I want a pet rat.?

Question

I need info on rats. Any advice?? Is there anything such as a dawrf rat'?? What size pen?? Other general info. Please!!

Thanks!!!!
ILMG

Answer 1

http://spazrats.tripod.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistarat

To explain everything about caring for pet rats, and to do it right, would take up too much room in this one answer. There is still too much misinformation bandied about, about rats, who they are, and their proper care. There are also feeder breeders who offer misinformation because their view on rats as reptile food is different from those of us who keep rats as beloved pets.

Rats are a different kind of rodent then the other pocket pets that we keep, and as such, should not be treated like the other rodents. Think of rats more like small dogs. At least I do.......until I hear them gnawing on the baseboard in their rat room, and then I am reminded that they are still rodents :)

Re neutering rats. Please do not jump quickly into neutering male rats. 1 in 100 males turns out to be too aggressive to live with other males. The exception to the rule of always having two or more same-sex rats living together for their well-being comes into play here. Surgery of any kind is risky for rats, certain precautions must be taken into account, post-op complications do arise, and neutering for aggression doesn't always work as expected.

E-mail me at [e-mail] and we can talk about rat care. Or join my Yahoo group and you can talk to other experienced rat-keepers.


To answer your two specific questions:

Yes, there are dwarf rats
http://search.yahoo.com/search?search=dwarf+rats&ei=UTF-8&fr=ks-ans&ico-yahoo-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAgXNmTpkp6lJVTLsMn7R5qoazKIX%3B_ylv%3D0%2FSIG%3D11ioj3nie%2FEXP%3D1194896926%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fsearch&ico-wikipedia-search-value=http%3A%2F%2Frds.yahoo.com%2F_ylt%3DAvgqLc.ZvIXHZZgWIGajWUUazKIX%3B_ylv%3D0%2FSIG%3D12147dda0%2FEXP%3D1194896926%2F*-http%253A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpecial%253aSearch&p=dwarf+rats Best to get them from a reputable breeder. Some people think they are getting a dwarf rat at a pet store, but in fact, they just have a small rat due to neglect and malnutrition from uninformed pet store keepers. ****Dwarf rats are not baby rats****. This is some of the misinformation out there that I was telling you about. Dwarfs are a genetically produced variety of pet rat. A male adult dwarf is 2/3 the size of the standard male and the female adult dwarf is 1/2 the size of a standard female.

Most rat keepers like the Martin's cages for their rats.
http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat/
The size of cage that would be perfect for two rats would be
R-670. These cages are safe and the bar-spacing prevents escape from adult females and dwarfs.


spazrats
"my life has gone to the Rats"

Answer 2

I Want A Pet Rat

Answer 3

thats a great choice, there isnt such a thing as a dwarf rat, but there are baby rats, which are preferred, they are easily trainable and more time with your new friend, you can use a variety of cages, my friend uses her old bird cage, i use my old fish tank, or you can use a plastic storage box purchased at k mart or something, rats rarely bite, and when they do its probably cause you have food on your hands or your holding it to tight, they can be potty trained, they need lots of toys, and dont use wood chips as the floor, only newspaper or other recommended at pet stores, you can feed them a variety of things, but they need rodent pellets as their main dish, you can feed them vegies, fruits, breads, cereal, mostly anything except milk products, they are lactose intolerant, also its recommended that you purchase more than one rat, the same sex, and better if its from the same litter, which pet stores usually carry the same litter babies, make sure you have lots of time to play with them, they are super social and really neat to have, they live about 2-3 years, and some rats wont use a wheel, if you want boys, you are looking for a more laid back rat, boy rats are lazy and will more likely sit on your lap, girls are more entergenic and adventurous, but just as great, i have one and im so happy with her. good luck, email me if you have any more questions, the internet always has good information and local pet stores can also help you :)

Answer 4

Yes, there is is a dwarf rat, they cost about 30 bucks. I have 2 rats and they are so cool! A rat needs a 20 gallon for 2 rats or a wire cage. I have a 29 gallon high but getting a HUGE ferret cage for my b-day. You NEED TO USE CAREFRESH! 1of my rats died from it. Rats are ASWOME!

Answer 5

Rats are the best pet ever. Hands down! I have kept domestic rats for over 20 years and nothing beats them for ease of care with great reward. They are highly intelligent, affectionate and sociable. They do require more attention than a hamster but that is because they are smart, gregarious and need you to socialize with them. Mine even know their own names! Rat care is fairly simple as they are somewhat low maintenance. The bigger the cage the better. A well ventilated 10 gallon or larger tank will also do. Pet shops sell rat food and toys. I'm sure your library will have some good beginner books. I am fond of the site www.goosemoose.com ..it has a pet rat information forum.
I have never heard of a dwarf rat but their are many different fancy colors varieties from which to choose. Good luck!

Answer 6

well, for starters, please at least get 2 rats of the same sex. single rats have shown "rat depression". by the way, i have two boy rats.

it doesn't matter what color/fur type you get, personalities don't change with colors.

DO NOT feed a seed mix! feed lab blocks, such as Mazuri or Harland Tekland are fine. you can get mazuri at a local petstore but you have to order harland off the internet.

don't use a tank for a cage. Martin's cages are great and nicely priced.

don't use cedar or pine wood chips for bedding. use aspen, carefresh, or yesterday's news instead. you can also use fleece.

try not to get your rats from a petstore. try a breeder or rescue instead.

the minimum space for rats is 2 cubic feet per rat.

be sure to allow at least an hour of outside time everyday. my rats love to run around on my bed.

be sure to give them a box or igloo for privacy.

girls tend to be more hyper than boys.

if you get girls, getting them fixed will greatly benefit their health. getting them fixed can prevent mammary tumors.

boys, on the other hand, need to be fixed for aggression issues.

before getting rats, check out the message forum, http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat
people there are friendly and give great advice.

good luck!

Answer 7

Rats make a nice pet I have had hairless rats that I think are very cute

Answer 8

I have two rats (both female). I highly recommend getting one or two. I find mine have two incredible different personalities and really fun to raise. I have mine in a large wire cage.

Answer 9

First off, Rats are social creatures and will get depressed without a friend of the same sex.

There is no such thing as a dwarf rat- thy get around 6" long, not including their tail.

They need a cage at least 2ft by 2ft by 2ft high. Bigger is always better.

Here's a great rat care site: http://ratguide.com/care/

Read everything there.

Remember, rats are prone to tumors. If you're not willing to pay to remove them- don't get the rats. I just had a tumor removed on one of my girls, and it cost me $800 with a discount.

Answer 10

i have 2 rats!You should get a white one with black dots and a black head.sorry that i dont know what they are called.they love to be pet.they need a handfull of food every day.they need to have their water refilled twice a week.they need a 2 foot by 1 foot aquarium at very least.They dont like company very much.they need a lot of wood to chew on or their teeth will grow into their brains.they like little houses to sleep in(about 8 inches by 5 inches.)if your cover is not secure they WILL escape,they are very intelligant.they are about six inches long full grown.their width varies.one of my rats width is 2 inches it is skinny.one is fat with a 3 1/2 inch width.i have never heard of a dwarf rat.they need bedding.their cage needs to be cleaned at least once a month(depending on what size it is.)Theymake very good pets.i have included a picture.