Can anyone help? I dont know what kind opf rat to get dumbo rat, fancy rat, mini rats, etc??? Information, facts, and pries would be nice.What is the best kind of rat to get and where?
All companion rats are ';fancy'; rats. There is no relation between the health or temperament of rats and their coat color or ear placement, except that hairless rats are a bit more delicate %26amp; vulnerable to eye %26amp; skin problems than furred rats are. I've never met a dwarf rat so far, but have heard nothing that indicated they have any special needs.
If you're undecided on which color, ear placement etc. to adopt, you may want to look @ lots of rats on the Internet, in books or in person before making your decision. Also, since it's *much* better to adopt more than 1 rat, you can get 2 or more who look totally different from each other. Just make sure they're the same sex or you'll have more rats than you'll know what to do with in a few weeks.
When we want to adopt, we check rescues %26amp; shelters (including petfinder). Our 2nd choice is a breeder. We've also adopted from pet shops but have had very mixed experiences regarding the rats' health. If a pet shop is your only option (which is unlikely but possible), observe the rats carefully for any signs of illness including lethargy, thiness, red discharge around the eyes or nose, sounds made while breathing or loose stools. Do as much research as you can before adopting %26amp; ask questions when you're checking the rats out.
Prices vary quite a bit depending on where you go. We've adopted feeder rats for a couple dollars %26amp; paid $20 for our hairless. I've seen them for more than that on some breeders' websites. The average price in our area seems to be about $10.
Wherever you go to adopt, handle the rats 1st. It's best if you have their cage set up before you adopt. Don't use cedar or pine bedding, which can cause serious health problems for small animals. Keep in mind, too, that illness %26amp; accidents can occur so make sure there's a vet near you who cares for rodents.
Rats are awesome companions %26amp; you're in for a wonderful experience.What is the best kind of rat to get and where?
well here's MY personal experience, dumbos in general are more docile in nature, my male dumbos are lazy as hell and i love them, Fancy rats (BTW all rats are fancy rats) standard ears are sweet but not as cute as dumbos, dwarf rats have more health problems because dwarfism is a genetic mutation that's not common in rats.Hairless rats are harder to care for because of skin conditions and body temp, i've never had issues with boys that have red eyes, but every female w/ red eyes i've ever had were meaner then hell. my females are spazzes my males are lazy. both sexes tussle for dominance. my high white rats are slightly retarded i think, i have 4 that are high whites and they tend to be more clumsy, my 1 odd eyed boy i have looks evil but is really sweet hehe. my whites and my albinos SEEM to have more health issues but it's only because everything shows up on white compared to colored fur they're actually more healthy then some of my marked rats. my girls for some reason eat more then my boys, and are a lot more independent where my boys would walk more the 5 inches from me before freaking out and hiding in my shirt.
i get my rats usually at a local pet store that's family run, the only take from breeders they have contracts with and refuse to sell any pet as a feeder. the funny thing is, i have a contract with them too and instead of helping out and purchasing their rats the little 4 family breeding group he does business with tend to just trade each other for other babies lol. I also have rescued a few from a reptile store and got a few off of Craigslist.
you best bet for getting a pair of rats is to either buy them as babies or get an older pair. that way babies will grow use to you, or the older ones are already tamed and docile and more then willing to just be loved on.
Rats are clean, intelligent, affectionate animals which bond to their human companions in much the same way that dogs do, and with the right care should provide a comparable level of companionship. They are the same species as the wild brown rat, Rattus norvegicus, but have been selectively bred for looks and temperament for at least the last century and are now quite different in temperament from their ancestors. They are far less aggressive towards humans and rival rats, and display a number of behavioural differences from wild rats, which have been noted by researchers.
Rats become very attached to their owners, make playful, sensitive pets, and can be taught to come by name and learn a variety of tricks. Unlike many other rodents, however, rats are a fairly high maintenance pet. They need at least an hour's playtime outside their cage every day. Because they are much more intelligent than many other small animals, rats can suffer greatly if not given enough attention, free-range time, and environmental stimulation. While rats are extremely rewarding pets and will repay any attention and affection you give them a thousand fold, they may not be suitable for everyone; if you cannot guarantee to give your rats at least an hour of quality time every day, then perhaps a lower maintenance pet would be more suitable.
The more attention you give your new rats when you first get them home, the sooner they will get used to your voice and your smell and begin to make friends with you. Handle your rats as much as possible, whether they seem to like it or not at first -- they will soon learn to enjoy your company. Unless a rat is very nervous or unwell, you cannot give it too much attention or handling. One good way of getting your rats used to you is to let them ride around the house on your shoulder or inside your sweater.
Rats should not be picked up by the tail -- they don't like it, and it can cause injury. It is best to lift your rats by placing one or both hands under the chest, behind the front legs -but be careful not to squeeze.
between 拢35-75 (prices last checked and updated 01/2007). The National Fancy Rat Society has a list of vets that have experience in dealing with rats.
As discussed in 'Biting and Nipping', occasionally male rats may need to be castrated if they become too aggressive. This is not a usual occurrence and should not be confused with the normal rough and tumble of adolescent rats. However, if you own a male rat, you should remember that neutering may become necessary. On the other hand, female rats are much more likely to develop mammary tumours than males, and you may decide to have these surgically removed. When you take on a pet, you have to take on the risk that it may one day need an operation.
Rats are born after 21-28 days gestation, although the normal term is 22-23 days. Rats have poor eyesight but their senses of hearing and smell are many times more sensitive than ours. Baby rats' eyes open when they are between 13-16 days old, although they can hear and smell a few days after birth. They often start to nibble solid food as soon as their eyes open, but they still need their mother's milk until they are at least four weeks old. As with all mammals, mother's milk is the best food for young rats - they should not be weaned from the mother, or fed milk substitutes/animal formula, without good reason. Their bodies are designed to thrive on rat milk, not cat formula! There is no need to offer soft weaning foods; unlike human babies, young rats have teeth and can gnaw from the moment they start to eat solids. They do not need purees.
Rats normally leave their litter at 6 weeks of age; they are fully weaned from their mother at 4-5 weeks, but benefit greatly from staying with their breeder and being socialised until 6 weeks, since the period from 2-6 weeks of age is a crucial stage in the rat's mental and social development. It is important that rats are allowed to stay with their litter until this age, and the UK's National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) does not allow baby rats to be sold through its shows or register before they are six weeks old.
Rats usually become fertile between 5-12 weeks of age, but does have been known to get pregnant as young as 3 1/2 weeks. This is only an issue if young does are introduced to older males who can mate with them; their litter brothers will not become fertile until after 5 weeks of age. If litters are not separated by sex at 6 weeks old, some does are likely to be pregnant. We are aware that most rat books say that does do not become fertile until 8 weeks old, but unfortunately, many baby female rats have not read the books, and get pregnant a lot younger than this! Such early pregnancy places a great strain upon the mother and her babies; please don't take the risk.
Rats grow rapidly until they reach 12-14 weeks. After this, the growth slows down but they continue to fill out until they reach six mont
All types of rats are basically the same, they just look different. All rats are fancy rats. I personally love the look of dumbos :) and love the warm body that hairlesses have. I haven't had a dumbo or a hairless though... You should either get one from a good breeder, petfinder.com or a humane society, or maybe from someone on craigslist. Here is a great forum for pet rat owners-
goosemoose.com
and here are some care sites-
ratguide.com
ratcare.org
BTW, you should get 2 rats, they are very social!
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