PET RATS

The Basics

Rats make great pets. They are clean, very smart, very social and have a lot of personality. Unlike mice and other small pets, rats enjoy interacting with their human owners. They can be taught many different things and, in a personality companionship sort of way, they are very similar to a dog.

Rats live for an average of 2-3 years, but have been known to live for much longer. When housing a rat, it is best to have more than one of the same sex; as they really enjoy company. A single rat on it’s own is likely to become timid, depressed, antisocial and more susceptible to illness.

Males (Bucks) are bigger, fatter and more docile. They usually don’t wander as far as a female when “free roaming” and are normally more laid-back and easier to handle.

Females (Does) are smaller and more active. They are more likely to want to explore than sit on your shoulder. Does are more likely to come out and greet you at the cage door than the lazy bucks.

Cage and Food

Rats are very active little creatures and like to have room to run around. It is for this reason that it is best to have the biggest cage you can afford. Rats need to have their cages cleaned weekly but you’ll be surprised how much pride they take in doing their droppings in the same area, so as not to mess up their home.

They need a variety of food for a balanced diet. A mixture of fruit and vegetables, bird seed, dog biscuits, pasta (cooked or uncooked), rice, egg and cooked meat (as a treat) will keep your little friends from getting bored of the same food every day.

Health

Rats are easily kept strong and healthy. They are extremely clean animals and they groom themselves about twice as much as a pet cat does each day. They don’t carry deadly diseases as some people believe. They are more likely to catch a cold from you than you are off them. Keep them out of drafty areas, ensure they have places to hide in their cage and make sure they don’t overheat in hot weather and you will have very happy and healthy little rats.

Extra Health Tips

• Clean their cage very thoroughly. Every week take all the toys and other equipment out of the cage. Scrub everything from the cage (except the rats!) with an old toothbrush using antibacterial soap and rinse with clean water. Throw out any toys and accessories that can’t be cleaned such as egg cartons, tissue boxes etc. and replace them. Wash their hammocks in the washing machine and replace the kitty litter (or whatever you are using as your cage base) with fresh stuff. After everything is clean you can put everything back and arrange it in a new and unique way so it is interesting for your rodent friends.
• Ventilation is essential for a healthy pet rat. Aquarium tanks are not suitable, as they are a breeding ground for bacteria. A wire cage is best and the rats will enjoy climbing the mesh like a ladder.
• Companionship is what makes rats happy, and it has been proven time and time again that happy rats live longer. You should spend plenty of time with your pet rats. Set aside time for them every day and be sure to handle them a lot and give them loads of attention. The fact that you cannot be around all the time means that it is very important to keep them in pairs (or more). They need a playmate, a grooming partner and someone to snuggle with.
• Brown rice has been proven to extend the lives of rats and promote better health.
• Soy milk is very good for their health. You can give them a small amount each day to keep them nice and healthy and also to keep them interested in different tastes. Try different flavours, such as chocolate etc.

Bathing Your Pet Rats

Rats are good at grooming themselves (and eachother) but bathing them from time to time can be a good idea. Some rats like getting baths, while others will be petrified and will jump frantically out of the sink. They are very good swimmers (even if they don’t like being in water) and the more often you bath them, the more they get used to it. However, don’t bath your rats TOO OFTEN as it can dry out their skin. Once a fortnight is fine, but hardly necessary.

Make sure the water is nice and lukewarm (having the right temperature is very important). If you are holding the rat under running water be careful not to get water on it’s head or in their eyes, ears or nose.

Trust Training Your Rats

Some rats are very trusting from the word go while others might be more anxious or shy. Getting your rat to trust you and other humans is a very important part of your relationship with your little pet. An important fact to remember when dealing with rats is that they love food and, in general, they’ll like a person who can give them a tasty treat. The trick with trust training is to use a type of food that forces the rat to stick by you in order to eat it. If you give a piece of fruit, your furry little friend can dart out, grab it, and run back into it’s safety haven to eat it in peace. If you use yoghurt or baby food on a spoon, he is forced to stay close and lick the food from the spoon. Because rats are often suspicious of new foods, it’s important to get your rat used to the food you plan to use for trust training. Put dabs of it in small dishes in the cage and if, by the next day, the food is still there, assume it wasn’t a winner and try something else. Once you’ve found something that you think your little friends enjoy, start the training. Keep in mind that the only time your rats should be getting treats is during the training.

Alright, the objective here is to have the rat sitting on your hand or arm while he eats the food. Training is very simple. Place some of the pre-selected treat on a spoon and show it to your rat. Once he begins to lick the food, use it to lure him to the cage door. Once he feels comfortable at the cage door, lure him onto your hand, and get him to sit there to eat the food. Although it’s simple, training can take time for some rats. They all have there own different personalities. I’ve found that two or more will coax eachother on and give eachother confidence.

Basic Training for Rats

Once you’ve got a good relationship with your rat why not train him? It will add to his day immensely and it’s fun for you too. Just remember to try not to be too demanding and results orientated. Give your little friend a break! This is meant to be fun and when it stops being fun your rat wont want to do it anymore. It is also important to keep it up. If you neglect a certain trick for a while your little pet may forget it.

• Litter Training your rats will keep their cage cleaner and it’s so easy to do. The first step is to make a litter tray out of something such as a tissue box or shoe box. Put it in the corner of the cage that your rats have already made their designated toilet corner. Move the poops your rats have done into the box, so that they can smell it there. This will encourage them to go there again. When you find that they have pooped outside the litter tray simply move the poops inside the box again. They will learn quickly because rats like to be clean too you know.
• Learning their name is a good place to start their training. Every time you say your furry friends name pick it up and give it some love (or a little treat). It wont be long before you can call your rat by name and it will come to you. Continue to reward it with tickles and occasional treats.
• Jumping between your legs while you are seated is another simple trick that rats will catch on quickly to. Place your rat on one leg while holding a delicious treat over the other leg and your little pal will have to jump the gap to get it. Get them to do it a few times giving them lots of encouragement and soon they will do it without a treat, but don’t forget plenty of praise.
• If your rat keeps trying to chew through wires or do other naughty ratty things, don’t get mad, just spray a little water from the plant mister in his direction and say no. But never be mean to your little pet. They can’t help being so inquisitive after all.

Rat Toys

Rats are like dogs but in a rat body. They are very intelligent and love to play and solve puzzles. It keeps them entertained.

Baby rats enjoy playing with toys and eachother, whilst adult rats tend to use toys for sleeping in or on and reserve their play for humans or other rats. Small toys intended for hamsters, ferrets and parrots are generally safe and suitable for your little rodents.

• Exercise wheels just don’t cut it for rats. They’re too smart for that. Even a large sized wheel will hardly get used but the list of games and toys you can make for them is endless.
• It’s a good idea to have lots of different things in your little pets home for them to climb on. Thick branches (about 50mm) are ideal to create walkways. Ladders used in parrot cages will get a lot of use and your furry friends will absolutely love hammocks.
• If the cage is big enough it is a good Idea to have a brick in their home. This will help keep your rats nails short and blunt.
• Presents are an easy form of entertainment for your rats. Get a few small boxes (or make your own) and put some food in them. Have a little hole so they can smell what’s inside and they will be entertained for hours breaking their way into each one.
• If you have a wire cage you can lay toilet paper on top of their home. The rats will grab it through the bars and drag it into their boxes.
• A rat’s home cannot go without at least one box. Small boxes, big boxes, cereal boxes, tissue boxes, light bulb boxes, any box. Just cut a door into it and fill it with shredded paper or strips of scrap material.
• This one can get a little messy but your little friends will think it’s well worth it. First get yourself a shallow plant pot, fill it with sterilized potting mix and plant some bird seed in it. Leave it for a couple of days until there are shoots sprouting, then plonk it into your rats home. They will dig for the non-shooted seeds and eat them, while having a lot of fun in the process.
• PVC pipes and tubes can be purchased cheaply and connected together to make tunnels etc.