I want to get a pet rat but I am still not sure. Help me ?

Question

Ok, I want to get a pet rat. However, my mom has had bad experiences with rodents in the past so she is unsure. I really want to get a pet rat but I am not sure if I could get two. Is it ok if I have one ? I know males are better than females alone but I do not want it to smell, because I will keep it in my room since my cat is quite the little hunter. I am willing to play with him daily so that is not a problem. And will he stink up my room ? & be expensive after a while ? Thank you!

Answer 1

Rats are incredibly social animals, so even if you play with it every day it would still be better to have two. Breeders and owners will swear that they live longer if they have a friend. And besides, taking care of two really isn't much different than taking care of one.

As for the smell, it all depends on the type of cage and how clean you keep it. I built an amazing 4-level wood cage for my rats, only to find out rather quickly that the wood absorbed urine (yeah, that should have been obvious) and my room smelled pretty awful. But rats are really very clean creatures.

Rats aren't too expensive to keep, but you do want to buy good food, and paying extra for good bedding really cuts down on the smell.

And of course, getting a rat from a breeder is the best option, but if you're like me and there isn't a breeder within a tri-state area, I found out the hard way that Petsmart - NOT Petco, and certainly not a generic pet store where they're being sold as snake food - is the way to go.

Good luck with your rat(s), they're wonderful animals.

Answer 2

Ok so here we go =]

My answer for you is to get two male rats to begin with. This is due to the fact that having just one single rat on it's own is not fair on the rat. Rats are social animals meaning they like to be around other rodents of the same species. Plus if you're time is taken the rat will not be lonely. Both female rats and male rats smell the same or similar, they will not stink you're room out as long as you are willing to put the effort into cleaning them. I tend to clean mine our once a week, or sometimes more than that as I myself have five male rats. You're best getting a male rat to begin with as they are more laid back and as they grow older they will become more cuddly where as females are known for being hyper and playful up until old age. I wouldn't reccomend getting rats whilst you have a cat though as rats need to be let out of the cage for at least one hour a day for exercise.

Seriously though, please do buy a pair as it is unfair on the rat to be alone as human company isn't the best company for a rat.

Answer 3

I would just get 1 that way it will bond better with you and not stink as much.  I have a rabbit in the house and use those pine pellets for bedding in her cage.  When urine hits it, it turns to sawdust and it sucks the moisture out of f***s so you can't smell her at all.  If you have a farm supply store nearby, you can get a 50# bag of the stuff for $6 or you can pay $6 for 1 cage worth at a pet supply store.  Its great because you won't have the urine sticking to the bottom of the cage, it pours out all dry and dusty.  It would probably be in the kitty litter section of walmart.  A rat wouldn't be expensive, especially if you have room to store the 50# bags of pellets.

Answer 4

Do NOT just get one. If that's your only option, then reconsider rats as pets. Unless you can find one available that is KNOWN to not accept a cage mate.

No matter how much time you spend with them, having another rat friend provides happiness on a whole new level that you, as an owner, cannot provide for them.

I've had both single & paired rats, and through that, you see WHY it's recommended for rats to be kept in pairs/groups. They're happier, which makes them better pets.

They can be expensive, if you provide medical care when needed. Also, if you provide quality food, cage, & bedding, it can be a little costly, as well.

I paid $99 for the boys' cage. The food is $10 for 3lb bag (Regal Rat) at the local natural pet food store. Bedding is about $20 for a 30lb bag *Yesterday's News*.

I've paid $50 for a tumor removal surgery. $80 for an ear infection ($50 office visit, $30 for meds).

If you're going to own pet rats. Do it the right way, for optimal health & happiness.

Answer 5

they are great pets i dont care what anyone says get one

Answer 6

I got a pet rat about 6 months ago and it the best thing I ever did. His name is Freddie and he is sooo friendly and cuddly and always there to keep me company.  He is very cheap to feed, they need the rat blocks and they only cost 99 cents a bag, also they eat hamster gerbil mix which is only $5 and it lasts for a long time. My rat only likes the sunflower seeds so I always buy extra of those and they are only 99 cents a bag as well. They also like fruits and vegetables and those are always in your fridge anyway. As long as you play with your rat having one is fine, I would get a male though, they're more cuddly. Tell your Mom not to worry because they don't bite and they don't stink at all. Not even their cages, they are very clean, quiet animals. I hoped I helped you out. If you have any more questions just ask

Answer 7

Rats make amazing pets. But rather than getting one get 2 or more. Food is an amazing bribery tool. Its simple and the rats understand it. Never pick a rat up from above, they are small animals that are often preyed upon, and being so small something coming at you from above is very scary. Always scoop your rat from under or let her crawl onto your hand on it's own. Picking a rat up by the tail is absolutely not acceptable unless you are trying to break up a serious scuffle.

Be sure that your hands never smell like food, that would only increase the very slim chances of you possibly getting bit.

Always try to choose a young rat. They are easier to socialize, and being that rats have a short lifespan despite the best possible nutrition and healthy living environment, it gives you a longer period of time to enjoy your furry buddy. 6-8 weeks is an optimum age.

Young rats are of course easier to train, and once again food bribery comes in handy.

Overall, rats are my absolute favorite small animal pet. I couldn't imagine my life without them now. Currently I have 3 little girls who I adopted from a breeder on Valentine's Day. Before getting a rat from a pet store try and locate a breeder, or even a rescue. Rats from breeders and rescues are more likely to be very well socialized, once again lessening your chance of being nipped, they will be healthier, and you will more than likely to find a prettier rat.

Rats love and crave human attention. A well socialized rat will see you walking towards the cage and will run to the door just hoping you will take them out. Whenever I take my rats out I get covered with little rattie kisses before I become the jungle gym.

Rats don't have much of an odor. Keep his cage clean and you should do fine.

If you have any more questions, email me. I would love to answer any you have, and offer any other advice.

**EDIT** The reason everybody is telling you to get two rats is because rats are highly intelligent and social creatures. They need more than the companionship of other rats, human companionship just doesn't compare to the love of a forever buddy who is always in the cage with you. I have 3 rats, and the biggest expense is the bedding. As big as my rats cage is it takes a lot of bedding to completely cover the bottom. So I end up buying about bedding once or twice a month. The cost differs depending on what type of bedding you get.

Other expenses are the initial cost of everything:Nice, Big cage, first bag of food, water bottle, first bag of bedding, and the rats. This price can differ depending on everything.

Every about 2 and a half months I spend $30 or so on the Suebee's Mix I feed my rats, along with about $5 for high quality lab blocks from PetSmart.

Don't forget things go wrong, and sometimes a vet visit is needed.

*EDIT**EDIT*If you get just one to start with and then try to get another one there could be complications. First being they might not ever get along. And second being, you would need to quarantine them before even introducing them, and you might still pass diseases on to the other rat.

It would be preferable to get a pair from the same litter, this way you know they will get along most of the time, and you don't have to worry about spreading different diseases to a healthy animal, therefore no need to quarantine.

Getting a male or female really depends on what you are looking for. As males get older they become a lap rats, where as females tend to bee active for most of their life. Both sexes scent mark(or dribble urine) all over the place, but I've heard it can be stopped in males if they get fixxed. I've also heard that it never stops in females.

If you decide to only get one rat with hopes of adding another one in later it would be best to get a female, because they are more likely to get along with another female when introduced. A male is more likely to become territorial and not welcome another male. When trying this with either s*x it would be best to add a young rat rather than an adult.

Answer 8

rats are actually quite clean animals they don't smell that much i agree males are much better than females  

Answer 9

I have pet rats. Both male and you only have to clean out the cage once a week. Its better to get two because then while you are hanging out with your friends or at school then he has someone to play with. It is better to buy two at the SAME time because then the first one will take dominance over the cage. It wont be that expensive. If you go to Petsmart then you can get a age that sits on a 12 gallon fish tank. You can put the bedding in there. At night they tend to wrestle, nothing bad just loud squeaking. Because I kept them in my room  and I couldn't sleep. But also they need to be in heavy traffic ares. I mean they can be in your room but there are some side effects. Also have some air freshener. But do NOT spray the cage. What I do is i keep a treat jar near them, hey LOVE yogurt drips, and i give it to them two or three a day. Hope i helped. If not email me.  

Answer 10

yes its alright to have a rat on its own. ive got a male on his own called ricky and my mum takes him out of his cage almost everyday to give him his treats and play with him. Rats are very clean animals. Ricky washes himself every day.