...:::i want a rat:::...?

Question

ok so i told my mom i want a rat, how much do they cost? i live in florida, we have a petsupermarket, petworld and petland and i dunno wat else. what supplies do i need for it?

tnx in advance.

Answer 1

your best bet is a shelter and you need 2 or more rats not one. regal rat food or harlan teklad is best. http://www.oxbowhay.com/Shop/showProduct...

http://www.kimsarkrescue.org/content/vie...

for babies go with harlan 2018 and adults get 2014. a nice sized cage.

for 2-http://www.cheappetproducts.net/shopexd....

and if you get girls, get them fixed to prevent tumors. check out the ratfanclub.org and goosemoose and do a LOT of reading. rats are wonderful, but not a pet to get into without knowledge. actually no animal should be purchased/adopted without research.

EDIT- NEVER use an aquarium. it leads to ammonia buildup and respiratory problems.

Answer 2

Ever thought about a dog from the pound?  

Answer 3

You will need

1. a wire cage (horizontal bars so they can climb)

2. food (I get Reggie rat food. I love it and my rats do too.)

3.Bedding (I use a paper shredder and shred our junk mail. don't shred newspaper or staples, it is bad for them.)

4.Water and Food Bowl (make sure it is chew proof)

5. A shelter. (I just use a shoe box with a hole in it)

6.Toys (You can make your own. Ideas are at www.dapper.com it is the best rat site EVA!)

Rats cost not a lot. Where I live, they are two to three dollars each. Probably they are no more than seven dollars each where you live.

Also, make sure you get two or more rats. They get lonely!

Answer 4

Here is what you need to for the food: A rat can eat just about anything we can, and they definitely enjoy people food. They should have a grain mix and lab blocks (I use Hagen Nutri-Blocks) available to them all the time as their main diet. Fresh fruits and fresh or cooked vegetables should be given to them as well.

I've found some favourite treats seem to be things like bananas and avocados, peas, corn, kidney beans, chick peas and rice. Pasta cooked or raw is popular too, as is yogurt, cheese and peanut butter. Be careful with peanut butter because they can choke on it - try spreading it thinly on bread or a bit of cracker.

Try not to feed a rat too much protein. Too much will give them itchy little scabs around the ears and shoulders. There's not usually a problem unless they get a lot of protein, but every rat is different.

Since their teeth never stop growing a rat needs things to chew on. The lab blocks help, but things like dog biscuits and almonds in the shell are good too. They love chewing on chicken bones, especially if there's a bit of chicken left on them.

Make sure fresh water is always available. Water bottles are good for keeping water clean, but if you are using an aquarium the bottle will have to be hung on the inside. There are aluminum holders available for doing this. Some of the holders are designed to protect the bottle from chewing as well as hang it inside the tank. This is because some rats will chew a holes in their water bottle. A heavy bowl of water works well, too, but has to be changed quite often because rats will throw bedding into it. The water should be changed daily to make sure it remains fresh.

heres what you need to know for its cage and housing:A cage or an aquarium with a cover make good homes for rats. If you use an aquarium make sure the cover can be attached to the tank because rats are great escape artists! They can knock a lid loose even if there are books piled on it. If you use a cage make sure you keep it in a location that's away from drafts. Keep both types of homes out of the direct sunlight.

A rat should have a place to hide and sleep in, too. A tissue box makes a good bed, and they can stuff tissues or paper towels (white only - no inks) in to make a nest. A plastic juice jug with a hole cut in it can make a good bed as well. If it's hung on the side of the cage or from the edge of the tank it gives the rat somewhere to climb to.

Wire shelves and floors can trap feet, or cause a painful infection called bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is caused because the rat's weight isn't spread across the foot, but is all on one spot. Wire surfaces should have something put on them. Cardboard would work, but must be changed often (put mactac on it, maybe?). Plexiglas would be fine, and probably several other things, too.

Many cages commercially available are designed for mice and hamsters, and while these are ideal for baby rats, they are really too small for an adult rat to live happily in. I have two different sized cages made by Hagen, one is called a Guinea Pig cage, and the other a Chinchilla cage. The bars are spaced too far apart to house a baby rat, but they are excellent for my adult males. this ios a good rat cage size:http://www.equinecaninefeline.com/catalo...

Heres what you need to know for bedding: Cedar and Pine shavings contain oils which can damage a rat's (or any small animal's) liver. You shouldn't use these beddings.

I've found a mix of corncob and Yesterday's News works well. I mix 3 scoops corncob, with 1 scoop Yesterday's News. Yesterday's News is a kitty litter made from recycled paper, and has been tried and approved by many rat owners in the United States. Clay based, clumping, or scented kitty litters should never be used because they can harm the rat, especially if it eats any. Just think what would happen if it "clumped" in a rat's stomach.

The corncob litter is relatively cheap, and mixing it with some Yesterday's News makes it stay odour-free longer. That means you have to change it less. I also put a couple of handfuls of aspen litter into favourite sleeping places, and toss in some white paper towels. The paper towels should be changed every 2 or 3 days, and the rest of the bedding at least once a week (less if the rat doesn't spend much time in the cage, more if you have more than one rat). The bedding or combination of bedding you decide to use will probably depend partly on what is available in your area.

and here is what you need to know about toys: Two of the best rat toys are a person, and another rat! Other toys are things to chew, things to climb, and things to hide in. Small cardboard boxes and tubes can make a rat jungle-gym. Part of the leg of an old pair of jeans can be attached to the top of the cage/tank to make a tube hammock. A lot of bird toys, such as the ladders or the wood with almonds stuck in holes (expensive!) are fun for rats, too.

Don't give any treated  

Answer 5

GET A RAT FROM THE SPCA.

You'll need food, water, large cage, treats, sod dust, house (little private sleeping area), running wheel, exercise ball, chew sticks, and toys such as bells, ropes, and balls.

Everything including the rat should range from $100.00 to $250.00

Good luck!

Answer 6

What you need is 2 female or male rats ( if you have one it will be sad and lonely) a large cage, a little play house thing and a wheel bedding and a harness and leash or a rat run around cage ( don't know the name) If you got to PETCO.com you can find everything you need but the rats.

Answer 7

depends where you get them from

i bought mine for $2 at the humane society

at pet stores they probably cost less than $10

you would need a big enough cage, if you buy a wire bottom cage you need to place cardboard or something else on the bottom because it hurts their feet. or if you can take the bottom off thatd be better

a big running wheel, though some rats might not like to use them at all.

a water bottle or dish. if you get a dish you will need to clean it out more often and change the water everyday.

and a food dish.

wood chews, not ones from outside.

bird toys are good for them to play with.

also a house to sleep in

do not get pine bedding. i would suggest aspen pellet bedding.

you can buy treats for them.

Answer 8

I just want to reinforce that rats should always be kept with a companion!

Again, there are many good websites which cover rat care in great detail.

Here are some general car guides:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pag...

http://www.ratcare.org/

I also recommend the Dapper Rat for fun ideas!

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

Good luck and have fun, they make great pets!

Answer 9

Never ever get one rat. They are very social and need another ratty no matter how much time you play with him/her. So get 2 smae s*x pairs. You will need:

-A large cage (go to a "rat cage calculator" to see if its big enough)

-A good quality food (dont buy store bought mixes. Buy something like Harlen Teklad or Oxbow Regal Rat. You have to get those online)

LOTS of toys

food dish

water bottle

bedding (NEVER use pine or cedar) I recommend Carefresh

and some TLC

Good luck and ratties make awesome pets!

(remember, get TWO)