The Pet Rat: A Member of Your Family
Information for getting, caring for, and loving a rat as a pet.
Rats can be one of the most sociable and loving pets for your family. If handled regularly and lovingly, they reward you with much love and affection. It doesn’t take long for a rat to develop a real bond with its human companions. They need a lot of companionship, thus they are generally kept in groups of at least two. A single rat may become anti-social and depressed if it doesn’t get the necessary attention that it needs. The more attention that they get, the better socialized they will become.
Your pet rat isn’t the only one that will benefit from your attention—your family will benefit as well. A pet rat will quickly become a member of your family and a focal point of quality family time. They don’t even need constant direct attention. Sometimes, they just want to sit on the couch and watch a movie with you.
When choosing a rat you will need to decide if you want boys or girls. This will depend on what you are looking for in a pet. The boys tend to be calmer and cuddlier than girls. They also may be a little more territorial. Girls are extremely active and curious. They can also be taught many tricks and provide a lot of entertainment.
Cage
A happy and healthy rat is a very large and active rodent. The cage you buy should reflect this. Rats need to have plenty of room to roam around and climb. Otherwise they can become overweight, depressed, and bored.
Their cage should also be well ventilated, but not drafty. Rats are susceptible to respiratory infections which are aggravated by ammonia build-up and dust from bedding. Glass cages such as aquariums have very limited ventilation because all of the sides are closed. Consider getting a wire cage with small holes. This will allow for good ventilation as well as a great climbing surface. Make sure the holes are small so that your rat will not be able to escape. Ferret type cages often have larger holes and would only be appropriate to house large males. Small males and females have no problems squeezing through the bars.
You also need to make sure that the floor of any cage is solid. Rats have sensitive feet and can develop Bumble Foot from walking on wire floors. If the cage you get has wire floor surfaces, consider covering them with something like Plexiglas, tiles, or fabric.
Bedding/Litter
Rats need a good healthy bedding for waste absorption, hiding, and nest building. There are a variety of bedding options to choose from such as aspen chips, fleece, and recycled paper litter. Avoid cedar and pine as these are hazardous. When rats are young (babies), avoid things that could clog their nasal passages with dust and debris.
At So Licky Rattery, we use a recycle newspaper cat litter. It absorbs well and is very easy to clean. We will also use fleece and aspen chips for beds.
Toys/Stimulation
Rats are capable of sometimes shockingly intelligent thinking. At the So Licky Rattery we believe that happy and healthy rats need to have their intelligence nurtured. To help your rats intelligence to flourish, provide them with an ever changing environment. They thrive on new (but non-threatening) environments. We suggest that each time you clean out their cage, you change at least one thing. For example, move their hammock to another side of the cage, or introduce a new toy.
Toys and stimulation devices don't have to be expensive. Keep in mind that anything you give your rat will be peed on and chewed up. We generally recycle things we find in our home such as cereal boxes, cardboard shipping tubes, and flower pots. Sometimes I'll buy cheap little plastic baskets at garage sales or the dollar store.
The also love fleece hammocks tied to anywhere you can put them.
It is also good to give your rats some free-range time on a couch or bed. If your room is secure (no wires, holes, hazards, etc.) you can let them roam as long as they are well supervised.
A Few Notes on Housing Rats
Male and female rats should always be kept separate and never be allowed to play together. It takes very little time for them to mate and they have extremely large litters. Most households will decide to keep only males or only females so that they need to only keep one cage.
Staple Diet
Rats are omnivorous creatures. This means that they need to eat cooked meat and vegetation. A well-balance rat diet isn't all that different from what a human's diet should be (Re-emphasis on should). It shouldn't be high in fat or sugar (go easy on the yogi treats). It should be diverse.
Its good to have a basic mix or regular food that is constantly available to your rats. A goo lab block such as Harlan Teklad will keep your rats in optimum health. This can then be supplemented with whole and natural foods of cooked meat, raw vegetables, fruits, and grains.
Treats
Giving a rat a treat can be a very rewarding and bonding experience. Your rats will love it and show you love in return for it.
Treats do not necessarily need to be unhealthy either. Rats love apple slices, plain oatmeal, or small pieces of cheese for treats. If you buy a packaged treat that's high in sugar and/or fat, make sure you really use discretion and moderation.
Water
Rats must constantly have Fresh Water. It needs to be in a bottle that is easy for the rat to drink from or sturdy bowl that is hard to tip. The water needs to be freshened every day and the container needs to be cleaned at least once a week.
Rats have a relatively short life span of 2-4 years. This can be difficult since they develop such a close bond with people. Thus, its important to provide them with the best life in that short period of time.
Common health problems include respiratory illness and mammary tumors. The most important thing about health is to find a good vet that is willing to treat rats. Find your vet before you have any problems.
Rats rarely bite, so don’t fear them. Also, do not pick them up by their tails or you can seriously hurt them. You may be intimidated by your rat the first few times you hold it, but don’t fret. Hold them gently yet firmly. You don’t want to crush them or let them get away. Once they get to know you, they will climb right onto your hand, shoulder, or whatever part of you they can get on. You’ll also learn to trust them once boundaries have been set. They’ll learn not to get off the couch or bed or wherever their play space is. Just keep at it and you’ll both become accustomed to each other.
Look at our Links Page to find some excellent sources of information about your new pet rat.
