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Rats are clean, intelligent, affectionate animals which bond to
their human companions in much the same way that dogs do, and with
the right care should provide a comparable level of companionship.
They are the same species as the wild brown rat, Rattus norvegicus,
but have been selectively bred for looks and temperament for at
least the last century and are now quite different in temperament
from their ancestors. They are far less aggressive towards humans
and rival rats, and display a number of behavioural differences from
wild rats, which have been noted by researchers.
Rats become very attached to their owners, make playful, sensitive
pets, and can be taught to come by name and learn a variety of
tricks. Unlike many other rodents, however, rats are a fairly high
maintenance pet. They need at least an hour's playtime outside their
cage every day. Because they are much more intelligent than many
other small animals, rats can suffer greatly if not given enough
attention, free-range time, and environmental stimulation. While
rats are extremely rewarding pets and will repay any attention and
affection you give them a thousand fold, they may not be suitable
for everyone; if you cannot guarantee to give your rats at least an
hour of quality time every day, then perhaps a lower maintenance pet
would be more suitable.
Before buying rats... please consider whether you can commit
yourself to caring for them properly for three years or more. Pets'
needs do not change just because their owner gets a new job, or new
interests, or will not find time to play with them any more. You
cannot assume that you will be able to re-home rats in a year or so,
if your interest fades. It is very stressful for an adult rat to
have to adjust to a new home and new humans.
Rescue organisations have many animals to rehome, from cases of
genuine need - for example, where the owner is seriously ill or has
become homeless. They really do not need people to dump animals on
them when the owner could easily, with a little effort, look after
the rats themselves. Here are a selection of very poor excuses : 'my
daughter won't clean them out' (so teach her about
responsibility!), 'I forgot that I was going to work abroad when I
bought them' (i.e. 'I'm bored with them..'), 'I have a new baby and
I don't want animals in the house now' (the rats are no danger to
the baby, and the baby will love watching them). There are all too
many sad cases like these, where owners abandon pets for no good
reason.
If you have a genuine reason for not being able to keep your rats,
first contact their breeder, then any rat club which you are a
member of. If your breeder cannot help, and you are not a member of
a rat club, then try an animal rescue organization like the RSPCA.
Please do not dump pets outdoors under the illusion that you
are 'setting them free'; domesticated rats brought up in captivity
would be terrified in the wild, unable to fend for themselves. Most
would either be killed by cats, or starve to death, within days of
release.
Handling rats
The more attention you give your new rats when you first get them
home, the sooner they will get used to your voice and your smell and
begin to make friends with you. Handle your rats as much as
possible, whether they seem to like it or not at first -- they will
soon learn to enjoy your company. Unless a rat is very nervous or
unwell, you cannot give it too much attention or handling. One good
way of getting your rats used to you is to let them ride around the
house on your shoulder or inside your sweater.
Rats should not be picked up by the tail -- they don't like it, and
it can cause injury. It is best to lift your rats by placing one or
both hands under the chest, behind the front legs -but be careful
not to squeeze.
Rat-Proofing your house
Once your rats are used to you, make sure you know where your rats
are while they roam free range, and rat-proof any room that they are
let loose in. Rat-proofing requires a little common sense, but need
not become a major DIY project. Many rats will scent-mark 'their'
territory with tiny drops of urine and you may want to keep a 'rat-
blanket' to throw over soft furnishings when the rats are out.
Electrical cords that cannot be kept out of reach of small teeth
should be covered with aquarium tubing which can be bought cheaply
from most pet-shops, or hosepipe; it is easiest to slit the tubing
along its length and feed the flex into it. Rats will also chew
books, clothes, pencils and other items, and are adept at knocking
things over. Breakables and valuable possessions should be put out
of harm's reach while your rats are out and about. Make sure that
windows and doors are closed, and that there are no possible escape
routes. Rats can fit through tiny holes, so you should check for
cracks along skirting boards, between floor-boards etc. It is
strongly advised that you do not wear shoes while your rats roam
free-range. Some house plants can be poisonous (check in a book on
houseplants to find out if yours are safe), and rats often enjoy
climbing plants and digging in plant pots - so it is probably most
sensible to keep plants away from your rats.
Biting and nipping
Biting, out of fear or aggression, is unusual in pet rats. It is not
something that you should have to put up with. Here are some of the
situations where it may occur, and some possible solutions:
Male rats occasionally become aggressive towards humans and/or other
rats at some point between 3-12 months of age, although if this
happens it is most common at 4-5 months. The rat becomes 'super
macho' if his levels of male hormones are too high. He will puff up
his fur, hiss and huff at other rats and people, and may attack or
bite cage-mates or his owners. He may also scratch at the floor, rub
his sides against hard objects (to leave his scent), and leave
trails of scent-marking pee wherever he walks. Normal, happy bucks
may also scent-mark like this, but problem rats take it to extremes.
If a male rat starts to squeak when you pick him up, or threatens to
bite you when he is playing outside the cage, then we recommend that
you take action quickly and do not leave it until you get bitten.
This condition can usually be cured by having the rat castrated, and
his hormonal levels and behaviour will return to normal after a few
weeks. Castration also stops excessive scent-marking. A rat whose
hormones are driving him to obsessive levels of aggression and
sexual frustration is not a happy animal, and we do not think that
it is fair to leave him in such a state. If you must have a buck
neutered, make sure that you use a vet who has done this operation
on rats before: rats have an internal muscular structure unlike that
of dogs and cats, and a slightly different procedure must be used
(the base of the inguinal canals must be stitched closed). Neutering
normally costs about £30 (at time of writing -- 1998). The
National
Fancy Rat Society has a list of vets that have experience in dealing
with rats.
Female rats sometimes bite when they are pregnant or have babies.
This behaviour usually disappears when the babies are weaned.
Although such biting is perhaps understandable, most female rats do
not bite in these circumstances, so we believe that the biting doe
should not be bred from again - she may pass the trait on to her
offspring, and also the breeder may avoid handling the babies if she
is worried that the mother will savage her. This means that the
babies may not be as well socialised as they should be.
Intervening in a rat fight is a common way to get bitten. The rat
may think that you are another rodent joining the scrum, and bite in
self-defence. To avoid this, break up rat fights by squirting the
animals with water from a plant spray, and separate the animals for
a few hours until they cool down.
Finger nipping may occur if your rats are used to getting treats
through the cage bars. This is not true biting, but merely an
accidental nibble. If a finger is poked through the bars too, the
rats may nip, mistaking the finger for food. Train your rats to tell
the difference, by telling them when food is arriving -
eg 'Sweeties!' - or fingers, eg 'Be gentle!'. If this fails, stop
feeding treats through the bars; instead, open the cage door to put
your hand inside when hand-feeding.
A terrified rat may bite out of fear, if it has been scared by rough
handling. Gentle treatment, perhaps with the aid of thick rose-
pruning gloves, may help. More to come on this in next revision.
Sometimes a rat crops up which is just nasty. This is rare amongst
rats from responsible breeders, but more common when indiscriminate
breeding occurs. Not surprisingly, it is particularly common when
rats which bite are bred from - the tendency towards bad temperament
is often inherited, and may be recessive. This means that breeders
need to select for good temperament in every generation, because
even friendly rats may have the odd nasty child. Biters should never
be bred from, no matter how pretty they are. If a rat continues to
bite for more than a few weeks after castration or continued gentle
handling, you should consider having the rat put to sleep. This is a
difficult decision which no-one apart from the rat's owner can make,
but the authors believe that a savage animal, kept permanently in
its cage because people are scared to handle it, is not having much
of a life. We would rather offer homes to other rats which could
enjoy their lives more.
Does and Bucks
It is very easy to tell the difference between male and female rats.
Males have large, prominent testicles which are visible under the
tail from well before the age when they are ready to leave their
mother. They can draw their testicles up inside them if they are
afraid, but will not do this for a long period of time. A good rat
breeder or staff at a good pet shop will find it easy to tell which
sex baby rats are. If they cannot tell the difference with ease,
they should not be selling the animals.
Both male and female rats make great companion animals, although
they have different characteristics. Does (females) are smaller,
more lithe and more active than Bucks (males). Does have a smoother
coat (unless they are rexes, in which case they have a less curly
coat); they have almost no discernible smell and rarely scent-mark
territory. Approximately once every five days a doe will be in heat
for around twelve hours. This usually happens in the evening. You
will notice that your doe is in heat by changes in her behaviour:
she will be jumpy, skittish, and may perform a mating 'dance' by
freezing, arching her back and fluttering her ears if you tickle her
haunches. Bucks are larger and more laid-back than does. Their coat
is coarser and has a slight musky smell to it. While they are as
affectionate as does, they are much lazier, and when left free-range
will often curl up in a corner or on your lap. Some bucks scent mark
almost everything that they run into -- including their human
companions -- but this is not as disgusting as it sounds as
the 'scent' is only a few drops of urine and does not smell strongly.
As discussed in 'Biting and Nipping', occasionally male rats may
need to be castrated if they become too aggressive. This is not a
usual occurrence and should not be confused with the normal rough
and tumble of adolescent rats. However, if you own a male rat, you
should remember that neutering may become necessary. On the other
hand, female rats are much more likely to develop mammary tumours
than males, and you may decide to have these surgically removed.
When you take on a pet, you have to take on the risk that it may one
day need an operation.
Growth and Lifespan
Rats are born after 21-28 days gestation, although the normal term
is 22-23 days. Rats have poor eyesight but their senses of hearing
and smell are many times more sensitive than ours. Baby rats' eyes
open when they are between 13-16 days old, although they can hear
and smell a few days after birth. They often start to nibble solid
food as soon as their eyes open, but they still need their mother's
milk until they are at least four weeks old. As with all mammals,
mother's milk is the best food for young rats - they should not be
weaned from the mother, or fed milk substitutes/animal formula,
without good reason. Their bodies are designed to thrive on rat
milk, not cat formula! There is no need to offer soft weaning foods;
unlike human babies, young rats have teeth and can gnaw from the
moment they start to eat solids. They do not need purees.
Rats normally leave their litter at 6 weeks of age; they are fully
weaned from their mother at 4-5 weeks, but benefit greatly from
staying with their breeder and being socialised until 6 weeks, since
the period from 2-6 weeks of age is a crucial stage in the rat's
mental and social development. It is important that rats are allowed
to stay with their litter until this age, and the UK's National
Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) does not allow baby rats to be sold through
its shows or register before they are six weeks old.
Rats usually become fertile between 5-12 weeks of age, but does have
been known to get pregnant as young as 3 1/2 weeks. This is only an
issue if young does are introduced to older males who can mate with
them; their litter brothers will not become fertile until after 5
weeks of age. If litters are not separated by sex at 6 weeks old,
some does are likely to be pregnant. We are aware that most rat
books say that does do not become fertile until 8 weeks old, but
unfortunately, many baby female rats have not read the books, and
get pregnant a lot younger than this! Such early pregnancy places a
great strain upon the mother and her babies; please don't take the
risk.
Rats grow rapidly until they reach 12-14 weeks. After this, the
growth slows down but they continue to fill out until they reach six
months of age. Adult bucks usually weigh 400-700g, does around 200-
500g. As long as a rat has been handled as a youngster, it will bond
to you no matter how old it is when you first get it. Rats usually
live for around two years, although some make it to three and
beyond. A big cage, other rats for company, a healthy diet, and lots
of exercise is the best way of making sure that your rats have a
long, happy life.
Social Life: Rats Need Company size=2
Rats are highly intelligent, social animals, and although they enjoy
the companionship of humans, they thrive in - and need - the company
of their own species. Although they will usually survive if kept as
single pets, pet care is not just a matter of keeping animals alive;
rats will have happier and more interesting lives when kept with
other rats. Rats should never live alone, and ideally should be kept
in groups of two or more of the same sex. It is unfair to deprive
any social animal of the company of its own species. Rats enjoy
grooming each other, curling up to sleep together, and sometimes
even fighting. It is usual for rats to scrap occasionally,
especially when they are 'teenagers' between 3 and 6 months old; do
not worry about this unless you see serious injuries, as the rats
are just establishing a pecking order.
No matter how much time you can spend with your rat, you will never
be able to replace the attentions of his own species. A rat's most
active time is in the middle if the night, when most rat owners are
unlikely to be able to provide their pet with companionship. One
fear expressed by potential rat-owners is that if they get more than
one rat, the animals will bond together and be less tame as a
result. The opposite is usually the case, as solitary rats can
easily become clingy, introverted and neurotic. Rats kept in pairs
or groups are happier, more confident, and no more difficult to
tame. If you want proof of this, go to a rat show or visit someone
who keeps a group of rats as pets. You will be able to meet plenty
of extrovert, confident rats and their ratty friends. We are not
aware of any sound argument for keeping rats alone, but there are
many good reasons to let them live in single-sex pairs or groups:
two rats are as easy to look after as one, a cage that is big enough
for one rat is big enough for a pair, two rats are much happier and
live longer than single rats --and they're many times more
interesting to watch! Do not worry about a pair of rats producing
unwanted babies - rats should be kept in single-sex groups to avoid
this, and it is very easy to tell the difference between males and
females with a little experience.
It is possible to sex baby rats from birth with practise, and it is
hard to confuse does and bucks from four weeks onwards, as by this
age the male's testicles have dropped and are clearly apparent.
While baby rats are weaned before five weeks of age, they should not
leave their same-sex littermates until they are at least six weeks
old. Any pet shop or breeder who claims that their baby rats cannot
be definitely sexed yet is either selling them far too young, and
does not have the animals' best interests at heart, or they know
very little about rats. Either way, they should be avoided at all
costs.
Housing
Unlike rabbits and guinea pigs, domesticated rats are not hardy in
cold weather. They must live indoors, preferably in your home,
although an enclosed outbuilding could also suffice. For this reason
they need a cage rather than just a hutch. Rats kept in an outdoor
hutch are at risk of coming into contact with wild rats, and would
be lucky to survive a British winter without illness or death from
cold. The temperature should not fall below around 45 Degrees
F/7Degrees C, and ideally should not rise beyond around 75 Degrees
F/ 24 Degrees C. If the cage is sited in a busy part of the home,
the rats will enjoy watching their humans passing by, and if part of
the cage is at eye-level, you will find that you interact with them
more.
Your rats will spend most of their lives in their cage, and because
they are such intelligent, active animals, it is a shame to keep
them in a small space. There is no such thing as a cage that is 'too
big' for pet rats -- giving your animals more space is an easy way
to make their lives more interesting. As a bare minimum, the floor-
space should be at least 24" long and 12" wide, but we would stress
that this is the minimum acceptable cage size and most pet owners
want to give their pets more than the minimum. It is really
important to check the dimensions of any cage before you buy; it can
be hard to guess accurately, and a few inches of space can make a
lot of difference to animals as small as rats.
The Importance of Ventilation
The importance of ventilation is that decomposing droppings and
urine give off ammonia. This irritates the respiratory tract, making
rats vulnerable to respiratory problems (breathing difficulties).
Litter on the cage floor absorbs moisture from droppings, which
slows or halts the decomposition process, but some ammonia release
is inevitable, even with the best litter. Good ventilation allows
ammonia to dissipate in the surrounding air, thus reducing the
amount that rats are exposed to in the cage. Ventilation is
therefore a very important element in keeping rats healthy, and
should be given particular attention whenever a rat suffers from
respiratory illness.
Wire cages are by far the best housing for rats. In addition to
providing good ventilation they are a ready-made rat climbing-frame,
and they allow you to interact with your rats -- you can feed and
stroke them through the bars. Rats have keen senses of hearing and
of smell; a cage provides extra stimulation as your rats can pick up
new smells and sounds which they find interesting. Don't worry about
cages being draughty - all that is needed is a warm, sheltered
nestbox for a sleeping place.
A cage can be easily converted into a rat adventure playground with
a little imaginative use of ropes, ladders, tree branches, shelves,
hammocks, and flowerpots attached to the sides. In addition to a
minimum of two square feet of floor-space, you should try to get a
nice tall cage for your rats: they love to climb, and you can
maximise the available space by making shelves. The simplest shelves
are melamine boards which can slide between the bars of the cage;
they are convenient to remove and can be wiped down. Fer-Plast and
other companies make excellent, reasonably priced parrot or
cockatiel cages (such as the Fer-Plast Sonia 24" long x 15" wide x
25" high or the Immac Gabbie Dora ) that are suitable for rats. It
is worth shopping around, as prices can vary by as much as 100%;
animal exhibitions are a great place to get large cages at wholesale
prices. Used ads papers (such as LOOT in London) and classified ads
are also good places to find cheap cages; make sure that you
disinfect and rinse any second-hand cage thoroughly. A hamster cage,
no matter how 'large', is not suitable for adult rats: even the
three-storey 'hamster-palaces' do not have enough floor space or
climbing opportunities.
Wire cage floors
Some wire cages made especially for ferrets, chinchillas, or
laboratory use, have wire floors with a pan below to catch
droppings. These wire floors can be dangerous for rats; they may
trap feet, and can also cause, or aggravate, a condition called
bumblefoot (ulcerative pododermatitis). This leads to severe
irritation and swelling of the hocks, and cannot usually be cured.
Research shows that ammonia levels remain many times higher in cages
with wire floors than in those with solid floors plus litter.
('Differences in the microenvironment of a polycarbonate caging
system: bedding vs raised wire floors' by Raynor, Steinhagen & Hamm,
Laboratory Animals Vol 17, pp85-89)
In any case, there is no advantage to having wire floors. A litter
is still needed beneath the wire floor, to absorb urine and stop
smells. The study above found that when litter was placed beneath
the wire floors, the ammonia level was approximately halved - but
still remained many times higher than that in cages with solid
floors. This is probably because the movement of the animals mixes
waste products with litter, thus drying them out more effectively.
Cages with wire floors are not even any easier to clean, as
droppings get stuck to the wire. If you do buy a cage with a wire
floor, remove the wire floor and set the cage in the litter tray.
Wire shelves can be easily covered with off-cuts of linoleum,
cardboard or carpet, which can be replaced when dirty.
An aquarium can be an option if, for some reason, a cage is not
suitable or available. Aquaria offer less climbing opportunities,
but this can be overcome with a little imagination and the use of
some of the items listed above. However, aquaria have poor
ventilation. The warm, humid, still air of an aquarium allows
ammonia to build up rapidly, so it is important to make sure that
the lid allows plenty of air to circulate. The lid should be
composed entirely of wire mesh, perhaps on a home-made wooden frame.
A fan close to the tank will help. Fish tank hoods and vivarium
lids, or wooden lids with a few drilled holes, do not encourage air
movement. Tanks must be cleaned out more often than cages, to remove
droppings and control ammonia levels. Tanks do have the advantage of
keeping the rats bedding, food etc. in their home and away from your
furniture and carpets, and they provide extra security for rats who
live in cat-owning households (although make sure that the lid is
cat-proof!).
Plastic rabbit or cavy cages are sometimes used for rats. They all
have thick plastic base trays, but the top half may be either all
wire, or else clear plastic, containing a wire top door. Cages with
a raised wire top half include the Ferplast Cavia range. These offer
good ventilation and climbing opportunities. Shelves and toys can be
attached to the wire on the sides. The larger versions allow lots of
floorspace - sometimes 3 feet long or more - and they make good rat
homes. Cages of the second type include the Savic Rody and Ferplast
Duna, a large (approx. 30" x 19" x 23") plastic tank with clear
plastic top half. These cages offer limited climbing opportunities
and poor ventilation, but are extremely easy to clean (they can be
taken apart). While the Duna is super as a nursery for baby rats as
it is secure and draught-proof, it should only be used for adults
when there are no other feasible options. Determined chewers make
short work of them.
In addition to a cage, your rats will need a nestbox. This is a
place to hide or sleep in which allows the rats to feel secure, and
to build a warm nest. A nest box can be improvised from many
objects: a small empty cardboard box, a large clean empty jar, or a
small bucket laid on its side.
Litter and Bedding
Litter is placed in the cage to absorb moisture from urine and
droppings. By drying out droppings, it stops them decomposing and
hence smelling. Bedding is used in the nestbox to make a comfortable
bed, and also to absorb urine.
Wood shavings are the most commonly available litter sold to line
the bottom of small animal cages. Many people feel that wood
shavings are not an ideal litter for rats, because they give off
essential oils and can be very dusty. However good quality wood
shavings (as opposed to sawdust) can provide an excellent bedding
for rats. Despite common misconceptions, there is no evidence that
the most common forms of wood shavings (usually pine or spruce in
the UK -- a white or pale yellow wood) cause any damage to rat
health: studies have failed to find any connection between
respiratory ailments and use of ordinary shavings. In fact, the rats
kept on shavings in one study actually lived longer than those not
exposed to moderate amounts of aromatic oils!
However, red cedar shavings, shavings or paper bedding treated with
extra aromatic oils or other chemicals (often sold as deodorising
beddings), shavings or paper bedding that is especially dusty, as
well as sawdust (which is dusty by its nature) should all be
avoided: large amounts of aromatic oils and dust can irritate rats'
respiratory tracts.
For those who would rather not use wood shavings, there are now many
alternatives to wood shavings available in the UK. It is advisable
to make sure that any alternative litter is not toxic if ingested:
recycled paper beddings are probably the safest, although these may
be as dusty as wood products, and it is important to ensure that
they have not been treated with aromatic oils (even "natural" ones)
or chemicals to improve their deodorising properties. The authors
have used Bio-Catolet - a cat litter made from pellets of recycled
paper. Sterile and dust-free, this litter is many times more
absorbent than wood-shavings, and is much better at controlling
odour. Although on a weight-for-weight basis it is more expensive
than wood shavings, Bio-Catolet is far more efficient: you use much
less and change it less often than wood (for example, once rather
than twice weekly for an average-sized cage containing two females).
Because of its efficiency Bio-Catolet is good value for money. It
can be found in large branches of ASDA, Sainsburys, and Tescos
nationwide, or ask your local pet shop to order it for you.
In a pinch, shredded paper-towels can be a safe stop-gap until you
buy more litter. Normal cat litter -- even the dust-free kind --is
not appropriate for rats: the dust and clay can harm their health.
Bedding - shredded paper bedding from a pet shop is fine, although
your rats will enjoy ripping up paper towels even more. Newspaper
can be used as bedding, provided that it is printed with non-toxic
ink. You can find out by telephoning the printer; if the ink is
safe, the main disadvantage is that it may stain the rats' coats.
Straw or hay does little to absorb liquid or eliminate odour,
although some rats and humans like it. One of the authors had a rat
who blinded herself in one eye on a sharp hay stalk, but such
accidents are probably rare.
Food
Like people, rats are omnivores. They fare best on fresh wholesome
foods: wholegrain (brown) rice, vegetables, grains (wheat, barley,
oats, millet), wholemeal bread, etc. and some animal protein. High
protein puppy food is useful as a supplement to help build up young
rats (up to 10-12 weeks), and normal to low protein dry dog food is
a good component of a healthy diet. Ideally, an adult rat should be
fed some whole-grains, some vegetables, and some protein (lean meat
scraps, dog food or mealworms) every day. This can be supplemented
with a bowl of 'rodent mix' as a snack food.
Debbie Ducommun of the Rat Fan Club has devised an excellent recipe
for rat health food that appears to boost immune reaction and
general health, see the Rat Fan Club (below) for details. Debbie is
a vegetarian herself, but she found it impossible to formulate a
vegetarian diet for rats which would fulfil all of their nutritional
requirements. If you want your rats to thrive, they should have
small amounts of animal protein. The simplest way of providing this
is via a few dog biscuits.
While such home-made nutritionally complete diets are ideal and are
strongly recommended, it is also possible to give your rat a well-
balanced diet using pet-shop mixes as a base. There are several
specialty rat foods on the market, but the only one that the authors
know has been fully researched from a nutritional point of view is
Burgess Supa-Rat. Most rats will eat all of this food, which makes
it nutritionally complete for the average rat. However nursing
mothers and kittens will still need supplements to add protein and
extra calories to their diet. Reggie Rat made by Supreme Pet Foods
also claims to be specially formulated with the nutritional needs of
rats in mind. In theory it is a complete food, but a) we have yet to
meet the rat which will eat all of the mix, particularly the
pellets, and the diet cannot be 'complete' if rats only eat part of
it, and b)your rats will always appreciate healthy fresh snacks as
treats. As it is quite high in fat and protein, restrict amounts of
Reggie Rat for rats which put on weight easily. A less rich option
is a good quality rabbit food like Burgess Supa Rabbit or Burgess
Supa Natural (no pellets), supplemented with fresh vegetables, some
animal protein (mealworms, lean meat or dog biscuit), and the odd
cooked meat bone (chicken bones are fine -- the rats just crunch
them up) or natural yoghurt to provide extra calcium. This is what
the authors' use.
If you feed a grain mix, like Reggie Rat or rabbit mix, give just a
small amount at a time. Most rats will pick out their favourite
pieces first, but they will not get a balanced diet if they only eat
their favourite part of the mix. Do not give any more food until all
of the first lot has been eaten, except for the empty grain husks,
and the pellets. These pellets are made of alfalfa, and they mainly
add bulk to the diet. Most rats would rather starve than eat them;
don't worry, as they are not essential. It is better for rats to get
their fibre from fresh fruit or veg anyway. We would not feed 'mono-
diets' such as complete blocks of rodent food. Such diets are
boring, depriving rats of the fun of rummaging through their food
and eating the tastiest bits first.
The following foods can be used as treats/supplements to the regular
diet: fruit (apples, cherries, grapes, banana etc.), vegetables
(broccoli, potatoes, peas, carrot etc.), cooked liver, kidney, or
other low-fat meat, cooked bones, cooked pulses (cooked Soya protein
may reduce the risk of cancer), live yoghurt, sunflower seeds (an
exceptional source of B vitamins), wholemeal pasta and bread, brown
rice, unsweetened breakfast cereals, and the occasional capsule of
cod-liver or garlic oil. Table scraps will be eaten with relish, but
try to avoid feeding fatty or sugary scraps. Carbonated drinks
should never be given to rats as they cannot burp, and the build-up
of gasses in the stomach from fizzy drinks could be fatal. Bear in
mind that dietary fat has been linked to tumours in rats, and keep
fatty foods like peanuts and sunflower seeds as treats. Moderation
is advised in all things - the diet should not be made up of just
one main ingredient. For example, some people worry that too much
maize (sweetcorn, or just 'corn' in the USA) could be harmful,
although small amounts are enjoyed.
Fresh water should be available at all times, preferably in a
gravity (ball-valve) bottle which will keep the water clean. Water
should be changed daily, and the bottle should be scrubbed out once
a week. If using a plastic bottle, it is a good idea to thoroughly
clean or replace it every few months, to prevent excessive bacteria
and algae building up. The problem with giving water in bowls rather
than bottles is that rats tend to dump litter in the bowls, or knock
them over. However, most rats prefer drinking from a bowl, and like
to wash themselves with the water - so they do appreciate being
given a bowl from time to time. Sick or elderly rats may find it
hard to drink from a bottle, so a low bowl should be provided to
encourage them to drink. You will have to clean the cage more often,
but it will help to prevent the rat suffering from dehydration.
Vitamin supplements should be added to food rather than to drinking
water -most make the water taste horrible, and may discourage your
rats from drinking. In any case, healthy rats fed a healthy, well-
balanced diet should not need to have vitamin supplements.
Grooming
Rats are extremely clean creatures, spending almost a third of their
waking life grooming. As such, it is rarely necessary to bathe rats,
with the exception of light-coated varieties which may need the
occasional stain-removal session if you wish to show them. If you
decide that your rat needs bathing, make sure that you use a shampoo
formulated for animals - a kitten or puppy shampoo is best - as
human shampoo can irritate their skin.
Some rats do not clean their tails thoroughly and can develop dark
stains or patches on their tails. If you wish to clean your rat's
tail you can do so with an old, soft toothbrush and either a gentle
soap / animal shampoo, or bicarbonate of soda. Wet the tail and
apply the soap / shampoo / soda. Very gently stroke the rat's tail
with the dampened toothbrush, or rubbing with your fingers, brushing
away from the body towards the tip of the tail. Do not brush your
rat's tail roughly as this can damage or even remove the delicate
skin on the tail, and can be very painful for her.
Some rat owners like to have their pets' nails trimmed regularly.
This can be quite difficult and for the first time it is helpful to
visit a vet or an experienced rat owner - a show can be a great
opportunity for this - and ask them to show you how to do it.
Styptic powder (anti-bleeding) is a useful thing to keep on hand if
you intend to cut your rats' nails as accidentally nicking the vein
inside the nail can cause serious blood loss. Putting a large
(cleaned) stone or brick in your rats' cage for them to climb on can
also wear down their nails.
Changing the bedding (tissues, kitchen towel, etc.) in your rats'
cage daily will prevent them from becoming too smelly. It is also a
good idea to give your rats a bowl of water every now and again, as
mentioned above, so that they can wash themselves.
Books about Rats
There are numerous books about rats in print at the moment, but
several are desperately inaccurate. Any book on pet care will have
both good and bad points; publishers generally do not require
authors to have their work reviewed by experts before the book is
printed, so it is easy for inaccuracies to creep in, and for
controversial opinions to be presented as hard-and-fast facts. This
means that it helps to read as much as possible, and to talk to
experienced rat owners, to get all views - rather than treating one
book as your ultimate guide. A more extensive booklist is available
from the NFRS (and on its website), but here are some of the better
ones.
The National Fancy Rat Society Handbook - The Exhibition Rat
This comprehensive work on keeping, breeding and showing fancy rats
has been rewritten and will be available from the NFRS during 1999 -
details will be published in Pro-Rat-a and on its Website.
The Proper Care of Fancy Rats by Nick Mays
An excellent guide to the history of the rat fancy, and a must for
anyone considering showing and breeding fancy rats. Contains many
colour photographs. Useful, but this book was written some time ago,
and so not all varieties of rat are listed. The health section is
outdated. 256 pages, hardback, pub. TFH (1993), ISBN 0-86622-340-1,
£10.95
Rat Health Care by Debbie Ducommun
Debbie Ducommun is the founder of California's Rat Fan Club, and
this publication is now in its 9th edition and contains a wealth of
first-hand knowledge of rats and their ailments. Includes guides to
possible causes of symptoms, first aid, nursing care, and a health
food diet for rats. Some of the content is controversial, eg spaying
female rats is recommended to prevent tumours, but other authorities
on rat healthcare maintain that spaying is a major, invasive,
operation for such a small animal whilst tumour removal is a minor
procedure. Discuss with your vet and perhaps an experienced rat
breeder before deciding on any course of action recommended by the
book if you are uncertain. 32 large pages, softback, pub. The Rat
Fan Club (1995-2003), no ISBN. Available in the UK from National
Fancy Rat Society Sales for £4.00 including P&P. Make
cheques/Posta;
Orders payable to 'NFRS' and send to Tracy Milburn, NFRS Promotions
Co-ordinator, 66 Popes Lane, Terrington St Clement, Kings Lynn,
Norfolk, PE34 4NT or see http://www.nfrs.org/sales.html for details
Rats! By Debbie Ducommun (Not yet fully reviewed)
Lots of useful, original thought, and original photos. As with the
healthcare book, some very controversial opinions regarding, eg,
surgery and ageing, but highly informative & great fun. Pub. Bowtie
Press (1988) ISBN 1-889540-05-6 $16.95 (not on general sale in UK
yet)
The Rat by Ginger Cardinal, from the series An owner's guide to a
happy, healthy pet
Focuses on the practical aspects - eg suggested 'house rules' for
children helping to care for rats. There is a guide to American
varieties, but some colour names are different to those in the UK
(eg their Beige is our Buff). The book also shows Hairless and
Tailless rats, which are not shown in the UK as these deformities
are linked with health problems. Considerable confusion in the
health chapter, eg regarding respiratory illness, and uterine
problems - consult a more reliable source in this area. The chapters
on 'Understanding your rat' and 'Training tips and tricks' are good -
includes a guide to rat body language and 'The Meaning of
Squeaking'! Pub. Howell Book House (1998) ISBN 0-876054289
Rats as pets.
By: A. Robinson & A. Horn
All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.
George Orwell
A rat can last longer without water than a camel can.
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