Do rats make good pets for older children? And do they /have/ to be kept in pairs?

Question

I'm looking for a detailed but quick explanation of why domestic rats make such good pets for older children. Also, is absolutely complusory that they are to be kept in pairs or groups?

One last thing (although you don't have to include this in your answer), how much is a reasonable price to buy a rat for?

Thanks x

Answer 1

I've kept rats singly, in pairs and in groups and I don't think it matters. If you have a single rat I would make the effort to take it out and pet it more than perhaps a group of rats. Rats make good pets because they are active and inquisitive - they love being picked up and handled. They are also easy and inexpensive to keep.

Answer 2

im 14 and I have a pet rat i like to play with her and my friend liked to play with her hamster but it might be a little diffrent for other children/teens

Answer 3

I think that older children would quickly bore of a rat. Unless you've got a reason not to have one, I'd recommend a cat or a dog. Much more interactive for an older child. Rats are like rabbits and gerbils, something for a younger child to have as their first pet keeping responsibility.

Answer 4

Have kept rats, they are lovely pets, really kind. They will sit on your shoulder and watch tv and they know their names.

The bad bit is they can be smelly and wee on you a lot, in fact they wee a lot all the time! So keep a very clean cage, but yes they make great pets and they should be kept in twos at least, or more.

They pine when alone.

Answer 5

Rats are very social creatures so the best bet is to have them in pairs.  That being said they should be from the same litter otherwise they may fight.  If one rat is by him/herself and you don't spend enough time with them they will self mutilate.

I got my rats at the shelter and they were about 7 dollars each but i've seen them for 25 each at a pet store check the shelters first they'll also give you some advise before you get them.

Answer 6

Rats are excellent pets for older children.  I'm in my twenties and have pet rats and love them!  They are intelligent and friendly animals.  Most rats will not bite if handled from an early age by humans.

They soon learn that their cage is the bathroom and will not pee and p**p all over the place when you let them out.  You can even train them to only go in one spot.

You can also eventually allow them to free roam in a rat-proofed room.  Mine like to come out and explore and crawl all over me. They are smart enough to learn their names and be trained to do different things.  Mine will come when I call them.

It is absolutely necessary to get more than one rat.  Rats are highly sociable creatures and need a buddy to remain psychologically healthy. It's really not that big of a deal to have a second one either.  You'll probably need a larger cage and slightly more food, but the toys, beds, bedding, water will all be the same.  Plus you would have to play more with one rat than with two to keep it happy.

Reasonable price would be $5-$15 dollars a rat.  I'd consider adopting a pair from your local humane society.  When they do get rats, they are usually there for many months before getting adopted.  They are around the same price as you would find at pet stores, but the money goes towards the shelter to help other animals.  You also save a couple of rats!

If that isn't an option, look for a local, small pet store or local breeder to get your rat from.  The rats from these places are usually better socialized and are healthier than the rats you find at large pet store chains.  Most of those rats are just feeder rats (for snakes) that they throw into a cage and sell as pets.  Plus they come from large rat mills that aren't handled or monitored for health issues.

At the small pet store ask where they got the rats from.  My two rats were from a litter that a person who worked there had.  He knew their background and I could find out how he was treating and handling them.

Before you do adopt rats, make sure you do a lot of research.  Rats have been known to live 5 years, make sure you are willing to make that commitment.

Here's some good sites to learn more about owning rats:

http://www.ratguide.com

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/

http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/

Hope that helps!

Answer 7

they are great pets for any age 6yrs+,...  you have to buy 2 rats always of the same s*x/age. you will need 2 of every thing food dishes, water bottles, toys, hammocks ect... you will need quite a big cage for such small creatures like these ones.: http://www.dapper.com.au/grotto.htm                http://www.dapper.com.au/cages.htm  you can build them out of wood or cabinets and the rats should have plenty of toys and hammocks!  this is a really fun page for rat toys...:http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm      rats are cute smart and fun! if your rat is a girl, she will be very explorative and playful. if it is a male he will be lazy and cuddly and he will hang out on your shoulder forever! females tend to get tumors so if you should have some "emergency" money set aside for vet bills!  females get periods when they are young(but it will stop!) sometimes they will even "hump" the cagemates but nothing will happen if they are both females! never get a tank as the cage because there is not enough ventilation! always get carefresh bedding and never pine or cedar or any shavings! here are some of my favorite links about rats! http://ratguide.com/ http://www.petrat.info/ http://www.ratfanclub.org/helpinfo.html          that should be enough information about rats!                                                                    best of luck!                                                                             gymnast88                                                                                  

P.S. and i have one rat that seems lonely and depressed but my mom doesnt want another rat!  :(  here is the best link to explain the sadness they can have! : http://www.rmca.org/Resources/apair.txt  they may be a bit expensive at first but once you get the cage and accesories they are a super cheap! tou only spend about 12$ every week or two!  good luck♥♥!                    ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚™Â¥gymnast88♥ :)

Answer 8

My wife and I own 3 and we keep them in there on cages and we have had no problems with them you can keep them in pairs but they do good alone.  The only thing I can tell you about the price is check around sometimes you can get one real cheep.  Your pet shop has books on rats if not try you library. I hope this helps.

Answer 9

Actually, I'm 13, and would LOVE to have a rat. They're so much fun. I go on a forum with 700,000+ people and a lot of them have rats. I love looking at the little pictures people take of their rats, and seeing posts where they ask for opinions on new toys for them or for new recipes for their food.

Keeping rats in pairs would be a good idea, because rats are incredibly social animals and need a companion at all times.

Most people at the forum, when looking for rats, spend $50-$200 on a new rat, depending on if they're going to be using the rat in shows or it's a rare color or something. I do agree that $200 is a bit much for just one rat, but you never know what people are willing to do for quality. I think pet stores sell anywhere from $30 to.. a higher number but some of my friends who bought rats from a pet store actually got pregnant rats, and they weren't supposed to be pregnant so they ended up with 8 rats more than they wanted or whatever.

Answer 10

I was about 13 when i got my first rat and there awesome but the only live a couple of years  

A rat only cost about 3 to5 dollars and are easy to take care of

Answer 11

no the older children would rather have mp3's

Answer 12

rats make excellent pets, i have 2 males and they are wonderful. i bought mine from pets at home and paid £12 for the 2 of them. if its your first time owning a rat, then its best to start off with just 2. i dont think i could handle more than 2 until i was comfortable

Answer 13

They are very nice pets for older children.  Even as an adult I like pet rats.  This is, of course, if the child wants one and will actually play with it.  Not everybody is that interested in a pet.

The rat will sit on the shoulder or run around the room, and are tame and affectionate.  If you play with the rat regularly, it doesn't need a rat companion.  

Some people are allergic to rats; the child should probably try handling an adult rat for a while to test this, before buying one.  

The rat should have a running wheel big enough for an adult rat.  If it squeaks, oil it with cooking oil or petroleum jelly.  This is important for mental and physical health.  

I would pay up to $10 for a nice rat, but if a cheaper one can be just as good.  Even "feeder" rats can be good pets; ask to handle the rat before you buy it, to make sure it is tame and friendly.  

Answer 14

i had rats when i was about 13/14 and they were great pets. they do smell a bit-i found the best way to reduse smell was shaving on the base of bedding than shredded paper on top we did this as i was aergic to dust.

i bought my rats in twos. i replaced one of my rats then the other one was on its own (my last rat) seemed fine! really good pets! and love attention

x

Answer 15

Yes, you MUST get at least 2 rats. They do not do well on their own, and it's cruel to keep them that way. Many claim that their single rat is "just fine," but rats are social animals and need a companion of their own species.

Rats make good pets for older children (how old?) but they also require more responsibility. They need more time out of the cage, at least at hour every day. And that's the bare minimum. They have larger cages and therefore are more time-consuming to clean. They need a lot of toys and things to keep them entertained. But in return they are much more loving than other rodents, and will recognize you and cuddle with you. They're often referred to as "miniature dogs."

Rats are generally around 5-10 dollars.

Answer 16

hey.

rats are good pets for older kids

because they are very stimulant.

depending whether you get a rat or a

dumbo rat

the dumbo rat prefers to be on its own

the rat prefers to be in pairs or more.

you can get the rat on its own

but it will become depressed and lonely.

the reasonable price for a rat is

£6.50 or $12.25 or €17