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Because rats are looked at so negatively by a lot of people I wanted to make an instructable on how to have rats as pets.
Rats are considered an exotic pet and "gross" to some people and honestly, I would say the same thing about tarantula's. It's just not for me. However, they really make great pets. Rats are very intelligent, they love to learn tricks, and they can be super cuddly! Keep in mind though that every rat has a different personality just like your dog or cat, or whatever animal you might have. You can't expect each one to do the same thing or like the same things.
The Perks:
1. Smart
2. Small
3. Furry
4. Litter Trained
The Cons:
1. Short life spam
2. Negative view
Now let's get started.
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Signing UpStep 1Research!
It is very important to do a lot of research on what it means to have a rat as a pet. Because they are no common pets you probably won't know instinctively how to take care of one compared to say... a dog or a cat.
Prior to getting my rats I did research on WHERE TO BUY, How big of a cage they need, what they eat, health conditions and life length, and how many to have.
There are some good websites to check out VIA Google.
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I like the name Sushi btw. Very cute! :)
But if you really want to get on your rat's good side, Go to the bulk food section of your local "bag your own groceries" store, and get a little bit of just about every dried fruit, seeds, granola, and nuts, and probably a little bit of dry cat/dog food.. just to balance everything out.. Mix it all up in balanced quantities, then give her some in her dish. See which things disappear quickest. Be sure to mix in extra of those things next time. (for my rat, it was Banana Chips and Pumpkin Seeds). I tried to avoid giving her "sticky" or "candied" dried fruits.. because I was a bit worried about giving her too much sugar too often, but I did occasionally toss in some Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch as a treat.. cause she really liked it.
chocolate, raw beans, carbonated drinks, sweet potato, blue cheese, raw brussel sprouts, raw artichokes, orange juice, green bananas, green potato skin and eyes, rhubarb, dried corn, cucumber, radishes,collards, turnip greens, beets, poppy seeds, raw onion and apple seeds are just a few off the top of my head.
I have never had a rat as a pet.
He just doesn't get it even after I explain rodent obesity. I don't know what to do with him.
Also, I'm a second time rodent owner, first time rat owner. I have two rats. One is big, (Cecilia) the other is small (Matilda). Matilda stores her food, and Cecilia steals it. I don't know who's the normal size and if Matilda is eating enough @_@
Sorry to bother you but these issues have been haunting me
I have the same problem at home. My mother's bf likes to give them highly fattening foods. The best thing you can do is to counteract that with healthy foods like carrots and some fruits, etc. When you see the junk food in their cage, take it out. Doing little things like that will help.
I also used SueBees food recipe. If I remember it cost about $25 for a months worth of food.
I would love to have a rat room, but I honestly don't need one with only 3 rats. It would be fun to make and decorate though. :)
Keeping their cage clean is the trick. Rats are VERY clean animals, and like cats, do not like a dirty environment. You can do this by having a litter bowl for them to poop in, but they will still pee everywhere else. For this I use towels and just change them out every few days. You can also wipe down the levels and spot clean daily. I have really bad allergies myself so I can tell really quickly when the cage needs cleaned.
I built this cage, but I actually have a Ferret Nation by Midwest now. It's much bigger and it's all metal, so I don't have to worry about it getting chewed through or smelling bad. With wood and plastic you are out a downfall because these materials soak up the smell of what is around them... meaning pee and poop. It's inevitable that eventually you will have to get a new cage or it will stink a lot.
Cage Suggestions?: Martin's Cages- www.martinscages.com
Honestly? You'll spend the same price on one of these cages as you will at Petsmart. You're looking at around $100 for a new cage for at least 2-3 rats (please get at least 2). Rats are very social animals.
I use Lysol wipes to wipe down the levels on their cage or when they play on top of the dresser. They work great! Just make sure your rats don't lick the Lysol. It's not likely... but you never know. Lol.
In conclusion: Just like any other pet, you need to keep their cage or play area clean. Rats themselves are NOT dirty animals and rarely smell. In fact, my rat Beemer ALWAYS smells good, Cupcake normally smells like pee, and Williard... well you never know. LOL. They are constantly cleaning themselves though and smell no worse than cats or dogs.
Males can develop an orange liquid on their skin. Just wipe them down with a damp cloth. If you want to bathe them, you can do so, but expect patience on your part and a freak out on theirs. I have learned methods in which work really well with my rats. I actually want to do an Instuctable on that if I can get someone to take pictures for me. :)
Cheers