Can someone please tell me what makes them good pets and the information il need for looking after one, living conditions etc...
all answers appreciated =)Are rats good to have as pets?
YES!!! I have 18 and they will sleep with me!!Are rats good to have as pets?
I've had a lab rat, and I immensely enjoyed her. (She died a year ago, after 3 years. It was 2 more yrs than the other 5 rats the other kids got. It was an experiment of feeding and bedding).
I just got her a hamster cage and she was very content, a water feeder and a small plate. Some natural bedding and rat food is very cheap.
They're very lovable, easy to handle and their tails are very silky like (the best part of a rat for me, it curled around your fingers).
I dont like rats.
But if you want,go ahead.
what katie said is enough for you to decide and i advise getting one to they are loyal friendly and easy to look after
Rats are AMAZING to have as pets!
Contrary to what most people believe, domestic rats are really clean, smart, and fun pets! You can teach them to poop/pee in one part of the cage, and other tricks! My little rattie always cleans herself when she has a spare moment! And rats love to climb all over you and on your shoulders!
I suggest you get two rats. Rats can become depressed when by themselves. Its like if you were put in a world of giant rats. Would you want to do it by yourself, or with a human friend you can live with? This also makes rats much less shy.
I bought my rattie at Petco and all together it cost around $60 for food, bedding, water, the rat, and a cage. Of course I suggest you buy your cage on Craigslist or Petsmart because they are much cheaper! http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js…
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js…
All in all rats are very sociable, loving creatures! Much better than guinea pigs, hamsters, or gerbils. I love my rattie and you will love yours too!
You MUST get two or more pet rats, they are very social and can become depressed and aggressive alone.
Rats make excellent friendly pets. They can be taught tricks and are generally friendlier and less aggressive than hamsters and gerbils. Please get your rats from a GOOD breeder or a rescue (yes they have baby rats sometimes) not a pet store, they will be healthier and better handled and you wont be supporting cruel mass breeders. Rats require the following:
A spacious, AIRY cage. The other poster is wrong, rats CANNOT be kept in aquariums it can cause respiratory infections and eventually early death. A good size cage for a pair of rats is 80cmX50cmX80cm, with narrow bar spaces. Wire floors are bad for rats feet, they should be plastic, as should shelves. Add untreated cotton rope, cardboard boxes, kitchen roll tubes, fruit tree branches, clean jars, extra ledges, shelves and rat safe toys from your pet shop to add interest...rearrange the cage every time you clean it out to keep your rats amused.
A high quality diet. You can home mix a diet, google Subee's or Shumanite for home mixed rat diets, or buy a quality pellet. Rats eat little so go for the highest quality pellet you can such as Oxbow, Supa Excel or Science Selective rat. For treats rats can have most things, avoid sweet and sugary things, salty things, spicy things, peanut butter, onions, garlic, raw sweet potato or green beans and too much citrus or tomato. Some healthy treats are small amounts of fruits and veggies, cooked chicken or turkey, sugar free dog biscuits, nuts, seeds, raw pasta and noodles...most things that are good for you are good for your rats.
Company of another rat...rats are deeply social. They sleep together, groom each other and play together. Female rats tend to live in groups easily and can be introduced easily, with males it is best to get a pair or three at the most from the same litter, once they are adult they are harder to introduce.
Lots of time out of the cage to exercise and play...you rats should have at least 1 hours of their cage a day to play, but the more time you give them the better pets they will be. WHile they are out, speak to them, make soft noises at them, hand feed them treats, stroke them on the ears, head and back, all this will help them bond to you.
YES
They are extremely sociable and curious, and they love human contact. Their cousins, hamsters, gerbils and mice, are very popular pets, but tend to be more aggressive and less responsive than pet rats.
A simple, gnaw-proof cage, terrarium, or screen-topped aquarium of sufficient size is the basic requirement. Used aquariums may be obtained at garage sales and swap meets for an inexpensive price. Wire cages can be too drafty, allow the bedding to fall out, are harder to clean and disinfect, and corrode after long exposure to urine. (The new powder-coated wire rat cages with solid metal shelves and plastic cat pan bottom are east to clean, and the rats love the levels to climb on.) If wire shelves are used in the cage for the animals to climb on, they should be made of ½ by ½ inch wire as a rat’s back foot can get caught in 1 by ½ inch wire and break a leg. For two rats, a 15 gallon tank (or larger) is a good size. Two female mice (or one male mouse) may be housed in a 5 gallon tank. This will provide adequate room for a house, wheel, feed dish, and water bottle. If you have several female mice, then try to get the largest tank you can and have fun creating a playground for them. Watching them will give you hours of entertainment! The cage should be placed either on a table, dresser, or shelf (not above eye level!), away from direct sun or drafts. Extreme temperatures should be avoided.
BEDDING
NO cedar or pine as they contain toxins and cause organ damage and respiratory disease. Use hardwood shavings (Sani-Chips® from P.J. Murphy Forest Products Corp., Montville, NJ 07045-9444 (800) 631-1936; Aspen Shavings from Northeastern Products Corp., Warrensburg, NY 12885 (518) 623-3803–also in Caspian, MI, Columbia, KY; Shredded Aspen [Aspen Bed I], American Excelsior Company (817) 640-1555 or Harlan Teklad (800) 483-5523), paper products (CareFRESH™-shredded paper-from Absorption Corporation, (800) 242-2287; Cellu-Dri-paper pellets-and ALPHA-dri from Shepherd Specialty Papers, (800) 382-5001; etc.), pelleted beddings (Gentle Touch™–aspen bark–from Gentle Touch Products (402) 371-3311), Critter Country–winter wheat grass and other fibers–Mt. Meadows Pet Products, Inc., (800) 752-8864), or any other non-toxic bedding. Fill the cage with ½–1 inch of bedding at each cleaning.
ACCESSORIES
A demand-type water bottle to provide clean water at all times. A dish may be used only in emergencies as your pet will immediately spill the water or push shavings in it. Holders with chew guards for the water bottle are available to hang the bottle inside the cage. If you use a feed dish, it should be easy to clean and sturdy to prevent tipping. Sleeping boxes can be made from a variety of non-toxic household containers (washable or disposable): butter cups, jars, oatmeal cartons, etc., or store bought houses (for mice). Nesting material will most often be used by mice. This can be shredded kleenex, napkins, etc. If you have access to fresh, clean hay, your mice will love this as nesting material. You can also get LARGE PVC pipe pieces (elbows, Y’s, straight tubes) for your rats to play in. Exercise wheels provide plenty of exercise and fun. If you get a wheel for your rat, it needs to be at least 12–14 inches in diameter and a cage large enough to accommodate it. Wooden gnawing blocks hone down teeth. Rawhide chew sticks or hard dog biscuits can also be used. Cooked soup bones are a favorite of rats.
NUTRITION
Food needs to be kept available at all times. Laboratory pellets (Lab Blox, Rodent Chow, Pet Blocks, etc.) are the best basic main diet. You can find them in pet shops or feed stores bagged in small quantities. If lab pellets are not available in your area (you may have to ask the store owner or manager if they can get them if not normally stocked), then a high quality dog food (not over 8% fat content) from the pet shop/feed store such as Nutro, Science Diet, Iams, etc., fed equally with a rat/mouse grain mixture is a good substitute. Complement either diet with small amounts of salad greens (clean, freshly washed, non-contaminated or sprayed, dandelion leaves can be a treat for mice), fresh fruits (rats love bananas, also avocado given in small amounts) and vegetables (raw broccoli and corn-on-the-cob are a favorite with rats) (NOTE: any fresh foods should be washed when necessary), and whole wheat bread. Be sure to clean out any uneaten fresh foods the next day. Be sparing with oily seeds, nuts, and grain mixes. Dry cat food should only be given to growing youngsters or nursing mothers because of the high fat and protein content. DO NOT give your pet treats such as candy (chocolate can’t be digested by rats), cookies, potato chips, or other junk food. Treats such as dry, healthy, low-sugar cereals (Cheerios, puffed wheat/rice/millet, spoon-size shredded wheat, etc.), plain popcorn, wild bird seed, dry oatmeal, occasional table scraps such as veges, salad, spaghetti, etc., are okay and will be eagerly devoured by your pet. Do not feed your pet through the screen top of the cage (if the screen is large enough to do this), or if you use wire rat cages, through the bars of the cages, as they will learn that things poked in are food and grab anything poked in including your finger.
SANITATION
Cleanliness is the best guarantee to keep your pet in good health. Clean the feed dish daily, the water bottle at each refill. Change bedding every 3–5 days and clean and disinfect the cage and accessories once a week.
TOYS
RATS: Boxes, ladders, shelves, large cardboard tubes, wooden bird toys, etc. MICE: Cardboard toilet paper/paper towel tubes, ladders, wheels, houses, etc.
TRAINING
Rats can be taught their name, to come, and other things. They have also been taught to play basketball, do “Rat Olympics,” and perform complicated mazes with many intricate maneuvers.
Allow your new pet about one week to become adjusted to his new home and family members. Hand feed your new pet as much as possible for the first few days. This means that every time you handle or approach your pet, it will have a positive reward waiting from you. Start with placing your hand inside the cage and letting your pet approach on its own, smelling and walking around. Be gentle and talk softly to it. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t take the food right away. Sometimes you may have to leave your hand in the cage for several minutes, but eventually your pet will come to you. The next step is holding your treat just outside the cage so that your pet must reach out and get it.
To teach your rat his name, call him by name whenever you take him out to play and give a treat such as a Cheerio. Rats also respond to a razberry/kissy/tsk sound, and you may do this each time you call your pet. Hand him the Cheerio the first couple of times and after that say, “Timmy, come,” and hold the Cheerio a little bit away, increasing the distance each time and your rat will not only learn his name, but also “Come”! Remember to give a treat when he comes to you! Each time you end a training session, your rat should have gone a little farther than before. Eventually when you make your noise or call his name, your rat will try to go to you wherever you are. At this point, it is best not to reward with food every time, but trade off with lots of hugs and kisses.
Rats will soon learn to shoulder sit and make that their second home when out with you. This is useful if you plan to take your rat with you to different places. Some people also use a hip-pack to put their rat in when visiting friends. Place your rat on your shoulder for short amounts of time at first; you can try giving small treats while he is there. Sit quietly by his cage in the beginning and gradually increase the time he spends on your shoulder. After a few days you can start walking around a little with him. When he is comfortable, then you can start taking him places with you!
You can also do something like this with your pet mouse, but instead of your shoulder, use a pocket!
Your rat will also housebreak himself if you don’t keep him out too long at a time. If he starts to fidget and get nervous, it’s a good indication he needs to potty. Place him back in his cage; after he relieves himself give him a treat. Many rats have been known to housebreak themselves without any training.
Some rats will not eat a treat while out with you, preferring instead to eat in their cage. Don’t be offended if your rat is this way. When they feel completely safe and secure, then they will eat while out of their cage. Others will take their treat and run to their cage, drop it, and come back for more! Some are natural pack rats and will try to steal just about anything and hoard in their nest. Some people have found many unusual items stashed in their rat’s cage, or hiding place because they were allowed to run loose in the house. Remember, they should always be supervised when let out to run in the house. Not only will they find things to chew on they should not, they could get stepped on by an unsuspecting person.
They should be thoroughly socialized and trained so they won’t become frightened when let out on the floor for the first time. Sit on the floor with the rat in your lap and he will naturally want to explore the surrounding area. As he gets braver he will wander farther from you, but if something startles him, he will come running back to the safety of your lap! It is a good idea to just confine their play area to a bed, couch or chair. Mice should not be allowed on the floor as they become too easily frightened and will try to run to a safe hiding place.
hope this helps
Yes they are the most lovely things ever
I would suggest getting a couple of male rats, they are calmer then females, but get two because they're sociable animals and need companionship.
Cages are pricey i paid about £80 for mine, but it will last throughout there lives.
If you ask in a pet store they can tell you what kind of bedding to put them on, but make sure you avoid dusty beddings, papers, or woodchips because rats have sensitive eyes, a good thing to use is cut up kitchen roll type paper which you can buy from some pet stores.
Young rats need ALOT of handling to get them used to you but they're brill once they realise they can trust you.
They need fresh water and food everyday.
And a good clean out, i tend to spot clean (take out wet bedding and droppings) each day and then fully clean them out each weekend.
Don't be tempted by rat balls, wheels in their cage are fine but mine have grown so big they have outgrown the maximum size wheel i can find lol. The problem with the balls is that the only reason they run in them is because they're trying to get out, and i think it can be rather traumatic for them.
Keep them in a place in your house where they will get alot of attention and love, they're very observant animals and will be extremely nosy about everything, which is simply lovely.
Get them some card tubes to chew on in there cage and some form of wooden chew toy, to help them keep their teeth healthy.
If you think they get fleas or mites, i use an insecticidal shampoo designed for small mammals but be REALLY careful around there eyes (they also do not like this and will kick up a fuss but its for there own good)
Rats are prone to getting absesses but they are not a cause for panic they simply need to have them drained by a vet and then given some antibio's to stop re-infection.
There are some really good sites that explain all the things you need and have to do.
Have lots of fun
xxxx
you will be good with a rat but only if you call him MATT RAT!!
Yes. You can train them, feed them to snakes when you get boared of them, and pet them. And make sure you get them in pairs.
i had two because they prefer to have company unless you are going to spend every minute of the day with them lol.
you have to have a big cage with plenty of room and they are very sociable so you have to handle them a lot. they prefer the cages with platforms too.
some say males can be more gentle and docile than females hence why i had males females are faster too.
my rats unfortunately had a fall out while i was asleep and the more dominant one ate the other ones head even though it had food in the cage otherwise they are friendly.
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