Pet rats might sound like it’s a weird idea, but rats make very good pets to have in the home. You do need to know how to care for them because the better informed you are the happier and healthier your rat bill will be. Rats aren’t just for the attic and basement anymore, so read on to learn how to care for your special new friend.
Depending on how you look at it, the good thing about rats is that their very smart creatures. Rats can easily work their way through small crevices, and gnaw through wood boxes with ease. They are over one foot long, but they’re playful, and not jumpy in personality, and won’t bite at the drop of a hat. Rats will develop a routine around your schedule, even though they sleep a lot at night. So if you’re up and about your pet rat can be trained to be up and playful when you are. Downside of a pet rat is that they urinate when wondering round, and have to have other rats around to socialize.
To house your pet rat, you’ll need to one that has strong wire around the frame. The more room a rat has to run around in the happier they are. Because rats are happier in pairs it’s best to purchase a cage that is at least 24-36 square feet, and the bottom of the cage should have some kind of flooring, usually wood or plastic. A wire mesh is fine for a support system, but not for them to walk on because it injures their feet. Bedding for your pet rat should be wood shavings, but remember rats urinate a lot, so a soft but absorbent layer of pellets that’s super absorbent works well under the wood shavings.
You’ll need to meet their nesting desires, too. A nesting box of wood is good to put in, but you can improvise with pipe, or a soft cardboard box. Rats will eat on the box, so it’ll need to be changed out a lot. Be sure to include some paper products inside the cage too because your pet rat will shred it to line their nesting box. Pick out paper that does not have any dyes that could make them sick. Believe it or not, rats love to play, so visit your pet store and pick out a few ropes, and tunnels. They’ll spend hours having fun, and a lot of people have found that ferrets toys work well for their rats and playing. Throw in some blocks of wood too to keep down their chewing, and it’ll cut back on how fast their teeth grow.
Their food and water bottle are important. A heavy bowl like ceramic will not spill food as easily, and are rinsed out with warm water. Water bottles can be found in pet stores, which are used for all kinds of rodents, from rabbits to gerbils. Just be sure that the water is changed out at least every two days because rats won’t drink it if it’s not, and they’ll become dehydrated quickly. Even though your pet rat can adapt his schedule to yours, try to accommodate their basic nature, and put the cage in a place that doesn’t have a lot of sunlight, and is relatively quiet. Also, if there are other animals around that can bother the rat put the cage out of the way. Rats will if their scared bite and a sore puppy dog nose could send it to the vet from infection.
Finally, don’t forget that your pet rat will need to have their teeth filed, and the nails too. If you feel uncertain about doing it yourself with nail clippers, you can always take it to your local vet and have it done. Playtime is important too, your new rat will need to get out of the cage very once in a while, and move about. Anything is fair game though for them to chew on once they’re out of the enclosure, so make sure that wire, books, dog or cat food are put up or concealed. If you think that your rat might chew on it, it probably will, so take precautions when they’re out. Rats are fun and entertaining pets, but plan well for one to live with you, your family, and other pets in your house.
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