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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