Rat or rodont? rat help?

Question

well i want a pet i have a dog and my bro nd sis got 2 fish today lol i was thinking ferret but then i saw how much work so no then i thought a rat or if u ccan reccomend a nother easy playtfull one questions about rat are they easy to train where can u get cheap cages how much are they how much are they to keep do they bite would they be bad wiht dog ? just anythign about it really cheers, joe

Answer 1

you should get a mouse

Answer 2

Rats make great pets and can be very loving if you look after them properly. They are very intelligant and can learn tricks and thier names however this also means they need LARGE cages and at least one other rat to keep them company. A suitable cage would be about £80.

Rats should not bite ever, unless it is an accident. Rats are relatively easy to train, for guidance follow the website at bottom. But when you buy a rat avoid pet shops at all costs. The rats are bred from mills and are almost always more likely to die younger and be agressive (bite).

Rats also need to spend a long time out of their cage each day. About an hour is enough. This could be while you watch T.V. etc. but it is important as they get bored and depressed wtih just staying in their cage.

For alot more good information visit http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/

EDIT- also DO NOT KEEP THEM ON WOOD BASED BEDDING it can cause them to get respiritory problems.

Contrary to an above post, a glass aquirium is not sufficient. Rats enjoy climbing on their cage and also the gaps help keep it ventilated, a glass aquirium will give them lung problems

Answer 3

hi there my boy got 2 rats of his freind. paid 8 pounds for the both  have got males and they are really sweet. they are cheap to feed get there food for 2 pounds 2 bags from wilkingsons. well as for the cage got one from the tip for £3. it had some tubes on it as well . that done me for a few weeks then got another one lots  bigger with 3 levels and a wheel and house . for 3 pounds as well . same bars were broke but clever me used the tubes from the 1st one and hay got a nice big cage with 8 tubes  3 levels a wheel a house for 6 pounds .

the food well they like anything  mine love cheese but dont give it to them a lot they have carrot. they love egg as a treat. also. they have got chew sticks which dont cost a lot. also they have monkey nuts; mullet for birds. they have a stick that hangs from there cage it a treat  one for small animals . mine are good you have to get them out the cage every day to tame them mine are only 10 weeks old. i have got dogs and havent got them them out with them yet. hope this helps you .

if you get a cage from the tip make sure you give it a good clean. you can buy the cleaner from most pet shops.you could also try ebay for cage

Answer 4

rats are great pets! i have 2 females(both 9 months old).

mine have never bitten anyone. we bought a cage with 4 square foot floorspace and a second level and they seem happy with it. they do need atleast an hour out of the cage each day (females are generally more playfull where-as males like to just fall asleep:P). they dont smell aslong as their cage is kept clean. don't use pine or cedar or any kind of wood shavings they are prone to repistory infections (which one of mine has already had), use carefresh products or recycled paper turned into paper pulp. mine were increadibly easy to train i was able to teach mine how to come when they're called and for them to go to the bathroom in one corner of their cage. maintaining them isnt to pricey for me, my guinea pigs and my rabbit were wayy more expensive. the only problem i had with mine are they have a bit of a chewing habit(they chewed out the corner of the couch. but i trained them out of it)and 'marking their territory'(training in progress). but if you are interested in getting rats please,please,please get two. they are highly social animals and will become depressed if they arent socialy stimulated enough. i've heard of depressed rats ripping out their own fur (from rat care pages). rats are great pets, they're curious,inquisitve, and lots of fun!

Answer 5

Get rats they are great fun if you let them loose in the dinning room of your local restaurant

Answer 6

hey i would love to help you out!

price of the rat: $10-15

choosing you rats s*x:

males: they are more calm and layed back but smell worse and make more of mess then females. males also have their man parts hanging down. [[think of this incase it gross's you out]]

females: more hyper then males [[but some are very calm]] and much cleaner and not as smelly. they do act very motherly though.

choosing breed/color of rat:

breed: it all depends on the rats personality. you MUST hold it and interact with it BEFORE you buy it. buy the one that you think you will enjoy most. this means playing with at least a few of them before deciding which one you want.

color: DONT choose one buy its color choose it buy its personality!! it wil be very difficult to take care of a rat that doesnt connect with you well. the color doesnt interfier with its personality...niether does the breed.

each rat has its own personality. choose the best one for you.

playmates:

always try and get 2 rats at the same time of the same s*x. [[2 males, 2 females]]

rats need company and a cleaning buddy.

dont get a male and female or you WILL have baby rats and they have between 8-14 and are very difficult to take care of.

[[if you happen to get a pregnant rat message me and ill help you out!]]

getting them at the same time means less territorial issues. [[males usually have this problem but so can females.]]

housing:

get a VERY large cage.

get the biggest cage you can afford.

the more room the better.

rats also love to climb so try and get 1 with multiple levels.

you can make a cage but i wouldnt recomend it for your first cage.

price: depends on you. like i said, the bigger the better. but bigger also means more money. you can build a cage easily[[message me if you need help with it]] but they usually cost $60-200[[bought from store]]

bedding:

do not, i repeat, DO NOT get bedding made from wood chips or aspen.

this will cause lung issues for the rest of there life.

get Carefresh if you can.

it look like sogged paper thats dreid.

[[they have diff colors]]

price: about $10. but you have to buy it every 2 weeks or so. [[the bigger the cage, the bigger the bag, the more $$]]

toys:

get lots and lots of toys.

they get bored easy and need to be entertained.

they also need lots of things to chew on to help shave down thier teeth and keep them straight.

THEY WILL NOT BITE YOU. they may nibble or l**k but it is a sign of affection. [[there grooming you]]

like i said they love to climb so keep that in mind.

rats are also very intellegant so get complicated things.

also a rock or brick to put under there water spout helps keep their nails filed down. they will scratch you if they arent because they dont have retractable claws like cats. they are always out like dogs.

price: depends on you. get creative and make some of them. [[need ideas?? message me!]]

food:

any bag of food for them works [[sold at the pet store]]

NEVER give ur rat meat.

and dont give them artifcial things [[candy soda pizza ect...]]

do give them treats like fruits and veggies.

they also sell some treats at the pet store but fresh stuff is better for them.

dont give them anything with sugar or salt or anything you think could be bad for them.

if you have to question it..its probably not good.

price:aboute $5 but you have to buy it every 2 weeks or so.

cleaning:

u must give them clean water EVERY day.

they must always have food.

and there cage needs to be cleaned once to twice a week.

[[depending on how much they p**p]] lol

also wipe down the surface of the cage with a ret rag so make sure you get the pee off.

rats CAN get a bath but the MOST once a month and NO more then that.

if they do smell usually there cage needs to be cleaned.

rats are VERY clean and clean themselves and eachother.

interacting:

the more you play with them the better they will be with u.

the first few days are crucial!! they need the most time cuz they are in a new invroment.

try and play with them at least 4 hours a day but the least 1 hour.

the more you play with the more comfortable they are with you.

tricks:

rats are very smart and quick learners.

they can learn there names and come when you call...

sit on your shoulder...

jump through hoops..

be potty trained..[[with the right equipment]]

and much more.

but they must ALWAYS be rewarded with a treat when you are first training them. after a while do the same thing but take away the treat and only add it in every so often.

[[you can research more on this or message me!!]]

rat to rat or other pets:

they CAN get along.

what is recomended is to put the pets in a place were niether of them can escape and were they have never been before. watch them very closly and make sure niether are being hurt.

even if the pets appear to be getting along fine keep an eye on them for a while. and put them together for a little while at a time each day till your sure they will be ok together.

[[be very careful with your dog. they are very intmidating to rats and the rats will scratch you or your dog very hard.]]

i think this should help.

if you have ANY questions i would be very glad to help.

just leave me a message!!

DESIREE!!

Answer 7

rats make great pets, i have 2 males both 6 months old. the cage i bought for them cost me £40, the 2 rats were 2 for £12, food dish was £1.99, water bottle £2.99 (but its one for a rabbit), bag of food costs £1.79, hammock £4.99, cat litter for the bottom of the cage £2.99, toys anything from £2.99 to £8.99 (these are parrot toys). only one of my rats bites, but that is very rarely. if i put my hand into his cage like a fist, then he wont bite me. the love eating fresh fruit and veg, and you can train them to learn their names, but mine havent done that.

Answer 8

YES GET RATS!!! I have two. You should get two or more because they like to be in groups. And they like to snuggle up together(well my to do). I'm not sure wether youcan get cheap cages if you want a good one. They really dont cost that musch once you have the cage and rats. They dont eat much. They dont bite unless they really have to but so will any animal if you scare it. erm the rat would be ok with the dog I have a dog and a rat(well two) and they are ok but i keep them seperate. oh and if you do get rats they really like the hamocks. And recycled paper as bedding.

hope you get some. : )

Answer 9

I agree with everyone else, rats are amazing. they're very loveable, clean, cute, and listen. they're kinda like little dogs, to me. but, if you get a rat, try your bestttt to get two, please. rats are very, veryy social animals. and if you only get one, it willl be depressed. and depression in a rat will actually shorten it's life spand. but, 2 rats isn't any harder then taking care of one. and that way, you don't have to worry about your rattie being depressed. even if you had one, and spent EVERY minute with it, it still needs another rat. and you won'tt regret it. mine run on desks, with a cage on it. I trained them to go in litter boxes, so the desks stay clean. they come to they're name when I call them. they lovvvve cuddling, love giving kisses, will do tricks if you train them, just be easy on them. and whenever I come back from going out, they just on me and kiss me. they really are like little dogs, as long as you treat them like one. spend alot, alot of time with them. and make ure they know you love them, and you'll love you back :] they're pretty easy to train, seeing as how they're actually smarter then cats, and some dogs. if you get a cage it MUST be big. like a glass tank, you use for fish. you can find a cheap one somewhere. they're very cheap to buy, none I have ever known bit anyone, and dogs would probably eat them. but trust me, no matter how much money you spend on them, and time you put with them. it WILL be worth it, I promise. :]

little things you might want to know;;

they can have human food. just not alot. about half a tablespoon. they can have any grain cereal, crackers without salt, potatoes [baked or flakes] peas, corn, cucumber, lettice, any fruit or vegies, just NO oranges or nuts. it causes tumors in rats. and when giving them human food, just make sure it's a small portion, and only every now and then. like twice a day? it's just too cute seeing them eat the kind of food I do :]

when cleaning the cage, never use soap. just water and a rag.

you shouldn't put them in grass outside, they could get bugs from out there that will never go away and could kill them. but most love when yu take them out and put them on a chair, table, or on your lap.

that's about it. sorry it that was too long.

Answer 10

Rats make great pets. you have to choose them carefully, because some do bite. I had some that did, and most that didn't. some of mine learned their names. The question about the dog, is it depends on the dog. My dog loved my rats, and my one rat loved my dog. The rest really did not care either way. They do require that you spend a good amount of time with them daily as they will become depressed if lonely. There food is not that expensive, and you can add in stuff like Cherio's, stuff without sugar in it, and fresh fruits and veggies. Mine even liked roman noodles. (that was bad for them though) You need to keep their cage clean, otherwise they can get upper res. problems. All in all this sounds like a lot, but no more than any other pet would take.  Cages vary in price depending on where you live, or you can make one. We made ours out of 1/8" wire mesh, and plywood/ 1" wood slats. It held up pretty well, housing at one time 8 females on top and 7 males on bottom. If you get males, be careful to get them at the same time from the same cage, otherwise they will fight. Females are not as bad and can be bought at different times. .Don't use newspaper for bedding, it does not absorb well, and it discolors them. Use regular bedding from a pet store, no cedar though, can cause problems.

Answer 11

I have had 2 rats, one of which is still alive, Rats live about 3 years. 3 years is good for a rat. My cage cost me between £50-70 I believe that is around 150$. They are easy to train, you can teach them things, they can also learn their names, they are very very gentel creatures. They have only bit me once each, BUT it was MY fault. I tried to take its food away for a moment so I could check it(and a rat bite hurts haha). Apart from that they are lovely. Get only two males OR two females. Never get one male and one female unless you want to breed them. They are fairly cheap. If I remember they cost me like 20quid(40bucks). Food is also cheap too, though they will eat other things apart from plain "rat food", they will eat bread and dried spaghetti and peas and things however there are "forbidden foods" which are harmful to them and you should check up on that if you do decide to buy them. Citrus fruits are one of them but there are more. I have a cat and a dog but they are kept out of my room most of the time. You should get 2 rather than 1 rat. They need company and unless you are going to give 1 rat CONSTANT attention, then get 2. The room you will keep them in MUST have a tidy floor. Kept free of anything dangerous(electric cables) and also any valuables. They WILL eat ANYTHING. I have gnaw marks on my skirting boards and the bottoms of my doors. You will need to also need to change your rats cage once to twice a week. They will start to smell and it is not a nice smell at all. I would also highly recommend getting a wire cage and not a glass one. Glass cages tend to have poor air circulation. PHEW! Anyway, I love having my rats the only time I wish I hadn't got them was when one of mine died, it was quite sad. But it is all part of having them and its all part of life.

Hope this was helpful. I think I have covered all the main points but just to be sure go here if you REALLY thinking of getting them. http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/

Good luck!

Answer 12

get a cat in the hat...

...or a grizzly bear

maybe a dingo named Skat

with some nice frizzly hair.

Answer 13

try learning to spell rats are vermin try a rabbit nice and cuddly

Answer 14

When you first get a rat make sure you give it time to get used to you and its cage because when I first got my rat it was really scared. And While I had my rat I also had dogs in the house and they were fine unless they get too close to the rat just be careful. Maybe let the dog see the rat and if it goes crazy then you'll know to keep the dog away from the rat.

Answer 15

ok i know alot of people have probably replied to this but listen to me! considering im a rodentologist (study of rodents if you didn't know) you should get a rat, they are easy to take care of. easy actually really easy to tame and you can litter train them too! also unlike hamsters and mice guinea pigs and others, rats will come to you and they are less fear full

also they are awake during the day more than any other rodent. they rarly bite you like mice and hamsters do. and they love bonding with you sitting on your lap and hanging out on your shoulders!

the only down side really is that they really should be housed with another rat so plan on two. you may think that two means less bonding to you but studys show that rats are happier in pairs and live longer

also rats dont try to escape like mice and hamsters and are easier to handle!!!

hope i helped!