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Frequently
asked questions... 
On this page I will try and answer some frequently asked questions about rats. I will answer them from my own experiences and knowledge, some answers maybe considered as a personnel opinion . So I recommend you read around the subject that you are interested in and make your own opinion of what is best for your rat (except in health conditions where you should consult a vet). One way to find out information is looking at internet articles you can find some varied articles on my Article page which may help you in your search for knowledge. Other ways to find out information are books (mentioned below), Internet news groups, clubs and also by asking more experienced keepers.
Lastly I would like to say that for the new rat owner it is always a good idea to buy a good book about rats and seek veterinary assistance if you are at all worried about you rats.
For Rat book reviews follow this link.
Q1. What makes rats good pets?
Well I have had many different types of rodents and I always come back to rats this is mainly because they are Intelligent. When you talk to a well socialized rat you know that it will interact with you, unlike some other rodents that will ignore you or run away. Other things that make rats good pets are that they are clean and spend allot of time cleaning themselves, they don't take up as much room as a cat or dog but you can have similar type of relationship with them. They are also fairly cheap to look after once you have done the initial spending on a cage etc.
Q2. How long do rats live ?
On average a rat can live from 1-3 years but they have been known to live to 4. Recently due to aliments mine have been lasting to just under 2 years but I have had them live to 3 in the past.
Q3. Where is the best place to buy my rats from ?
Personally I would say a breeder! but other options are pets shops and rescue centers. I prefer to buy from a good breeder as then you can insure that your rat has been fed the correct diet while it has been growing up and that it has been well socialized and generally has had the best start in life. You will also be able to see its parents and judge their temperament and type. Most breeders will also stay in contact with you once you have bought the rat home and will give you any advice you need.
Pets shops on the other hand will usually supply you with a big "?", you will have no idea how the rat was brought up and you will have no idea what temperament its parents had etc. On the whole pets shop rats are bred in bulk and therefore the rats do not have the individual attention they need when young and so will not be as friendly (initially). The staff will usually not be able to tell you much about them either or offer any advice. (Although this is not true of every pet shop.)
Rescue rats can have a bad history and are there for not always best for the first time owner, they will need a lot of time and patience to gain human trust again. However some rats from rescue centers may have been tamed for you.
Finally with any establishment that you decide to purchase your rats from remember to have a good look around, check it is clean and ask lots of question! e.g. How old are the rats ? (they should be 6 weeks old ), what age where the sexes separated? (they should be separated at 5 weeks). etc. If it is a pet shop try and find out who bred them and maybe get in contact with them and find out more about the rats.
Q4. What should I look for when I'm buying my rats ?
You should basically look for a healthy rat, that will be lively and have bright, clean eyes. A clean nose with no nasal discharge, its anus should not be stained with signs of diarrhea, its ears should have no nicks in them and they should be clean inside. The coat should be flat (except with rexes) and sleek, run your had over the animal part the fur and look for bites, mites etc. There should be no signs of flaky skin either. Also listen to its breathing, make sure it isn't wheezing or having trouble breathing. Finally watch it move make sure it isn't limping etc.
Q5. How many rats should I buy ? (at first).
Rats are social animals and should never be kept alone. Although you may feel that your rat will not be as tame in pair, the opposite can actually be said rats in pairs seem to gain confidence from one another and If one is particularly timid of people it will watch the other one socialize with people and learn from it. Also rats are more active at night while you are asleep so a pair will have each other to play with at this time.
On some occasions however bucks may fight and in this instance it is best to separate them for an initial 48hrs and then re introduce them if the fighting persists then you have two options castration or permanent separation, bought have there pros and cons.
Q6. Which sex makes the better pet ?
Strictly speaking this is down to personal preference. However there are some difference between the sexes. Generally does are more active, have softer coats, smell and sent mark less then bucks. Bucks on the other hand are far more laid back have a slightly rougher coat that can be oily and sent mark there territory a lot more, even when they are out of the cage. Bucks are also bigger then does.
Q7. Are rats available in many colours, types ?
Yes, rats are available in many colours and types. From Blue (light grey) ,Black, Silvered varieties (with silver guard hairs), Marked varieties such as hooded and huskies as well as the Agouti colours e.g.Cinnamon also Black eyed white, pearls, Siamese, Himalayan and the list goes on .Rats come in different types as well , there are Dumbos with low set, flared ears, Manx with no tail, Hairless and Odd eyed.
The best places to look at colours and types are breeders websites, club websites as well as Genetics websites. I really recommend you take some time doing this before you purchase your first rat as later you may be a tad disappointed if you see a colour you would have rather had.
Q8. Are rats Compatible with other pets ?
This really depends on two things if the animals where brought up together and the nature of the animals involved. For a start its is very rare for cats and rats to get along! I wouldn't try that combination. But nice natured dogs can get along with rats, but always supervise them. My dog Tula loves my rats, she always wants to sniff there bums! and the rats find her quite interesting too.
As for small animals I don't think you could really cage a rat with smaller animals but if they have been brought them up in each others company then it would probably be ok to let them sniff noses from time to time.
Q9. What should I house my rats in ?
Rats need the biggest cage you can supply! However the minimum size for a rat cage is about 24" long by 12" wide. Cages are the best form of housing in my opinion as your rat can climb in them as well and rats can get quite hot in tanks as they don't have the good ventilation. Although tanks can be good for breeding as there are not so many bars for baby rats to get through, they are also quicker to clean out.
You need to be careful when buying a big cage that the bars are not too wide if you plan to put young rats in it as they will escape. I have a cage for young rats to grow in and then I move them too the bigger cage that is designed for ferrets.
The positioning of your cage is also important as it should be away from drafts and direct sunlight.
Q10. What should I feed my rats ?
This is a much talked about subject and really needs reading into before you decide what to feed your new pets. A few things to bear in mind are that rats are ominous so need some form of meat in there diet also it is important to find a source of food that is readily available e.g.. Its no good saying I'll feed "Brand A" to my rats and you cannot get hold of it!
I feed my rats a mixture of Reggie rat food and Guerty Guinea pig, the only reason for this is that my rats where originally fed on Reggie then I got my Huskies and they where fed on Guerty so I started to buy the two foods and was going to wean the huskies on to the Reggie however they decided they would be fussy and so I ended up mixing the two.
Q11. What substrate and bedding should I use ?
I use saw dust, I buy this in big bales (the sort used for horses stables) at approx £6 a bale and it lasts about 3-4months and is far more economical then what you can buy at most pet shops. I think sawdust is a pretty good option for most owners as it is widely available and has pleasant smell.
However a lot of people do not like to use sawdust as it can irritate the respiratory tract of a rat, especially red cedar sawdust and opt to use Bio-Catolet a cat litter made form recycled paper that comes in a pellet form, this can work out more expensive then sawdust but is probably worth it if you have rats that are particularly prone to respiratory problems.
As for bedding I use toilet paper or kitchen towels for mine, but other options are shredded newspaper, there are also many commercial brands available from most pet shops.
Q12. How can I exercise my rat/ enrich its environment ?
The best enrichment for rats is coming out and interacting with there owner at play time, this is probably the most important form of exercise/enrichment as it also allows you to bond with your rat and get to know them, it also keeps them well socialized.
However as most people can not have their rat out every second of the day, toys play an important part in enriching the cage. You can buy a wide variety of toy from pets shops and you will often find that toys meant for larger animals such as parrots and ferrets can be great fun for rats too! Home made toys are also good for example card board boxes and tunnels systems as well as flower pot beds and hammocks. For more ideas follow this link to the toys page.
The last point that is important is the positioning of your cage, rats will be happiest placed in a room where people will walk past the cage so they can be interacted with.
Q13. Do rats Smell ?
Rats are very clean little animals and only really smell if you pick them up and give them a good sniff ! However if your cage is cleaned out regularly and you use a suitable pet disinfectant on it then you shouldn't smell the presence of a cage in a room apart from maybe the smell of sawdust.
Although saying this it is a well known fact that bucks smell more then does as they do tend to sent mark more. You may want to consider this when taking on your new pet. (Both does and bucks have pros and cons.)
I hope you find this helpful If you have any other questions that I haven't answered then fell free to email me and I will try and answer them or direct you to the right source.
Em.
Last updated 3rd October 2001.
All photo's and some art work are produced by me, unless stated otherwise. When taking any of my own work for your web site then please acknowledge me by either including me as a link or adding my banner (which is on the links page) :o)
Disclaimer = I do not claim to be an authority on rodents or rats and any information on this page is just opinions and advice and is by no means a substitute for good books or veterinary advice. All the toys on the toys page are just ideas and may not have been tried out so it is up to you to implement them and judge there safety.