So You've Decided to Have a Rat as a Pet

Congratulations - you have chosen the sweet, furry rat as your new pet. However, how much do you really know about your new animal companion? Here are some tips and ideas for you.

"What is the best food for my new rat?" Rats are omnivores - like us - and can eat most of what we can. Some exceptions to that: rats cannot eat bleu cheese, raw legumes, raw peanuts, licorice, raw sweet potatoes, raw red cabbage or brussels sprouts, orange rinds (males only), raw artichokes, green bananas, wild insects, green potato skin or eyes, raw bulk tofu or raw onion. The best food for your rat's base diet is lab blocks - food created specifically for rats. Mazuri carries a decent lab block that is reasonably priced. Check in your local pet store to see if they carry Mazuri lab blocks or can special order them for you. However, rats cannot live on lab blocks alone - that is like expecting humans to eat the same food day after day, no matter how nutritious it may be. I like to mix Nutro Lite dog food in with the lab blocks (you must watch levels of fat and protein, so buy that specific dog food), and, if I have some around, some raw pasta. In addition, I like to create a grain, cereal, and nut mix by buying generic cereals like toasted oats, puffed wheat, puffed rice, mueslix, granola (especially with dried fruit), pumpkin seeds, a small amount of sunflower seeds, spelt, oatmeal and so forth. Most of the items, other than cereal, can be found in your local health food store in bulk. This mixture allows your new pet variety while providing a healthy base to his/her diet.

"I have a single rat; is that OK?" No. Rats are highly social animals and as such need constant companionship. Unless you are willing to keep your rat with you at all times - even while sleeping - you must get your rat a companion (of the same gender, of course!).

"How do I introduce an additional rat into my household?" Keep in mind that rats, like humans, are prone to catching diseases from viruses and bacteria. Therefore, if you did not get your rats at the same time, you must quarantine any new rats for at least two weeks (preferably four) before introducing them into your household. By quarantine, I mean a completely different air supply as the one your current rats inhabit - a friend or neighbor's house, for instance. Once the quarantine phase is over, you can begin the introduction process. While rats are social animals, they are also territorial, so don't just throw your new rat into the cage with your existing rat and expect everything to be hunky-dory. While that does occasionally work, it is much better to introduce your rats on a neutral area - some people recommend the bath tub, but every time I have put my rats in the bath tub they freak out, so I usually use the bed. Give them a chance to get to know one another. If it seems that they are going to get along OK, then thoroughly clean out the cage before putting them into it, as this will change the scent in the cage and keep the existing one from suddenly turning on his/her new friend. There likely will be some squabbles as a hierarchy is determined; however, as long as there is no blood as a result, things are OK.

"My rat is sneezing a lot and there is blood around his/her eyes and nose. What is the problem?" First of all, that is not blood you see - it is porphyrin, a substance that rats create for lubrication of their nose and eyes - essentially mucus. If your rat is stressed out or sick, he/she will produce an excess amount of it - just like we do when we get a cold. If he/she is sneezing constantly, it is important that you find a vet that treats exotic animals, as your rat is likely suffering from a mycoplasmosis outbreak. All domestic rats carry this virus, which is generally harmless as long as your rat remains healthy and unstressed. However, if your rat becomes overly stressed out, or develops an illness, mycoplasma further weakens his/her immune system, creating a situation where your rat might become seriously ill or even die. Treatment with antibiotics is required - tetracycline, doxycycline and Baytril are some of the antibiotics that work for mycoplasmosis. I prefer to start with the weakest - tetracycline. If no improvement after three days, move on to the doxycycline and so forth. Once a rat is on antibiotics, you must keep him/her on the antibiotics for at least 10 days in order to completely wipe out the bacteria that is making him/her sick.

"My rat is chattering his/her teeth and sometimes his/her eyes bulge out. What is wrong with him/her?" He or she is happy, that is what is going on. When a rat is happy, he/she will brux (chatter teeth) and boggle (bulge out eyes rapidly). This is sort of like a cat purring. Of course, if the teeth chattering is occurring while the rat is having a stand-off with his/her cagemates, then this is an aggressive sound and it would be best not to get in his/her way. Rat bites hurt! Rats also brux to wear down their teeth which, without constant grinding, would certainly become overgrown and cause damage to the rat's mouth.

"What is the best bedding for my new rat?" Most people recommend aspen. You should avoid cedar as it contains an aromatic oil that can cause damage to your rat's lungs. Pine should also be avoided unless it is kiln-dried, which removes the aromatic oils. You can also use newspaper (as long as it is printed with soy ink); however, it will not absorb urine and odors as well.

"How often should I clean my rat's cage?" It is recommended that you scoop out wastes every three days, at least, and perform a thorough cleaning - scrubbing down the shelves and completely replacing the litter - every week. This helps to prevent the build-up of ammonia caused by rat urine, which will not only help your rat be healthier (as the ammonia will damage their lungs), but will keep him/her sweet-smelling. Contrary to popular belief, rats do not smell badly; their urine is what causes any smell. Male rats that are healthy have a spicy scent, while healthy females smell fruity.

"Can I teach my rat tricks?" Absolutely - rats are highly intelligent animals that demand constant stimulation. Teaching them tricks and giving them toys are great ways to keep your rat entertained and emotionally stable.

"How do I respond to people who are put off by my rats?" Many people have a bad impression of rats because of media hype and urban legends. Rats are sweet-natured - especially domestic rats - loyal and intelligent. Rats have been domesticated at least since the 1700s; there are some who believe rats were domesticated as far back as Ancient Egypt. Interestingly, some Hindu sects worship rats as incarnations of one of their saints. Contrary to popular belief, wild rats do not lurk in corners waiting to jump out and eat babies; rats find the smell and taste of humans to be generally disagreeable. Rats also do not bite without a good reason - they are scared or hurt, or you fixed a peanut butter and banana sandwich without washing your hands (rats are notoriously short-sighted and rely on their sense of smell to find food - if you smell like food, don't be offended if they try to take a taste).

"Can I give them treats through the bars of their cage?" Only if you want them to become grabby and bite your fingers when you come up to tickle their bellies through the bars. Rats are creatures of habit - if they get into the habit of knowing that what comes through the bars is food, they will automatically try to take it into their mouths. It is best to open the cage door to offer treats.

"I'm interested in breeding a litter; I think it would be neat to watch the babies grow up. What should I know?" Well, first of all, it is very exciting to watch baby rats grow up, as they grow very fast. However, please keep in mind that there are a lot of homeless rats and it is not always easy to find good homes for new baby rats. Are you prepared to have your rat population grow by as many as 24 additional members? Although the average litter is closer to 12, some momma rats can have many more, and if you can't find homes for them, you will have a bunch of new rats on your hands. If you are willing to be responsible for the babies and your rats are healthy (please do not breed rats that have ever been sick - the bloodline is very important), go ahead. Just don't say I didn't warn you! During a rat's pregnancy (that lasts approximately 21 - 26 days) and nursing (litters should be weaned and removed from their mother by five weeks), be sure your rat momma has plenty of high protein foods to keep up her strength. I like to supplement her diet with kitten food.

I hope this was helpful to you. There is a great deal to know when choosing to have a rat as a companion, but in the end they are well worth it. Welcome to the fold of crazy rat people!