Are rats good pets?

Answer 1

Generally, they are far less vicious than the average hamster BUT they are prone to tumours. They are great pets. Very affectionate & they love to ride on your shoulder as you walk around the house. If you want to bring them outside you can buy a harness (just like with a dog) & take your pintsized friend for a walk!
**REMEMBER**
As with any caged animal DO NOT feed them treats thru the bars of the cage because when it comes time for you to pet your cute little guy it may bite you (and pretty hard too) because they think that when they see your hand its treat time! You don't want them to confuse your affectionate hand with a food source!

Answer 2

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 3

Rats make excellent pets. They can cost quite a bit at the vets though as they are prone to tumours and respiratory infections, plus the charge to put them to sleep when the time comes. It is always best to get at least two of the same sex as they need company, no human can match what other rats will do. Plus its fun watching "rat tv". They are very intelligent and love playing games. Its very easy to toilet train them and teach them their names. I have got four 5 week old boys that I've only had for 6 days yet they all know their names and are toilet trained!

Answer 4

Yes rats make awesome pets! They are smart and more social than most other rodent type pets. Typically they live 2 - 3 years. They are prone to respiratory infections though. So you need to house them properly. Make you sure you put them in a room that isn't to drafty and no smoking around them.

Answer 5

Yes, rats make great pets. Just like all animals though, they each have their own personality. My kids have had a couple of rats. My son had a male named TJ (for total jerk) and my daughter had a female named Angel. Angel was so social she'd come when you called her. She had run of the house (when we were home only) and when we wanted her we'd just call and she'd come scampering. My son's rat, well, the name says it all.

Answer 6

Rats make great pets.

Answer 7

yes!!!!
Rats are great pets!!!
I had one named ralph, He was like a little dog.
he would even sit by my feet when I was cooking to get scraps.
Love rats for pets
wish I could have one now but the two cats and four beagles would get ahold of it!!

Answer 8

The best! They are affectionate, gentle, cute and so smart, if you need a smaller pet that won't eat much and doesn't require expenisve vet visits, rats are perfect... like mini-dogs.

Answer 9

Yes they do make great pets. You can teach them to pick up things and to bring it back to you

Answer 10

I often wonder how anyone could let a rat into their house. They are vermin and they really make me go cold when I see one.