Q: Are rats right for me?
A: Well, there are a few points about rats that make them very appealing pets:
1. Cheap to obtain, cheap to feed and cheap to fit out.
2. Are clean animals. They are clean as long as you clean their cage (every few days usually) and will not smell
as much as other rodents such as mice (trust me, I tried mice once and had to give them away to a colleague
for her kids because I couldn't stand the fact I cleaned them out every day and they still stunk badly). Rats will
clean themselves often and will often use only one part of the cage to poo in.
2. Don't require walking outside, attention 24hrs, need letting in or out of the house,
or as regular vet visits as other pets.
3. Will love you for who you are with the same loyalty as a dog (and can also be trained
to do tricks!)
4. Are nocturnal but will usually adapt to your hours to play with you.
5. Are cute, furry, love to snuggle and have very endearing habits.
6. Each rat has it's own personality, like a person.
Rats are 14-18" long, weigh 7-16oz and usually live for an average of 2 1/2 years. They don't have a set breeding
season as the females are on heat every 4-5 days. Rats are pregnant for an average of 21 days, can have up to 24
babies per litter (8-11 on average) and the babies are weaned at 3-5 weeks of age.
Q: What do I need to start my rat family?
A: 1. Healthy rat(s) ... they are social animals so getting 2 of the same sex is a good way
to start. Select rats from the litter that have shiny smooth coats, bright eyes, no red stains
around the nose or eyes and no wheezy breathing sounds. A good rat should also
have teeth that are straight though this is hard to see in a pet shop or rattery!
2. A cage to house your rats. This can be something simple such as a bird cage with
wire no bigger than 1/2 inch wide or they will get out, and wire not small enough
to get feet stuck in . If it has little doors that birds lift up, you will need to wire them shut.
You can put ladders and levels in these. Or an aquarium that has no silicone on the inside poking out
(they will try and eat it) with a well-ventilated lid, the bigger the aquarium the better. A 10 gallon tank is
the minimum for one rat. If you want to go all-out you can
build a cage like this. Put the cage where your little friends can see you often.
3. A water bottle that you can attach to the side of your cage (I find this easier than pots
of water - they can't contaminate the water), crockery feeding bowls (one for fresh food
and one for dried food) and toys.
4. Bedding. I don't recommend using pine as this can contain phenols which harms rat lungs.
Recycled paper pellets (Breeders Choice in Australia and New Zealand, available
in supermarkets such as Foodtown and Woolworths) or shredded paper is the safest option,
though in some countries phenol-free wood shavings are available. I have read on
many websites that you can use peat but I also would not recommend this as it can
contain many nasties that can make your rat ill. Sawdust is a BIG no-no, nearly every
rat I have seen living on it is wheezy and sneezy.
5. Food. See my rat care page for tips on this.
6. Time and attention! As soon as you get your little friends hand-feed them (don't be afraid of bites, this
rarely happens) and as soon as you gain their trust play with and handle them lots. Soon they will be jumping
up and down when they see you, running to the front of the cage to say hello, and happily sitting on your shoulder.
Rats will often use their mouths to explore, as their eyesight is poor, so if a little rat is looking like he is biting you
he is probably just tasting - a little nip that won't hurt you or draw blood.
Q: What do I do when I want to introduce new rats?
A: Of course, the first question is are they the same sex? If not you must get boy rats neutered (or you will soon
have far too many rats!). Often packs of rats will have a dominant rat (called alpha-rat) who may be a tough cookie
to your new rat. There are ways to overcome bullying and injuries.
1. Isolate your new rat. Place the rat in another cage different to your other rats. The new rat may be harbouring
diseases (even if symptom-free) and it pays to keep them away from the others for a few weeks, preferably in a
different room. Then place the cage in the same room, side by side (but not close enough for teeth and claws to get
to the other cage) for about a week to get all the rats used to the scent of the others. Another good idea
is to swap the rats over for a while each day, into each other's cage to explore the other rat's scent.
2. Find a neutral place to introduce them. Find a rat-safe place where rats don't usually play. This means there will
be no rat scents - nobody can claim that the other rat was on their territory.
3. Dab a scent onto all the rats. This will mask their own scent and make them smell more like each other. Hopefully
this will prevent bad fights.
4. Put all the rats together in the neutral place. It is normal for some scuffles, but if anyone is getting hurt
then a good way to separate the rats is to squirt them with some water. It is not a good idea to try and separate fighting
rats yourself as you can get hurt yourself and also may hurt a rat doing so. Squirting them with water will not
harm them and startles them enough to stop fighting. Be patient and do this every day (afternoons are good,
when the rats are half-sleepy) for a while, returning them to the separate side by side cages.
5. Clean the main rat cage. Wash all ladders and toys in antibacterial soapy water. Scrub the cage down with
your usual cleaner. This means there is less likely to be fights over previously owned territory.
6. Watch for fights. Usually the rats will sort themselves out and injuries will be minor, if any. Rats have a hierarchy
and will need to sort out who goes where in the scheme of things.
See my rat care page for tips on food, general safety and rat care and first aid.