Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated October 2026.
Birdsville offers rat boarding in Sydney at our store at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. Your rat gets its own enclosure in a quiet, low light area, fresh food twice a day, daily cleaning and regular health checks from Sydney’s small animal specialists. We supply the enclosure, bedding, food and a drink bottle. You just bring your rat’s favourite toys and a hide.
Whether you’re going on holidays, travelling for work or just need a safe place for your rat for a while, our team will look after your rat with the same care we give our own animals. Book online through Petsville Hotel (https://petsvillehotel.com) or call us on (02) 9669 1766.
How Rat Boarding at Birdsville Works
Book your dates online, then drop your rat off during our business hours. Our team takes care of everything from there until you collect.
There’s no need to bring a cage. We provide:
An enclosure measuring 51cm long, 35cm wide and 20cm high
Wood shavings bedding, or your own bedding if you prefer
Rat and mouse food or lab cubes, plus fresh fruit and vegetables
A drink bottle
Please bring your rat’s favourite chew and enrichment toys and somewhere for it to sleep, such as a hide, tunnel or hammock. If you’ve forgotten, you can pick some up at Birdsville when you drop off.
Bookings aren’t essential, but we strongly recommend booking ahead for school holidays and the Christmas and New Year period, as spaces fill quickly.
What’s Included in Rat Boarding?
Every rat boarding stay includes daily cage cleaning, fresh food and water, and visual health checks and interaction from our team, split into a morning and afternoon routine.
Morning
Cage clean, with a change of bedding and disinfection using vet grade F10.
Fresh food and water.
A visual health check and friendly interaction from our team.
Afternoon
Freshly chopped fruit and vegetables, plus a top up of rat and mouse food.
A second visual health check and more interaction.
Optional Extras
Mite and worming prevention for an extra $15. Let our team know at drop off.
How We Keep Boarding Rats Safe and Comfortable
Boarding rats at Birdsville are kept in clean, secure enclosures, away from public areas, in a store with a monitored alarm system and CCTV cameras.
Rats are nocturnal or crepuscular, meaning they’re most active at dusk, overnight and early morning, so we keep them in a dim, low light area. They’re also prone to respiratory disease, so every rat is housed in a well ventilated enclosure with an open top.
Our rat care includes:
A secure enclosure protected from weather extremes and draughts.
A balanced diet with fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
Close observation throughout the day, with handling during cleaning and feeding.
Regular health checks, and a call to you if we notice any unusual change in behaviour.
Your rat will be in an active room with people nearby throughout the day, so it’s never on its own.
Staff Tip From the Birdsville Team
Pack something that smells like home. A hide, hammock or toy straight from your rat’s cage helps it settle in a new place far faster than brand new items do.
What Do I Need to Bring for Rat Boarding?
Bring your rat’s favourite chew and enrichment toys and a hide or bed. Toys are required for every animal boarding with us, because rats miss their owners and a new place can be stressful. Enrichment keeps them busy and calm, and we won’t board a rat without it.
Good options include a Pipsqueak Seagrass Corn Cob Chew (https://petsville.com.au/products/pipsqueak-chew-seagrass-corn-cob), a Snuggle ’n’ Sleep Tunnel (https://petsville.com.au/products/rosewood-snuggle-n-sleep-tunnel) or a Woven Play Tunnel (https://petsville.com.au/products/rosewood-woven-play-tunnel-m). The RSPCA’s guide to enrichment for rats (https://www.rspca.org.au/latest-news/blog/understanding-environmental-enrichment-for-rats/) has more ideas.
For the trip in, a small carrier such as the Living World Animal Carrier (https://petsville.com.au/products/living-world-small-animal-carrier-small-23x17cm) keeps your rat safe and calm. All of these, and plenty more, are available in-store at Birdsville.
How Much Does Rat Boarding Cost?
Rat boarding rates depend on whether your stay falls in school holidays. Current pricing and availability are on Petsville Hotel (https://petsvillehotel.com), where you can book online.
Rat Boarding Policies
Sick Rats
We can’t board a rat with a known illness. A sick rat can go downhill quickly and needs a vet, not a boarding stay. Please tell us about any health concerns before drop off.
Rats Sharing a Cage
Rats that live together at home can usually board together. Occasionally, cage mates become territorial in a new place. If we see bullying or aggression, we’ll separate them, let you know, and charge for the extra enclosure.
Health Risks in Small Animals
Boarding carries some risk of stress for any small animal, simply because it’s somewhere new. Small animals are fragile and hide illness well. Problems such as stress, parasites, respiratory infections, mycoplasma, organ failure, gut bacteria, urinary infections, abscesses, tumours, heart failure and overgrown teeth can cause sudden weight loss, illness or death, and many are hard to spot early.
Our team ranges from junior to senior staff, with backgrounds in animal welfare, including the zoos and vet nursing. We’re committed to giving your rat the best possible care.
Early Collection, Late Collection and Abandoned Animals
If you collect your rat early, we don’t refund unused days, but we’ll credit them to your next stay. For example, collecting 2 days early earns 2 days of boarding credit.
If you collect late, you’ll pay a late fee plus each extra day. A rat left more than 7 days past its paid boarding period is considered abandoned and will be rehomed, and this can’t be reversed. Please call us on (02) 9669 1766 as early as possible if you’re running late.
By booking a stay, you agree to our Terms and Conditions [Terms and Conditions link].
When Can’t I Drop Off or Collect My Rat?
Birdsville is closed to the public on the dates below, so drop offs and collections need to happen the day before or after. A team member is still on site caring for every boarding animal, and you’ll be charged for the day if your rat is still with us.
New Year’s Day, 1 January
Australia Day, 26 January
Good Friday
Easter Saturday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
Anzac Day, 25 April
King’s Birthday, second Monday in June
Labour Day, first Monday in October
Christmas Eve, 24 December
Christmas Day, 25 December
Boxing Day, 26 December
New Year’s Eve, 31 December
Sydney Seasonal Tip: Summer Heat and Rats
Rats are very sensitive to heat, and temperatures above about 30°C can cause heat stress, which can be fatal. If you’re heading away over a Sydney summer, boarding is far safer than leaving your rat at home with a neighbour popping in once a day. If your rat is at home on a hot day, keep it in the coolest room, out of direct sun, and give it extra fresh vegetables and a frozen water bottle wrapped in a towel to lie against. The Unusual Pet Vets rat care sheet (https://www.unusualpetvets.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Rat-Care-Sheet.pdf) has more advice.
Why Rats Make Great Pets
Pet rats are intelligent, affectionate and quick to bond with their owners. Each rat has its own personality, and they thrive on human contact, so they need regular time and attention to stay happy and healthy.
Most pet rats live around 2 to 3 years. Many pet rats come from lines originally bred for research, which can make them prone to certain health problems, and as prey animals they hide illness for as long as they can. A sick rat can look healthy right up until it’s seriously unwell, which is why our team checks boarding rats twice a day.
For everything from diet to housing, read our How to Care for Rats guide [Rat Care page link].
Frequently Asked Questions About Rat Boarding
How much does rat boarding cost in Sydney?
Rat boarding rates at Birdsville depend on whether your stay falls during school holidays. Current prices are listed on Petsville Hotel, where you can check availability and book online. Optional mite and worming prevention costs an extra $15, and our team can add it at drop off if you’d like it included.
How do I book rat boarding at Birdsville?
Book online through Petsville Hotel, then drop your rat off during our business hours at 684 Botany Road, Alexandria. Bookings aren’t essential, but we strongly recommend booking ahead for school holidays, Christmas and New Year, when spaces fill fast. You can also call our team on (02) 9669 1766.
What do I need to bring for my rat’s stay?
Bring your rat’s favourite chew and enrichment toys, plus a hide, tunnel or hammock to sleep in. Toys are required for every stay because they reduce stress. We supply the enclosure, wood shavings bedding, food and a drink bottle, and you can buy toys in-store when you drop off.
Can two rats board together in the same cage?
Yes, rats that already share a cage at home can usually board together, since they’re used to each other. In rare cases, cage mates become stressed or aggressive somewhere new. If that happens, we’ll separate them, let you know straight away, and charge for the extra enclosure space.
Will my rat be lonely while boarding?
No. Boarding rats stay in an active room with people nearby all day, and our team handles and interacts with them twice a day during cleaning and feeding. Rats are social animals, so if your rat lives with a cage mate at home, boarding them together gives extra comfort.
Do you feed boarding rats?
Yes. We feed a balanced rat and mouse food or lab cubes, with freshly chopped fruit and vegetables every afternoon, so there’s no need to bring food. If your rat has special dietary needs, tell our team before drop off and we’ll do our best to keep its diet the same.
What happens if my rat gets sick while boarding?
We watch every rat closely and check it twice a day. If we notice any unusual change in behaviour, we’ll contact you straight away. We can’t accept rats with a known illness, as a sick rat can decline quickly and needs a vet. Please tell us about any health concerns before your stay.
What happens if I’m late picking up my rat?
You’ll pay a late fee plus each extra day your rat stays. A rat left more than 7 days past its paid boarding period is treated as abandoned and rehomed, which can’t be undone. If you’re running late, call us on (02) 9669 1766 as soon as possible so we can plan around it.
Can I drop off or collect my rat on a public holiday?
No. On public holidays and our other listed closure dates, our team is on site caring for boarding animals, but we can’t take drop offs or collections. Please bring your rat in, or collect it, the day before or after, and remember the day is charged if your rat is still with us.
Keep Your Rat Eating Well at Home
Want your rat on a quality diet once it’s home? Birdsville Blends Rat and Mouse (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-rat-mouse-500g) is hand blended from vegetables, legumes, grains, fruit and nuts, with no cheap filler. Like all our blends, it’s mixed and bagged fresh on site, and buying direct from the people who make it means better value. Order online through Petsville for delivery Australia-wide, or pick it up in-store.
Visit Birdsville
We’re a small business that does things in a big way. With no one telling us how to run things, we keep our care and our products the best of the best. Find us at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, with parking out the front and on the street. Visit us or call (02) 9669 1766 to talk about your rat’s stay.
We also board birds, rabbits, guinea pigs and mice. See our Bird Boarding in Sydney page (https://birdsville.net.au/parrot-bird-boarding-sydney/).
For live updates and photos from the store, follow us on TikTok [TikTok link], Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/).
