Have you got a pet rat???

Question

i have two girl fancy rats which are about 5-6 months old, i was wondering how big they grow to? as thy dont seem like they are growing.

does any one know the measurements?

plus the shop told me they would get big

Answer 1

At that age they should be full grown, they should be about 12 " from nose to tail and weigh about 6 to 8 oz Males will grow a bit bigger. Your females should be more active and inquizative than males and will make lovely pets for you.

Answer 2

If you have female rats they should be at full size by three months. Pet shop bought rats do not grow as large as those bred by fancy rat breeders, purely because they are bred more regularly. Male rats will grow to approx twice the size of the females.
Does are far more inquisitive than bucks, especially in the first year, and if handled regularly make excellent companions.

Answer 3

A rat is full grown when it has grown into its feet. They should look proportional to the rest of its body. The tail will be the same length as the body, about 20cm. At 5-6 months they probably wont get longer, just wider!!

Answer 4

I think they are fully grown .
I rescued a rat called Luther some years ago ,turned out she was a " Lutherette " after a while ! Hope you've got the sexes
right ! Lutherette lived for 4 years ! She was as tame as a dog,
came when we called her ! The dogs loved her too !
Great pets have fun !

Answer 5

Rats as Pets
From Lianne McLeod,
What You Need to Know about Pet Rats
Rat Facts
Average life span of 2-3 years.
Length: body 9-11 inches; tail 7-9 inches.
Nocturnal, so will be most active at night.
Males are called bucks, females are does, and babies are pups or kittens.
Rats are social so do best if kept with another rat (or group of rats).
Rats reach puberty very young - at 6-8 weeks of age. They shouldn't be bred this young, though, so make sure males and females are separated before this age.
Females go into heat every 4-5 days (for about 24 hours) and may seem agitated or restless during this time.
Wide range of markings, as well as varieties (e.g. standard/smooth, rex, hairless, tailless).
About Keeping Rats as Pets

Rats are intelligent, social animals that can make wonderful pets.
Easily tamed.
Relatively easy to care for, but are not low maintenance pets.
Require a fair amount of attention and exercise time outside of thier cages (at least an hour a day is ideal).
Rats are very social and do best if kept with other rats. .

Same sex pairs or groups are ideal. Males usually get along fine with other males especially if introduced at a young age or they are littermates. Keeping rats in groups does not make them more difficult to tame if they are handled from a young age.
Rats are very curious.
Many owners compare the companionship of a rat to that of a dog.
As a rule, males are larger and somewhat lazier than females, and have a coarser coat. Females are smaller and tend to be more active and playful.

Finding a Pet Rat
Pet stores: only if the store/staff are knowledgeable about caring for rats and keep them in appropriate, clean housing with a good diet, and handle them regularly. Look for stores that house males and females separately, to avoid a surprise litter.
Breeders (ratteries): probably the best option for finding a well socialized young rat. A good breeder will make sure the babies are socialized and handled from an early age. Also probably your only option if looking for a particlar coat type or color.
Shelters: consider rescuing a rat in need of a home - check with local shelters or rescue groups. Choose a rat with a good temperament; rescued rats may be a little skittish or shy at first but you can probably overcome this with patience. Avoid rats that are aggressive though, as this is harder to overcome and most rats are not aggressive.
Whichever source is chosen, make sure the rat appears to be in good health and condition, and is well socialized.
If buying an older rat, try to make sure it has been handled from a young age.

Choosing a Pet Rat
Try to avoid rats that are panicky when handled, especially if they do not relax quickly, and also those that are overly quiet and calm (may be ill). Often a good choice is a rat that is curious enough to approach you.
Rats should be alert and active.
The rats body should be firm and well rounded. Younger rats are likely to be on the lean side.
The nose, eyes, ears, and rear end should be clean and free from discharge.
The coat should be clean and well groomed (healthy rats spend a lot of time grooming). The skin on the ears and tail should be clean and pink.
The skin should be free of sores and not red or flaky.
Watch the rat's breathing to make sure it is not labored, and make sure the rat is not sneezing or having discharge from its nose or eyes (all signs of respiratory disease which is fairly common in rats).

Answer 6

My pair of does aren't really that big either, they were fully grown when I bought them as the breeder "didn't have time for them anymore". They are fully mature after their first few months.

Mind you, I had an absolutely giant buck from a pet shop - one of my first - who, when he died, measured almost 20 inches, nose to tail. He was absolutely massive!

Answer 7

Girls are always smaller than boys, my three girls stayed the same size that they were at three months old. My last remaining girl is 2 and she is still tiny, she is less than half the size of some of my boys. My boys vary, but by 6 months they've got to their full adult size. I wouldn't worry about their size, as long as they are healthy, that's whats important. The only disadvantage with small girls is that it restricts the cages you can put them in!

Answer 8

My male rat was 9 1/2 inches long without tale and 19 long with tale until last sunday when he died of old age now hes buried in my garden.

Answer 9

About 5 inches long (from nose to bottom, excluding tail). As mentioned already, at 6 months they are mature and will not grow any bigger.

Answer 10

my dauther had several they got to be about 14 inches long not counting ther tail and about 2# in wt.