Rats as Pets - How to Care for Your New Pet

Owning a rat can be a wonderful experience. They make awesome pets for any age, although small children should only be allowed to handle a rat under adult supervision. Rats are highly social creatures, and they bond with humans very well. Many people associate rats with filth and disease. This couldn't be further from the truth. Domesticated rats are very different from wild rats. They are very clean and friendly animals.

When choosing a rat, it's best to buy a companion for them. Rats who live with a nestmate are often happier and even healthier than single rats. Introducing a new rat into the home after you've had a single rat for awhile is possible, but rats are most likely to get along better if they come from the same litter. Make sure the rats are the same sex, otherwise you'll have babies to care for!

Make sure that you have the time it takes to properly care for a rat. Rats require lots of human attention, and their habitat must be clean. Rats associate best with humans when they are very young, so it is best to buy young rats that have been handled since birth. Make sure you are permitted to handle the rats before you make your purchase. A more social rat will make for a much more desirable companion, and you won't be able to determine this unless you are able to handle them firsthand.

Sadly, rats are most commonly used for feeding snakes and other reptiles. This makes them very inexpensive pets. This does not mean that you should buy a rat or two simply because you have the five or ten dollars to spare. Rats need housing, a balanced diet, toys, and lots of attention. Make sure you can afford everything your rat needs to be happy and healthy, as well as the time it takes to raise and care for your rat.

Hamster and gerbil cages are not suitable habitats for pet rats. These cages are too small and not well ventilated. An aquarium or "critter container" can suffice, but make sure it is big enough to house your rats and allows lots of air to flow through. At least two cubic feet of cage space per pair of rats is suggested, however, there is no such thing as "too much" space. If you wish to purchase a bigger cage or aquarium, then by all means, do.