Welcome to the Rat Boarding page.
This will be a growing list of recommended rat boarders within the UK whose services you can use to leave your rats in good hands whilst you are away on holiday.
Going away and having good peace of mind that your pets are being looked after well is a huge relief and this section is aimed at making that process much easier by listing as many good rat boarders in the UK as possible.
As well as looking at the recommended rat boarders listed below you can also join the Rat Boarding UK Facebook Page where you can either ask if there are any good boarders near you or use it as a place to do some extra research and ask others for advice or recommendations on good places to check out.
Arlo’s Ratty Hotel
“A home from home rat boarding where they will be treated as part of the family. They will have access to a large cage with lots of enrichment and daily freeroam. You will also receive daily photo/video updates.”
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire
Established: July 2024
Bacchus Residents Boarding
“We offer an experienced boarding service for small animals at our home in Cheshire, and are committed to ensuring every rat receives a high standard of care during their stay. We do this voluntary, and all funds raised go straight back into the rescue to help aid us in rescuing animals such as rats.”
Location: East Cheshire
Established: October 2015
Bristol Rodent Hotel
“Homely Rodent Boarding, where guests are provided with daily free roam, enrichment activities and regular updates to reassure their humans. Guests get undivided attention, individualised care and a peaceful stay.”
Location: Pucklechurch, Bristol
Established: January 2025
Busy Bee Rat Boarding
“With several years of rat care experience, and a medium size mischief of our own, we aim to provide the best care for your littlest loved ones. We customise our care to meet the needs of individual rats and their owners and aim to make sure the stay is as stress free as possible for you and your rats.”
Location: Stevenage, Hertfordshire
Established: October 2025
Coco’s Rat Resort
“Specialist rat boarding with everything your rats will need including large cages with lots of enrichment, regular free roaming and video updates included.”
Location: Hertford, Hertfordshire
Established: January 2022
Fresh Nest Rat Boarding
“Fresh Nest Rat Boarding is a safe, restful and enriching retreat designed exclusively for pet rats. We provide a cozy, clean and stimulating environment where your little companions can enjoy all the comforts of home, plenty of healthy snacks and regular updates from a fellow rat parent.”
Location: Redhill, Surrey
Established: July 2025
Nancy Darcy Lodge
“We have always had a mischief of rats and struggled to find loving places for them while we were away. Therefore the lodge was born to help others. We are fully insured and your rats are loved like our own while they are with us.”
Location: Deeside, Flintshire
Established: Summer 2024
Rattilodgey Pet Sitting and Boarding
“Offers a large Aventura cage with a 16″ tic tac wheel, a large space for free roam playtime, and almost 24/7 rat care so you can have a worry free holiday, with updates provided as regularly as you’d like! A fully insured collection and drop off service is available, if required.”
Location: Taunton, Somerset
Established: July 2023
Sunflower Rat Holiday
“Here your ratties receive top-notch care tailored to their unique needs. While you’re away, your furry friends will enjoy cosy hammocks, tasty treats, and plenty of enriching playtime all in a safe, clean environment. Run by a rat lover who gets it, because we know your mischief deserves more than a pet sitter… they deserve a mini holiday!”
Location: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Established: July 2024
The Rat Nanny
“The Rat Nanny is fully insured and very passionate about giving rats a wonderful holiday whilst owners are away. To make it easier everything is fully provided and strict cleaning measures to prevent cross contamination are followed. Guests happiness and wellbeing are always priority.”
Location: Croydon, Surrey
Established: November 2022
**These are not personal recommendations they are suggestions from many different sources including other boarders, members of the community or boarders approaching me directly. Just because they are featured on the list does not mean they are personally recommended by The Rat Wiki just that they have a good reputation already so it is a very good idea to do your own research first and make sure you are happy with the service they provide. Just remember a reputable business with nothing to hide will be helpful, professional and keen to answer any questions you may have so look out for that.**
Whether going away for a very short time or making it a longer break you will need to have a plan in place in order to make sure your rats are checked in on and looked after correctly. To help you decide what exactly you need to do depending on the length of your stay the Rat Sitting & Boarding guide by Lurelin rats will help you come up with a plan. Sometimes having a family member or friend come in briefly to top up their water and scatter some food will be fine but for longer periods of time getting a sitter or taking them to a boarder will be much better for them and will give you the peace of mind they are being well looked after while you aren’t there meaning you can relax much better.
Things to consider/discuss when looking for a rat boarder:
- ✅ Check the reviews or ask other owners who they use. Good recommendations can be invaluable so always look at other people’s experiences when deciding.
- ✅ Ask good sources for recommendations. Your NFRS breeder, rat forums and good rat keeping social media groups are a great place to ask for opinions. A lot of people are happy to give good feedback on services they have used before so well worth asking.
- ✅ If the boarder is supplying the cage have you checked is it the correct size for the number of rats you have in your own mischief? If not are you able to take your own?
- ✅ Can you see the room the rats are going to be before going away. Either in person when you arrive or pictures being sent to you. Some may offer a video call to show you the setup too.
- ✅ What enrichment do they offer? Things like what the cage is filled with and if and where they plan to free roam your rats are good questions you can ask.
- ✅ If you have a rat with extra needs (old age, needs extra supplements or medicating) has the boarder got good experience with this and if not double check they are happy to learn what’s needed and perform it while you are away. Most rat keepers have done it all before but it’s polite to ask if they are comfortable with this.
- ✅ Are they happy to give you regular updates or send pictures to you directly on a time frame you’re happy with. Some people will want daily updates, others prefer to enjoy their holiday knowing their rats are in good hands. Discussing this prior to the stay will help the boarder know what you would like.
- ✅ What Vet care do they have? It’s good to know if they have a good rat savvy vet near which can see your rats if they get sick. Make sure you discuss your wishes before your stay so the boarder knows what you want to happen if they need medical attention
- ✅ A plan if the unexpected happens is wise. Make sure to share your wishes with a boarder if one of your rats suddenly passes away. Knowing what to do should be discussed prior to you leaving them.
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