Rats Rule!

Rats Rule!

Rats are very intelligent and friendly animals. Many people are afraid of rats simply because they have been portrayed in a dim light in literature and movies. They are also attributed to poverty, decay, and disease. However, domestic rats are very clean, friendly, and social. Rats interact beautifully with people. They love to be held, petted, and loved. Rats have a great deal of fun climbing up on people's shoulders and arms. If you are looking for a small mammal that will want to spend time with you, rats make a wonderful choice.

Holding your Rat

It is important to handle your rat for at least a half-hour each day. This is important because it will make your rat a lot more responsive to people, and it will give them added exercise away from their cage. NEVER hold a rat by its tail—you could injure your pet. Pick the rat up securely by the body or by cupping your hands and scooping it up. You'll learn quickly that your rat will love to be held, and will greet you at the cage door.

The Rat's Domain

Rats require a good size cage to live in. It is best to have a wire cage that has more than one level to it. Rats love to climb and explore, so two or three levels are perfect for a single rat. The best type of cage is a small-mesh wire cage because it provides plenty of ventilation. Also it allows them to see out of the cage clearly. Take care with any ramps in your rat’s cage-- they can get their legs caught in the wiring. In order to prevent this from happening, it is best to place cardboard strips, paper towels, or another removable padding on the ramps.

Housing your rat in a glass aquarium is not recommended. Glass aquariums do not provide enough ventilation for a rat. Any build up of feces or urine can lead to infections.

Since most small mammals are very susceptible to colds if left in a draft or exposed to very cold temperatures, make sure your rat’s cage is in a warm area with no drafts.

Never house your rat in a Habitrail (plastic house with tubes). Rats are too large to live comfortably in these units. They can also escape easily from a Habitrail by chewing through the plastic walls.

Housekeeping

Rats do not require any inoculations from the vet, so the best way to keep them healthy is to keep their cage clean. Rats produce a lot of feces and urine, making it necessary to clean their cage every day. Improper cleaning can cause medical problems for your pet. Remember, cleaning is one of the most important things you can do for your rat, and once you get your system down it will only take you a few minutes a day.

Rat Recreation

Rats like to make nests to sleep in, so you should provide your rat with many different textures. Rats like to sleep in hay, shredded paper, tissues, paper towels, cotton balls, and ripped up pieces of cloth. They also like hide-a-ways to make their nests in. Some fun things are wooden boxes, empty oatmeal containers, shoeboxes, empty tissue containers, wicker baskets (not treated with dyes, glues, or chemicals), cardboard tubes, or empty cardboard cracker boxes. Rats are also wonderful tight-rope walkers, so if you can tie a piece of rope across the top of your rat's cage they will use it to climb on.

NEVER offer a hamster exercise wheel to your rat. His long tail can get caught in the wheel. If you are looking for a new toy for your rat, buy a safety wheel designed for rodents with long tails.

The best way to set up your rat's cage with these materials is to layer the bottom part of the cage with newspaper, and then add hay, shredded paper, fun toys and houses. NEVER use cedar shavings because they can cause liver disease or respiratory problems in any small mammal. It is also best to avoid pine shavings because they may contain high levels of oils that can cause skin problems.

Rat Rations

The best kind of food to feed your rat is rat pellets. They are found in most pet supply stores. Rat pellets are good because your rat will get 100% nutrition with every bite that it takes. This is important because rats will pick and choose what they want to eat if you offer a dried fruit mix. If they are only eating certain nuts, grains, or fruits from the commercial mix, they are eating a one-sided diet, which can lead to health problems.

It is important to offer fresh fruits and vegetables to your rat. This will provide him or her with the proper vitamins and minerals they need. Favorite treats include tomatoes, strawberries, apples (no seeds-- they contain arsenic), bananas, romaine lettuce, papaya, mango, kiwi fruit, pineapple, raisins, grapes, carrots, and coarse cut oatmeal.

Timothy hay is also important for your rat. It keeps a rat's digestive system working smoothly, as well as the rest of its body. Make sure that you have plenty of timothy hay available at all times. Your rat will also find that hay makes a wonderful bedding.

Author Mike Keiley, MSPCA Animal Shelter at Nevins Farm in Methuen, MA.
Reprinted courtesy of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
www.methuen-mspca.org.