Rat Care
There is a lot of information to cover....so it will take time to work on this section. If you have any questions, please contact me. I never get tired of hearing from rat lovers!
Choosing your new friend.
It is important to understand that a rat is easily a 2 year commitment. The place you choose to get your rat from can impact your life for those next 2 years. No one wants to pay for expensive veterinary treatment for their new friend right after bringing him/her home. Often, pet store rats are not kept in decent conditions, are not socialized and have not been selectively bred. If you are considering a rat from a pet store, PLEASE consider a rescue. Many cute pet store rats end up homeless and in shelters. Here are great links about where rats from pet stores usually come from:
Visit to a rodent farm
Petco Supplier
It is easy to fall for a cute little rattie that needs a better life, but please consider the fact that 'saving' that one animal will only make the demand go up and another will be brought in to take it's place. The same goes for rescuing rats in the feeder bin. If you buy out all of their stock, they will just order more for next time. Many pet stores LOVE to sell you animals because that means easily $100 worth of accessories. Think about it.
2 rats (based on local prices) = $ 28
Cage = $90 and up
Bedding = $ 20 for a big bag...
Lab block = $9
That's a $150 sale!
Pet stores don't necessarily make big bucks off of animals themselves. If the demand for pet store pets is not there, then they will stop carrying them!
Where should you get your new rat from?
Rescues! You will truely be helping your new friend and not adding to the demand for pet store animals.
Responsible Breeders. Many people truely care about rats and are breeding to improve health, temperament, longevity and yes, finally color/type/etc. Of course, you should take care to choose a good breeder. There are several red flags:
1. Breeder always has litters available, or a lot at a time.
Everyone has their own opinion on how many rats/litters they can handle. Personally, I do have a career and family, so I know I cannot handle any more than 2 litters at a time. I enjoy giving personal attention to each rat (including our older rats) and I do not believe there are enough hours in the day to handle any more than that. Also, we do not constantly breed or breed on a set schedule and prefer to keep our numbers down so that each rat has a good quality of life and is properly socialized. We do not breed unless we are prepared to keep everyone in that litter. We also do not breed if there is not a goal for the litter. Breeders that do produce 40+ litters a year cannot possibly focus on improving lines and keep track of 100's of rats a year (this is necessary to monitor the health of your lines). They are also competing with rescues for placement of rats. I think it is HIGHLY unethical to release hundreds of rats into the world when so many are without homes. We do support rescue, but our goal is improvement of rats....health, temperament, longevity and type....color, ear set, coat and markings are the last things we consider.
2. Breeder produces litters they have no intention of keeping any from. Again, the goal to breeding is to IMPROVE. Sometimes a litter may not work out like you envisioned, but litters should always be bred in order to produce individuals that will impove the lines. They should not be bred to meet a demand or for profit.
3. Immature animals are bred. A lot of breeders have a different opinion about the age in which rats should be bred. Rats should not be bred under 4 months old. We generally like to wait until 5 or 6 months for females and longer for males.
4. Babies are weaned before 4 weeks.
5. Breeder 'culls' unwanted, sick or injured. Not only is this unethical, but it creates a huge lack of information as to the health of the line. If rats are not allowed to live to maturity and die of natural causes, then it is impossible to track and screen for health issues.
These are just a few things to watch for when selecting a breeder. There are may other things that should be taken into consideration. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
Visit to a rodent farm
Petco Supplier
It is easy to fall for a cute little rattie that needs a better life, but please consider the fact that 'saving' that one animal will only make the demand go up and another will be brought in to take it's place. The same goes for rescuing rats in the feeder bin. If you buy out all of their stock, they will just order more for next time. Many pet stores LOVE to sell you animals because that means easily $100 worth of accessories. Think about it.
2 rats (based on local prices) = $ 28
Cage = $90 and up
Bedding = $ 20 for a big bag...
Lab block = $9
That's a $150 sale!
Pet stores don't necessarily make big bucks off of animals themselves. If the demand for pet store pets is not there, then they will stop carrying them!
Where should you get your new rat from?
Rescues! You will truely be helping your new friend and not adding to the demand for pet store animals.
Responsible Breeders. Many people truely care about rats and are breeding to improve health, temperament, longevity and yes, finally color/type/etc. Of course, you should take care to choose a good breeder. There are several red flags:
1. Breeder always has litters available, or a lot at a time.
Everyone has their own opinion on how many rats/litters they can handle. Personally, I do have a career and family, so I know I cannot handle any more than 2 litters at a time. I enjoy giving personal attention to each rat (including our older rats) and I do not believe there are enough hours in the day to handle any more than that. Also, we do not constantly breed or breed on a set schedule and prefer to keep our numbers down so that each rat has a good quality of life and is properly socialized. We do not breed unless we are prepared to keep everyone in that litter. We also do not breed if there is not a goal for the litter. Breeders that do produce 40+ litters a year cannot possibly focus on improving lines and keep track of 100's of rats a year (this is necessary to monitor the health of your lines). They are also competing with rescues for placement of rats. I think it is HIGHLY unethical to release hundreds of rats into the world when so many are without homes. We do support rescue, but our goal is improvement of rats....health, temperament, longevity and type....color, ear set, coat and markings are the last things we consider.
2. Breeder produces litters they have no intention of keeping any from. Again, the goal to breeding is to IMPROVE. Sometimes a litter may not work out like you envisioned, but litters should always be bred in order to produce individuals that will impove the lines. They should not be bred to meet a demand or for profit.
3. Immature animals are bred. A lot of breeders have a different opinion about the age in which rats should be bred. Rats should not be bred under 4 months old. We generally like to wait until 5 or 6 months for females and longer for males.
4. Babies are weaned before 4 weeks.
5. Breeder 'culls' unwanted, sick or injured. Not only is this unethical, but it creates a huge lack of information as to the health of the line. If rats are not allowed to live to maturity and die of natural causes, then it is impossible to track and screen for health issues.
These are just a few things to watch for when selecting a breeder. There are may other things that should be taken into consideration. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
How many to get?
Rats are social animals that live in large groups in the wild, so they will live a more natural life when kept in pairs or more. Having more than one rat will not affect how devoted your rat is to you. You will only have more rats begging to be let out and running after you when you leave the room. Besides, what's cuter than 2 rats playing and grooming each other?
Bedding
Do not use pine and cedar, they are both toxic! Corn cob can cause problems when ingested. Sawdust and cat litter are dusty and can cause respiratory problems.
Acceptable: Carefresh (this is what we use), aspen and some people use Yesterday's News. Put bedding in the freezer for 48 hours to avoid mites and lice.
Acceptable: Carefresh (this is what we use), aspen and some people use Yesterday's News. Put bedding in the freezer for 48 hours to avoid mites and lice.
Housing
Aquariums are not suggested due to lack of ventilation. The ammonia from the rat urine will buildup and cause health problems, ultimately shortening the life span of your rat. They are also uninteresting as there is no where to hang a hammock or bars to climb on. Aquarium cage toppers can be used to provide a more stimulating environment and provide more room and ventillation for your rat.
Wire cages are a good choice because it provides extra climbing, plenty of ventilation and a place to hang hammocks and toys. Bar spacing should ideally be no bigger than 1' by 1' to prevent escaping. If your cage has wider bar spacing, hardware cloth can be used....make sure it is powder or PVC coated.
Good Cages:
Critter Nation
Martin's Cages
Rat Cage Calculator
Rats should also have plenty of toys to keep them entertained. Hammocks, cubes, tunnels, and items to chew on should be provided. Our rats love to chew on the honey logs you can get at the pet store. They also love homemade pouches with seeds in them to rip up and eat.
Make sure you have an adequate number of food bowls and water bottles. It's a good idea to have more than 1 food bowl and water bottle if you have 4 or more rats. If you do not have the space for it then check your cage dimensions to be sure you have at *least* the recommended minumum space per rat.
Wire cages are a good choice because it provides extra climbing, plenty of ventilation and a place to hang hammocks and toys. Bar spacing should ideally be no bigger than 1' by 1' to prevent escaping. If your cage has wider bar spacing, hardware cloth can be used....make sure it is powder or PVC coated.
Good Cages:
Critter Nation
Martin's Cages
Rat Cage Calculator
Rats should also have plenty of toys to keep them entertained. Hammocks, cubes, tunnels, and items to chew on should be provided. Our rats love to chew on the honey logs you can get at the pet store. They also love homemade pouches with seeds in them to rip up and eat.
Make sure you have an adequate number of food bowls and water bottles. It's a good idea to have more than 1 food bowl and water bottle if you have 4 or more rats. If you do not have the space for it then check your cage dimensions to be sure you have at *least* the recommended minumum space per rat.
Activity
Rats should be allowed out and handled at least an hour a day at bare minimum. Our rats are handled at least twice a day and usually average at least 2 hours of noncaged playtime. Rat playpens are available. Or you can make one.
Martin's playpen
Here are some great ideas for rattie fun by the Dapper Rat.
The Dapper Rat- Fun!
Martin's playpen
Here are some great ideas for rattie fun by the Dapper Rat.
The Dapper Rat- Fun!
Diet
This is a contraversial topic since rat diets are so varied. It seems there is no absolute right answer about rat diets, everyone has a different opinion. Lab blocks should be the main staple. Harlan Teklad is a good brand, yet hard to find. Make sure to read the nutritional information to pick the most balanced lab block for your rats. Seed mixes are not a good diet. They can be fed sparingly, but they do not make a balanced diet. Some people also feed dog food, which should have no more than 16% protein. Also, corn should be avoided for male rats and most dog foods contain corn. Fresh vegetables, meat, fruits and the occasional treat can add variety. Avoid high fat/high sugar treats.
Rat info packet- Mainly Rat Rescue
Rat info packet- Mainly Rat Rescue
Quarantine
It is important to quarantine any new rats for 3 weeks in order to avoid introducing illnesses into your colony. The new rat should not share the same air space as existing rats and you should wash your hands and change clothes between handling rats. Bacteria/viruses can also be carried home from the pet store, so be sure to wash hands thoroughly and change to avoid unintentionally bringing illnesses home.