While history seems to have given them a bad reputation, rats are actually an excellent variety of companion pet. Highly intelligent and quite clean, they groom themselves regularly (much like a cat), prefer to soil in one place, and enjoy simple toys such as tissue boxes, cardboard tubes and wood chews to gnaw upon. With patience, rats can even be trained to use a litter box and taught various tricks.
Unlike many other “pocket pets,” such as mice, hamsters, or gerbils, rats enjoy interacting with humans. Rat fanciers claim that they will eagerly pop their heads up at an unusual noise, and will quite often cling to the sides of their cages and reach out until you give them attention. Rats enjoy snuggling, playing, and studies have actually proven that rats can giggle when they’re happy! Additionally, rats make wonderful apartment pets because they are small, they do not require walking, they don’t need yearly vaccinations, and you definitely won’t hear the neighbors complaining because your rat kept them up all night, barking at the moon.
The first step in keeping your pet happy and healthy is to know how to take care of him properly, and rats are no exception. Interested in adopting a rat as the new family pet? Follow these helpful hints for not only caring for your pet rat, but also for choosing the ideal individual:
About Pet Rats |
Preparing For Your Pet Rat |
Choosing Your Pet Rat
| Bringing Your Pet Rat Home
Naturally the first thing that you’re going to want to do, prior to bringing home a new pet, is to make sure that you have a good home to bring him home to. While there are any number of cages available, advertising that they are great for rats, this is not always the case. For instance, many people think that aquariums are perfect for pocket pets but, before you rush out and buy one, ask yourself how uncomfortable and hot it would get in a glass box, with very little ventilation. Just as we get hot during the summertime, so do our pet rats. When choosing a house for your rat, the most important thing to take into consideration is that it has adequate ventilation.
Secondly, you will want to ensure that the enclosure is sturdy enough for your pet rat. While the idea of screen might seem great, remember that rats have a natural instinct to chew. In fact, a rat is capable of chewing his way through cement blocks as well as the traditional drywall and wood; if you plan on keeping a pet rat, the best route to take is a sturdy wire cage with a metal (not plastic) bottom. Ideally, your little friend will be too entertained and occupied to chew on his cage but, if he does, at least you can rest comfortably with the knowledge that it will hold up.
You will also need to ensure that, when choosing a home for your rat, you provide him with a place that has enough room for him to move about, jump and play. Two and three-tiered cages are excellent for this, as rats have lots of room to run about, and this also gives them something to jump up and down from (something which rats love to do) but on top of those benefits, the cage also takes up less space in your room than traditional horizontal one-layer enclosures.
Bedding is another important aspect of pet ownership and boy, are there a lot to choose from. When choosing a bedding for your pet, you will want to choose something natural, non-toxic, and low in dust. Ideally, these choices include recycled paper pellets, aspen shavings, or natural corn cob bedding. Under no circumstances should you use materials such as cedar chips (which can make your pet very ill, due to the heavy fumes they give off, when mixed with animal urine), kitty litter (this is often high dust as well as being bad for them to eat), or shredded newspaper (the inks in the newsprint are actually poisonous and could make your pet rat very ill or worse).
The last important thing to ensure you have, prior to bringing your pet rat home, is making sure that you not only have a good quality rat food, but that you also have the proper dishes to feed him in. For your pet rat, you will want to avoid plastic dishes (yes, even the really hard plastic ones), because those are just begging your rat to chew on them. Instead, choose a food dish that is made of either ceramic or metal, as he is less likely to chew those and, when looking for a method of watering your rat, your best bet is to choose a water bottle that not only mounts on the outside of the cage but, ideally, one that has a metal holder around the outside, so inquisitive pets don’t nibble a hole through the wire.
Having your rat’s new home all set up for him will not only make things easier for you, but it will also make the changes easier on your rat and will help to minimize stress. Before you bring your rat home, ensure you have his cage all set up for him and that it’s in a quieter room of the house, but one where he will still have some human interaction. Allowing him a quieter place to relax for a couple of days will help make him more at ease and help him adjust more quickly to his new home.
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Now that you have your future rat’s home prepared, now it’s time to pick out the perfect individual. For many people, this means bee-lining for the nearest pet store but wait! There are few other options that you might also want to consider:
Pet Rat Breeders - You’d be surprised at all the different kinds and colors of rats that can be found out there. Breeders, or rat fanciers as they are often called, often keep pedigrees of their pampered pets and some are even exhibited in shows. Many people will tell you that, if you’re looking for a pet rat, finding a private breeder is the best route to take, due to the fact that more emphasis is placed upon the health, not only of the rats in general, but also in the genetic lines as well.
Animal Shelter/SPCA/Humane Society - Hundreds of thousands of pets, every year, wind up in various “shelters.” The product of accidental pregnancies or abandonment or neglect, these little animals need just as much love as their higher priced counterparts at the pet-stores. Furthermore, the little rats that wind up in these places are often hand-raised and much tamer than those found in the stores (note: The author’s children have 2 pet rats that were adopted from the local SPCA and they are wonderful, friendly and affectionate little individuals).
Pet Shops - The pet store is where most pet rats are purchased. Unfortunately, what few people realize is that many of these rats are not bred as pets but are actually what are known as “feeder rats.” A cruel name under which to group these poor little animals, it is what usually happens to most of them - they end up as food for pet snakes and lizards. This news, of course, often makes people want to promote feeder rats as pets but, sadly, they are rarely appropriate companions. Quite often, feeder rats are inbred, or housed together with little care given to whether or not males are separated from females. Little concern is paid to the general hardiness or longevity of these individuals and, sadly, the feeder rat is not expected to live a long and healthy life. While noble to choose to save a feeder rat and make them a companion, one should always be aware that they are more prone to sickness and often have significantly shorter life-spans than true “pet rats.”
When choosing your pet rat, look for a friendly and alert individual. While not all rats are quick to welcome strangers, one can still see a general curiosity and open attitude in some rats, as opposed to the shy one that either hides away or nips. Rat bites are, in fact, very uncommon so you will definitely want to stay away from any individuals that exhibit any kind of aggressive or mean behaviorisms. Also, if you are adopting more than one rat, it’s strongly advised that you get rats of the same sex. Accidents do happen and, if you’re not careful, your 2 rats could quickly become 12 (and they say rabbits multiply)!
Ask to hold the rat that’s caught your fancy and, when you do so, check him over closely. A healthy rat will have large bright eyes that are free from white or red discharge. Check his nose also, to ensure there is no white or red discharge there either - it’s also recommended that you check the insides of his front legs to make sure there is no dried mucous there, which can signal a respiratory infection. Even though it’s cute to see sometimes, avoid rats that are sneezing - while all animals sneeze, rats are very prone to respiratory problems and sneezing is to be avoided.
Also be sure to stroke your hands over your rat in a gentle yet firm manner, checking for any large lumps (tumors) along the back, sides and stomach of your rat. Also check him for signs of hair-loss or excessive scratching and look to ensure that he has no open wounds or bite marks. If your rat appears healthy and responds well to you, congratulate yourself - you’ve found the perfect pet!
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Rats are very susceptible to stress and so it’s important to be patient with your new rat and give him a couple of days to adjust after you first bring him home. This is best done by placing him in a quiet room, peaceful enough that he is away from the mainstream activity in the house, but he can still hear things going on and start to become familiar with the scents and sounds of his new home. Another trick to help him adjust is to make sure that you feed him the same food he was getting at his old home (try asking the breeder or pet shop supplier what brand they feed or if they have a free sample so you can gradually change him over to your feed).
Also ensure that you’ve placed your rat in a place that is moderate in temperature, free from direct sun or chilly drafts, and that all objects are at least 6 inches away from his cage. It’s important to do this because rats will reach out and attempt to chew or drag anything and everything into their cage - electrical wires, clothing, papers. If you leave it anywhere close to a rat’s grabbing hands, you’re apt to find it chewed upon.
Rats are excellent pets and will show you a wealth of love and affection, provided you share with them that same common courtesy. Never squeeze your rat or lift him up by the tail. Don’t attempt to pick him up by the scruff of the neck. Instead, treat your rat like any other small friend, and you are sure to find you have an affectionate little pet who will keep you smiling for several years to come.
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