Im getting a small pet rat.?

Question

I'm getting a pet rat. Any tips for me? It's only a small one.
I've never had a rat before so I'd like to know a bit more about them.
If you have or have had a rat can you please tell me all you know?!
(it's cream coloured and has red eyes, if this makes any difference)

Answer 1

Rats are wonderful pets, I have four right now, they are very intelligent, clean and friendly animals. Every time I walk into my pets room they are up on the sides of their cage wanting to come out and I have never been bitten by any of my rats however they do kiss alot. They also know their names and the sound of their treat jar. Their basic care is pretty simple, they need their cage cleaned at least once a week and their food dish and water bottle full at all times and they should also get fresh veggies every day. Also they love time out of their cage and should get a minimum of thirty minutes out every night, if you cant spend the time with them on some days you can rat proof a room such as the bathroom and let them play together. Room temperature is fine, try to keep them out of direct sunlight and drafts. The price per month that it takes to care for a rat depends alot on what you are feeding, using for bedding, etc. An average range would be $25-50. And of course you could go up from there and depending on where you buy your food and bedding it could be a little cheaper. This amount does not include any amount for vet bills, they need checkups every six months and they are prone to tumors, respiratory problems and as they age cysts. I would start putting a little money back each month just in case of an emergency. Supplies you will need include

Cage: at least two square feet per rat and wire, aquariums do not give good enough ventilation and can cause illness because of this. Ferret or Guinea pig cages work great. Make sure whatever cage you get does not have wire on the floor this can cause bumble-foot in rats. Also check the bar spacing to make sure a rat could not get out or get its head stuck.

Bedding: AVOID CEDAR AND PINE these cause respiratory problems and liver damage, aspen is safe if you are looking for a cheaper alternative, carefresh and yesterdays news are good as well.

Food dish and water bottle: I recommend a ceramic dish for food because they cant be chewed like plastic and are heavier so dont tip as easily as the stainless steel ones.

Food: Pellets called Lab block or rat block are best because they will pick only what they want out of the seed mixes and leave the rest so they dont get a complete diet. Mazuri is a good brand.

Chews: They need chew sticks to keep their teeth trimmed down whole nuts in the shells, dog biscuits and lab blocks work great for this also.

Hides:A shoebox with a hole in the side works well as does commercially bought hides

Toys: Hammocks, ladders and bird toys are great, rats are very intelligent and will get bored easily without stimulation. Here is a site that shows you how to make your own toys http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

Treats: Fruits, yogurt, pasta and dog biscuits are great as are hamster and rat treats that you can buy from the pet store.

Another rat: rats are very social and do best in at least pairs (same sex) they groom each other and snuggle and play together they will not bond any less with you if you get pairs and they will enjoy their lives so much more.

Good luck and here are pics of my babies and cage

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/mfengel/petsandfriends051.jpg
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/mfengel/IMG_2407.jpg

Also here are some great sites for more info.
http://www.rmca.org/
http://www.rmca.org/Gazette/

Good Luck and thank you for doing some research before you buy the pet.

Answer 2

CONGRATS!!! I am so glad you didn't fall under the hamster spell! ya they're cute but...... nvm. rats are so nice and if this is your first pair, you are going to be blown away, and surprisingly your mom will too. when they first lick you and nibble on your skin, it will feel really weird, but you'll get used to it. also their nails feel really sharp the first time, but you will also get used to that. i would recommend giving your rats a monthly bath with some kitten shampoo so they are clean. clean the cage every week and all the toys with some water and some bleach or dish soap. replace the toys every month and clean the top of the cage every month, if its a wire cage, which it better be. i use care fresh, its the best kind, you have to be careful what you choose with rats because they are especially prone to respiratory infection which is caused by the dust in wood shavings

Answer 3

Rats are actually one of the cleanest pets you can have. My brother had a couple when he was younger and they were great. They just need for you to keep there cage clean. And make sure they have food and water. It is best to give them their water by using a watter bottle. And the more you handle them the tamer they will be. Good Luck

Answer 4

Not all rats stay small. Just so y'no. :)


I've had a blue rat little over three...four months now? He's an amazing creature. I love him to bits. Very sweet, though you need to watch your fingers when giving them treats. Even in the palm of your hand they can still nip you. They don't mean to, though.


HANDLE THEM OFTEN! They are very social creatures and love to be cuddled and handled. Mine likes to sit on my shoulder and hide in my hair. When I took him to the vet, I walked into PetsMart with him hiding in my hair. A little boy tapped me on the hip and went, "Lady? You have a mouse in your hair." It was so sweet. :)


Make sure you give them a lot of soft bedding. They like to root around and hide stuff. Also, make sure you keep grabbable objects AWAY from their cage. They have hands, unlike hamsters or mice. They WILL grab things outside the cage and pull it in if they can. Also give him someplace to hide. I bought mine a little tiki hut that is made out of bamboo, honey and alfalfa. He can eat it AND hide in it. It's a really cute hut.


Good luck with your ratty. They are insanely clean creatures. What other animal will clean the foot they just scratched themself with?

Answer 5

i had a hooded rat (white w/black head) when i was a kid. sadly, the life expectancy for a rat is only about 1.5-2 years. my rat had several plexiglass cages w/tubes running between them; also one tube went up to a small enclosure on one side and another small enclosure on the other. we put the food in these enclosures - one w/fresh fruit/vegetables, one w/nuts/grains/dry food. also we had a wheel for her to run in. i think the rat's had a good quality of life because it had some tubes to run around in and places to explore, and the wheel for exercise - lots of options for her. she like to ride around on my shoulder. she was a fun pet. good luck with yours.

p.s. my rat really enjoyed pancakes. my mother would make little rat sized pancakes for her whenever she made pancakes for the family. it was really cute how the rat would sit up on her hind legs, hold the little pancake in her paws, and nibble away.

Answer 6

i had two rats before,a girl and a boy.they easily multiply u know.in ur case with a one rat, be careful with their urine and dung coz they may cause meningitis.the odor of their urine and dung can make you sick.clean it as always as possible.they are cute esp when the female rat gets pregnant.hehe

Answer 7

Good luck.To each his own.Not my cup of tea but I have heard they make good pets.

Answer 8

well theres not much to say, but this fact is very important they need food and water!

Answer 9

hmmm, try to have some cage for your pet.... keep it clean

Answer 10

teach not go before a cat