Rats make fantastic pets (Rats)

Member Name: tigger2503

Product:	Rats
Date:	12/11/09 (20 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly, social rodents

Disadvantages: Don't live as long as some do

I have only recently this year become a rat owner but they have made a big impact on me and I would always have them as pets as they are very intelligent, fun, social rodents. I've had gerbils and hamsters in the past but rats are on a different level. When walking into the room where their cage is they often come out to greet me and love nothing more than to spend time riding around on your shoulder or in my pockets. They all have learnt their names and will play chase with my hands, one of my girls loves to lick me to death. Rats do have a bad press for being dirty and spread disease but they are nothing like this.

Rats should be kept in single sex groups unless you are breeding (which should only be done with lots of consideration to ensure the health and wellbeing of the rats) they are very social animals and need company.
Housing
Its important to ensure they have a large cage as they do spend a lot of time in here, if you have females the bar spacing is an important consideration as they can get through very small gaps, I personally wouldn't have anything larger than 1.50cm, ideally 1cm. Their cage needs to have plenty of things to climb in, on and over these can be made from simple everyday items like old socks, trouser legs, cardboard boxes or you can purchase hammocks, cosy fabric boxes but be prepared most rats like to make them their own usually chewing a new entrance/exit. Rats respiratory systems are sensitive so you need to because on the litter/bedding material used they need something which doesn't produce dust so no sawdust, I firstly used towels but found they rats burrowed under it so now I use sheets of newspaper you can buy the paper in littler which looks like cat litter but I get my papers for free and its easy to roll it up every other day and replace. Rats cages only smell when they need cleaning so I find a quick clear out every other day is enough to prevent the smell being a problem. All rats need time to free range obviously the longer the better but at least 1 hour per day this can be done in a rat proof room (basically somewhere they can't nibble anything they are not meant to) or you can buy/make a solid wall playpen beware more rats can easily just 2 - 3 feet to they can't be left unattended in the playpens.
¬Food
I feed my rats on a home made diet of rat food, pasta, various sugar free cereals, dried meal worms, monkey nuts, baby rusks, dried dog food. I make this up about once every 3 months and give them a bowl each time its empty. They are also fed a bowl of my tea, cous cous, fresh meat, fresh fruit/veg, toast and as treats chocolate drops. The more variety the better.
Illness
The more common problem for rats is respiratory infections this is usually shown with a rattly chest, sneezing and brown discharge from the eyes and nose. Its important to get a rat seen quickly as being so small they can go down hill fast. A lot of vets recommend putting the antibiotics in their water but I found giving it mixed into baby food was better as I knew they where getting it all. I also give my rats Echinacea & goldenseal in their meal a few days each month as it seems to help boost their immune system. As rats age females can also suffer with tumours. A rats life expectancy is around 2 years.

Summary: Lovely rodents who have made a big impact on our house