Rat Care
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Before You Adopt a Rat…
Why Rats? Rats are highly intelligent and social creatures who make very
loving and entertaining companions. They love attention from humans,
quickly learn their names, and can be taught several tricks.
Rats and Children: With proper care, rats can live 2-3 years. Due to their
social nature and intelligence, rats are the least likely of the small animals to
bite, so they make good companions for children. However, an adult should
always supervise the care of a child’s companion animal.
Get at Least Two: Rats are very social and need the companionship of other
rats to stay happy and healthy. Always adopt the same sex, so you don’t
end up with babies. It’s always best to adopt littermates when possible.
Gender: Although all rats have individual personalities, females tend to be
smaller, more active and playful, while males are often larger, more mellow,
and snuggly.
How to Sex a Rat: Telling the difference between a male and female rat is
easy, as males have a very large scrotum and no nipples. If you see male
rats housed with female rats, know that the females will most likely be
pregnant.
Handling: Never pick a rat up by his tail! The tail isn’t designed to support
the rat’s weight, and picking a rat up by his tail can seriously injure the rat.
Always handle rats gently, and supervise children to do the same. Rats
should get at least ½ hour of playtime outside their cages every day. The
more time you spend with your rats, the friendlier they’ll become.
Cage: Each rat should have at least two cubic feet of living space (e.g., a 24”
x 24” x 24” cage holds four rats). If you choose an aquarium, it is vital that it
be properly ventilated and cleaned often. If choosing a cage, make sure the
bar spacing is no more than ½ inch apart and that openings are secured to
prevent escape. Wire floors can cause sores on your rats’ feet, so cover
them with solid flooring. Keep cages in a quiet spot off the floor and away
from drafts, heaters, direct sunlight, and other animals. 72 degrees F is the
ideal temperature for a rat.
Accessories: Rats should be provided with a sleeping den and lots of fun,
safe toys. Avoid wire exercise wheels as these can break tails and damage
little rat feet. You can find a rat-safe exercise wheel at www.transoniq.com.
Litter and Bedding: Choose litter made out of aspen or recycled paper.
Cedar and pine are toxic to rats and can cause skin, liver, respiratory system
and liver damage. Timothy hay makes a great nesting material.
Food and Water: Commercial seed mixes make a poor diet and should be
avoided. Instead, choose rat blocks for about 80% of their main diet. Rat
blocks look like giant pellets and can be found at almost any pet store.
Provide these blocks freely to your rats. The other 20% of a rat’s diet should
consist of a daily serving of fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to remove
any uneaten portions of fruits and vegetables the following day, as rotten
food can be toxic. Fresh food plays an important role in your rat’s balanced
diet. Give extra treats sparingly, as obesity is a huge health risk to your
rats. When possible, provide spring/filtered water over tap water. A water
bottle provides a cleaner alternative to a water bowl. Make sure yours is in
working order, and freshen it each day.
Cleanliness: Rats are very clean animals. Females, with proper care, do not
smell. Males, on the other hand, tend to have an odor. Rats can be litter
trained to do their “business” only in their cage. However, most rats do have
a need to mark their environment (including you) with small droplets of urine.
Fortunately, the urine is odorless and is such tiny amounts that it is easy to
clean up.
Keep cages, food dishes, toys, and water bottles very clean to prevent illness
in your rats. Avoid detergents and toxic cleaners, as the fumes and residue
can kill your rats. Vinegar and then 3% hydrogen peroxide (must be sprayed
on separately) make a highly effective, non-toxic disinfectant.
Safety: The area you choose for your rats’ playtime should be “rat-proofed”
to protect your rats and your belongings. Remove all electrical cords, toxic
plants, falling hazards, and possible escape routes. Rats can squeeze into
tiny spaces, so use extra caution. Be sure to keep all other animals away
from your rats! Dogs, cats, and ferrets can kill your rats, and your rats may
attack any animal smaller than themselves. Never step on, sit on, or shut a
door on your rat.
Illnesses: Illness can progress rapidly in rats. Find a rat-savvy vet before
your companion needs care, and immediately take your rat there if you
suspect your rat is sick. Signs of illness can include excessive red material
around the eyes and nose (rat tears are red), wheezing, sneezing, coughing
(which looks like hiccups), lethargy, head tilt, and lack of appetite. Learning
what’s “normal” for your rats’ behavior can help you notice changes in your
rats’ health more easily.
Rat illnesses transfer easily through the air and by touch. To avoid spreading
illness, always isolate new rats away from your other rats for at least three
weeks before introducing them. Avoid handling your own rats after handling
rats who are not a part of your family, unless you’ve washed everything that’
s come into contact with the other rats first. Wash rat scratches with soap
and water to lessen potential allergic reactions.
Helpful Websites:
www.rattyrat.com
www.rmca.org
www.ratguide.com
www.ratfanclub.org
Helpful Books:
The Rat Health Care Booklet, by Debbie Duocommun (find it at ratfanclub.org)
Rats: Practical, Accurate Advice from the Expert, by Debbie Ducommun
From the Midwest Mischief Rat Lover’s Club, Distributed by the Animal Rights Coalition,
P.O. Box 8750, Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.animalrightscoalition.com
Why Rats? Rats are highly intelligent and social creatures who make very
loving and entertaining companions. They love attention from humans,
quickly learn their names, and can be taught several tricks.
Rats and Children: With proper care, rats can live 2-3 years. Due to their
social nature and intelligence, rats are the least likely of the small animals to
bite, so they make good companions for children. However, an adult should
always supervise the care of a child’s companion animal.
Get at Least Two: Rats are very social and need the companionship of other
rats to stay happy and healthy. Always adopt the same sex, so you don’t
end up with babies. It’s always best to adopt littermates when possible.
Gender: Although all rats have individual personalities, females tend to be
smaller, more active and playful, while males are often larger, more mellow,
and snuggly.
How to Sex a Rat: Telling the difference between a male and female rat is
easy, as males have a very large scrotum and no nipples. If you see male
rats housed with female rats, know that the females will most likely be
pregnant.
Handling: Never pick a rat up by his tail! The tail isn’t designed to support
the rat’s weight, and picking a rat up by his tail can seriously injure the rat.
Always handle rats gently, and supervise children to do the same. Rats
should get at least ½ hour of playtime outside their cages every day. The
more time you spend with your rats, the friendlier they’ll become.
Cage: Each rat should have at least two cubic feet of living space (e.g., a 24”
x 24” x 24” cage holds four rats). If you choose an aquarium, it is vital that it
be properly ventilated and cleaned often. If choosing a cage, make sure the
bar spacing is no more than ½ inch apart and that openings are secured to
prevent escape. Wire floors can cause sores on your rats’ feet, so cover
them with solid flooring. Keep cages in a quiet spot off the floor and away
from drafts, heaters, direct sunlight, and other animals. 72 degrees F is the
ideal temperature for a rat.
Accessories: Rats should be provided with a sleeping den and lots of fun,
safe toys. Avoid wire exercise wheels as these can break tails and damage
little rat feet. You can find a rat-safe exercise wheel at www.transoniq.com.
Litter and Bedding: Choose litter made out of aspen or recycled paper.
Cedar and pine are toxic to rats and can cause skin, liver, respiratory system
and liver damage. Timothy hay makes a great nesting material.
Food and Water: Commercial seed mixes make a poor diet and should be
avoided. Instead, choose rat blocks for about 80% of their main diet. Rat
blocks look like giant pellets and can be found at almost any pet store.
Provide these blocks freely to your rats. The other 20% of a rat’s diet should
consist of a daily serving of fresh fruits and vegetables. Be sure to remove
any uneaten portions of fruits and vegetables the following day, as rotten
food can be toxic. Fresh food plays an important role in your rat’s balanced
diet. Give extra treats sparingly, as obesity is a huge health risk to your
rats. When possible, provide spring/filtered water over tap water. A water
bottle provides a cleaner alternative to a water bowl. Make sure yours is in
working order, and freshen it each day.
Cleanliness: Rats are very clean animals. Females, with proper care, do not
smell. Males, on the other hand, tend to have an odor. Rats can be litter
trained to do their “business” only in their cage. However, most rats do have
a need to mark their environment (including you) with small droplets of urine.
Fortunately, the urine is odorless and is such tiny amounts that it is easy to
clean up.
Keep cages, food dishes, toys, and water bottles very clean to prevent illness
in your rats. Avoid detergents and toxic cleaners, as the fumes and residue
can kill your rats. Vinegar and then 3% hydrogen peroxide (must be sprayed
on separately) make a highly effective, non-toxic disinfectant.
Safety: The area you choose for your rats’ playtime should be “rat-proofed”
to protect your rats and your belongings. Remove all electrical cords, toxic
plants, falling hazards, and possible escape routes. Rats can squeeze into
tiny spaces, so use extra caution. Be sure to keep all other animals away
from your rats! Dogs, cats, and ferrets can kill your rats, and your rats may
attack any animal smaller than themselves. Never step on, sit on, or shut a
door on your rat.
Illnesses: Illness can progress rapidly in rats. Find a rat-savvy vet before
your companion needs care, and immediately take your rat there if you
suspect your rat is sick. Signs of illness can include excessive red material
around the eyes and nose (rat tears are red), wheezing, sneezing, coughing
(which looks like hiccups), lethargy, head tilt, and lack of appetite. Learning
what’s “normal” for your rats’ behavior can help you notice changes in your
rats’ health more easily.
Rat illnesses transfer easily through the air and by touch. To avoid spreading
illness, always isolate new rats away from your other rats for at least three
weeks before introducing them. Avoid handling your own rats after handling
rats who are not a part of your family, unless you’ve washed everything that’
s come into contact with the other rats first. Wash rat scratches with soap
and water to lessen potential allergic reactions.
Helpful Websites:
www.rattyrat.com
www.rmca.org
www.ratguide.com
www.ratfanclub.org
Helpful Books:
The Rat Health Care Booklet, by Debbie Duocommun (find it at ratfanclub.org)
Rats: Practical, Accurate Advice from the Expert, by Debbie Ducommun
From the Midwest Mischief Rat Lover’s Club, Distributed by the Animal Rights Coalition,
P.O. Box 8750, Minneapolis, MN 55408 www.animalrightscoalition.com