Is a rat a good pet?

Question

i live in an apartment. I want something big enough that I feel some attachment to (i dont want a fish or something like that)

and my apartment's landlord says no dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits. I am allergic to guinea pigs. Do you think a rat is a good choice?

Answer 1

you might also be allergic to rats but if you arnt then definitly go for them

by the way dont get mice instead of rats because the are a whole lot dumber than rats also get two they hae someone to play with while they are gone and they only cost a few dollars more.

Answer 2

rats are good pets :-) they are similar to mice, hamsters, gerbils ect so any of them would be a good choice :D

Answer 3

get a rat, they are great pets. i have a dumbo rat and he is so sweet. he just sits on my shoulder or lap and just hangs out with me. and they are very smart. the males are lazier than girls.

Answer 4

yesss

they are so small and cute!!!

Answer 5

YESS!!!

they are very clean and intelligent! also they are low maintnice... they are very intertaining and love to be with people!!! also, they are social animals...and you can teach rats tricks!!! i would so get a rat !!! i am acually aiming for rats myself!!!

Answer 6

get mice they are smaller and easer to keep and alot cheper baby rats are $8 and mice at the most are $4.50 and their things are cheper

but if u do get mice get females they stink less then males

Answer 7

Please ignore the comments below me. Rats are GREAT PETS! I have 5 and they so sweet! They love cuddling to me and being carried. But one of them just died of old age. =(

Answer 8

rats.. ugh.. well rats bring other pets you might not want

like stray cats or even snakes.

Answer 9

Rats are *awesome* companions.  They'll bond with you very much like a dog or cat would.  They're more socialble than hamsters & really smart-- they can learn their names,do tricks, ride around on your shoulder.

It's *much* better if you adopt 2 of the same s*x so they can keep each other company.  Each one is an individual, but girls *tend* to be more playful & adventurous while *many* boys just want to sit in your lap.

Answer 10

Rats are great pets. They have a good nature, very affectionate and of course ever so cute and cuddly!

As you are restricted from so many animals in your apartment, a rat would definetly be the best choice or even a hamster or a mouse, but they are rather quite small.

If you do decide to get a rat, it is up to you to decide wether you want a buck (male) or doe (female). Both are great but females tend to be more active and the males quite laizy.

Below I have included most of the basic information for caring for rats. This was written by me, so allot of research and experience with rats has come from this knowledge. I will continue to update as my knowledge grows and I learn more.

A rats Life

Rats are cute, affectionate, loving, cuddly little creatures and are much easier to take care of than dogs. You may want to buy another rat (which I recommond you should) because they are very social and like a little friend to cuddle up to and groom them. But just remember to be a loving and caring owner by:

1. Giving them lots of cuddles and kisses.

2. Make sure they get their exercise (my little girls run around the house). Exercise should be about 30-60 mins a day!

3. Make sure they have a nice healthy diet and clean water.

4. Take them to the vet when they get sick and make sure you do everything you can to help them.

5. They dont live long so make sure you give them a happy life.

RATS LIFE

A cage: A decent sized cage (with NO wire floor, or if it does have one, take it out if you can) for the rat so she has enough space because remember rats get bigger!! Make sure you clean the cage once a week to stop it from smelling.

Food: Buy some food and bowl especially for rats at your nearest pet store and a couple of little treats so they will feel happy. Fresh vegetables and fruit are also very healthy treats for your rats. Make sure you clean out the rats food bowl every week!

There are a few types of foods you can feed your rat. The most popular type is lab blocks. Many people like to feed these as the rat`s staple diet as they will not pick out what they like unlike rat mixes. There are many different brand of blocks. A good quality one would have to be harlan Tekland and is used by many people and contains high quality ingredients. Rat blocks are not a very easy thing to find if you live somewhere other than america so rat mixes should be given. Alot of people think rat mixes are not nutrionally complete and balananced and that rats have a hard time digesting whats in it as some mixes contain corn or alfafa. Some people agree that rat mixes are good and that rats will get bored of having rat blocks and that you will have a hard time trying to get you rats to eat it. Some people also think that it is not a good idea to give rats rat blocks as they are tested on lab rats. Either one is good, I reccomend rat blocks but if they are not avalible where you live there are other options like rat mixes or even make your own homemade rat diet. I reccomend Sue bee`s ray diet or Debbie Ducommun rat diet.

Make sure that you supply fresh vegetables and fruit daily or every 2-3 days. This should make up 20% of their diet. Remember to always cook sweet potatoes and never give onions, green bananas, uncooked beans etc.

You may also like to feed other snacks like tofu, unsalted cracker, milk, a small amount of cheese, table scraps, cooked lean meats, museli, oats, dried fruit, whole grain bread, sunflower seeds, poridge, no added sugar cereals or baby food.

Water: All you need to do is buy a water bottle from your nearest pet shop and refill everyday with clean fresh water and wash with warm soapy water once a week. Rat bowls are not the best as rats will tend to tip it over, kick sawdust into and urinate in it. Also if you want to, in the summer time you can put a little bowl of water in the rats cage for them to cool down.

Bedding: You can buy sawdust/wood shavings as your bedding from a pet shop but just remember to see if it`s OK to use for rats. But I suggest that you use cat litter which is reccomended by my vet as it absorbs the rats urine and helps chest problems.

Toys: You can either make your rats some toys or you can buy some from a pet shop. The toys I would recommed to keep your rat happy would be; A large rat house from a pet shop, a hammock, chew toys so they can gnaw there teeth to help the teeth not to grow too long, a wheel, tubes and a ladder but its up to you what you do!

Games To Play Games With Your Rats:

Tickling: Lay your rat on it`s back and give him a good old tickle.

Hide And Seek: Put your rat in a room. Go count to 10-50. Then go and find them.

Bundeled Blanket: Bundle your rat in a blanket and let him explore and find his way out.

Rat Ride: Get into a position like a donkey(get on your hands and knees). Put your rats on your back and go around the house.

Tug Of War: Get a piece of rope or string. Put it near the rat and let him go to it and pull it. Grab the other end and pull it aswell. Only let your rat win sometimes!

There is also many other games!!

To find more on games go to these two websites:

http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

http://members.aol.com/juliesrats/fun.ht...

They actually don`t really smell, I have heard mice are the smelly ones, but I could be wrong. They smell quite nice, though if you leave their cage uncleaned for too long it will start to smell.

This is just some basic information but I suggest that you buy a rat book or find imformation on the internet so you are prepared!!! Make sure you do this if you want a healthy rat.

Hope this helps. Good luck with your rats!!!!

I recommend this web site which will give you alot of information and stuff on rats.

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

http://www.dapper.com.au/

http://www.ratz.co.uk/ratbedding.html

http://www.ratfanclub.org/

A book that i would also reccomend is "The Proper Care Of Fancy Rats" by Nick Mays. It is an excellent book everything you need to know about rats, diet, cage, breeding, diseases/sickness and much more.

Answer 11

nope. Hamster.

or

i can be your teddy bear. :P~~

Answer 12

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 13

get a turtle : ) isnt a rat like a ferret or a rabit

Answer 14

Go with rat. As others have said, they are SO smart. They remember you. They learn their name. They learn tricks so easily too. Just a bit of frosting or peanut butter on your finger and you can teach them "turn" and "stand" and they remember those words. Plus they litter pan train so easily too. You don't have to do anything but put some of their poo in the litter trays and different litter and they just go there. They are clean and so sweet. I do want to say that boy rats may be less active than females(not necessarily lazier) but they just LOVE to be held and pet and cuddled. So if you want a "lap" pet you should get a male rat. Oh, and don't get a mouse. They are dumb.

Answer 15

Hi,

Rats do make excellent pets in the right environments.

There are some things you should consider before deciding on adopting a rat though.

1. Are you willing to allow your rats free range time for between 45 minutes - 3 hours per day ?

2. Are you able to pay for vet visits as most pet rats will require medical treatments during their lives (more on illness here http://www.prrr.org/ratcare/illness.html...

3. Are you willing to adopt 2 or more rats as they are very social animals and require company during the times you are away (more here http://www.prrr.org/generalinfo/morethan...

Rats also can not just eat anything, there are some foods to avoid as they may cause illness or even death. Here is 2 lists, 1 for foods to avoid the other food that is ok http://www.prrr.org/ratcare/feeding.html

The others are right, rats are so rewarding if you are willing to put in the time & effort required to keep them happy. Female rats tend to be very outgoing and energetic while Males are squishy and snuggly.

Female rats are prone to mammary tumors although the risk can be lowered by 74% if you decide to get females spayed.

Rats can also be trained to use a litter tray and come when they are called.

Whether a rats would be suitable for you only you can say but they are definitely worth the time to research and decide for yourself ;)

Answer 16

Get a gerbil

Answer 17

yes, their the best! I had a lot when I was younger and their fun and soooooooooo sweet! They even l**k you! You should get two though so they don't get bored.