Rat Care Basics

We love rats! When someone comes into the store wondering what kind of small pet we recommend for families or for people who want a lot of interaction with their critter, we always say ‘rats’! Ratties are the most social of the small animals, almost like little dogs. They also tend to keep the same schedule as their people, so they’ll usually be awake and ready to play when you are. If you have a rat, or are thinking about getting a rat, and want to know a bit more, here’s some basic info. Find out what rats eat, what are the cage requirements for a pet rat, what sort of toys do they like, how to groom your pet rat, what are common rat health concerns, how to keep your rat healthy and more!

Physical Stats:

• Rats typically live from 1-3 years, average = 2 years.
• They range in body size from 9-11 inches long, and their tails are 7-9 inches long.
• Males tend to be larger, females tend to be smaller.

Social Stats:

• Of small animals, rats are the most socialble with humans.
• Rats naturally live in social colonies.
• Because of their highly sociable nature, rats should live with other rats, either in same sex pairs or neutered opposite sex pairs. (Consult your local rat rescue group for information on choosing mates and introducing rats).
• In general, male rats tend to be lazier. Females tend to be busier.

• Never pick up your rat by the tail. The tail can easily become ‘degloved’, meaning the skin can pull right off the bone! Yikes! A degloved tail will usually require amputation.
• Rats are prey animals. Prey animals that are visibly unwell are the first to be targeted by predators, so they have evolved to show very little signs of being ill. Frequently by the time it is obvious that a rat is sick , they are very, very sick. Be familiar with your rat’s habbits and appearance, and be sensative to subtle changes.
• Watch for signs of wheezing, sneezing, puffed fur, poor appetite, and other symptoms of general ill health.
• Rats are prone to respritory infections. Their system always contains mycoplasma bacteria (strains not harmful to humans). It is not uncommon for their bacteria level to become unbalanced and they may have occassional flare ups that will need to be treated with specail antibiotics that can target these bacteria.
• Because of their respritory sensitivity, rats should be kept away from cedar and pine chips which contain toxic hydrocarbons, as well as ciggarette smoke, and other scented products.
• Rats are also highly suseptable to tumors, and females are at the greatest risk. While you cannot change your rat’s tumor-prone genetic make up, you can avoid carcinogens in the environment and diet, feed a diet low in fat, and provide fresh vegtables such as broccolli, caulifower, and brussle sprouts which may help block tumors in rats. (These veggies also cause gas, so don’t go overoard).
• Rats are prone to bumblefoot, an ulcerated infection of the foot or feet.. To prevent bumblefoot, (and to provide comfortable living conditions) cover the wire floor of your rat’s cage with a solid surface such as our cagemats, maintain a healthy weight in your rat, and use a soft litter.

• Like all critters, rats need fresh water daily. Use a sipper bottle rather than a bowl which can tip or get all sorts of yucky debris in it.
• Many people prefer to give their rats filtered water or distilled water. The fluoride and chlorine commonly found in tap water can be harmful to rats.
• Rats are omnivorous and have nutritional needs that are similar to humans.
• Protein should make up about 15% of a rat’s diet.
• Rats should not eat human junk food or foods with high fat contents. Like humans, rats should eat treat foods in moderation.
• Rats should have a supply of food constantly avaiable.
• We do not recommend grain and seed food mixes. They are frequently nutritionally insufficient to start with, contain too much corn and fatty seeds, and allow the rat to pick out her favorite bits, making the food even more nutritionally inadequate.
• If you have the resources, (time, energy, and money), we believe a home prepared diet of fresh foods is a great way to feed your rats. Check out http://ratfanclub.org/diet.html for information on a home made diet for rats.
• Some people feel that a home prepared diet will not provide your rat adequate nutrition. You may wish to do further investigation before deciding whether to make your own rat food. The Rat and Mouse Club of America has a nice article on the subject.
• If you will be feeding your rats a commercially prepared diet, (a very economical option in terms of both time and money) they should have a basic diet of 80% pelleted food such as lab blocks, supplemented with 20% fresh vegies & fruits.
• The best pelleted foods are Oxbow Regal Rat and Harlan Lab Blocks. If your feed Harlan, choose 2014 for adults and 2018 for pregnant, nursing, and rats 8 months or younger.
• Rats are not able to burp and should not be given carbonated beverages.
• Rats should avoid too much corn in the diet. Rats are very sensitive to certain carcinogenic mycotoxins, contaminants commonly carried by corn, (even when the corn is safe for human consumption).
• Some people prefer to avoid corn in the rats diet entirely. Oxbow Regal Rat does not contain corn.
• Soy contains phytoestrogens. Some people feel that phytoestrogens will help prevent cancers, while others feel that increased exposure to environmental estrogens can be harmful. All high quality commercially prepared rat diets contain soy.
• Rats would typically keep themselves busy all day by foraging for food, and you can keep them busy the same way. Try products like Super Pet’s Veggie Basket toy and Ka-Bob toy which make rats work to extract their food. You can also just hide tidbits in toys and around their cage for ‘hide and eat’ or put some frozen peas or other small vegetable in a bowl covered by an inch or so of water and let your rat go ‘bobbing for veggies”.

• Rats teeth grow throughout their lives, but the alignment of the upper and lower teeth, along with the regular gnawing that rats do, keep the teeth at a normal length. Long teeth generally only become a problem if they are not properly aligned. If your rat’s teeth become overgrown, they will need to be trimmed by you or your vet.
• Rat’s eyes contain a pigment called porphyrin which can leave a reddish stain on the fur. It is easy to confuse this staining with blood, but porphyrin staining is thinner and more pinkish or brownish than fresh blood, which is bright red.
• Rats generally keep themselves groomed. If your rat smells bad, you need to clean the cage more frequently.
• If your rat’s toenails are very sharp, (especially in older, less active rats), you may wish to clip their toenails. Use infant or small human nail clippers and trim only tiny bit from the end of the nail. You may want to only do one or two nails at a time to avoid stressing your rat.

• See Small Animal Cages article.
• You rat’s cage is probably the biggest financial investment you will make for your pet. Don’t skimp. Get a cage that is big enough for your rat/s. Most of us are used to seeing small animals living in cages that are far too small. Just imagine living in the cage yourself, you want plenty of room to frolic and play, a sleeping area, a toilet, a kitchen, etc. The Rat and Mouse Club of America’s article on cage size is helpful, if you can handle some math.
• Not all rats enjoy wheels. Active females are more likely to be wheel runners.
• If you want a wheel for your rat, choose a wheel that has a solid surface, like the Wodent Wheel, and not a wire wheel which your rat can get tangled and hurt in.
Wheels should be 11-12 inches in diameter or bigger. Too small a wheel can cause back injury as the ratty ‘bends’ as she runs.
• As prey animals, rats can feel vulnerable in wide open spaces. Make sure your rattie has at least one small place to hide and burrow.
• Ratties also like soft cozies like fleece. Avoid giving your rats fabrics with loops or loose threads that can snag sharp nails.
• Rats really like to get off the ground and enjoy spending time in a hammock.
• Go ahead and rearrange your rats living space every now and then. Remember, variety is the spice of life!

Getting your rattie our for a little exploration and exercise is not as simple as sticking him a plastic running ball. In fact, we have yet to meet a rat that enjoys going in a running ball. Not to mention, they can cause foot and back injuries in rats. Rats need safe, fun playtime outside their cage, here's how to do it.

• Playtime outside the cage should be supervised. We generally do not recommend free roaming play – there are too many ways your at could get hurt or lost. (And they will probably do a bit of gnawing on your walls and furniture to boot).
• A rat proof play and exercise area will keep both your rat and your home safe. Set up your play area away from heater vents, doors, cords, walls, soaps and other household chemicals, and other items that your rat might destroy or be injured by.
• Creating a safe play enclosure is easier said than done – rats can climb out of almost any open enclosure! The Australian website The Dapper Rat recommends using tall cardboard boxes, opened up and securely attached end to end to create an unclimbable barrier. Here at the store, Susan uses a collapsible wire exercise pen and attaches a slippery black plastic trash bag to the upper portion so her rats can’t scale it. Even with being contained in a safe area, her rats still managed to rip up the carpet a bit. The lesson: supervise, supervise, supervise out of cage playtime, even when it's confined.
• While they are out of their cage, your rat will probably want to play with you. So climb on in the play area and hang out with your little pet.
• Rats love to dig. - in the wild, they frequently live in complex underground burrows. A plastic container, like a cat litter pan, filled with a safe digging material, such as sterile soil, with a few toys and treats hidden throughout, lets your rate express this naturally occurring behavior.
• Of course, you can just give your rat a few toys to play with in his big play area, and that will make him perfectly happy too.

• Check out our rat toy section, and our bird toy section too. (Birds are very sensitive critters. If it is safe for a bird, it is typically safe for a rat too). The following are some general types of play that ratties enjoy:
• Climbing: ladders, branches, rope.
• Chewing: wooden toys, cage mats.
• Extracting treats from: willow ball, willow cube, seek a treat, roll a treat.
• Stand and Explore: birdy toys like chop choppy and bugaboo, manzanita chew toy.
• Shredding: Shredders, seagrass bowls, cardboard boxes, paper towels, and other safe ripable items.