Do Fancy Rats make good pets?

Question

I am looking into getting a fancy rat I heard they are really smart and loving. I have a few questions. Do they bite? Do they smell bad? And can you really teach them to come?

They are the ones you can buy at pet stores and are not all big and gross.

yea i already have a mouse but he is really old and on his way out he is my second mouse and I figured this time I wanted a rat.

Do they like water? Are they good swimmers?

And how do I make shure to get a acctive loving rat?

Answer 1

They make fantastic pets if treated right :).
I'd get two females if I were you, though, they do better in pairs--and females are less likely to fight with eachother when they hit adolescence.

Do they bite: There are some aggressive rats, but on the whole, rats are very unlikely to bite. If you handle them at the store or shelter, you can usually tell whether they'll be friendly or not.
Do they smell bad: No--you have to stick your nose quite close to smell them. I'll note that males tend to have a stronger scent than females, though.
And their cages will smell if not cleaned often enough, but this is true of all rodents.
Can you really teach them to come: I know a couple of people who have done it. My rat seems to respond about 50% of the time when I call her name, so it might differ from rat to rat.
Do they like water: Some rats enjoy swimming around in a bathtub with warm water, so long as they have a plank of wood (or another solid surface) to sit on when resting.
I haven't tried it with my rat, though.
How to make sure you get a nice rat: Handle several of them at the store or shelter you visit, and choose the least timid of the bunch. They'll all be a little unsure of themselves at first, though, before they warm up to you.

(NOTE: I'd recommend Carefresh, aspen or hemp bedding over cedar or pine. I've seen a few people ask questions about why their pets weren't breathing properly, and it's sometimes due to using cedar or pine bedding, which can cause problems.)

Answer 2

I think they make great pets.

It's best to get two of the same gender, they perfer the company of other rats.

They are very friendly, but all rodents have a natural desire to chew. So if you put your fingers in the cage, or near it's mouth, they may bite. This is true of all small pets, not just rats. There is no such thing as an animal that never bites.

Rats poop a lot, so you must have a very big cage and clean it 2-3 times per week. If you don't keep it clean, it will smell.

Yes, you can teach them to come when called and do other tricks.

Also, remember all rats get really, really big. The only difference between fancy rats and common rats is their color. They both get the same size.

If you want a smaller pet, look into a mouse.

Answer 3

I've owned over 30+ at once!
They are great pets! They clean themselves religiously!
If you have 1-2 rats then you should clean the cage once a week and that should prevent the smell from getting bad.
Usually rats wont bite unless they are aggressive. Out of the 30+ we had only one bit us (but she was very unsociable to began with).
Rats are as smart as dogs and sometimes smarter! you can teach them to come when called, use a littler box and do all sorts of neat tricks.
Oh and rats are a social animal so it's best to get 2 so they wont get lonely and make sure they are the same sex because they will multiply!!!! Females are best and they play more then males. Males are lazy and don't really like to do anything.
If you have anymore questions don't be afraid to email me!
I love rats and have had a lot of experience with them.

Oh and not all rats get huge! They are breed in different sizes: small, medium, large and extra large.

Answer 4

Pet stores are generally not a good idea. They often sell ill pets, and only offer a small 2-week return period. The rats are often skittish and mishandled. Pet Smart is quite good at making sure you don't get a pregnant rat. They only sell females, or at least the ones in my area do. I was in the same situation (had no breeders anywhere close to me) so I bought my 3 girls from Pet Smart. They are friendly, sweet, and happy, healthy girls. IF you can find any young rats at shelters in your area, or local ad sites, I'd go with that. If not, Pet Smart has a better reputation than most pet stores, so I'd go ahead and get them :D Good luck with your ratties!

Answer 5

They don't bite anymore than does a cat or a dog. It's all base don how you handle them... hurt them and they'll reciprocate. Give them love and you'll get it back in spades.

Rats are pretty clean animals. Get a cage with cedar wood chips and clean it out every 2 weeks or so..you won't smell a thing. The rat itself has no odor. Rats are intelligent and can be taught to do many things. They're used in psychology experiments all the time because they're so easily trainable. You'll need to look into stimulus conditioning (Ring a bell, give them a treat...etc etc..until whenever you ring a bell, they'll come to you...for the treat, but that's life).

They live a decent amount of time. Between the two I owned, I had close to 10 years of joy...and not one bite at all.

**Bonus: If you contact your local University...at the end of the semester, they get rid of the rats they used in Psych classes...usually euthanasia. They'll give them to you if you ask and can afford to wait.

Answer 6

Rats make wonderful pets. They don't usually bite (we've only had 1 consistant biter out of many rats we've lived with, we think the poor girl simply has a mental problem). Some of our young ones have nibbled playfully, like a puppy or kitten might, but that's not painful & it's easy to train them out of it--- if they nip, playtime is over for now (also tell them 'no!')
Please get 2 boys or 2 girls, so they can keep each other company when you're not available. Also, you'll really enjoy watching them interact. *Usually* boys are calmer & girls are more curious but they *are* individuals. They don't smell if their cages are kept clean (don't use cedar or pine shavings) & boys really do smell like corn chips. Imo, girls smell like herbal hair conditioner although many ppl think they smell like grape juice. Girls are smaller & have softer fur.
Yes, you can teach them to come & many other things, but they're somewhat catlike this way & only do it when they're in the mood ;-) They learn their names, which is easier for them if you don't give them rhyming or similar names, & can learn several other words. Sometimes they can be litter-trained too, but results vary.
They can swim, but don't really like to & would probably be frightened by the experience. On hot days, you can give them a heavy, shallow dish of water & put frozen peas in it so they can "fish" & cool off.
When you go to adopt your little ones, ask to hold anybody that you're interested so you have an idea of how social they are. You'll love having rats, they really are loving, smart & affectionate. Playful & funny, too!

Answer 7

Rats are wonderful pets! I have two (Flower and Pearl). They only will hurt you if you treat them badly. The claws of baby rats can get sharp though, it can hurt a little. The males spray scent markers and can leave a stench, so I reccomend 2 females. Always have more than one at a time, or they will be terribly lonely, even if you play with them every day. They are as smart (and smarter) than dogs and easily learn tricks if repeated often. Hope I helped!

Answer 8

Rats make wonderful pets. It's best to get them from a breeder. They can be found on ratster . c**. If there is nobody close by, check out several pet shops. Where I live there is Pets mart, Petco, a small one that has their own line of rats, and one that gets in feeders. I've heard that even feeders can make a good pet if nothing else is available, but they aren't bred for temperament.

Rats are the Least Likely of any rodent to bite. If you get an older rat that has been Mistreated, or one is being Hurt, they may bite. If they mean to bite it can hurt. Mickey got stuck once and was Panicking, but Never bit me. He also didn't bite my G-son when he held him with 2 hands around his middle. He looked humiliated to be carried that way. Of course I had to show the boy how to hold him correctly. I had told them not to mess with my rats, but who listens to Granny anymore?

Most of the time you might get something that you think is nipping. In actually the rattie may be grooming your toes, taking off your band-aide, or wanting to look in your mouth. (We call these rodentists) !
I have a tiny baby and she took my finger in her mouth and tugged. I think she wanted me to come into her cage. They don't see well, and she was too young to know I wouldn't fit. (chuckle).

Rats don't smell bad, they actually smell Good! The girl rats have a lovely grape soda smell and the boy rats smell mildly like a tortilla chip.

Of course their cage needs cleaned but they don't even have strong urine. Cats and Mice are bad in that regard.

You can teach them to come, but sometimes they don't want to come. The baby I mentioned got out of my hands and I was worried; will she come back? I had only named her the day before. After about 5 minutes of being quiet and listening I lifted the bed-skirt and there she was, waiting for me to pick her up.
BTW, never pick them up by their tails. They hate that, and the end of the tail could break off.

I can let mine out to run (one at a time) because I know they will not hide and stay hidden. If you call Ratty while holding a good smelling treat, here comes Ratty !
Of course you will not name them ratty, but some name you like. Sometimes they tell you their names by the way they act. Zippy, Happy, or what they look like, Mickey, or
Stripe.

There are many good websites on care and cages and all the rest.

I wish you happiness for your new ratties! I forgot to mention you need to get at least 2 of the same sex.

Answer 9

yes they make great pets. as with all small animals you run the risk of biting, but in all of my experience i have never been bitten by a rat. yes they have nibbled when i had food on me, but what do you expect. it was nothing that hurts or even breaks skin. they are smart and loving, much smarter than gerbils and hamsters. you can teach them ot come and everything, mine will even walk on leashes. as for they smell, as long as you keep the cage clean then no, they do not smell. they can be litter trianed. all you do is clean out the cage once a week. they are great pets to own.

Answer 10

i currently have two rats, one male, one female, and both are great pets. any kind of rodent has its own odor, generally, but there are a lot of kinds of litter that neutralize it, and as long as you clean the cage regularly (i'd suggest twice a week at lesat) it shouldn't be a problem. (also, keeping them in an open-barred cage rather than, say, an aquarium, cuts down on smell, because it's ventilated.)

i've never been intentionally bitten by either of my rats, they may get in a nip when you're handing them food, but this is near-sightedness and not any kind of hostility. however, off the bat, your rat will probably not be cuddly. it takes them some time to get used to you and accept being handled. until you get to that point your rat will spend all of its time trying to crawl away when you pick it up.

neither of my rats respond to their names, however, the way to a rodent's heart is through food. pick up a carton of "yogies", they're healthy yogurt-flavored treats for your pet, and rats love 'em to death. i can let my male rat run free in my room, because with two shakes of that carton, he always comes running.

i'd definitely recommend them as a pet. they have a lot of character and are low-maintenance.



//edit: also, i just read someone suggesting cedar wood chips. some wood chips give rats respiratory infections. i wouldn't recommend those at all. try softer bedding made to absorb odor.