| Basic Rat Care |
 |
| A little about Rats as Pets.... Personally, I think rats are just about the best pets availible. *Rats are the perfect apartment pet because they are quiet, live in a cage, and don't need to be taken on walks. *Rats are also great first small pet for children (children should ALWAYS be supervised around rats or any other pets). They aren't anywhere near as bitey as hamsters, jumpy as gerbils, fragile as mice, they don't poop all over you like guinea pigs, and they like to be held, unlike rabbits. *Rats should ALWAYS have at least one cagemate. Rats are social creatures and need to be around other rats to be happy and healthy. |
| "Verse at 3 weeks" |
| Food... I ued to feed my rats mainly lab blocks. Lab blocks are large pellets that contain all the nutrients that rats need. My rats are spoiled, so they also get cooked oatmeal with a little honey, soy yogurt (I hear dairy isn't very good for rats), and leftovers from my dinner. They love spaghetti. Rats also love cooked & raw fruits and veggies. Mine go crazy for corn on the cob. My rats are never fed meat, but they do get omelettes. |
| Housing... My female rats live in a wire cage I bought at PetSmart and my boys live in a powder coated wire ferret cage. Many people I've talked to have recommended Martin's cages. Although I've never used these cages myself (yet), they seem to be great for rats. Rats should live in wire cages as opposed to aquariums, because the ventilation is better in wire cages. If you buy a wire cage for your rats, I recommend giving them old rags to nest in so they don't have to be on the wire all the time. Toys... My rats just love hammocks and hanging tubes in their cages. They also enjoy bird toys made for large parrots and anything to chew on. Rats need to keep their ever-growing teeth worn down. |
 |
| Bedding... I use aspen bedding for all my small pets. Carefresh is also a safe type of bedding, but I've noticed that it has an odd smell when it gets wet. NEVER use pine or cedar!!! |
| Playtime... Rats should have at least an hour outside the cage each day, whether it's on your shoulder while you're on the computer, playing in your bathroom, or on the living room floor. Before your rats have their outside-the-cage-time, be sure to rat-proof the room they will be playing in. If the rats are still babies, use a rolled up towel to cover the crack under a door. Put all cords out of reach. Make sure there's nothing toxic for the rats to get into, they are very curious animals. If you're going to use the bathroom as their playground, put the toilet seat down. |
| ~ HOME ~ |