Rooting for Rats

A pet rat is a good pet that is if you don’t have an innate fear of them. If you don’t like mice, then it might not be a good idea to get a rat as a pet. Don’t be fooled though, a rat is a lot cleaner, and more sociable with other rats and humans than mice are, so if a rat suits your fancy, then get a rat for a pet. Before you do though find out all about the benefits of owing a pet rat, and how you should care for them.

Contrary to popular belief, rats are not smelly creatures, in fact they spend more time on hygiene than a dog or cat does. If you’re a good owner and clean their cage regularly you won’t find any smell with your pet rat either. In their cages they’ll even mark off where they use the bathroom. You’ll find evidence when you clean their cage that a certain part of it has a heavier weight and a different texture to the hay or pellets. If you buy rats as pets, make sure that their bedding is dust free because they will get a respiratory infection if you don’t. A dust free kitty litter works great for their home. Another big misconception is that rats on live a few months, when in fact, they will if taken proper care of, live up to three years, and some even more, if they’ve that good genes in their bloodline.

A sturdy cage should be bought because rats love to chew, and because their teeth grow it feels really good for them to chew. Whatever types of cage that you buy or make at home have a sturdy gage wire for the outside of it, but line the bottom with a heavy plastic. Rats will injure their feet on the wire cage, if you don’t. Another good thing about rats are that you can buy prepackage rat food pellets at your local pet store. That’s really all they need to survive and be happy. However, if you want to make your pet rat really happy, feed them some hard nuts or crispy fruit. Rats consider it a holiday when you take the time to go out and dig up some outside critters for them to enjoy too! Grasshoppers and fresh crickets will make your rat smile for days. In other words, some of their food is free, and the other costs a little at your pet store.

Rats don’t spread disease either as most people think, especially if you don’t bring one in from the outside. It’s not the Middle Ages anymore, and domesticated rats from pet stores or breeders are very cautious about selling rats to the general public that might have fleas. Fleas off of rats are how the plague got started in Europe and China, but today you don’t have to worry about this at all. Always though remember to buy from a reputable breeder and pet store. They can give you advice too on how to care for your new pet rat. Rats live a good while too, on average up to four years old, and are under a foot in length from the tip of their nose to the end of their hairless tails. A small child might have difficulty holding them, when they move about, but an adult will not have a problem.

You won’t be bored with having a rat in your house either. Rats will require you to pay attention to them because they are social, and a little while out of their cage is necessary because they get bored easily. When you buy a rat it’ll be good if you get two of the same sex, so you can just watch them play and interact. Any type of tunnel or rope will let them have hours of entertainment, and you’ll love watching them. When placing their toys inside the cage look at the attachments toward the top because if there’s the slightest gap because of the toy, they’ll push out the top and get lost in your house. Rats are highly intelligent animals, so be prepared for a chase if they get out.

Even though a pet rat will require just as much attention as your family dog, don’t let that stop you from buying one. They’re cute and very social able animals and they’re clean, and like to be with people once they’re trained. Having a rat in your house isn’t a scary thing, and your family will enjoy them in time.

Pet Rats - Why They Make Great Pets

Anyone looking for a new pet wants a pet that is clean, socialized and well trained. Most people don't know that these are all qualities of pet rats!

There are many misconceptions about rats. People think that rats are unclean and carry disease. In fact, rats are quite clean and groom themselves several times a day. These aren't sewer rats we're talking about. These pet rats, or fancy rats as they're called, have been domesticated and bred in captivity for at least 150 years. Pet rats are quite tame after living with humans for so many generations and you'll find that they are nothing like their stereotypes.

Rats are very intelligent animals. Some consider rats to have intelligence close or equal to that of dogs. Rats are capable of learning to come when their names are called. They can even be litter trained just as easily as training a cat.

If you have any experience with other rodents such as hamsters, mice or gerbils you may be afraid of biting. Although biting is common with other rodents, it is almost unheard of with domesticated rats. Unlike their rodent cousins, rats are generally docile creatures. Most of the time rats just like to lay around, especially males. Rats can easily be trained to be good lap or shoulder pets.

In the wild, rats live together in colonies and have a complex social structure. These social instincts carry over to pet rats. Pet rats tend to develop strong bonds with humans and with their cage mates. So much so that it is common for rats to become very depressed when a cage mate passes away.

There are many apartments that won't allow dogs or cats, and it may simply not be practical to have larger pets in some houses. In those situations a pet rat is the perfect solution. Cages for pet rats usually don't consume much room at all, usually just a two foot by two foot space, which makes pet rats great for small apartments.

Rats are friendly and intelligent animals and make great first pets for children. Being clean and easy to care for makes them great companions for the elderly. Go out and get your pet rat today!