How To Care For Pet Rats (Long Post lol)
I’ve noticed rats have gained a lot of popularity recently (which is great!), but it also means there are a lot more people that are going to make mistakes when getting rats. I saw a post about hamster care and thought I could make one for ratties!
Always have two or more rats. This is a very common mistake I see people making. Rats are social creatures. If they don’t have a friend, they will get depressed, sick and might even die early. It has a horrible effect on your rat’s mental and physical health. There are exceptions of course, where the rat is aggressive towards others and it can’t be fixed by neutering, but this is rare.
Minimum cage size. The minimum suggested size for 2 rats is 80cm x 50cm x 60cm, but bigger is always better, so you should definitely think about getting a larger cage with a fenced run area. The bar space can’t be bigger than 1.2cm or the rat will escape. Bared or meshed bases are not good for rats as it causes bumblefoot. Critter Nation and Savic Royal Suite are the best rat cages in my opinion. For smaller, cheaper cages I recommend Savic Zeno 2 and 3.
NEVER KEEP RATS IN TANKS!
Wheels and exercise balls: You should NEVER put a rat, or any animal, in an exercise ball. They induce stress, panic, injury and are hard to breathe in, they are even illegal in some countries.
You should not buy wheels from pet stores. They are all too small for rats and will cause them back problems. If you want to give your rat a wheel, it has to be 35cm if you have females, 40cm if you have males. I recommend Tic Tac Wheels.
Pet stores: You should NEVER buy rats from pet stores, always buy from a responsible breeder or adopt a rescue instead!
This post explains in depth why buying from pet stores is bad and why you should not support it. Not only is the industry cruel, but chances are that you will get a sick, shy, scared rat who has never actually interacted with humans before. If you’re buying a female, it is very likely that she will be pregnant when you buy her, or careless staff will give you rats of the wrong sex.
Good and bad bedding: The bedding you choose is incredibly important to their health. Below are some examples of good and bad beddings.
Bad beddings: Wood shavings such as pine, cedar, and softwood are toxic and dangerous to your rat’s lungs. They contain oils that give off a strong scent that can give your rat respiratory infections and permanent lung damage. Clay cat litter is bad too, as your rat can suffocate or choke on the small grains of clay. Scented beddings is a no-no, they contain harmful chemicals and sometimes even baking soda which is both dangerous for your rat to breathe and ingest. Cotton bedding is bad because if ingested, your rat can very easily choke. Chinchilla dust/sand is not ok. Avoid dusty and colored beddings!
Good beddings: Aspen shavings are good but some brands can be very dusty, so beware of that. Paper bedding. Paper pellet cat litter. Recycled or shredded newspaper. Paper towels, although they’re better as just nesting material. Fleece.
Price: While the rats in themselves may be cheap, caring for them is not. Their cage, bedding, food, toys, hammocks, snacks, fabric… It gets extremely pricey. Veterinary bills are also expensive and often reach up to hundreds of dollars for one rat.
Health problems: Your rat will get sick at some point in their life. They are extremely prone to respiratory infections and tumors, so you need to have money saved for vet visits. Make sure you know a veterinarian that knows how to treat rats, because they are considered an exotic pet in some places! Signs of respiratory infection include:
Sneezing, “clicking” noises, porphyrin (red snot around nose and eyes, however a little porphrin is normal), difficult breathing, rough hair coat, hunching.
Some rats grow up to be aggressive and have hormonal problems. This is most often fixed by neutering them.
Rats instinctively try to hide any signs of illness, so certain health problems in rats can be difficult to recognize until it is too late.
Diet: Rats are lactose intolerant, so avoid giving them dairy! A little bit once in a while is ok, but any more than that is very unhealthy. Rats under 6 months old need 20% protein in their diet, adult rats should have 14% - 18%. Kaytee and Wild Harvest are not good options as they have no nutrition. Kaytee’s rodent food is known to cause food poisoning and sudden death in pets.
Best brands for rat food are JR farm, Oxbow, Mazuri and Native Earth. Make sure that whatever you’re feeding your rats does not contain dried corn, poppy seeds or alfalfa, as these are extremely toxic and fatal. Give your rats fresh fruits and veggies every other day! I almost always give my rats my leftovers unless it’s something they can’t eat.
Activation: Rat are extremely clever and social, which means you need to take them outside of their cage, play and cuddle with them for at least an hour a day. You should teach them tricks and you need to constantly keep them stimulated so they don’t get bored and sad. Putting foraging toys in the cage is an excellent way to keep your rats entertained when you’re not home.
When you first bring home your rats: I know it is very exciting when you first bring your new babies home, but you need to give them space. As soon as you put your rats in their new cage, you need to leave them alone. In their point of view, they were suddenly picked up and taken away from their home, placed in a car, and then into an unfamiliar, new cage with a bunch of strange smells and sounds. Let them adjust for at least 48 hours. During this time, you can talk softly to them to get them used to your voice. Let them explore in their own time and they will come to you when they are ready. Try giving them treats and baby food on a spoon to let them know you’re not scary. NEVER chase them around or grab them! This will make them view you as a predator.
Pls reblog and share this information, especially now since rats are gaining so much popularity!! Pet shops are very misinformed about rat care, so you should avoid trusting them.
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