Want to know how to properly care for your rat!??!?!
Well, then you've come to the right place!!!!!! If you have or are thinking about getting a rat, then listen up! Rats are the sweetest pets ever, so caring for them correctly is crucial (hey, thats a cool word!!!) Anyway, below is some info on how to care for your rat including feeding, habitat, play time, ect. Enjoy!
Housing

There are many different choices about what type of cage you wish to buy for your rat. There are wire cages, aquarium tanks, homeade cages or even let your rat have free roam in a room. You should clean your cage once a week with soap and water. Make sure you lay down fresh bedding also. Below are some of the cage options and the good/bad side to them:
~Wire cages
Wire cages are the most common cage used. Make sure the base of the cage and ramps are not wire though!!!!! The wire can harm the rats feet and snare their tail. I suggest cages that have plastic ramps and base. Also, make sure there is enough room for your rat or rats!!! It's also suggested that rats have different levels and ramps, for rats enjoy playing. Also, wire cages have much better circulation than tanks.
~Tanks
Tanks may be nicer to look at than wire cages, but they have poor circulation for your rat. If you do get a tank, it should be atleast 20 gallons (PER RAT!!!) Also, make sure the top of the cage is secure. Rats are known to figure out how to push the top off if it is loose.
I house my rat in a wire cage. Go to the My Pets page to see it.
Bedding:
Your rats will need bedding!!!!! PLEASE do NOT use Pine or Cedar wood shavings, they are harmful to rats and other small mammals. Use aspen wood shavings (that's what i use!) You can also get other bedding such as Carefresh. I found Carefresh to be sort of dusty, so i didn't use it. There are also hard pellets you can use, but I wouldn't find that to be very comfty!!!!!
Toys!!!
Make sure you provide your rat with an endless amount of toys! Rats love to play. You can get them an exercise wheel (not a wire one, it can snage their tails) Be sure to supply a hide-out for them to sleep in, like a plastic igloo of cardboard box. You can also put a hammock in the cage. Rats love a variety of toys, so switch the toys around. They get bored with the same toys in the cage! =]
~Wire cages
Wire cages are the most common cage used. Make sure the base of the cage and ramps are not wire though!!!!! The wire can harm the rats feet and snare their tail. I suggest cages that have plastic ramps and base. Also, make sure there is enough room for your rat or rats!!! It's also suggested that rats have different levels and ramps, for rats enjoy playing. Also, wire cages have much better circulation than tanks.
~Tanks
Tanks may be nicer to look at than wire cages, but they have poor circulation for your rat. If you do get a tank, it should be atleast 20 gallons (PER RAT!!!) Also, make sure the top of the cage is secure. Rats are known to figure out how to push the top off if it is loose.
I house my rat in a wire cage. Go to the My Pets page to see it.
Bedding:
Your rats will need bedding!!!!! PLEASE do NOT use Pine or Cedar wood shavings, they are harmful to rats and other small mammals. Use aspen wood shavings (that's what i use!) You can also get other bedding such as Carefresh. I found Carefresh to be sort of dusty, so i didn't use it. There are also hard pellets you can use, but I wouldn't find that to be very comfty!!!!!
Toys!!!
Make sure you provide your rat with an endless amount of toys! Rats love to play. You can get them an exercise wheel (not a wire one, it can snage their tails) Be sure to supply a hide-out for them to sleep in, like a plastic igloo of cardboard box. You can also put a hammock in the cage. Rats love a variety of toys, so switch the toys around. They get bored with the same toys in the cage! =]
Feeding

For those of you who don't know, rats are OMNIVORES! They eat veggies and meat, so don't be afraid to give them a slice of chicken for some fresh food once in a while. For their daily diet, you can give your rats rodent blocks or a seed mix. Seed mixes are more common, but very high in fat and the rats usually take out the seeds and don't eat the other, healthy stuff. Rodent blocks have all the nutrients your little rat needs packed into a block. A good brand I use is Mazuri. Some people don't think their rats eat the blocks, but I know for a fact that's not true. My rat loves them!!!! Also, make sure you don't overfeed them with too many blocks. If you decide on seed mixes, make sure that your rats aren't picking out all the seeds! This can get them overwieght.
Also, make sure your rats are getting fresh fruits/veggies atleast twice a week! Some foods that you should avoid are chocolate, raw brussel sprouts, onions, peanuts, sweet potatoes, candy, dried corn (cooked corn is ok) Avacodo skin/pit, and sticky foods. Below is a list of my rat's favorites. These are just some of the many fresh foods you can give your rat:
-Brocolli
-Grapes
-Uncooked pasta
-Crasins and rasins
-Bread
-Apples/applesauce
-Spinach
-Corn (cooked)
-Peas
-Cauliflower
-Carrots
-Strawberries
-Watermelon
-Mushrooms
-Oats/oatmeal
-Mango
-Lima beans
-Chicken
Even though you need to be sure to supply you rats with fresh foods, be sure not to give them too much. Also, be sure to check your rats cage after a couple of hours to see if they havn't eaten any fresh foods. If they havn't, take it out because it can go bad/rotten.
Also, make sure your rats are getting fresh fruits/veggies atleast twice a week! Some foods that you should avoid are chocolate, raw brussel sprouts, onions, peanuts, sweet potatoes, candy, dried corn (cooked corn is ok) Avacodo skin/pit, and sticky foods. Below is a list of my rat's favorites. These are just some of the many fresh foods you can give your rat:
-Brocolli
-Grapes
-Uncooked pasta
-Crasins and rasins
-Bread
-Apples/applesauce
-Spinach
-Corn (cooked)
-Peas
-Cauliflower
-Carrots
-Strawberries
-Watermelon
-Mushrooms
-Oats/oatmeal
-Mango
-Lima beans
-Chicken
Even though you need to be sure to supply you rats with fresh foods, be sure not to give them too much. Also, be sure to check your rats cage after a couple of hours to see if they havn't eaten any fresh foods. If they havn't, take it out because it can go bad/rotten.
Treats/Water

If you are looking to train your rat, treats are perfect! Treats can be fruits/veggies or something from the pet store like yogut drops. For treats, I sometimes give my rat a peice of popcorn (no butter or added sugar) Rats are very smart animals. If you train them, they can repond to their name, use a litter box, or even do a obstacle course. (and more!) I think it's fun to train your rat to do tricks. And don't forget.. rats love treats!!!!
Be sure you supply your rat with fresh water everyday. You should put the water in a plastic water bottle, since water bowls end up getting knocked over or get soiled bedding kicked into it. You should also check and make sure the water bottle is working.
Be sure you supply your rat with fresh water everyday. You should put the water in a plastic water bottle, since water bowls end up getting knocked over or get soiled bedding kicked into it. You should also check and make sure the water bottle is working.
Medical Info

Rat with tumor
I don't know that much about this because im not a vet, but I can give you some info on what illnesses rats get. A common one is tumors. They usually show up in older rats. They may be removed, but it depends. Ask your vet what is right. Another problem is sneezing constantly, red staining around eyes, weight loss and cloudy eyes. This may be from a respitory illness. Even if it doesn't sound bad, it can be fatal. Call your vet to get your rat checked. Bumblefoot and overgrown teeth are also common. Bumblefoot is caused by walking on a bare wire cage. Bumblefoot is where your rat develops sores on his/her feet. Overgrown teeth is from not filing the teeth down. Rats teeth grow constantly, so giving them a chew block or somthing hard to chew on can prevent this. If the rats teeth really does need trimming, talk to your vet to do it. Also, if your rat is scratching a lot, he may have parasites. These can not be passed to humans but is very uncomfortable for your rat. Your vet will be able to tell if your rat has parasites and will be able to treat it. This includes simple powders or creams you can put on your rat.
Playtime!!!!

Rats love to play! You should take them outside of their cage everyday. Before you take them out, though, be sure there are no other animals around and no exposed wires. I have a table for my rat that has toys, his old cage, and small cardboard boxes with holes. I also have a hammock. He loves playing on this table. Something interesting in fun to do with your rat is to teach it to run a maze or hide treats for them to find. Rats will play with almost any toy so give them variety! Don't just use the one that have been inside their cage all day... give them someting new to explore! You can also simply take your rat out of the cage and hold it while doing homework. Or you can put them in an exercise ball. It's fun to watch them run around, but make sure to tape the lid shut and be sure to watch them. Another cool thing is that some rats, if introduced when young, like to play in water. Be sure to take your rat out and play!
"The more, the better!"

Rats are VERY social animals, so many people say you should have more than one rat in a home. I agree with this, even though I only have one rat myself. My rat is always looking to play, so I feel like he needs a playmate. When there is more than one rat, they keep eachother company, play with eachother, cuddle up together, ect. It's best if the rats are kept together from the start. If one rat has been alone most of his life then introduced to another rat, well it takes more time to get to know eachother. Also, same sex pairs are ideal unless you want to breed. One thing to consider if getting more than one rat is the work. You will need a bigger cage, more bedding, more food, ect. If you plan on getting one rat, make sure to give him/her as much attention as you can.
Some rat breeds are...
There are many types of rats: Standard, Dumbo, Dwarf, Rex, Tailess and hairless. I have a dumbo rat. Dumbo rats are called this because their ears are bigger and more set back. Standard rats have regular ears/tails like a normal rats. Dwarf rats are like standard rats except... you guessed it!... smaller. The rex rat has curly hair. I've never seen one of these rats. Tailess rats have no tails, and hairless rats.. have no hair!!! The hairless rats have more sensitive skin, so you must check their skin for infections often. Just for some info, most rats live 2-3 years, sometimes to 4 or 5. Below are pictures of each of these rat types.
The Awesome Rat

I hope you enjoyed this info/page! I also hope you enjoy your new rat(s)!!! And if you don't have a rat, get one!!! They are sweet, adorable and smart little guys. Anyway, I hope you take good care of your rat, whatever breed you get!!!!!!! Have a great time with your new pet! =D
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