Unfortunately, a wide range of products advertised towards rats can be incredibly dangerous. It is important we, as caretakers, stay educated and knowledgeable on what is safe and what isn't. Here is a list of products to avoid like the plague! (haha, get it?)
Snak Shak Products
Snak Shak products, wether it be the treats, perches, or hides, are extremely dangerous for rats, and all the animals they are actually marketed for.
The response I always get when I share this vital information is usually something along the lines of "My guinea pig/rats/hamster has been chewing these for years, we have not had a single problem." when in reality, they just have not had a problem yet. The truth is, using these is dodging a huge bullet.
Snak Shak products are made from things like (and this is directly on a label from one of their hides) "Pine wood shavings, Cassava starch, Alfalfa, Sodium, Propionic Acid, Honey, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol."; Which means your animal is quite literally eating and ingesting wood. Not to mention, if your rats are using them as hides, they contain untreated pine and therefore phenols will be released into the air/environment which can be extremely harmful for their sensitive respiratory tracts.
The combination of the glue and the honey makes for a dangerous mixture, this actually poses huge risk of causing fatal blockages. So many recommend these, but they have harmed a lot of animals. To put things simply, these should not be on the market. Safe alternatives for these dangerous products include the majority of toys and hides that aren't advertised as 'edible'.
Grated Levels/Ramps
Unfortunately, there are an abundance of rat cages being sold with grated platforms; While companies claim this helps them ‘grip’ to climb, these truly do nothing but pose serious risks of causing small injuries to the feet which can eventually lead to an infection of the foot known as bumblefoot. Covering these ramps/floors with sticky tile, or cardboard or fleece changed more frequently; But it is much better to remove these entirely and use the space for proper activity and enrichment that prompts physical and mental health and stimulation.
Ropes, bins, ledges/perches, nets, tie hangers, wine racks, and large hammocks can all replace levels and ramps, and make for a much better cage layout. However, it is important to keep in mind a vast majority of these cages (such as the one pictured) does not provide enough floorspace to cater to rats and their fossorial needs, some of these are only suitable for temporary use,
Salt & Mineral Licks
These products, while advertised for a wide array of animals, can actually cause imbalance. When eating an already balanced and suitable main diet, if they show these any attention then they can actually respond very negatively; Excess sodium in the body is an extreme concern and should your rats show interest (though many do not) they will be receiving too much of something they should already have enough of. Too much of anything, even when it’s good for you, can be bad.
Wooden Enclosures
From rabbit hutches to DIY furniture pieces, wooden enclosures are unsuitable for rats due to their destructive but very natural behaviours; Rats chew excessively, and having an enclosure they could eventually chew out of is an extremely unnecessary risk. Most importantly, these cages are unsafe and pose serious physical health risks for numerous reasons. They often lack in ventilation (it is vital for rats and their fragile respiratory systems to have all four walls open and ventilated), often lack in floorspace, become a serious ammonia hazard, and can even be chewed out of. These wooden cages are also often made with toxic wood materials, and when the rats chew to expose the base wood, their urine and feces work quickly to destroy the cage from the inside out. Overall, these are not only dangerous and risk your rats escaping or having a reaction to the dangerous ammonia buildup, but in the long run end up costing you more than any suitable market priced cage.
Critter Tubes
These tubes are extremely unsafe for majority of animals (except dwarf hamsters and mice) due to their size not accommodating for the size of the animal’s body. Rats are simply just too large for these tunnels and can get seriously hurt or trapped, possibly resulting in fatality. Cages with attached tubes should be avoided for this reason.
Safe alternatives include cork logs, hay/willow tunnels (ensure no eye irritation/poking occurs, while it is rare it can still happen), cardboard tubes, and large width PVC pipes.
Saucer Wheels
These wheels are often not only extremely small, but pose risk of severe spinal injury. The position in which their spines curve as they run on these increases their risk of serious spinal injury and even death, as abnormal pressure is placed on sensitive areas of the back and risk breakage/fracture. A wheel is by no means a requirement for rats, but if you're going to have one, it absolutely must be safe.
Mesh Wheels
These are often way too small (I seriously cannot say I have ever seen one large enough for rats) but also pose risk of causing serious injury. The mesh or 'tread' poses risk of ripping out toenails, and the way that the wheel meets the stand with the bar across its diameter makes for a dangerous risk of getting their tail caught in it, possibly even degolving it. These issues along with the spinal pressure problems caused by small wheels make for a huge unnecessary risk and simply a product best avoided. Alternatives to these saucer and treaded wheels are large ferret/chinchilla wheels, with a solid base, made from metal or plastic. These can be made DIY, or purchased over sites such as Pet Revolution (US/Canada), and Tictac Wheels (UK/EU). They should be at least 12 inches for babies, small adult females and dwarf rats- 14 inches for more regular sized adult females- and a minimum of 16 inches for large females and males. Check out Isamu Rat Care's video on Youtube for information on choosing a suitable wheel for your rats!
Rodent Exercise/Running Balls
These are not good for any animal. Firstly, and most obviously, these are not stimulating; They quite literally take away the entire purpose of leaving the cage and providing free roam. Hop into a ball and 'explore' a fun and new place while you cannot touch, smell, climb, jump, or interact with anything. The animals these are advertised for often have poor site as well, and this just takes away all their senses and abilities in which to properly get around. They also do not provide adequate ventilation, and the design of the air slits pose risk of ripping out toe nails.
I would advise you to not buy these and support the supply of a dangerous product; However, if like me, you came across one secondhand, you can hang it up as a bed in the cage. Try to cover the slits, my girls have tons of nesting materials and they cover it themselves, but many rats may try to keep it bare. If that's the case, remove it, but many rats will let you attach some sort of blanket or material to it. It would be cool to see a ball converted into a hide with safe materials (like jute or sisal). It could be washed by soaking it in water, vinegar, and dawn dish soap if one were to do so.
A safe alternative to these would be providing a playpen or rat safe room packed with enrichment. A room in which they cannot escape/harm themselves, and can fully explore, can be awesome for free range and providing mental stimulation!
Material/Metal Scarf/Tie Hangers
Some may not be aware, but a lot of the material scarf hangers are actually metal inside. I was contacted directly, through a facebook group in which I moderate, and someone brought to my attention that their rat was fatally injured by an exposed piece of this metal wire, after a night of chewing away at the material and exposing a dangerous broken section.
Fully plastic scarf hangers are the safest option, these do not pose any major risks. You can find these on Amazon and at IKEA.
Scented Bedding
Scented bedding is dangerous to animals with fragile respiratory systems, like rats. It is unfortunate that things like this are on the market, as this is purely for human convenience to have a rat cage that 'smells good' to them. Rats are sensitive to strong aromatic scents, many scented beddings are things like lavender that will cause respiratory issues; Their needs should be put well above that of our own.
It is things like this that should not be on the market, as this company clearly only cares about making money rather than quality products. Believe it or not, there are actually websites that recommend this dangerous bedding! Be cautious of the misinformation out there, and research with diligence.
Pear-Shaped Shower Hooks
These have been recently advised against in the rat community, as they have been said to strangle rats. The design of the size of the most circle shaped part of the hook is the concerning part, as the hook closes and clasps together and the circular piece is the perfect size of an average rat head, these make for a dangerous cage tool. Alternatives for these include carabiner clips, plastic c-clips, baby links/rings, lanyard clips, and small-link wallet chains.
Pet Shampoo
Pet shampoo is not safe for most (if not all) pets it is marketed for. Bathing rats with shampoo is a very poor choice, rats already don't need baths since they are very clean self groomers, but soap is harmful as it rips their natural oils out of their skin and leaves them at risk of skin issues/irritation. Baths are also just stressful for them, and overall this type of marketing encourages unnecessary dangerous practice. An alternative for this is unscented dish soap, in which should only be used in situations when a bath is certainly necessary (for medical issues and such).
'Fresh Granules'
These are scented, which will irritate your rat's respiratory systems. These do nothing but cover smell, and provide convenience for the humans involved. Alternatives? Nothing!- If you don't want smell, then rodents are simply not for you. Keep on top of cage cleaning, research husbandry practices, and consider things like substrate, litter training, and cage layouts if your cage is beginning to have a strong odour.