal from her sisters.

19/04/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
In Ancient Rome, mice and rats weren't always considered two different creatures. Rats were called Mus Maximus (big mouse) and mice were called Mus Minimus (little mouse).
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 (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram ()
PHOTO: Jabon getting a snack from 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

11/04/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rat tails have 2 main purposes; provide balance and dispel heat. A rat's tail is composed of bone, tendons, lateral veins, dorsal vein, smaller veins and a ventral artery. These various veins help a rat to thermoregulate by dissipating heat, dissipating approximately 17% of its body heat in just 5% of its body surface area.
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: Quetzalli, Sarape, Cookie, Mapatchli and Chapulin having a Saturday sleepy cuddle session.

28/03/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rats have many similar anatomical features as humans. One major difference is that rats do not have a gall bladder. So what does a gall bladder do and why don't rats need one? Gallbladders function as a storage pouch for bile which is used to support digestion. The liver continually makes bile which is stored in the gallbladder until you eat. When food is consumed, the stomach releases a hormone that causes the muscles around the gallbladder to contract and release the bile. Now for rats, firstly, their diet is primarily composed of plant matter meaning less bile is required to breakdown food. Secondly, as rats are constantly eating, the bile produced in their liver is used frequently and does not need to be stored.
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: Chapulin looking for a snack from her 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

22/03/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rats teeth change colour as they age. Pinkies (baby rats) initially have white teeth. After approximately 21 days, they start to turn yellowish. After 38-40 days, the enamel transitions into a yellow orange colour. This is the natural enamel colour for an adult rat. If an adult rat has white teeth, this usually points to a deficiency in their diet or other kind of illness.
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: Chapulin caught sneaking into the castle keep for supplies (peas).

14/03/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Adult rats communicate using two types of ultrasonic calls: alarm calls (22 kHz) for aversive and dangerous situations and appetitive calls (50 kHz) for friendly non-aggressive behavioral situations such as laughing.
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. 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 : Mapatchli peeking from her Wooden Rat Cube Hideaway wondering why her breakfast in bed is late.

CUBE HIDEAWAY
Rats in the wild love to burrow and hide. Pet rats are no exception to this rule. The Cube Hideaway provides a soft and comfy hideaway for your pet rat. It is handmade using 100% cotton fabric and cotton fleece (biodegradable). Cotton fleece is a lighter permeable fabric and is thinner compared to standard polyester fleece. Available in various colours.

07/03/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
Rats share 69% of homologous genes with humans. In comparison, humans share 90% with cats, 82% with dogs, 80% with cows and 98% with chimpanzees. A homologous gene (or homolog) is a gene inherited in two species from a common ancestor over 80 million years ago.
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 : Mapatchli daydreaming of rice puffs, bananas and sunflower seeds.

22/02/2026

RAT FACT OF THE WEEK
The average heart rate of a rat averages around 250-400 beats per minute, much higher than humans who typically have an average heart rate between 60-100 beats per minute. This higher rate is characteristic of small mammals and has evolved as an adaptation to sustain their active lifestyle and maintain body temperature which is essential for survival.
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 (The Wooden Rat) or on our instagram ().
PHOTO : Mapatchli on tippy toes looking for a snack from her 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

The Wooden Rat

17/05/2026

10/05/2026

02/05/2026

26/04/2026

19/04/2026

11/04/2026

28/03/2026

22/03/2026

14/03/2026

07/03/2026

22/02/2026

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