Is there anything else I need to know about Rats??

Question

Is there anything else I need to know for the Rats?

This is my list of things I am getting...

- Cage

- Food

- Bedding

- Food Bowl

- Water Bottle

- Chew toys

I'm going to Home Make....

- Toys

I'm going to get....

- 2 fancy rats

I have some more questions...

- Should a I get a 2 girls or two boys?

- What do you feed your Rat?

- Can I use shredded newspapers for bedding?

Main Question...

- Is there anything else I need to know for the Rats?

Please try to do as much as possible, If you don't know the answer don't answer.

Answer 1

you want to be careful with rats they can be territorual males need a cage to them selfs and if you do breed them introduce the female into the males cage not the other way around because the female will kill the male

Answer 2

Make sure you get them a hammock, and hiding spots.  :)

Girls vs boys is all up to what you like. Girls are usually more active, boys usually get bigger and are more laid back. They still can be quite playful.  Boys can sometimes get territorial when they get older, (around 6-9 months) but love the company of other boys, so don't let that stop you.  I have both male and female rats (NOT housed together) and I've never had a serious fight break out.

Newspapers aren't great as the ink can rub off on them and could make them sick.  I do have a rat that loves playing with newspaper (a really old rescue) so I indulge him and usually let him play in it when he's out of the cage, but inside the cage I only use aspen or paper bedding.

I feed my rats Harlan tekklan, veggies, and a grain (Cereals, mostly) mix.  A good lab block is important as the central diet, but grains are good for a little variety, and veggies are good for them, too.

Answer 3

There are some great sites online to help you figure out what to get your rats, but I'll give you some advice.

Make sure you get a large cage, preferably one that is taller than it is wide.  Rats like to sleep up high and climb on things.  Rats have sensitive respiratory systems, so getting a wire cage vs an aquarium is a good idea.  Check out Martin's cages (http://www.martinscages.com/products/cag... and get a powder coated one.  They're not too painful to put together and while it can be expensive, it's a good investment to make toward your rats' happiness.  I got the Rat Tower for my two girls.  Since all the levels are wire, and that could hurt your rats' feet, I went out and bought the cheapest linoleum tile to cover the levels with from a hardware store (Home Depot, Lowe's, etc).  It also makes it easier to wipe down when you see messes.

While you're waiting for it to get to you, you should probably buy a cheaper small cage.  I have some crappy thing from petco that's pretty small (1ft x 1ft x 1.5ft with the tile stuff on the wire bottom) that I use to transport my rats.  It also came in handy after my rat had surgery to keep her from climbing and jumping all over the place and to initially keep her separate from her sister.

Food: Your best bet is to get lab blocks from Kim's Ark (http://www.kimsarkrescue.org/content/vie...  Studies have shown that giving your rat a low fat and low protein diet is the best way to increase your rats' lifespan.  Usually the stuff they have at normal pet stores has high protein content.  Additionally, Harlan Teklad Lab Blocks are specifically designed for lab rats.  I know that might sound bad, but it is in the scientist's best interest to keep the rat as healthy as they can while doing experiments.  You can't buy directly from Harlan unless you want to buy like a ton of lab blocks, so this is your best bet.  I spend about 20 bucks every 6 months or so for 2 rats.  You can supplement the blocks with vegetables and fruits or the occasion treat.

As a side note: I'm a proponent of feeding my rats in the morning vs making sure their food bowl is always full.  I think rats are more likely to keep eating and get fat if you always have food in there.  Plus it's easier to monitor how much they are eating in case one gets sick or fat.  I give them snacks of fruit, cereal, vegetables in the afternoon.

Bedding:  Shredded newspaper is cheap but smells horrible when they pee on it.  Additionally, the ink isn't that great for them.  I use CareFresh because it's environmentally friendly and absorbs a lot.  Some people don't like the smell (I clean up wet spots and p**p I see every morning and scrub the cage down once a week so I don't notice a problem).  You can also use Yesterday's News or use old towels (you can then wash them).  Once you get them used to a bedding, you can then start working on getting those buggers potty trained.

Food bowl: Any old thing will probably be fine for the most part.  My rats are not big chewers so I've had a plastic bin in there and dump blocks in it in the morning.  I also got a hanging basket like thing later on to put grapes and lettuce in for them to eat.

Water bottle: get a clear, hard plastic, sipper one, vs a bowl.  Make sure it's one that hangs outside the cage as some rats might chew it to death.  Don't hang it over the food.

Chew toys: Mine really don't chew much.  The hard blocks really help in keeping their teeth nice and trim, same with carrots. Toys and things they can climb on (safely!) really keep them entertained and stimulated.  Rats are very smart so they need new things to do to challenge them.  Some of the sites I've recommended have great homemade toy ideas.

Other things to consider:

Create a hammock for your rats to sleep in and hang it near the top of your cage (just make sure if they fall out they aren't going to fall very far).  You can take some old pj pants and fashion one of of them and use safety pins to attach it to the cage.  You can also buy those nicer clips (like a carabiner) and use those instead.  http://www.dapper.com.au/hammocks.htm  (Mine looks kind of like a pocket hammock)

A wheel.  My rats love running in their wheel.  Get one that is solid vs those wire ones you usually see at pet stores.  Wire ones run the risk of catching tails and/or feet.  Get the biggest one you can find as your rats will grow quickly.

Hideyhole.  My rats like sleeping in things (like a covered hammock).  I usually put a kleenex box or old oatmeal container.  I also bought a big bowl that attaches to the side of the cage that I originally was going to put food in.  My rats decided they like to sleep in it better, especially during the warmer months...back to the crappy plastic thing.

Nail clippers/sandpaper/rock.  You'll need a way to keep your rats' nails trim.  Sometimes your rats will take care of it by themselves, other times you'll end up with death claws.  I usually use small nail clippers to cut my albino one's nails as it is easy to see the quick.  Other people recommend sandpaper to be used as a big nail file (make sure you get the nails, not the toes!).  Another way you can hope they grind them down is with a rock in their cage.  Put it on the bottom (you don't want any crushed rats) and they might walk over it.  If you get it from outside, make sure you wash it and then bake it to kill any outdoor bacteria or insects.

You should set aside some money every few months for vet emergencies.  Just taking a rat to a vet can cost $50.  I recently had a tumor removed from one of my girls and it cost $200+.  Make sure you can afford to get your rat help if it comes to that, otherwise you should probably not get an animal.  Also see if there are veterinarians nearby who specialize in rats/rodents.  Surgery on a rat is not the same as surgery on a dog.

Roaming: Don't bother getting a hamster ball.  Mine hated them and usually just tried to chew it.  Rats are really good about learning to go to the bathroom only in their cage, so you can usually let them run around on a couch or on the floor if you rat proof the room.  Make sure they can't escape and can't chew or eat anything hazardous and always do it supervised.  A good place to try it out is a small bathroom; bring a towel or box along so they can hide in it until they feel okay coming out.  I usually let mine roam my office (where their cage is) with the door closed and cables off the floor.  Mine really like to chew coax cables, arg!  They like to explore, jump on things, and chase me around the room.  

As for which s*x you should get, it depends on your preference.  Males get much larger, tend to smell a bit more since they like to mark things (and people), but are much more calm and will sleep in your lap.  Girls are much more active and don't like to sit still.  Mine don't really like to be held a ton, they much rather climb all over me or go explore.  It is also more common for girls to get mammory tumors which might have to later remove.

Which ever you decide, you should think about adopting two from the animal shelter vs a pet store.  You'll be giving those guys a new home and helping a animal shelter instead of helping out a huge corporation.  Additionally, when an animal shelter does get rats, they usually end up staying at the shelter for months before they get adopted.  

Before you go out and buy them, really research them to make sure they are the right choice.  There are some great sites (I've included below) that can help you out.  Rats have been known to live up to 5 years, so make sure you're really prepared to take on that kind of commitment.

I know it's a lot, but I hope that helps!

Answer 4

You should probably get a large wheel for them because they need exercise. Just make sure you change their bedding and food often. If you get two girls and two boys there will be babies. Feed your specially made food for rats. Also I'm sure newspaper would be a fine bedding.

Answer 5

boys are more lazy than girls. well thats what people say but mine arent. and dont listen to the people who say male rats smell, because they dont. i feed my rats a mixed rat food, as well as fruit n veg from time to time. i think you can use shredded newspaper for bedding, but do you really want to spend hours tearing it up each time you have to clean them out.

Answer 6

i would get 2 males because the females usually come pregnant unless u want more because i kno i would lol