Can i just keep a single male rat?

Question

i intend keeping a rat fr the 1st time n as of nw i can only keep 1. is it feasable to keep a single male rat? il b able to spend quite sumtime with him during the evenings. so pls help n guide!

Answer 1

Although many people will tell you to get more than one for companionship, I would advise against it.  I did just that, and the two fought so horribly, emmett ended up with wounds that were to the point of blood.  Now, I keep them in seperate cages, and they both seem much, much happier and less agressive when I feed them.  Just make sure you do give him a lot of attention, though.  If you do, you might find yourself thinking it's a dog and not a rat!

Answer 2

Can you? Yes. Should you? Absolutely not.

Human interaction CANNOT replace same species interaction. We do not communicate on the same level. Rats are highly social animals and NEED to be kept in same s*x pairs or groups. It's really not fair to them to keep them alone. They often become depressed because of it. Two rats are really no harder than one.

Read more on why rats need same species company:

http://www.nfrs.org/company.html

http://www.ratfanclub.org/single.html

Answer 3

Most reccommendations are to get two or more rats as no matter how much love you give them they will never have the same company as they would from a companion of their own species. They especially enjoy some good old ruff 'n' tumble with each other =D

Answer 4

The question you should be asking here is whether or not it's GOOD for the rat if it is kept by itself or not. A rat can usually SURVIVE if it is by itself, but most of the time it will never thrive.

Rats who are kept alone tend to have a shorter lifespan, poorer health, and a poorer temperament than rats who are housed with a cagemate.

It's your job to make sure you are doing the best you can for your rat, and there is really no reason to get just one instead of two. Why can you only have one? If it's because your parents say you can only have one, you should educate them about rats.

Every once in a while, there are male rats who will not get along with other rats. If you have a valid reason for only wanting one rat, get with a rescue and ask them to notify you if they get any rats who are aggressive towards other rats, but are fine with people.

Even if you are home all day, and playing with them constantly, this does not make up for the fact that they must sleep alone, eat alone, and have no one to groom them. So a companion is essential.

If you can't adopt TWO or more, don't adopt any at all!

Answer 5

Yes but keep him away from wires

Answer 6

Yes, you can keep a solitary male rat .Make sure he has plenty of time with you to play and keep him entertained .Be sure to give him things to do while you are away so he doesn't get bored .here's a great website to visit to help you learn about your new pet :

http://www.rmca.org/

Happy Tails  and best wishes to you and your new rat , they are wonderful, loving pets !

Answer 7

give him much love and much of your time. mine is on my sholder now. she perches and crawls around on me. just make sure he is happy

Answer 8

yes you can do wat ever you want

Answer 9

You can keep one rat, but it is not the best situation for the rat, even if you have time for it each day.  Rats have to have companionship, unless you can spend all day with it, letting it go everywhere with you.  They can survive, and a few do all right, but most rats become nervous and even sickly if they do not have cage mates to groom them and to keep them company.  It would be better to wait until you can have two, or just get another less social rodent for a pet.

Answer 10

yes as long as you give him attention

i have 1 girl rat who i play with evry day i dont see why you cant.

Answer 11

Yes in fact I have one single male rat (Remy), and even my vet told me he is healthy and very happy! I play with him every day about 8 hours a day. He is very smart and loves human food :) hehe...

Answer 12

it is not good for the rat. Plus, its just as easy to keep 2 of them.

Answer 13

Yes, you could get only one rat, although it is reccommended to get 2. This is because they tend to get very lonely, which can lead to depression, and can even be fatal. If you do choose to only get one, you just have to be sure to spend lots of extra time with it, esp. within the first 2-3 weeks so that it bonds with you. I'm seriously talking 2-4 hours a day. You would also need to make sure that your rat has lots of toys to play with, so it doesn't get cage boredom when you're away. A larger cage could also help so that it has more room to run, explore, nest, etc. even if it is just for one rat. Actually, one of the upsides to only getting one rat is that they bond with you closer. One more thing, make sure that whatever you choose, always neuter or spay him and/or her. When they don't use their reproductive organs, they tend to get cancer in those areas, which can lead to expensive medical bills. Remember to do your research. Make sure you take everything into consideration before buying a rat. I've found that looking up supplies and making a WishList on PetSmart or PetCo has helped. Hope this helps, and best of luck!

Answer 14

Okay, if you can only keep one, then you probobly should not get rats.  Rats NEED social behavior from OTHER RATS, not people.  If they are kept alone then they are more prone to developing behavior problems/health problems.  

But, there are some male rats who are just too aggressive to be kepts with other rats.  You can search in your local shelter and see if there is any aggressive males that have to be kept alone, but the chances are slim.  My recomendation is to just get two.  Two rats are hardly more work that one.  

Hope i helped,

morganluverX10

Answer 15

Of course you can keep a rat by itself, although think of it as depriving a child to play with other children....It doesn't matter HOW much time YOU can spend with him, he'll still need a buddy. Two rats are no more work than one, and if they get along you can almost guarantee they'll both be happier and healthier.

Answer 16

Can you? Yes, you can.

Should you? No, you shouldn't.

Rats are very, very social animals and thrive on contact with rat cage-mates. Lone rats tend to live shorter, less healthy lives. They could also become unsocial with humans. No matter how much time you're able to spend with it, there will be times when it'll be alone. You can't make up for the lack of rat companionship a lone rat needs. Two rats isn't much more work than one. In fact, one may be more work because you have to work in the extra time to spend with it. I would recommend you get two or reconsider getting a rat.