Rat Information:
The internet s full of information on caring for your rat. Sadly just because it is online does not mean it is valuable information to use. Under no circumstances should the internet be a substitute for veterinary care.
Rats and Habitat
As you can tell by the picture rats love company of another rat. Rats are not meant to be alone by any means. Males can usually get along and live together happily but some boys end up being a bit cranky at times. This can be avoided by giving your rats a lot of out time. Rats need at least an hour a day but personally I do not think that is enough. You can purchase playpen and allow your rats to play safely you can also make one from coroplast or other similar materials often found at a hardware store. Some males may need a neuter in order to get along with other males.
There is no such thing as a cage that is to big but there is a cage that is to small. Rats need at least 2 1/2 cubic feet of living space per rat. You can easily find a cage calculator to estimate if your cage is big enough for your rats. I have yet to see a hamster cage that a rat can live in for a long term situation. Some cages that are popular among rat owners are Feisty ferrets, Ferret nations, Critter nations and Martin cages.
Rats should never be put on pine or cedar bedding. You can use a recycled paper such as Yesterday's News or something similar to that. You can also use bedding similar to care-fresh for small animals. Most rat owners use towel's or fleece blankets to line their cage. We also supply a litter box with an acceptable litter for rats.
Rats are not meant to mix with other species no matter how small the other animal are. Rats can be very territorial and they will not understand that other small animal is a pet. Instead they will see it as an intruder.
You cannot just toss rats into a cage together and think you will have harmony. Rats require introductions which can take weeks. Babies should NOT be introduced until they are at least 8 to 10 weeks old. I vary on the ages of babies depending on the other rats and their attitudes. A baby cannot defend himself against an adult rat until they are this age. If you get the rat at 5 or 6 weeks. Take this time to get to know your new addition, they can meet the rats later.
Rats require fresh fruits and veggies on a daily basis. They also require a healthy lab block. Seed mixes are not a very good choice for your rats main diet. Foods such as Native earth, Harlan Teklad and Oxbow Regal rat are wonderful staple diets for your little furry friends.
There is no such thing as a cage that is to big but there is a cage that is to small. Rats need at least 2 1/2 cubic feet of living space per rat. You can easily find a cage calculator to estimate if your cage is big enough for your rats. I have yet to see a hamster cage that a rat can live in for a long term situation. Some cages that are popular among rat owners are Feisty ferrets, Ferret nations, Critter nations and Martin cages.
Rats should never be put on pine or cedar bedding. You can use a recycled paper such as Yesterday's News or something similar to that. You can also use bedding similar to care-fresh for small animals. Most rat owners use towel's or fleece blankets to line their cage. We also supply a litter box with an acceptable litter for rats.
Rats are not meant to mix with other species no matter how small the other animal are. Rats can be very territorial and they will not understand that other small animal is a pet. Instead they will see it as an intruder.
You cannot just toss rats into a cage together and think you will have harmony. Rats require introductions which can take weeks. Babies should NOT be introduced until they are at least 8 to 10 weeks old. I vary on the ages of babies depending on the other rats and their attitudes. A baby cannot defend himself against an adult rat until they are this age. If you get the rat at 5 or 6 weeks. Take this time to get to know your new addition, they can meet the rats later.
Rats require fresh fruits and veggies on a daily basis. They also require a healthy lab block. Seed mixes are not a very good choice for your rats main diet. Foods such as Native earth, Harlan Teklad and Oxbow Regal rat are wonderful staple diets for your little furry friends.