Rats - Do They Make Good Pets?

Rats make excellent household pets. They are intelligent and easily tamed, fairly easy to care for, and their social attributes make them an ideal pet and companion.

Tolerant of some rough handling and being the least nippy of any small pet, rats are one of the best possible pets for children. As pets, they are generally calm animals and an easy pet to recover if they escape. A rat will grow to be 9-11 inches long with an additional 7-9 inches for their tail. Not being solitary animals, rats live much happier and healthier lives in pairs, or groups, regardless of the amount of human attention.

A tall wire cage with horizontal bars for climbing makes an ideal home for your pet. Rats love to climb and will make good use of ladders, ropes, hammocks, tunnels, and platforms. Toys designed for ferrets and parrots work well. And when they tire of their toys, this pet will always enjoy a good wrestling match with your hand.

Dogs, cats, ferrets and large reptiles are predators and will go after your pet rat if given an opportunity, so caution must be exercised when these pets are around. On the other side, your pet rat will hunt smaller animals like mice, gerbils, hamsters, or small birds. Make sure their cages are secure because rats are crafty pets and may be able to open some of the doors.

Rats do not normally lead long lives. Pet store rats may live 2-3 years, while those from breeders can live 4-5 years. Pellets and block type diets are available for rats from most pet stores and your pet rat will benefit from a variety of vegetables, fruits and other fresh foods that help to keep them healthy

Male rats can have a mild to moderate body odor, but females don't have any. Rats tend to designate a specific 'potty' area in their home and will become trained to go there with no coaxing at all.

Pet rats are available in most pet stores and can often be adopted from local animal rescue shelters. Rats do come in several varieties and a large range of colors, so if you want to look at a bigger selection of these pets then reputable breeders may be a better choice.

Domesticated by centuries of breeding, pet rats are not generally wild, aggressive or nervous animals and make good pets with little effort. Rats love and need interaction with people. They like being petted and no matter how many rats you have, all of them will want to be with you.