Rats: The Extremely Underrated Pet

Despite what you may think or have heard, rats are one of the cleanest animals on the planet. In actuality, they spend the majority of the time - that they don't spend sleeping - cleaning themselves.

They are also one of the most intelligent pets you could have. In the wild, they are forced to cope with anything and everything that nature throws at them. They learn and remember how to get into stores, homes and factories and steal food, all the while avoiding being caught.

Rats have even been trained to push a button for food. If they get food every time the push the button 4 times, they will quickly push the button 4 times. Rats have an intensely keen sense of smell and hearing (but kinda bad eyesight) and have even been trained to sniff out bombs and land mines, just like dogs.

They are also like dogs in the way that they get attached to their owners. With the proper patience, time, love and care, your ratty will develop an extremely strong bond with you, the same he or she could develop with another ratty. I have 3 pet rats, and they don't live in a cage. They have open cages where they eat and drink, and they sleep in my room. Every time I walk in he door, they all come running towards me. I lean down, and scratch their little heads while they lick my hands, and even wag their tails! My biggest rat, Gore, wags his tail as intensely and sporadically as that of an excited dog.

Rats even dream the same way us humans do. They will twitch, move their legs as if they are running, and squeak in their sleep! But is a pet rat right for you? Let's find out.

First, ask yourself the following questions.

"Can I spend time with my new ratty at least 2 hours every day?"
"Will I be able to take care of this ratty for at least 2 years?"
"Do I have the money to buy a nice, big cage for my ratty and lots of toys?"
"Can I afford to take my ratty to the vet if I need to?"

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you could possibly be a good rat owner.

Rats are extremely social animals, even if you spend 7 hours a day with them, they will still get lonely while they are in their cage alone. This is why it is a good idea to get 2 pet rats together. Girl rats (called does) get along with other girl rats, and boy rats (called bucks) get along with other boy rats, provided they are introduced at an early age. Both genders of rats can get territorial and try to fight if they are not used to a new ratty, and that is why it is critical to introduce them at an early age.

Also, don't get 2 rats of the opposite sex, unless you have the extra $100+ to get one of them neutered. Getting a boy and girl rat could sound like fun, but in a matter of 2 and a half weeks, those 2 rats will turn into 20 rats. Rats can breed in a matter of seconds, so unless one is neutered, they should never be put together, even for 2 seconds.

It is advisable to get the biggest cage that you can afford, even for just one ratty. How would you like to be cooped up in a jail cell almost all day, with only a few hours of freedom? This ensures that they will have the most fun they could, even when they are in their cage. It also helps to buy hammocks, tunnels, ramps, etc. so that they are comfortable and don't get bored.

Wood chips/cedar chips should never be used for rat bedding. They are hazardous to the rat's upper respiratory system. I recommend buying Carefresh or Yesterday's News brands of bedding, or using old fabric scraps/towels and washing them when you clean their cage.

Speaking of cage cleaning, unless you are like me and your rats are out of the cage almost 24/7, you must clean their cage at least twice a week. Use a mild shampoo, or soap, scrub the bottom tray out, rinse it off, let it dry, put it back and place some nice, cushy bedding on it. :) If you don't clean their cage at least twice a week, the ammonia in their pee will start to smell horrible, and could be hazardous to the rat's health. How would you like to sleep on a pee-soaked bed with a pee-soaked sheets+blanket for a week?

Also, before you get a rat, make sure you are allowed to. Ask your parents, room mate, significant other and/or land lord. Make sure you have the cage and bedding ready for them.

Rat proofing your house is always a good idea. Make sure no chords or wires are left out where they could reach them, as they will chew them and make it very frustrating. Believe me, I have lost 2 lap top chords, 3 cell phone chargers, 1 iPod chord, 1 lamp chord, and one camera chord due to my loves. And remember, rats are terrific climbers and acrobats, so even when you might THINK they can't get up onto that coffee table and get your stereo chord, the chances are, they can.

If you can't hide all of the chords, cover them with aquarium tubing (found at pet shops, very cheap) or even a thick layer of electrical tape. Rats will also chew clothing, shoes, books, pencils+pens, blankets, dvd/cd cases, etc. So make sure this stuff is kept up and away from them. Don't leave drinks where they can reach them, they are very curious little animals and have an incredible tendency to knock them over. Make sure that all windows and doors are closed, and that any holes or crevices/cracks in your home are covered and sealed. Rats can fit in tiny spaces, they can squeeze their entire body into a hole as long as their head fits in.

Some house plants are poisonous to ratties, so it is strongly advised that you do not let them around your plants, or keep your plants in a high place.

Every day, you should clean out the poops from your rat's cage. Their poops are usually hard and not very messy, and are extremely easy to scoop up. You should also, daily, throw away any left over food your ratty hasn't eaten from their last meal, and check for food they might have hoarded away before it gets moldy and gross. Every day, you should fill their food bowl with food. I recommend you keep a tub of food handy. I hand-make my rat's food:

One 99 cent big bag of Wheat Puffs.
One 99 cent big bag of Rice Puffs.
One bag of sunflower seeds.
One box of Tri-colored roting pasta.
One box of corn flakes.
One box of cheerios.
One bag of dried cranberries+blueberries.
One tub of dry UN-flavored oatmeal.
One bag of unsalted soy nuts.

Mix it all together, keep it in a tub, and fill their food dish up at least once a day.

As treats, dried fruit (bananas and cranberries especially) are loved treats. You can buy yogurt drops in a variety of flavors made for rats at your local pet store. Peas, carrots, corn, green beans, Lima beans, potatoes, bread, pasta/noodles, apples, (never oranges, they can cause cancer in some rats), cherries, watermelon, cucumber, squash, zucchini.. these are all "treats" that they love. Treats should be given every day, not only when your rat does something special.

Every day, you should check whether your ratty has water. Even if he/she still does, dump the old, stale water out, rinse the bottle out once and fill it up with fresh, cool water. I advise using a water bottle (about $2 at a pet store) instead of a dish, as they have a tendency to knock the dishes of water over, soaking their entire cage and making it harder for you when you have to clean it.

Daily, you must let your ratty run around and play with you at least 2 hours a day. If this doesn't happen, your ratty could very well get depressed, sad, lonely, shy and even resort to being afraid of you, and die earlier than he/she should. Occasionally, check their claws and their teeth to make sure they haven't grown too long. You can trim your rat's nails, very carefully, but if his/her teeth have grown too long, it can be very uncomfortable and they need to be trimmed by a veterinarian. Do not try this yourself.

Check your rats daily to make sure they are healthy. Eyes should be bright and clear, never stained, weepy or cloudy. Noses should always be clean, no discharge, blood or sniffling. Ears should be clean, thin and shouldn't smell. Rats shouldn't have scratches, scabs or balding spots anywhere on their body. If they do, it could be mites. Their coat should be clean, neat and shiny. If your rat's coat is yellow, you should buy some rat-specific shampoo and give him/her a bath. Be careful around the eyes! Rat tails should be round and scaly with no scabs or lumps. A little dirt, and grime is to be expected. If your rat's tail is slightly square, it could be a result of poor nutrition.

Rats should never pee blood! If yours does, take him/her to the vet immediately.

Make sure your rat is plump, you shouldn't be able to feel their bones too much. Make sure your rat has no trouble walking, and has no lumps or bumps. Make sure his/her teeth are well-aligned, and a yellowish color. Keep your eye out for head-tilts, this could be a major problem, and you should take your ratty to the vet if he/she has a head tilt.

If anything seems suspicious, take your ratty to the vet! How would you like it if you had a life-or-death illness and no one would help you? It could be nothing, and it could be something. Just do it. :)

Toys. We love them, and so do rats. There are a variety of cheap, and/or homemade toys you can provide for your rat. Rats love tunnels and tubes. It is very easy to make your own, or you could buy one. Cut the sleeves off of an old comfy sweater or a pair of pants, and use paper clips, safety pins or hair ties to hang it up.

Rats love hammocks! They love to sleep in them, play on them, and chew them. You can find ratty hammocks, or find ferret-specific hammocks that will do just as well.

Old toilet rolls/paper towel rolls are awesome for ratties. They can chew on them (rats need to have things to chew on, to gnaw their teeth down, as their teeth never stop growing), play on them, run through them, etc. you can cut them into pieces, or leave them as they are.

Empty boxes are magnificent for keeping your rat amused. It's a new, secret hiding place for them to explore and decorate. Rats have a tendency to pull bedding and things into a new place like this. Keep one or two out while they are playing outside of the cage, or pop a few inside.

Paper! Rats love to chew on paper, and even hide it in their cages.

Pea-fishing. On a hot summer day, fill up a bowl with cool (not cold! and don't add ice) water, and put some peas in the bowl. Your ratties will be able to fish for some of their favorite treats, while keeping cool!

Most importantly, love your ratty. Care for your ratty. Make sure he/she is well, and happy. Treat them as you would like to be treated if they were you and you were them.

As always, if you have any extra questions or comments, or need clarification on anything, please feel free to ask!