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Basic rat Care
The following is some compiled information about the basic care of rats. It is ihere for people who are new to
rats or who are interested in rat care.
Why to get a rat
If you are thinking about getting a rat you need to prepare yourself for a pet who requires
lots of time and interaction from both human and other rat companions. Rats are really great pets but
contrary to popular beliefs about small animals they cannot be left in a side room and forgotten. No animal
deserves this but a rat NEEDS interaction Rats make amazing pets in fact they are referred to by many
rat fanciers as pint sized dogs and this phrase is completely true.
Negative aspects of haveing a rat as a pet
Rats make wonderful pets but there are several things that make sharing your home with a
rat difficult. One of the problems with rats is that they have a very short life span. 2-3 years is the
average lifespan for a rat. Most rats will die of cancer or respiratory problems which are both inbred into
many rats. It is also important to take into account that rats need a lot of interaction and to many people this
is a negative thing. It is also important to undestand that in most cases a rat cannot be left out of a
cage unattended. Rats are very destructive and can chew through walls, wires and and furniture. For the
safetly of your property and your rat it is important to never leave your rats unattended.
What do I need for my pet rat?
There are several things that a rat needs in order to be happy. The following is a list of things that
you should get for your rat
1. A cage:the bigger the better but make sure that the wire is closer together.
Try to avoid galansied wire as it has a tendancy to smell.
2. Food: Rats require nourishment and there is lots of food on the market.
Most people feed a seed mix but many of the people in our club make a mix up
themselves and feed their rats this mix and the seed mix's are often not eaten. On
top of a grain based diet rats should have rat chow, also known as lab blocks to complete
their nutritional needs. You can also add cat grass to their diets for a bit of extra fun.
3. water: make sure that you give your rats fresh water every day and provide
this in a water bottle if possible.Water bottles keep water from being contaminated
and splashed all over the cage
4. A house: rats like to have somewhere to hide. This can be provided
by a plastic igloo(found in most pet stores and easy to clean) or by a cardboard box,
old icea cream pail or any other item that you think they would enjoy. Rats love new things to
explore in the cages. The more things you provide the happier they will be.
5. Toys: Rats love to play and there are many toys out there that are great
for them. There are wooden toys such as the toys that can be found in pet stores
and are made for birds and then there are cat toys that can be used to play with rats outside
their cage. Be creative and have fun. Make sure your rats have lots to do when you are not around.
Rats Together
First it must be said that if you are thinking of introducing a new rat into an existing
colony please quarantine the rat for at least two weeks. This may help to make sure that your rats
do not get sick if the rat you bring in is sick already. Putting rats together can be a touchy subject!
Rats are great little pets and love company but you have to know rat language and understand what is a
rat fight and what is a play for dominence. Putting rats together is not usually too difficult if both
rats have been exposed to rats of their sex all their lives. However if a rat has lived in solitude
you may end up with a problem. It is best to introde two rats together on neutral ground, say
the bathroom floor where they can meet eachother without feeling threatened. It is also easier to
introduce them if you dab some vanilla on each rat making it harder for them to identify a clear
difference in smells. When you have successfullly introduced the two and they have no
squabbles you can place them in a cage together. Preferably in a cage that has just been cleaned
and so has no smells from either of the rats. Sometimes two rats will hit it off right away and there
will be no problems, but other times it will be a bit of a battle. I have never had a rat that I could
not introduce to another. Sometimes it just takes some time and patience.
