Pet Rats
There are upwards of 500
different types of so-called "rats", but because they do not all belong to
the Rattus family, they are not all considered to be "true rats". The main two
types of rat are the brown rat and the black rat. These are the kind of rats that live
near many homes. The other kinds of rats live far away in the forest.
The rat that has become domesticated is the brown rat, and believe it or not, can be one of the best pets you could have! They hardly ever bite unlike many other types of pet rodents.
They are also very inexpensive and quite small. They make a very good pet if you live in the city or do not have room in an apartment for a large animal.
They're very intelligent can be taught to do tricks as well!
The one drawback may be that they need plenty of time each day to exercise outside of the cage. The minimum amount of time is an hour a day but some rats need much more free time than that.
They can make
wonderful pets that show affection to their owners quite a bit more than most other small
pets do. So just try and give them a chance if you are open to having a small pet in your
home!
Proper Care Of Rats
Housing The aquarium is an ideal choice for a rat. They are also very easy to find at a local pet store. They can both keep the rat in and keep drafts out! You will need to make a lid for it however, use wire mesh that should be weighed down with something so the rat can't push it up and get out of the enclosure. You can line the
bottom of your rat's cage with old news papers, they seem to do just fine, although
sometimes rats will tear up the newspaper. Never use pine or cedar shavings, they are very
bad for your rats because they contain something called "volatile hydrocarbon",
which can give rats tumors, and can actually kill young rats. It is much better to
use hard woods if you are determined to use wood at all. |
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Your rat's living
area is very important to it's health. Protect him from any drafts, overheating,
tobacco smoke, and very loud noises. Loud noises can actually make your rat so
nervous that it will give him a neurotic personality!
Cold is very bad for your rat as well as too much heat. Both can make him ill. Try
to keep the room temperature consistently comfortable to help your rat stay healthy.
Taming
Taming a rat is not difficult at all but go easy with him in the beginning. He will be frightened of you for a bit. When he first comes home, leave him alone in his cage for a day or so until he be comes accustomed to his new home.
When you think that
he is feeling more secure, attempt to introduce yourself. Place a bit of food in
your hand and put your hand in the cage. Your new pet rat should come and sniff your hand
and after a minute or so, eat the food you are holding. They love to climb on people
and if you have a sociable rat, he'll want to do that next. If he climbs onto your hand,
attempt to move it, along with him, away from his cage .
The exception to this rule is
that there are a some rats that just do not like people, and it could take quite a bit of
work in order to get one of these rats to feel comfortable with you. Try different things.
If you are really having quite a bit of trouble, then you will have to physically take him
out of his cage and try putting him in your shirt pocket. He will really like this a lot,
he will feel he is hiding in there!
You can actually
train your rat to come when you call him and this is an important trick for him to learn,
particularly if you are going to allow him to run loose in a room. Rats enjoy hiding in
places where you won't be able to get at them and staying there for quite a while! So
again, it is important to teach your rat to come when called. The best way to do
this is to get some food, like rice, that rats really enjoy. After your rat starts to eat
from your hand, each time you feed it repeat the word "treat" or something
similar each time you are handing it some food that your rat likes. Say the word
"treat" along with the rat's name. After this, try to have him come a couple of
inches to pick up the treat, saying his name and the word "treat" each time and
soon you will find that he will return to you when his name is called because he will
associate this with getting a treat!
Feeding
The main staple of rats is seed
and grain, which you can find in your local pet store. Rats will eat bird seed. They also
like sunflower seeds but these are rather high in fat content. Your rat can also
eat hamster food as a staple. You can also buy rodent blocks, which are specifically
made for laboratory rats. They contain a lot of the basic nutrition that rats need for
their health. You might be able to get these at your veterinarian's office. You can
add bread and even dog treats to your rats diet!
Rats are not too particular about which fruits and vegetables they eat. However, you
should try to avoid flatulence-producing foods like cabbage and unions. Rats love foods
that are sweet to them such as bananas. Always remember to wash the fruits and
vegetables well prior to feeding them to your rat.
Chores
Daily:
Feed your rat.
See to it that the rat has clean fresh water.
Remove any rotting food.
Let your rat loose for some exercise.
Every Other Day:
Clean his cage with warm water and soap then rinse and dry it out and return the bedding.
Clean food and water containers thoroughly so that algae won't build up in them.
There isn't that much work involved in taking care of a pet rat. Just give him some attention and a nice clean place to live and he'll be quite happy!
Illness
If you see to it that your rat
is kept in a clean environment and well-taken care of, there should not be much danger
from illness. But if your rat should become ill, be sure to consult with a vet prior to
taking any measures yourself. If you were to give your sick rat the wrong kind of medicine
or treatment this could be very harmful!
Parasites
Your veterinarian can help if
your rat should run into this problem however pet rats usually don't get parasites
often. Mites and lice are easily identified by hair loss and itchy patches of
crusty-looking skin. They usually would only appear in rats that haven't been taken care
of very well.
Intestinal parasites, just like worms, really can only be identified by your vet
studying their droppings. If they get really bad, the rat will experience weight loss even
though he is eating normally. They can also cause diarrhea.
Wounds
Small wounds and bites aren't big problems. A rat can heal very quickly. Treating and disinfecting the wound with Hydrogen Peroxide is a good remedy. You don't really need to be consult with a vet in the case of small wounds, only if your rat's agility is noticeably impaired, then you will need to call a vet.
Bumps and Ulcers
Swelling and ulcers can show up
on any part of the body. If these appear rather quickly and are a bit hot to the touch
they could actually be abscesses that are filled with puss. They can come from infected
bites. They'll eventually open by themselves. However, if you want to speed up the
process, then bathe your rat in salt water.
In an older rat, this could be a sign of cancer. Rats are very prone to cancer. You might
be able to have it removed. In making your decision, always remember the most important
thing, which is your pet's suffering that matters.
Respiratory Trouble
Respiratory
infections are easy to observe. Your rat might breath loudly and sneeze quite a bit. Your
rat may catch such an infection from being in a damp cage, or experiencing fluctuations in
temperature. If you have more than one rat you must isolate the sick rat, and give him
extra vitamin supplements made for animal purposes and a nice warm place to live.
Some respiratory infections in rats may seem harmless, but are really very dangerous.
These infections spread very quickly. If your rat doesn't make a speedy recovery then you
must take him to a veterinarian. These infections can be difficult to cure even when given
medication.
Injuries
Falling is always a danger with
rats due the way they love to climb around. If he should fall, your rat may go into shock.
When he is in shock, he will appear to be dead! Very carefully place your rat in a
warm spot in his cage. If he has not had an internal injury, he will begin to stir after a
few minutes. If he isn't moving around correctly, dragging a leg or the like, he may be
injured. If so, take him to a veterinarian.
Teeth
Dental problems may arise with
the incisors because they are constantly growing. Your rat needs to gnaw on hard
things such as unpopped popcorn. This will wear down his teeth. If he isn't given
enough to gnaw on, his teeth will grow large and you'll need to have your vet clip
them.
Good luck with your new pet rat!
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