Pet Rat help?

Question

Im getting my husband 2 male pet rats and since he just likes to play with them and not take care of them, Im going to have to. Since I think the things are ugly, (more of a gerbil person) I need any help on how to care for them. I think she said they where born the last week in January and are not bigger then the palm of a hand. So can some one please help. ONLY reply if you have something useful to say, I WILL report you... Anyways thanks.

I have a 10 gallon glass tank.Is it to small? And is corn cob bedding good?

Ok its not that I don't like them, its just I don't like there tails. There creepy. I have 3 gerbils and a betta fish. I was told I would get use to them with time. Plus the ones we are getting are cute and where raised with kids so they are friendly. So yeah I can get a pet that I dont really like.

Also it was MY idea to get them for my husband cause hes been wanting some for a while now.

Answer 1

I raised rats b4 but now i have a gerbil !! i love her... but anyways.. rats a typically like gerbils.. just grow bigger and what not... you should start off with a tank bc its better for their feet not to get caught into.. next fill it with wood chips .. get a little hut house and stick a old small piece of sock in it or torlite paper ..they love it!! next just get them a water bottle or dish they will take timeto get used to the enviorment so they wont eat at first but they will soon start after 3-4 days. next get hamster or gerbil food. rats eat pretty much just like hamster and gerbils.. you might also want to but a heating light on them to make sure they stay warm.. being that they are not adult yet.. well i hope this helped ..good luck

Answer 2

Rats are great little pets. But the glass tank is a no no. Rats drink a lot of water, even at a young age and their urine contains amonia in higher concentrations. That amonia can build up in a glass tank because of poor air circulation and you end up with rats that have respiratory problems. A wire cage is far more suitable and easier to keep clean.
Bedding for these guys is pretty easy, Care Fresh is a paper by product and fairly cheap, it is also biodegradable and can be composted along with everything else. Cedar and pine shavings are a big no no as well. The oils in those types of wood chips give them respiratory problems and the little fuzzlets will end up quite sick.
At this young age, they will want to curl up and sleep on you, play with you all the time they are awake and might forget to go back to their cage if they need to unload, another reason for a wire cage they can get back into them to do their business.
Rats generally will train themselves to use a specific area as a toilet, keep your eyes open and you can put in absorb all or any dust free litter; the key word is dust free.
Rats like and need lots of fresh water, you will be surprised at how much they will drink and splash on themselves to get cleaned up.
Little rats need a softer food than the regular extrusion type pellets. Cooked oatmeal is great, smal seeds, some fresh fruit, no oranges though and they will be extremely happy.
Rats are social animals and will look at you as just another big rat who rubs teir bellies and brings food. I'm sure once you start playing with them your thinking of them will change from they are ugly to how smart was that?

Answer 3

A 10 gallon tank for two adult rats is WAY too small. Rats have more brains than other little rodents and will not be amused forever on wheels, chews and boring obstacles in their cages. Play with them everyday outside of the cage, feed them good food and give veggies that are safe - they love plain unsalted popcorn! Change all bedding every other week, change soiled/wet bedding daily, change and clean water bottle frequently. We've had them as pets and I definetely prefer females because males like to mark with pee but it's your call. Some say males tend to be a little lazier, but each one is different. My male Nicodemus was always "go go go." Palm of you hand size? Maybe as babies...plus the tail. They are problem solving animals, and if they think being in the cage is a problem, they will try very hard to figure a way out. Ours chewed the bottom of the water bottles so we got a metal cover and that solved that problem. They need nail trims eventually and some like baths.

Answer 4

The 10-gallon tank will be fine for now, and maybe good enough for ever. Make sure the rats have a good sized wheel to run on; they will be much happier. Cob bedding should be fine, but give them something softer to make a nest and sleep on.
Rats are not too finicky. They eat rat food and they drink water; a bottle that hangs on the side of the cage is best. They need something to gnaw on, but they will gnaw on the wheel and the water bottle (this is hard on any accessories made of plastic). Most rats are really pleasant companions. They have beautiful faces. They are the best pets of all rodents.

Answer 5

Rats are pretty easy to take care of.Clean their cage one a week,and disinfect their exersize wheels,food dishes,and water bottles.Feed them a varierty of seeds,pellets,and other rat foods.They like fruits and vegtables,so maybe one a day give them a little bit of fruit,or veggies.Also supply fresh water,everyday.They like having something to sleep in,so make sure you buy them a igloo house,or somekind of house for them to sleep in.They have to have a exercize wheel,so make sure you have one in their cage.Also make sure they have a nice size cage,especially if both the rats will be living in the cage,and when full grown they can be good size,so make sure the cage is nice.As well make sure they have a wood chew to keep their teeth from over growing.I hope I helped you,and get best answer.

Answer 6

I had a pet rat for 3 years!!! You can buy wooden sticks and stuff for them to chew on to keep their teeth from growing to big and some rats like water so you can give them baths... My rat LOVED taking baths!! I would also recommend cleaning the cage AT LEAST once a week cause it can start to smell if you don't!! They also like trail mix!! Best of Luck!!! :)

Answer 7

Are you going to be ok with this, looking after animals that you don't really care for? In my pet consultations I usually ask that all family members be in agreement when bringing a new pet into the home, for the sake of the animals involved.

What other animals do you have in your household

Answer 8

wood chippings for bedding, rat food, fruit@vegs, toys. male rats grow bigger then females and smell more. rats also enjoy meat. when they get older check there teeth dont grown to long. my rats teeth grow really long and need cutting so they dont grow into there gums.