Frequently Asked Questions

I'm thinking of getting a pet rat, what should I do first?

As with any pet, it is always best to research the particular requirements of the animal in question. Your local library and the internet can provide a wealth of information on issues such as housing, breeding and health. Rats can take up a lot of your time and have different needs and requirements to other small pets such as gerbils or hamsters.

There are several books available, a number of which we have reviewed in our 'Product Reviews' section, although most tend to be out of date. We also have a large selection of rat related websites in our 'Web Directory'. As well as the information you will find on this site.

Should I get a male or female?

Firstly, never buy just one rat - they are very sociable animals and need the company of their own kind. So, always buy at least a pair of the same sex. Males (bucks) tend to be larger and, in maturity, lazier, and they may tend to scent mark, so more attention can be needed in the cage cleaning department. Females (does) are more active and smaller and need a lot of stimuli to keep them entertained. Young rats are all very active and inquisitive!

Where should I buy my rats from?

There are pros and cons to buying your rats from various outlets if you are buying simply for pets:

Breeders
A reputable breeder breeds for temperament and health and will handle the rats from a very early age, making them very well socialised before you even get them! They can also tell you the history of the parents and the rest of the linneage so you can get some idea of longevity and possible health problems, and breeders tend to be very knowledgeable about rats in general and would want you to ask questions. The variety of rats available through breeders is more diverse than that available in shops. However, you may not be able to find a breeder in your area, you may have to wait for your kittens to be born (though this does give you more time to find out more about rats!) and you should expect to pay sometimes 3 times as much as from a pet shop.

Pet shop
In a pet shop you can see the conditions the animals are kept in and your choice can be immediate. However, the staff may not know anything about rats as pets, or may give you the wrong advice, and they won't be able to tell you anything about the history of the family your rats come from (so you have no idea about health issues, for example). Some pet shops keep rats in mixed-sexed tanks so, if you buy females, you will have no idea whether they are pregnant or not.

Rescues
If you are a first time rat owner, rescue rats are not adviseable as they can have all manner of social or health problems or special requirements that require a more experienced owner. That is not to say all rescue rats are in some way debilatated! Also, rescue rats, like pet shop rats, come with no history. However, some are from loving homes, are well-socialised and used to being handled.

How long do rats live?

The average lifespan of a rat is 2 to 3 years. However, this is only a rough average - selective breeding, disease resistance and diet can all influence the longevity of your rat.

What should I feed my rat?

You should use a good quality dry mix developed for rats - hamster food or rabbit food should not be fed as these animals have different dietary requirements to rats. Rats are omnivores and do eat meat, but protein intake should be carefully monitored (excessive protein can cause skin and other health problems). A mix like Burgess's SupaRat is specifically developed for rats and is endorsed by the National Fancy Rat Society. Rats enjoy a varied diet and there are numerous recipes on the internet for home-made mixes which incorporate ingredients such as dried pasta, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, rice, cereal and dog biscuits/dry food, amongst other things. You can also feed your rat Lab Blocks, which are a totally balanced food stuff but some rats find them rather boring!

What should my rat live in?

The prefered choice of housing for rats is a large cage as it offers climbing opportunities, ventilation and an ideal environment for adding such things as hammocks, tubes and extra shelving. If you have baby rats, make sure the bar spacing is not so great that they can squeeze themselves out! The bottom tray of the cage can be filled with a paper-based litter such as CareFresh or BioCatolet or hardwood shavings such as Aspen (not Pine and Cedar) or re-usable cotton towels. Bedding should be something like shredded paper or rags. Tanks can be used but care must be taken to keep them clean and free from ammonia build-up (from the rat's urine). They also have limited opportunity for climbing.

We recommend you read our 'Habitat' section for more detailed information.

How many rats can I fit in my cage?

You should allow at least 2 cubic feet (approximately 0.06 cubic metres) per rat. You can use the Fancy Rats Cage Calculator as a guide.

How often should I clean out the cage?

This depends on how many rats you have, but generally you will need to spot clean at least every other day, if not daily. This means removing droppings and changing bedding. At least once a week everything should be removed from the cage and washed in warm water with an animal safe disinfectant. Everything should be thoroughly rinsed and dried before being returned to the house. The housing itself will also need regular washing to prevent grime and waste build up.

More detailed information can be found in our 'Habitat' section.

How often should I handle my rats?

Every day, for at least 20 minutes. If you get baby rats be prepared to be patient and spend a lot of time with your hand in their cage, letting them get used to your smell. NEVER pick a rat up by its tail unless you REALLY have to - then make sure you grab it as near to the base as possible and immediately support the weight of the rat in your other hand once it is off the floor. Usually, the best way to pick up a rat is by using a scooping action, or by placing you first 2 fingers either side of its neck, your palm across its shoulders and back, and use you other hand to support the hind feet. Generally, rats are happier running ON you than being held BY you! Once you have got your rat used to being handled, increase the time it is out of the cage and the area it is allowed to roam (make sure that things like electrical cables, fireplace, drain holes etc. are safely covered or protected before letting your rat run on the floor). Rats, ideally, benefit from at least one hour a day out of their cage, running around and being nosey!

My rat urinates and poops on me. What's wrong?

Nothing is wrong, but your rat may be a bit nervous of you, especially if it is still quite young. Once it has got used to being handled, these sort of 'accidents' generally stop, though male rats will lovingly scent you as their own....! This is, however, usually only with a tiny drop of urine which barely smells. It is still good hygiene to wash your hands after handling your rats though: if you have rats of both sexes, wash your hands after handling one sex before handling the other.

What kind of health problems are rats susceptible to?

Despite having the reputation of being hardy creatures, fancy rats can suffer from some very debilatating diseases. The most common health problem is caused by the mycoplasmosis pulmonsis organism (commonly known as 'myco') which is present in the vast majority of rats (only sterile lab rats are 'myco free') in the upper respiratory tract. Generally, it lies dormant, but a depressed immune system (caused by a secondary infection or stress) can result in the myco becomming active which can lead to pnuemonia and death. Antibiotic treatment is the usual prescribed method of treatment for myco. Tumours are also a common ailment, particularly amongst female rats, as are skin problems (scabs and mites). Possible vet bills should be taken into account before buying your rats, so ring round a few practices to get an idea of cost (for example, how much do they charge for an examination per rat, a common antibiotic prescription and something like a tumour removal surgery).

My rat has really long sharp claws. How can I keep them short?

Get your vet to show you how to clip a rat's nails - generally only the back claws need to be clipped and then you only need to clip the very tip of the nail. Once you have been shown how to do it you can carry on the nail-clipping routine at home using small scissors. Care must be taken not to clip too close to the base of the nail where the nerve is as this will cause your rat pain and the cut will bleed (sometimes quite profusely, which can be dangerous for your rat). You can add rocks or bricks (clean) to your rats cage for climbing on as these helps to keep the claws short and blunt, and letting your rats run on carpet and shelving also helps.

My rat has small scabs all over its back. What's wrong with it?

There are several reasons why rats get scabs, the most obvious being mites which can be picked up from bedding or food. Your vet will need to take a skin scrape to check for mites and then he'll usually prescribe 'Invermectin' to kill them. Medicated washes can also be used but, if your rat is not used to being washed regularly, this can cause undue stress and great care must be taken to ensure your rat does not get cold while wet. Scabs can also be an indication of too much protein in the diet or an allergy to a foodstuff - try eliminating foods such as dog biscuits, peanuts or sunflower seeds for a period of time to see if the scabs improve. Over-long back nails can also contribute to scabby skin, so keep them trimmed back. Rubbing a small drop of olive oil across the shoulders of a rat can help relieve the itching caused by scabs and dry skin.

Should I get a wheel for my rat to play in?

Rats don't tend to run in wheels like hamsters (they seem to realise that they're not getting anywhere!), but some rats do enjoy it. However, because of their long tails, rats need a particular type of wheel; one that has no open rungs and also has a solid back (to prevent the tail getting caught as the wheel spins round). Wire wheels shouldn't be used, no matter how large they are or whether they claim to be 'suitable for rats and chinchillas', and the solid plastic hamster wheels are generally too small. However, purpose built 'Wodent Wheels' are supposedly very popular with rats (even if just for sleeping in!): they have no rungs, a solid back and the rat accesses the wheel via a round hole cut in the front.

My rats chew everything! What can I do?

Being rodents rats need to gnaw to keep their teeth short - hard foodstuffs like rat biscuits and the occasional bone is usually enough to keep their teeth trim, but some rats find gnawing a lot of fun! You can add cleaned fruit tree branches or logs to their cage for them to chew on, or small animal chew sticks which come in all manner of shapes and sizes: ball shaped wooden chews can often be an object of extreme fascination! Sometimes chewing is a sign of boredom, so make sure your rat has plenty of time outside the cage. Rats are attracted to electrical charge, so make sure all electrical cables are protected if you are going to let your rats roam freely. And they will quite happily decide to make a nest in your sofa by chewing through the covering and ripping the insides to bits! You should supervise your rats all the time when they are out of their cages, but be prepared to find all manner of things covered in little raggy holes!

My rat is just sat still with all its fur puffed up. What's wrong?

This is a sign that the rat is ill and it should be taken to the vets, especially if its eyes are half closed, it has red staining around its eyes and/or nose and it shuns other rats or contact. The red staining is called porphyrin and is often mistaken for blood, though it is more like coloured mucous. It is produced when the rat is particularly stressed or ill. A vet will examine your rat and should listen to its chest to see if there is any congestion in the lungs (indicating a myco problem), as well as checking for swellings, breaks or gut problems. An ill rat need only be seperated from its cagemates if it is evident they are causing it more stress, or if its medical problem is contagious or if you need regular and easy access to the animal (say, for feeding or frequent drug administration) - keeping the ill rat with its siblings can often help keep it calm and relatively happy. Being prey animals, rats tend to hide any illness very well (a survival instinct), usually until it has become quite debilatating, so getting to know your rats' behaviour is an important aspect of keeping fancy rats - the better you know them, the easier it is for you to tell whether they are ill or not.

Are there different breeds of fancy rat?

No, but there are numerous colour varieties that have been developed such as hooded, capped, self, mink, rex etc. Details of the various varieties can be found all over the web, including the National Fancy Rat Society website (www.nfrs.org).