I'm thinking about getting rats - should I get males or females?

Question

I've heard that male rats are smelly and more likely to cause allergies but I really want a rat I can cuddle and stroke. What do you reccomend?

Answer 1

I have both male rats and female rats. I have had the pleasure of knowing over 200 pet rats over the course of the last 11 years so I'm speaking from experience. Each sex has their good and not so good points. All rats are gentle by nature, rarely do you find one that deliberately bites without a very good reason. For example, some rat moms are hormonal due to their maternal instinct and protective of their babies.

Females:
Grow to less then a pound in adulthood
Remain active and lean all their lives
Would rather explore then cuddle, always busy
More apt to escape from their cage
Sweet natured, but some are moody during heats
Do a really cute estrus dance every 4 to 5 days
Coats smell like grape soda
Females have softer fur then the males.
Can cause allergies and be just as smelly as the boys, but only if you don't keep their cages clean
Females are prone to mammary tumors in their old age, 18+ months
Female rats have nipples, male rats do not have nipples

Males:
Grow to a pound or more in adulthood
Are just as active and lean as the girls when they are little boy rats
Less apt to want to leave heir cage, therefor less inclined to deliberately escape. However while out free-ranging they can just as easily wander off and get lost just like the girls
Are sexually active at 5.5 to 6 weeks of age just like the girls
Considered adults at 5 to 6 months of age when the testosterone level is at it's peak . It's at this time that a few males can get territorial and bicker more among cage mates
Males do bicker more often then females
Some people cannot take the huge testicles on a male rat
Some males get buck grease
They turn into big, boofy, lap rats as they mature, and get lazy They love nothing more then cuddles and scritches
The coat of a male rat smells like warm taco chips
Courser then the female coat
They mark their territory more then females
Get thinning hair and some males get hind end paralysis as they age.
More inclined to brux and eye-boggle
By comparison male mice are far more malodorous then male rats
Male rats are less accepting of strangers (other rats that are not a member of their mischief)

Female rats:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Female+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAscYqL80.x8jy71l3_Mj6BgazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAsuRZXHyX3jz_HHQlFel4xgazKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Female+rats

Male rats:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Male+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAscYqL80.x8jy71l3_Mj6BgazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAsuRZXHyX3jz_HHQlFel4xgazKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Male+rats

Rats love the company of their own kind
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Rats+love+the+company+of+their+own+kind&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAscYqL80.x8jy71l3_Mj6BgazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAsuRZXHyX3jz_HHQlFel4xgazKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Rats+love+the+company+of+their+own+kind

Caring for your rats:
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=Caring+for+your+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAscYqL80.x8jy71l3_Mj6BgazKIX%2FSIG%3D111gjvvgj%2F*-http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAsuRZXHyX3jz_HHQlFel4xgazKIX%2FSIG%3D11ia1qo58%2F**http%253a%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=Caring+for+your+rats

Rat Behavior:
http://www.ratbehavior.org/

The health issues of rats:
http://ratguide.com/

My Yahoo Group, Holistarat, will help you learn everything you need to learn about proper rat-keeping.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistarat
Kudos to you for researching rat-keeping before you get your rats. :)

Sandra Beasley and the Spaz Rats
(Rattery, Rescue, and Rat-care Expert)
http://spazrats.tripod.com
"my life has gone to the rats"

Answer 2

You really shouldn't get a rat-- get two, seriously. Personalities vary, but in general, males tend to be more cuddly while females ar e usually more curious & playful. However, 2 of our current males are as curious & playful as any female I've ever known & we've had an occasional female who just wanted to hang out & be a lap potato. In my opinion, males & females are equally cute. Both sexes are very affectionate too, although the girls usually go off & play between kisses & scritches. Males *are* quite a bit bigger than females & some people are uncomfortable about the males' "equipment" but, like their tails, it just takes a little getting used to. Rats are very social & usually make awesome companions, but they're so much happier when they've got another rat or 2 to hang out with as well. Just make sure they're the same gender. You'll also have twice (or thrice) the rattie fun & you can adopt rats who look very different from each other because there are so many colors & types of fur as well as top-eared or dumbo-eared rats. Fur or ear type has nothing to do with health or temperment, it's all aesthetic. If you adopt a hairless though, they're more susceptable to chills, skin problems & eye issues but they're totally charming (ideally a hairless rat should have a furry companion).

Answer 3

Male rats are more cuddly then females for sure. When they are babies though they are both active but if you spend lots of time with them, the males will settle down and be couch potatoes. Yes the males do have a bit more of a smell but it is not that bad or noticeable unless the rat is right in your face and you're sniffing. As for allergies i doubt the males are more likely to cause allergies, because if they do don't know from what. Allergies are usually caused by the dander and the males wouldn't have anymore then the females.

Answer 4

I would say if you're just getting one that it shouldn't matter. I don't recall whether the males were smelly when I had them. If you keep the cage clean it won't be a problem. I'd say the prominent thing to note is that the males have enormous testicles and sometimes that can be a bit of a turnoff, unless that's what you're looking for, lol. I'd say pick the one you like whether it's male or female and try to find one that is already friendly as opposed to those you have to chase around the tank because they're terrified. I've found that those I've gotten that were wild when I got them just never got that friendly. **** Luck! Rats make great pets and company. They're a hoot!

Answer 5

If you want a 'lap rat' that will just hang out with you while you pet it, you should DEFINITELY GET A MALE. Since rats are highly social animals by nature, it would be ideal to get two *bonded* males. Two males would likely fight if they are meeting for the first time as adults, but you can easily choose two from the same litter or two that have been housed together for a while.

I have had many male and female rats over the years and they truly are wonderful, intelligent pets - but each sex has different tendencies. While each rat is truly an individual, on average males are far more laid back. They are more likely to hang out and curl up on the couch with you while you watch TV. Females are wonderful too - their energy and curiosity is endless. My most favorite rat of all was actually a female (her name was My Big Girl and her enthusiasm and love for humans were unparalleled - her theme song was "I'm So Excited"). But very few females I've know have EVER actually laid down while out of the cage - they are always on the go, exploring. Males have a 'smell' but it is absolutely not a bad smell. It's just a little musky and to me it smells like raisins. I've actually never heard of anyone being allergic to rat dander or anything like that. They clean themselves constantly - and are a lot cleaner than some humans I know!

A great way to get a pet rat with a personality you know you'll like is to adopt from a local shelter. Shelters often have plenty of babies, but they also have many adults whose personalities are fully developed. Sometimes older rats who have lived alone (especially males) prefer to remain the only one in the cage and actually seem to prefer humans to other rats, but that's not always the case. Most importantly, by adopting you will be saving lives! Petfinder.com is a wonderful site where you can search for any type of pet at shelters within your area. You can even search for a specific sex or age range.

http://www.petfinder.com - On the far left there is a search bar. Select 'Small & Furry' then type your zip code, and a list will come up with all the available rodents in your area. I found two of my rats this way and after such a good experience I have made a personal commitment to only adopt from now on.

Good luck, and good for you for choosing rats! They are intelligent, loyal, and playful like tiny little dogs. I know you will find the right companion(s).

P.S. My most important tip: make sure you use a paper-based bedding like CareFresh, as wood shavings have oils that are dangerous for small animals' respiratory systems. Pet stores only use them because they're cheap, but thankfully most are phasing them out now. Never trust the pet store exclusively for pet care info - always research online and compare different sites. Your future friend will thank you!

Answer 6

There isn't much difference in the smell, actually. If you clean their cage regularly there won't be any smell. The only advice I can give you - never do my mistake - having a male and a female rat in the same time! They start literally reproducing in a geometrical progression and in 2 months you'll have some 20+ rats!

Answer 7

First, I'd get more than 1 (two is plenty).Rats are like humans, in that they love to play, and can get very lonely.
Males do stink more and tend to be more agressive, and when there is more than one, they fight.
Females are more laid back and gentler. And don't fight. If you get a female, get her very young or make absolutely POSITIVE she's not pregnant!
Also, if you get just the one rat, buy a large aquarium so s/he has plenty of room and put in tubes to explore or things to crawl over and/or under.

Answer 8

I have kept rats for years. I have 13 at the moment. It is NOT true that boys are more smelly.

Both boys and girls are very affectionate however I do find that females are more attracted to male humans and boys more attracted to female humans. Having said that all mine are very affectionate with me.

If you want silky soft fur go for a female. They all start off with soft fur but as the male matures his fur becomes more rough.

As long as you handle them a lot from the start you'll have a very loyal friend. Mine follow me round when they're out of their cages.

You'll have a very loving pet!

Best wishes.

Answer 9

Well I think Rats R Rats For That U dont Have to think about Male or Female I would Say its fine Any

Answer 10

I have only known male rats. They do get very noticeable testicles, if this might bother you, go with a female.
Early contact and handling will encourage affection in rats. My sister had a male rat that was a snuggle bug. Very sweet.
I would look to see who was one of the calm ones in the litter also. They do come with their own personality.
Hope you enjoy your new pet when he/she comes home.

Answer 11

Female for sure. These little creatures really surprised me on one of the best pets ever. I had a hard time with that long tail at first, but rats, contrary to popular misconception, are fabulous smart and friendly little pets.