just got a rat?

Question

um what should i know about having a rat?
hes brownish black.
lol a boy.
um i got him food and bedding and stuff.
he kinda stinks...
anywho thanks!

oh and names!
^_^

Answer 1

the bedding brand i reccommend is Carefresh.
there are certain beddings that are to dusty for the rats and can cause respiritory problems. boy rats usually leave their mark on everything. what i do is keep a utility cloth at hand to wipe up any pee or markings left by the rat.
i DO NOT recommend having a cage with a wheel if you have more than one rat. my rat broke her foot twice because she and her sister tried to run at the same time. next time you get a rat, i would sugges going to a rat breeded. i got mine from candirats, google that and her site comes up.
dont hand them treats through the cage, or they will think that your finger is food if you stick your finger in. just open the door and hand it to them.
i cant get my rats to run in a ball, but yours might.
they love hammocks, you can buy them at petco. you can also make one yourself by cutting a square piece of cloth and hanging it from the top of the cage.
mine peed to much on it, so i had to stop putting them in.
also at petco, they have plastic igloo looking things, mine sleep in those.
you might notice that they push all the bedding out of it, so what i do is shred toilet paper rolls into thin strips and they make a nest with that
i hope this helps you =D

Answer 2

I called my first pet rat scabbers!! He came when called, He used to run under my bed, i called him and he ran back and used to lick me and sit on my shoulder with his tail wrapped round my head and it sometimes went into my mouth.. EW!! He died on the 1st May 2007.. <3 I miss him. He was fine on his own, I took him out most day, almost every day, Their claws are sharp so you will have to keep them trimmed, The 2 girls i have now which are supposed to be better as they keep each other company keep me awake with fighting so a single rat is probably best for me.. :D Congrats!!

I bet loads of people suggest the name Remi..
How about a name from a book/film? Maybe lord of the rings or something like that? :D If you need any help, email me if you like :D

Answer 3

-Aspen wood shaving for litter.
-At least 2 cubic feet sized cage.
-Get him another male rat (or more) to be with, rats are social animals and will get lonely. A pair is the minimum.
-Get some of the pellet food, it's the most nutritious.
-Lots of toys and out of cage time to play with you.

Those are the basics I know of. The rest of the information you'll need is on the internet. A simple google search will do you wonders. I strongly recommend you get him a nice big cage and a playmate.

Answer 4

He'll be happier if you get him a friend (*not* a girl-friend). They're very social animals & really smart, so give him lots of attention & playtime outside of the cage. Inside of the cage, he'll appreciate things like hammocks, cardboard boxes, chew treats & toys-- anything non-toxic that he can climb on, climb into, gnaw on or carry around. Some of our rats like those plastic cat toys with bells inside them.
As for names, get to know your rat a bit better & you'll get an idea of what his name should be ;-)

Answer 5

Make sure he has a good sized running wheel, he will be happier and more comfortable.
Play with him a lot.
Change the bedding to keep the smell down.
Rats are really cool pets.
If you really like him, call him Sidekick.

Answer 6

I'm not the best at care tips, but I can come up with some names!
How Bout...
Otis
Scampers
Sparkie
Eric
Peppy
Ziggy

Answer 7

Petey, Walter, Hamish, Shamus, Jake, Andy. You can poo train them: If it poos put him back in his cage

Answer 8

get rid of it.