if any of my followers consider getting rats because of cute posts on ratblr, please read this:
rats are social animals! they cannot be kept alone, they should be kept in pairs or groups. never get only one rat! and if your first rats get older, you should either get more or have a place ready to give a lone rat to if the other(s) dies. they only live up to around two years.
rats can't be kept in a small cage. they need a large cage that provides them with floorspace as well as height. it should be filled climbing toys, multiple hides, things to chew and other types of enrichment.
they need more of your time than you might think. their cage needs to be spot cleaned every one or two days and a big clean once every one two weeks. everyone has their own schedule, but you can be sure it'll take time. you also need to make time to let the rats free roam, as they don't like being stuck inside their cage 24/7. you'll need to be there to supervise them. rats really like attention (which makes them great pets) and things to do. you can't simply get rats and leave them alone when you're too tired or something.
rats can be pretty pricy! the initial price of buying a cage and toys can be budgeted by getting stuff secondhand and diy'ing, but that doesn't make rats cheap pets. don't underestimate vet bills. rats are prone to sicknesses like respiratory infections, and will need to go to the vet. sometimes when a rat is really ill the only humane thing to do is have them to sleep. you should always have money put aside for vet visits. you also should look into a vet that treats rats. in some countries like the us, you'll need a special exotics vet for your rats.
don't get your rats from a pet store! pet stores are ill-informed and care more about making sales than the health of your animal. there's a big chance you'll be getting a sick or un-socialised animal. don't buy a rat from them anyway because you feel bad for it, you're still giving money to a bad company. adopt rescues or get your rats from a reputable breeder.
DO YOUR RESEARCH!!! i can't stress this enough. think before you get a pet. make sure you're able to give them a good life. this post isn't a care guide, i'm only giving out the most basic information so you can guess wether or not rats are the pets for you and avoid making mayor mistakes. i recommend looking at videos from the youtube channels Emiology and The Rat Guru. they have good information.
this isn't to say that rats don't make great pets, because they do. they're really sweet, social, and highly intelligent animals. i'm just sick of seeing so many rats receive the inprober care because of uneducated owners. rats really deserve the best, and if you care for your rats correctly, they will also be nicer to you. inproper care can stress them out or make them depressed.
lastly, if you currently own rats and realise you are doing something wrong: it isn't to late to change. i won't judge you. i made mistakes too, my first time owning rats. and if you realise that you currently aren't able to make these changes, you should consider giving them up to a shelter. they will care for your rats and look for a new owner. please don't put up an advert on a website like craigslist, because you'll never know what kind of person will adopt your rats.
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