| Rat Faq's |
| Q: I've decided to keep rats as pets. How many rats should I be keeping? A: Rats are very social creatures and need to have at least 1 companion of the same sex. Mixed sexes would lead to constant breeding which is not only cruel to the animals involved, but also highly irresponsible.. The only way for rats of different sexes to live together is if one sex is spayed or neutered. |
| Q: So which sex is better? Male of female? A: There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing the sex of your rats, it is all down to personal preference. A female tends to be more active and playful whereas a male tends to be lazy and laid back. But you will always find exceptions to this. |
| Q: What do I feed my rat? A: Check out my food page to find out what I feed my rats. There are also plenty of alternate feeds that can be made up too. Many people make their own mix or do a variation of someone elses. |
| Q: Where will I keep my rat? A: To see my rat cages, have a look at the housing page. Due to the size rats can grow to, a large cage filled with toys is a must. Multi-level cages will be greatly appreciated. If you look at the Fancy Rats link, you will find a cage calculator that will tell you how many rats fit in a cage. |
| Q: What sort of toys do I need for my rats to play with? A: Rats can be easily amused with a cardboard box but they will also benifit from some more stimulating toys. Take a look at my toys page for some suggestions. |
| Q: Where should I purchase my rats from? A: The best place is from a breeder. This way you can be sure that you are getting a good tempered, friendly, healthy rat. I had so much trouble with Satan being from a pet shop. Due to being unhandled she was a biter. You also don't know where the rat came from so a breeder is the best place to go. |
| Q: How much will it cost me to keep rats? A: After the initial set up cost of the cage and rats, they are surprisingly cheap to keep. In a month I would say that I spend about �20 at the most on essentials. Every 3-4 months I buy the BedXcel which is �7.50. I do buy other things for them like toys and treats. You must also be aware that you may have unexpexted vet bills and should be able to afford them if needed. |
| If you have more questions I suggest that you visit one of the forums listed on my links page. They are full of very knowledgable rat people who can help you out with anything you need to know. |
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| Q: What kind of substrate can I use? Sawdust? A: NO! Sawdust, woodshavings and the like are harmful to your rats lungs. They have very sensitive airways. Mine are kept on BedXcel. Its little cubes of cardboard. This is what I would recommend you to use. Go to my link page to find their site. |