My first rat was a gift from a girl named Abigail for my ninth birthday. The rat I had back then was special. I had never seen a rat that colour before I have also never seen one since. We named her Champagne because of her special colour. We called her Rattigan most of the time.
I also have the two rats who live in New Zealand with Malcolm named Lone and Star.
Having had a few rats I know a tip or two about how to take care of them. There are a few basic things you must do and be okay with to own rats.
1. You must have two rats. They need a house-mate to be really happy. It takes no more room to own one then it does to own two.
2. If you are not willing to be scratched up a bit and licked to death they are likely not the right pets for you. They love to climb all over you and play hide and seek. The little claws tend to get you when they climb.
3. If you do not have at least an hour a day to spend playing with them OUT of the cage then you should not own rats. They need love and playtime. Pet rats are made to crave love from their owners.
4. Rats are very smart. It's important to give them things to stimulate their minds. For example you can set up games. I tend to take treats and bread crust and stick them half way in the bars of the cage. They spend time pulling items into the cage. Also put bits of paper towel or tissues in the cage bars as well. They will add this to the nest they build to sleep in.
5. Use paper critter litter. Do not use clay or wood chips! Wood chips can cause bad allergies in rats. I use plain grey paper litter made from recycled paper.
6. Save all paper tubes like bath tissue rolls and paper towel rolls and put them in the cage for your babies to play with. You can buy fancy houses for them to sleep in for the cage but also if you have them put in a Kleenex box in on it's side. I have a fancy large plastic house and 2 Kleenex boxes in my cage. They both sleep in one Kleenex box and use the fancy plastic house to store food.
7. Rats can eat many of things. If you are eating it you can pretty much share a piece with your rats. Lab blocks have everything a rat needs to live on and should be the main meal source. Salad is also a very good thing for your baby.
8. De stinking... Rats can become smelly in between baths. I suggest you get something called Ferret sheen. It smooths and shines the coat and leaves a nice smell behind. Change the bedding/litter and wash the houses every 2-3 days. (More if you find your rats can be extra stinky.)
9. Rats sleep much of the day and are awake at night. They do make a good amount of noise which I have learned to live with and can sleep okay with. If you are a light sleeper you may consider putting them in a place outside your bedroom while you are sleeping.
10. You will need to buy rodent chew toys/treats for your rats. They MUST chew regularly to maintain a healthy length for their teeth. They are rodents so the teeth never stop growing. Petsmart has a good selection of chew toys for rodents. If you are unsure what one would best fit a rat then ask of the employees at your pet store of choice. If you do not buy them toys to chew they will chew on things like cell phones and charger cables. Some will do this anyway so do not leave your rat unwatched where there are cords.
Rats make excellent pets for people who want something to love and snuggle with. They are small, smart and super soft and cute. The most expencive part of owning a rat is getting a good cage. They need a larger cage. They need space to run around. Be sure you have a large cage with at least 3 floors in or is about the same in length. The rat cage I own is much like this however I think mine is a bit larger and has a different opening and closing mechanism. Once you have a good cage the expense of owning a rat is much less then that of a cat, dog, or reptile. Take your time when picking out your rats. Spend time at the store petting all of them if they happily sit on your shoulders for a long time it's a good sign. Also make sure they play well together. Be aware that in a new home there will be some fighting over dominance and space in the new cage. They are also vocal when grooming so they are not always fighting when you hear squeeking. I hope if you were looking into getting a pet that this gave you some ideas. If you have any further questions please comment this post.
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