Rats
Domestic Rats are clean, highly intelligent social animals that enjoy human
company and make wonderful family pets. They should not be confused with the
wild Rat, although they belong to the same species. As long as they are handled
correctly from birth, they can share your home quite safely, with no risk of
disease or aggression. They need companionship and at least an hour of exercise
each day outside their cage – so make sure you are able to devote this time to
them. Like most rodents, Rats should be kept in single sex pairs or groups to
prevent unwanted litters of babies. They generally live for 2 to 3 years.
HOUSING
Rats are very active and love to climb, so the larger and taller their cage,
the better. A good cage size for a pair of Rats would be 50cm x 80cm with
around 50cm depth. The floor should be solid to avoid injury to the Rat’s feet
and plenty of litter should be put on the floor to absorb ammonia from the
animal’s droppings. Note, an aquarium style glass cage is not suitable for Rats
as it will not give enough ventilation.
Your Rat’s home should be kept away from draughts and out of direct sunlight,
although a little sunlight each day does help them absorb vitamin D which helps
prevent malnutrition problems. A nesting box filled with shredded paper should
be provided, along with wood shavings or sawdust for the floor – fluffy bedding
should not be used. The cage should be cleaned at least once a week - a litter
tray can be provided to help keep the environment clean for your Rats.
TYPES OF RATS
There are many varieties of Rat with different combinations of coat and eye
colours. These include white with dark or pink eyes, cinnamon, blue, and other
colours.
FEEDING
A good quality Rat mix makes an ideal core diet for your pet. This can be
supplemented with small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. Dry dog food
makes a good source of protein. Be careful not to overfeed as Rats can soon
become fat. Avoid giving your Rats sunflower seeds or peanuts. Fresh drinking
water should always be available, usually in a gravity bottle although a small
heavy bowl can be used instead. Like all rodents, a Rat’s front teeth grow
continuously, so provide them with something to gnaw on.
EXERCISE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Rats need at least
an hour a day to play outside their cage so it’s important to ‘Rat-proof’ the
room - Rats can squeeze through tiny gaps. Houseplants and cables should be
kept out of the way too. Rats like playing with toys, but avoid spoked wheels
which can cause injury.
HANDLING
Rats enjoy human contact provided they
have been handled correctly from birth. Rats should never be picked up by the
tail; instead gently place your hand underneath its chest behind the front
legs, supporting the hindquarters with your other hand. Children will enjoy
handling Rats, but should be supervised.
TIPS
Social creatures, Rats naturally live
in groups so you should always keep more than one. A same sex pair or small
group from the same litter should get on well. Rats are one of the cleanest
pets you can own and pose no threat to people or to other animals.
HEALTH
Rats are generally healthy creatures but
as with all pets, if you are worried about any aspect of your Rat’s health,
seek veterinary advice. They can be prone to respiratory diseases which are
contagious to other Rats (although not to humans). For a healthy life, your Rat
needs the following:
company and make wonderful family pets. They should not be confused with the
wild Rat, although they belong to the same species. As long as they are handled
correctly from birth, they can share your home quite safely, with no risk of
disease or aggression. They need companionship and at least an hour of exercise
each day outside their cage – so make sure you are able to devote this time to
them. Like most rodents, Rats should be kept in single sex pairs or groups to
prevent unwanted litters of babies. They generally live for 2 to 3 years.
HOUSING
Rats are very active and love to climb, so the larger and taller their cage,
the better. A good cage size for a pair of Rats would be 50cm x 80cm with
around 50cm depth. The floor should be solid to avoid injury to the Rat’s feet
and plenty of litter should be put on the floor to absorb ammonia from the
animal’s droppings. Note, an aquarium style glass cage is not suitable for Rats
as it will not give enough ventilation.
Your Rat’s home should be kept away from draughts and out of direct sunlight,
although a little sunlight each day does help them absorb vitamin D which helps
prevent malnutrition problems. A nesting box filled with shredded paper should
be provided, along with wood shavings or sawdust for the floor – fluffy bedding
should not be used. The cage should be cleaned at least once a week - a litter
tray can be provided to help keep the environment clean for your Rats.
TYPES OF RATS
There are many varieties of Rat with different combinations of coat and eye
colours. These include white with dark or pink eyes, cinnamon, blue, and other
colours.
FEEDING
A good quality Rat mix makes an ideal core diet for your pet. This can be
supplemented with small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. Dry dog food
makes a good source of protein. Be careful not to overfeed as Rats can soon
become fat. Avoid giving your Rats sunflower seeds or peanuts. Fresh drinking
water should always be available, usually in a gravity bottle although a small
heavy bowl can be used instead. Like all rodents, a Rat’s front teeth grow
continuously, so provide them with something to gnaw on.
EXERCISE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Rats need at least
an hour a day to play outside their cage so it’s important to ‘Rat-proof’ the
room - Rats can squeeze through tiny gaps. Houseplants and cables should be
kept out of the way too. Rats like playing with toys, but avoid spoked wheels
which can cause injury.
HANDLING
Rats enjoy human contact provided they
have been handled correctly from birth. Rats should never be picked up by the
tail; instead gently place your hand underneath its chest behind the front
legs, supporting the hindquarters with your other hand. Children will enjoy
handling Rats, but should be supervised.
TIPS
Social creatures, Rats naturally live
in groups so you should always keep more than one. A same sex pair or small
group from the same litter should get on well. Rats are one of the cleanest
pets you can own and pose no threat to people or to other animals.
HEALTH
Rats are generally healthy creatures but
as with all pets, if you are worried about any aspect of your Rat’s health,
seek veterinary advice. They can be prone to respiratory diseases which are
contagious to other Rats (although not to humans). For a healthy life, your Rat
needs the following:
- Time and attention – at least one hour per day
- Daily exercise outside of their cage
- A good balanced diet - no overfeeding
- Clean dry housing, cleaned once a week with a mild disinfectant
- No extreme or sudden changes in temperature
- Water bottle and feed bowls cleaned daily
- Gnawing block or fruit tree branch to help wear their continually growing
teeth