Im buying a rat this weekend? I have always wanted one, and Im so excited. I need some help and where to start really. I have a cage for it. I have been looking at other questions but am still a bit lost. Anyone got any advise?What is the best gender of rat? What is the best food, cage filler, accessories? How much should I handle it?
i've always been partial to the boys. i've owned both and all the girls were a bit more independent, while the males were more interactive. rats a very smart and getting two boys would be good. first - they love company and second - you can be sure their boys and not need to worry if maybe one of what you thought was a girl was just to young when you got him to show that he was a boy. a large aquarium with a wire lide that latches in place - or set something heavy on it to hold it down - is a great cage for rats. they can chew outta a lot of diffrent cages, even wire ones - i've had it happen - but not a fish tank. if they can lift the lid at all they'll eventualy learn how to chew a hole in it. standard rodent food/ rat food at a pet store will be just fine, they'll eat most anything and be just fine. but only give them ';scraps'; as a very reare treat. fruits n vegies are good. just keep an eye on them as they go bad fast and will atract flies. a stady supply of dry rodent food will enshure that they get all the vitamins n minerals they need, but fresh produce is great for them - it's trial and error to find out what they like - pine litter is the cheapeds and easiest to find, but rats have very sencitive noses and i've had several that were allergic to it, so i use red wood. it has less dust, and change the cage once to twice a week.some like wheels, some dont. if your nervious to let your rat roam the house free-range, they make balls big enough for rats. they are chewers, and their teeth grow fast, so get them chew toys. a hanging water bottle is best, but you should get a metal cover at the pet store to slide the bottle in, or you'll have to buy a new one evey time they chew a holl in the plastic. get them thick sturdy toys - even some cat toys are good, but none of the fluffy ones, like the plastic balls.- they may or may not chew them up, but expect that they will, and had fun doing so. you can teach them all kinds of cool stuff. my last one - pleage, who's best friend was bubonic :) - wiuld go everywhere with me in my backpack and even knew to scratch when he had to potty, i'ld let him into the grass, he'ld do his thing and jump back in the bag. -What is the best gender of rat? What is the best food, cage filler, accessories? How much should I handle it?
Male rats make excellent pets,they aren't quite as territorial as females are,but there urine is more smellier than the females.
The best food for them I think, is called Classic Rat %26amp; mouse food.Its cubes,but you can throw peanuts,seeds,crackers,cat food,dog food,rabbit grain(don't feed to much cat or dog food).
Also they like fruit and veggies.Only small pieces,so he doesn't get diarrea.I use Aspen sheavings,it smells really good.Don't use cedar shavings,it smells good but it is to dusty.It will coz resporatory problems.
You can get a large wheel,card board tubes,boxes,you can make a hammok,mine really like theres.
Oh I would use a 2o gallon tank for a rat,especially if you want to make sure he has enough room,but you can use a 10 gallon,they do have alot of stuff you can buy at the petstore,but you can use alot of stuff rightt from your house and it'll be alot cheaper,
Oh and hold him as much as possible,so he'll be friendly.
My first piece of advice is that you need two rats, one will suffer alone, get ill and depressed and possibly aggressive.
Females are hyper, males are cuddly...if you want both, get one male and one female and neuter one.
The best food is Oxbow regal rat in the US, Science selective or Supa Rat Excel in the UK.
Cage filler...you can use carefresh, paper cat little or Ecobed.
Handle your rats are much as possible, they should be allowed out to play for at least an hour a day.
I am pretty sure a boy. That is the best gender of guinea pigs, bunnies and hamsters. I think its because females get really moody at times. go to google and type in ';Pet Rat Care'; and lots of info should come up.
Just read this forum: goosemoose.com under the rat section, it will have everything you need to know.
I've owned rats for 22 years. The person who posted about goosemoose is right. It's a great place to get info!!
Boys and Girls have different things about them that are good. I like both! Girls are smaller, and when they are adults often have more energy for climbing and playing. They can sometimes be neurotic. It's easier to introduce girls to each other. Girls smell a little better.
Boys get big and squishy (which I love!) and are sometimes more cuddly because they tend to lie around a little more. They do mark their territory more and have a little bit smellier urine.
Both sexes of rats are very smart and fun and each rat has its own personality no matter what sex it is.
I can't stress this enough though; get two or more rats of the same sex. They get depressed easily if they have to live alone. Rats are a lot smarter than people think. In fact, they are capable of something called metacognition, which has only been recognized before in humans, apes and a few species of birds. This means they are capable of complex thoughts and emotions.
Rats like lots of toys, hide-boxes, hammocks, etc to keep their little minds and teeth busy. Their teeth grow their entire lifetimes and they need to chew.
As for bedding. DO NOT get cedar, redwood, or pine. These woods are horrible for ratty respiratory systems and your rats probably will get sick. Not necessarily from the dust, but that's part of it. There are also aromatic oils in these woods that when mixed with rat urine are extremely toxic to them.
I recommend aspen or carefresh bedding. Carefresh is best. It's made from recycled paper.
You should handle your rats a lot (at least an hour and a half a day).
Have fun!!! I love ratties so much, which is why they've been my favorite pet since childhood. I've also run a rat rescue in the past.
First of all, do not listen to Cory T. His/her information is *very* off.
1. ';Rat';
Rats are extremely social creatures and need to be housed in pairs of two or in groups of three or more. Being a lone pet, to a rat, is like being locked up in a room alone for us, so it is absolutely detrimental that you have either a pair or group of rats.
2. Cages:
The one and only thing to remember about cages is that rats' urine has a lot of ammonia in it, and because of this you *must* have an open-air cage if you want to keep your rats healthy; never use aquariums. The cages I suggest are Martin's cage ((http://www.martinscages.com)) or the Ferret Nation or Critter Nation by Midwest ((http://www.midwesthomesforpets.com/)). All three of these cages are completely awesome for rats and will allow your babies plenty of room for play and furniture!!
3. Gender
This is a big debate in the rat owner world, it all depends on preference. Males tend to be more ';loving'; and want to settle down and snuggle, where as females tend to be more outgoing and want to always know what's going on and are always looking for what to get into next. After rat puberty, males can be aggressive toward other rats, so this is something to consider. If neutering isn't a problem and you want a cuddling fluff of joy, choose boys. If you're wanting a classic rat who's into everything, get girls. Personally, I prefer girls.
4. Food
This is, probably, the biggest debate in the rat world! The one basic thing to remember is that you must do your research! Personally, I serve a mix called SueBee's mix.
A: SueBee's Mix: is a combonation of cereals, dried fruits, nuts, and so on that you mix together yourself with ingredients you can buy from any common grocery store. Here is the website for more information: ((http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html )) Suebee's mix is meant to be served with an equal portion of premium dog food along with fresh fruits and veggies.
There is also the Molasses diet, which is simular to SueBee's diet only in that you mix it yourself and you can buy all the ingredients from your local grocery store. Here is the website for more information: ((http://www.ratfanclub.org/diet.html)).
5. Cage Fillers and Accessories:
A. Bedding:
Personally, I do not use any kind of ';bedding'; I use only fabrics, mostly fleece because rats tend to get their little nails stuck in other fabrics. I enjoy using fleece and fabrics for ';bedding'; because it's easy to clean and completely reusable. If you want something for your kids to dig in, CareFresh is the most suggested bedding I can possibly think of. I used it when I had mice and I just loved it, however, it's not easy to clean, and because of it's fluffy nature, it tends to get ';all over the place';.
B. Accessories
Almost anything can go in a rat's cage. Hammocks, ropes, ferret toys, bird toys, puppy toys, boxes, igloos, and so on. The more ';stuff'; the better, and the more fun your little ones will have ruffling around the ';junk';. Try ((http://www.Ferret.com)) for some good ideas!
6. Handling:
The amount of time you spend with your pets is all on you. Personally, my kids get at least one hour (usually three to four) of free roam per day. The more you handle your rats, the more social and loving they will be. The less you handle them, the more likely they are to be aggressive toward you and other humans. It is, however, suggested that pet rats have at least one hour per day of play time.
I hope this info was helpful! Good luck and I hope to see you on the Goosemoose forums!
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