Rats Care Sheet

Domestic rats are very common in the United States. They are readily available, inexpensive and easy to care for. Rats are very timid pets, but can also be very social. They typically enjoy human handling, riding in pockets and on their human’s shoulders. They are very good pets for children because of their ease of care and they seldom bite.

Handling a rat can be fun if done the proper way. Rats become tame quickly and seldom bite when properly restrained. Rats can be territorial of their cage, so you should never disturb a sleeping rat by reaching in the cage to pick them up. Make sure they are awake and then attempt to coax them outside of the cage to avoid startling them. Also, you never want to pick a rat up by the tip of the tail. The skin on the tail can tear and become stripped from the tail. If this happens, call your veterinarian right away.

Your rat’s home is very important to him. Rats like to have the comfort of their own place. Before buying a cage, you should consider where in your house you will put it. You will want to choose a place where the temperature stays between 68 and 72 degrees. It should also be a place that is draft free and not in direct sunlight. Your rat also enjoys quiet time for rest, so keep this in mind when picking a spot for your rat’s cage. When buying a cage, there are many choices. In general, you should choose a cage that is at least 24 inches long, 12 inches deep and 12 inches high. It should be gnaw proof, free of sharp edges, give adequate ventilation and have secure closures and doors. Thin plastic or wood cages should not be used. Wire, stainless steel, durable plastic and glass can all make a good, sturdy cage. However, plastic and glass can lead to ventilation, high humidity and temperature problems. You should choose a cage with a solid bottom and enough room for about 1 inch of bedding for normal burrowing behavior. There are also many choices for bedding. You should choose a clean, non-toxic, absorbent and relatively dust free bedding. It should be changed frequently to keep your rat’s home clean and odor-free. Some good choices of bedding are shredded paper, processed corn cob, cotton, and shredded tissue paper. Avoid using cedar bedding because of the respiratory and liver problems that it may cause.

Rats can also be very playful. They enjoy being able to run on an exercise wheel, race through a tunnel or play hide-and-go-seek in a nest box. These things can also contribute to your pet’s psychological well being. Rats also love to exercise outside of their cage. They enjoy being able to explore in safe places. Be sure to have a few toys for your rat to play with and some supervised playtime outside of his cage to keep your rat busy and psychologically and physically healthy.

Rats can be housed singly or in groups. Overly aggressive rats should be housed individually. Group cages should be provided with multiple food and water sources to prevent territorial disputes that can arise from lack of food and water.

The different types of bedding, cage design, size of cage and number of rats in the cage can determine how often your rat’s cage needs to be cleaned. Generally, they should be thoroughly cleaned once a week using hot water and soap. Vinegar can be used to remove the scale deposited by their urine. Be sure to rinse the vinegar off well before putting the cage back together.

Rats are omnivores and usually eat at night. They are smart and easily trained using treats because they are a very food oriented pet. A rat’s diet should consist of a good quality food. A commercially made pelleted food is recommended. There are formulated seed diets, but these should not be used as the sole food source. The seed diet can be used as treats along with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-wheat bread, non-fat yogurt, tuna and chicken. Treats should not exceed 15% of the total volume of food for the day. Water should be provided in water bottles equipped with sipper tubes. The sipper tube keeps the water free from contamination. These water bottles should be positioned low enough in the cage to allow for easy access. The bottle should also be emptied, cleaned and refilled with fresh water daily.

Rat’s teeth grow throughout their lives, which is why they continuously chew and gnaw. Ordinarily, your rat’s diet and playthings will keep his teeth healthy and at a reasonable length. There are also commercially available chew sticks that rats enjoy. Rats can also get overgrown or broken teeth which can cause them to have eating problems. If you suspect that your rat’s teeth might be overgrown or if there is a broken tooth, call your veterinarian immediately.