General Information

Rats are a very sociable animal, they should really be kept in pairs or small family groupings. Because of their sociable nature many people find them more interesting and lovable pets than hamsters or most of the other popular rodents.

Rats bred as pets do not carry leptospriosis like wild rats. Many people are a little put off by the idea of keeping rats as pets, but once anybody gets past the initial distaste and gives them a chance they realise how much these lovable little guys have to offer in friendship and fun.

Housing

Few hamster cages are big enough for keeping rats in. They need room to run around and climb. Some chipmunk cages are very suitable, there are rat cages available but they do tend to be priced higher, they usually come with all sorts of tubing included though. The Fop Cleide is a very suitable cage for keeping them in.

They should be provided with ropes and climbing toys to enrich their environment. They will appreciate a nice cosy house to hide and sleep in also, wood or sisal are best as they will give the most warmth, but they will need to be replaced from time to time as they are quite hard to clean. Plastic has the advantage of being easy to clean.

Many rats will use a litter tray, a corner tray is most likely to encourage this. This can help to reduce the cost of bedding as you will not need to change all of the bedding as frequently.

Bedding

Pine shavings are not a good bedding for rats as their respiratory systems can be quite weak and the pine can release phenols which can cause breathing difficulties. Cedar shavings should never be used.

Carefresh bedding, or any hemp based product gives the best absorption and thus the least smell. Paper is another option, but smellier. Aspen is also fine if you can get it.

I find that woolly hamster bedding is not great for nesting as it gets very smelly with rats. Hay or some bird nesting materials seem to work fine and are less smelly, hay has the advantage that they will nibble some of it if it is a good quality. Nibbling the hay is good for their teeth and provides good fibre.

Feeding

Rats are omnivorous like us, they will eat almost anything that is offered to them. It is best to give them a good quality rat food as a staple, I like Supa Rat Excel as it is a pellet food and discourages selective feeding. They can have treats of fresh vegetables, fruit and small bits of chicken or other bland non salty meat based products. They will also enjoy most of the treats for hamsters and other rodents.

They should not be fed sweets, crisps or other human treat foods. These can be full of additives or salt that could be very harmful to your rat.

Health

• Respiratory Problems
  When you are choosing a pet rat you should avoid any that sneeze or wheeze or make noises when they are breathing. If you own a rat that appears to be having any problems with breathing you should take them to a vet. Respiratory problems can be very dangerous to a rat if left untreated.
• Teeth
  As they are rodents their teeth grow constantly throughout their life. They must be given plenty of opportunity to gnaw to keep their teeth worn down, fruit branches or shop bought wooden toys can be useful for this.The boredom breaker range of Naturals treats are also good for this. Some of these are the Parsley Bell and the Carrot Woodroll. You should check your rats teeth regularlyand if they seem very long or are growing twisted you should take your rat to the vet.
• Tumours
  Unfortunately female rats in particular are quite prone to tumours, spaying of female rats can help to reduce this risk, but it won’t remove the risk altogether. If you find any unusual lumps on your rat you should bring them to the vet to be checked.

Handling 

Most rats will become tame quite quickly with regularly handling, they will normally only bite when frightened. When choosing your rat from a breeder or shop, make sure that they are used to being handled at least a little. The handler should be able to pick them up gently and cuddle them gently. Do not purchase your rat from somewhere that they get no handling at all as this will make them more likely to bite during the process of getting to know you.

Let them get used to a little handling in the cage before you try to take them out, when you take them out start by sitting them in your lap facing you and petting them gently. If you face them toward you if they start to explore they will be more likely to climb up you first rather than running away.

Don’t lift your rat up high when you are getting used to each other as if they jump they could get injured. Young children should always be supervised when handling rats as they may unintentionally squeeze too hard.

If your rat is really enjoying itself it will do something called Burxing. This is when their teeth start grinding and their eyes pop in and out of their head. Don’t be alarmed if you see this, just think of it like a cat purring.