Paper Towels Homemade RattyRat's Review: This is our favorite choice for bedding material. This is a very inexpensive choice and works very well to give to your rats to use as a nesting material. They love it. For rats that have just had surgery and are being kept in a small surgery cage, you want to use paper towels laid out instead of commercial litter to keep your rat's incisions from becoming infected. Be sure to use plain white, chemical free paper. The best thing about this product is that it is completely dust free which is wonderful for your rats. However they do need to be changed out frequently as they soak up urine.