We know very little about the subject but we really want one. We don't want to just jump into it so is there any advice as to picking the rat or what sort of cage would be good. Thanks in advance!My girlfriend and I are looking to get a rat... advice?
You are best off getting a pair or small group of rats as they are very sociable animals and will be much happier with a friend or 2 because it will not be happy on its own. Rats need plenty of room in their cage and if possible rats like levels in the cage and loads of toys and possibly a hammock to sleep of or if not a box or something with shredded paper in etc. When picking a rat make sure it looks healthy e.g make sure it has clear shining eyes and no discharge coming from them or the nose. make sure it looks happy and lively etc but im sure once you get rats then it will all come naturally as rats seem to be easy to care for as they are sociable and lovable.
good luck xMy girlfriend and I are looking to get a rat... advice?
First of all, you cannot keep one rat. They are very social animals and it is cruel to keep them alone. Males do best in pairs and females in pairs or groups. You can also keep an opposite sex pair if one is neutered.
A rat cage should be made of wire...most have plastic bases and this is OK for the majority of rats, occasionally you get one who chews their way out and for these you need a metal base. Avoid cages that have wire bases and shelves, walking on wire all the time gives rats an illness called Bumblefoot which is very painful for them. Space wise you are looking at a minimum of 2.5 square feet of space per rat. The Ferplast Jenny or Freddy 2 cages are good for a pair of rats, and the base dimensions should be at least 2X1 foot by 2 tall, but bigger is always better.
Go to a breeder if you want baby rats or a rescue if you want adults...AVOID pet shops the rats are bred for quantity not quality and wont be healthy. Join a small pet forum to find good breeders in your area. Breeders cages should be spacious and clean, they should be happy to answer questions and should also ask YOU questions if they care about their rats. Rats should have soft coats, shiny eyes, clean noses and bums and all of their toes. Discharge from rats noses and eyes is red and looks like blood...if you see a lot of this on the rat, avoid the breeder like the plague.
Male rats tend to be lazier and cuddlier and friendly, also a bit smellier. With males you are more likely to have dominance and fighting problems. Females are quite hyper and bouncy, more interested in adventure and playing than cuddling. Your rats should have a minimum of 1-2 hours (preferably more) of free roaming time and handling. Rats learn their names and can also be taught tricks, they make absolutely fantastic pets.
Bedding for rats should NOT be woodshavings it is bad for their lungs. You can use Biocatolet paper litter, shredded cardboard that is used for horse bedding (Ecopetbed is one brand name), shredded paper or several other things, again google for recommendations on this.
Rats eat very little food and its worth splurging on the best food money can buy because they are so cheap to feed. Burgess Supa Rat Excel is a very good food, you could also google the Shumanite Diet, a homemade diet which is excellent for rats...most pellets are full of rubbish that does them no good.
Good luck with your rats they are amazing pets!
Rats make very good pets they are very friendly and intelligent animals but I would strongly advise you to do some research before you buy. There a few things you need to know before you buy your rats. Ill try to cover some of the key things here but you really should do some proper research before you buy. The internet is a great place to start and here are a few useful links;
http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/
http://www.nfrs.org/
http://www.dapper.com.au/
Rats are social animals; rats that are kept on their own can become depressed. You may think that you will be able to give your rat all the attention that it needs but you can鈥檛 they need a play mate. Get at least two rats if not more. Obviously they all need to be of the same sex. It鈥檚 best to get rats from the same litter, so two brothers or two sisters, are best.
Try to get your rats from a good reputable rat breeder. Rat breeders generally don鈥檛 do it for the money but because they love animals and therefore put more care and attention into the health and well being of their rats. In my experience rats from breeders tend to be more healthy, and will have been handled already so will have been socialised. If you can鈥檛 find a local breeder go to a reputable pet shop.
When you are picking your rats, handle them first they should look healthy, they should not be sneezing or coughing. Their eyes ears and noses should be clean, with no mucus or discharge. Look at their feet toes and tail to make sure they have not been hurt or injured in any way. Also look for any kind of deformity(which would suggest inbreeding). Their fur should be in good condition. They should look alert and active. Don鈥檛 be afraid to ask the person who is selling them questions. How old are they, what have they been feeding them, how old are the parent rats how many siblings do they have, how long ago where they weaned etc etc. a good breeder should be able to answer your questions and should have an interest in they rats well being.
Its not uncommon for rats that have never been handled before to panic and bite, however rats that have been handled and properly socialised should be tame to handle.
Males and female rats tend to have different personalities, female rats tend to be more adventures and active, they are cleaner then males and smell less. Males grow larger (sometimes twice the size of female rats) they are more lazy, but are more affectionate and are often just happy to lie on your lap, they tend to be a bit smelly and their fur can be a bit greasy.
When you buy your rats make sure you get a cage that is big enough. It鈥檚 easy to underestimate how much room they will need. Each rat needs two cubic feet of room. Rats like to climb so the cage should have multiple levels.
Do not use sawdust in the base of the cage. Rats are suitable to breathing problems and sawdust will aggravate this. Most good pet shops stock paper based products, such as carefresh or safe bedding. Links to both products here http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-鈥?/a>
http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-鈥?/a>
For food you should try avoiding generic small rodent seed mixes. These tend to contain a lot of things that your rats simply will not eat and other stuff that鈥檚 not very good for your rats. Your rats will also tend to pick out their favourite bits of food and leave everything else. A better alternative is to either buy lab blocks or something like pets at homes nuggets http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-鈥?/a>
To give them a bit of verity you should also feed your rats an assortment of fresh vegetables, fruit beans, pulses, the occasional bit of meat. You can also give them the a few table scraps. Avoid foods that are high in fat sugar or salt. Don鈥檛 give them to much dairy produce such as yoghurt or milk( a little bit want hurt them but to much will give them diarrhoea).
I tend to give my rats dry rat food in the morning and fresh food in the evening.
Rats need to be handled regularly and need time out of their cage to run round you need to be handling your rats or letting them roam for at least an hour every day. They more you handle your rats the better socialised they will become and the more affectionate they will be towards you. Often rats that are young can be nervous and a little timid. Don鈥檛 be afraid to pick them up. when you pick them up be confident, firm but gentle. Use both hands and scoop them up with one hand behind them and one in front. When you handle them its worth wearing an old hoodie. Young rats love to hide let them run up your sleeve or hide in your pocket. This way they can get used to your smell in a safe, dark worm environment.
Male rats will often fight, this is part of their normal behaviour and is how they establish dominance. You only need to take action if they are getting carried away and you are worried that hey may be hurting each other otherwise leave them to it.
Be aware that vets bills can be expensive a
I am glad you are deciding to research before getting ratS. To many people impulsively get a pet. Ok here is a list of stuff about rats:
-You need at least two rats http://www.ratfanclub.org/single.html
-Rats need at least one hour out of the cage a day
-Rats are social creatures and love human attention
-Their cage will need to be cleaned at the least, weekly
-Look here for really good cages http://martinscages.com/
-Don't feed rats seed mixes! Lab blocks are best. Good brands are Mazuri, Harlan Teklad, and Subee's Mix (not lab block). Along with lab blocks they should be fed fruits and veggies daily.
-Rats should never be kept in aquariums as they can get diseases from living in it.
-Pine and Cedar are terrible litter and need to be avoided. Good kinds of litter are fleece, shredded newspaper, and yesterday's news.
-Rats along with being social are very intelligent and can be taught to use the litter box.
-Never ever pick up a rat by it's tail!!
-Have you considered adopting a rat instead of getting two from a pet store (most are very unhealthy and/or pregnant)? Check out these websites for rescues:
www.petfinder.com
www.goosemoose.com
www.ratster.com
-Read more about pet rats here:
http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/
http://www.mypetrat.com/
http://www.afrma.org/rminfo1.htm
www.goosemoose.com
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ratli鈥?/a>
Good luck!!
Just move to NY and get an apartment. You can get tons of them for free and they will eat whatever you have in your trashcan.
I have had many rats...12 over the past 8 years. They are a excellent choice for a small pet.
Here is a good web site: http://www.petratscanada.com/
I live in canada, but I am sure the info is the same everywhere.
I would get a rat from a breeder and not a pet store, all the rats i got from stores got sick and died young. Be aware that rats do get tumors, especially females...Respiratory diseases are also common. There is a lot of great info on the net...the best rat cages are the ones you can make your self. I had a HUGE farrett cage for my ratties and they loved them. When getting more than one, get females...males are good together but as they age they can turn on one another. Mine did this and it was a effty vet bill.
But they are great pets...some of mine wasnt even caged...learned their names, did tricks and would greet me when i came home like a dog..ha ha ha
Good luck..
All i have to say is GET ONE!!!! they r the best pets ever!!!! i have 4 rats and they are soooo sweet!!!! we have a cage that is about 5'5 and they love to climb the walls and sleep in the hammocks. dont just get one rat get 2 cause they need a friend to keep them company. i have hooded rats and siamese rats. make sure that you hold the rat(s) to make sure that it likes you before you get it.
Hey hey,
I'm just the right person to ask about a rat, I have studied them for 2years but my parents still wont let me have one.
First of all go out and buy some books on rats and remember to read them carefully, don't rush into buying a pet as you could end up causing a lot of hassle for yourself and the rat.
Its is a good idea to keep more than one rat together as rats love company, i rat kept on its own could very well be an unhappy rat no matter how much attention you give it!
If you need to know anything about rats please get intouch with me and i will give you all the information you need, i would be happy to help as much as possible.
to be honest i had a pet rat one time and i adored her. they are not smelly like you'd think and they are very loyal pets. once they get to know you you can put them on something call them over and it will run to you. very sweet pets. just make sure you get a cage that is not wire. a plastic cage is best so they don't get anything like feet or anything caught in it. and things to play with. a floor ball to put it in. they're alot of fun but they do pooh whenever so be careful. goodluck
just saying but RATS ARE GREAT PETS I LOVE THEM SOOO MUCH
Well my advice would be not to ask here they are help how are miss treating there rat with out knowing it, so you r best to look up some rat care site on Google here one to get you started
http://www.ratcare.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment