This article is from the May/June 1996 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Nichole Royer

Put on your priate’s hat and eye patch, it’s time to go hunt for buried treasure!

Buried Treasure
Supplies for one Treasure Box:
  1 empty box (if it is cardboard, it will be destroyed)
  Hay (I prefer Timothy)
  Small Treats

I usually use a 12-pack soda box for rats, and a small Kleenex box for mice. The size and type best for you will depend on what will fit in your pet's home and what you have on hand. The hay can be purchased in small pre-packaged quantities from most pet stores, or by the flake from many feed stores. I use grain mix, cereal, or raisins for treats, but any small food item will work.

Step 1  Put a small handful of hay into the box. Use enough to cover the bottom with a thin layer.
Step 2  Scatter in a few treats. Use 3 or 4 raisins, pieces of cereal, or a small handful of grain mix.
Step 3  Stuff in a large size handful of hay.
Step 4  Repeat step 2.
Step 5  Continue repeating steps 2 and 3 until either the box is stuffed so full of hay that you cannot get any more in, or until you run out.

This is your finished Treasure Box. You may want to gently shake it so that the treats get mixed in well. Place the box in your critters’ home, and have fun watching your “pi–rats” (and mice) hunt for the buried treasure. After they have found all the treats, they will take the box and hay and make it into a snug nest.