The information on this page comes from personal experience, the experiences of others, and research gathered online. I have not tested all of these litters. For the ones I have tested, you will find links to my Product Reviews page.
There are three types of litter that can go in your rats' cage. The first is the regular litter. This is the layer of litter that covers the bottom of the cage.
The second is the litter that goes in the litterbox, if you use one (otherwise, rats will often choose one corner of the cage to use as the toilet).
The third kind is the bedding that they use to snuggle up in inside their nestbox, if they have one.
Litter should be absorbant and control odor well, and should be soft enough so that it is comfortable to walk on. It should also be free or relatively free of dust. There are many different options to choose from when it comes litter. You can experiment with different ones and find one that works best for you and your rats. You can even combine litters!
Pine and Cedar
Pine and cedar, which are softwoods, should not be used as they may be toxic to rats, and could irritate their delicate respiratory systems.
Cedar and pine contain phenols, which is what makes them smell so good. But these phenols are acidic. They can damage or destroy cells lining a rat's nose, throat, and lungs, allowing bacteria to easily invade. This commonly leads to pneumonia. In addition to the damage phenols do to the respiratory system, they also affect organs like the livery and kidneys, which are responsible for filtering out toxins from the body. Over time, the toxins will overwhelm these organs and they will eventually fail. A damaged liver results in a lowered immune system, which opens the door for other medical conditions.
Phenols have also been linked to various forms of cancer.
There is some disagreement on these facts. You may read articles rebuting the points put out there against cedar and pine. Then you may read articles rebuting those rebutals. The general consensus is that they are bad for rats (and other animals, and even people) and even though they may be cheap and widely available, it's just not worth the risk to use them.
You can find links to more articles on the toxicity of cedar and pine on our Links page.
From here, you can go on to read the rest of the litter page or you can skip through to find a specific litter from this list:
Gentle Touch Litter by Gentle Touch Corporation
Pellets made from Aspen wood and Aspen bark. Absorbant, and good at controlling odors. After a few days it does break down into a dusty powder. Make sure you get the right product, because Gentle Touch also makes a pine bedding.
Litter Love by The Barnaby Co.
Aspen bark pellets.
Sani-Chips by P.J. Murphy Forest Products (widely distributed by Harlan Teklad)
Small chips made out of hardwood, specifically Aspen and/or Maple. This litter is fairly priced, has little dust, and does a great job of controlling odors and wetness. It is also very soft--great for ratty feet. One downside is that the particles are very small, so they tend to get everywhere and make a big mess. Because the chips are so small, Sani-Chips should not be used in a cage housing a pregnant female as the chips will stick to the babies when they are born. Another downside is that it can be hard to obtain. You can read a review on Sani-Chips here, and you can read my own review here. It is interesting to note that Sani-Chips are a popular choice in laboratories.
CareFresh by International Absorbants Inc.
Wood pulp fibers too short to make paper, processed to the appearance and texture of shredded egg cartons. Biodegradable and flushable in small quantities. Technically this is a wood litter, but it more closely resembles paper product litters (not a hard bridge to cross, considering the relationship between wood and paper). CareFresh used to be very low-dust, but has gotten a bit dustier recently. Some rats are allergic to CareFresh--this should become apparant very soon as your rats will start sneezing their heads off. Ratty tails may take on a gray tinge in this litter, and I've also noticed that although it seems pretty low-dust to me, their tails attract the dust. CareFresh is fairly expensive, and doesn't go far. It's lightweight enough that it can be kicked out of the cage, but tends to stay in much better than litters like shredded aspen. You can read my full review on it here.
International Absorbants Inc. also makes a higher quality, white version called CareFresh Ultra. It's very low on dust and very soft, but it's expensive.
Cell-Sorb Plus by Fangman Specialties, Inc
Soft pellets of recycled newspaper that are biodegradable and flushable in small amounts. Some people find Cell-Sorb Plus to be very absorbant and fantastic at odor control. It may be pricier than other options, but it also may go further, making it cost effective. Personally, I have found it to do a poor job at odor and wetness control. You can read a review on it here, and you can read my own review here.
Eco-Bedding by FiberCore
Thin crinkled strips of craft paper (brown paper one grade below grocery bags). May make a better bedding than litter.
Yesterday's News by Purina
Recycled newspaper pellets. Not too dusty, and doesn't break down too much under normal wear and tear. Somewhat expensive (try the cheaper cat litter version rather than the ferret litter as it's just about the same). Also available in a softer pellet form. You can read my review on it here.
Other Types of Litter
A note on all clumping and clay cat litters:
These litters are not recommended for rats because when eaten they solidify in rat tummies, and because they can be very dusty.
A note on all corncob-based litters: Although cheap and good at controlling moisture, this type of litter grows mold easily. Also, rats might try to eat it, causing choking or impaction (meaning the litter will get stuck in the rat's digestive track and cause a blockage), especially in young rats. It's also easily kicked out of the cage. Additionally, the use of cob beddings has been associated with a condition called ringtail in which the tails of very young rats in an overly dry environment become constricted, causing permanent damage.
Critter Country by Mountain Meadow Pet Products, Inc.
Biodegradable pellets made from wheat grass and other fibers. Tip: try Cat Country, made by the same company, as it may be the same product but more econimical.
LifeMate by Pestell
Natural hemp bedding. Appearance is somewhat similar to shredded aspen. This litter is low on dust and is quite good at controlling odor and wetness. You can read my review on it here.
The litter options for the litterbox are similar those for the main litter. Pretty much anything you use for the main litter, you can use in the litterbox, but make sure you don't use the same product in both places, or the rats may get confused. Since the rats won't be living on this litter, you don't have to be as concerned with how soft it is.
If your rats have a nestbox or pouch hammock--or even a corner of they cage they choose to use as a nestbox, for that matter--they'll enjoy some material to use as bedding. You can use regular soft litter, like CareFresh, for this purpose, or you can give them strips of fabric like fleece and flannel and even old bed sheets. They also enjoy paper towel strips and toilet paper.
Another material that works well as bedding is 100% unbleached cotton (not polyester) batting. Pet stores sell little bags of it, but you can get the same thing at a much better price at fabric stores. Batting is used as a filler for blankets like quilts and comforters. Just ask for it at the counter--they'll know what you're talking about.
Even cheaper is batting in the rope form. You can hang it in the cage, adding another dimension of play.
If it gets cold where you live in the winter, you should give extra thought to giving them something warm like fleece to use as bedding so they can snuggle up and keep themselves warm.
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