RAT INFO

A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW:

In my opinion rats are the most intelligent pets of the “pocket” animals. They are social, affectionate, fun and clean.

You can get your future companion from rescues, reputable breeders (please do your research and ask around!), from people that have to give up their rats.
You can also get them from a pet store. I have a very strong opinion about getting rats from pet stores. Most pet store rats come from breeding mills and are bred as snake food. They are being “produced” by the hundreds and are often inbred. By the time they arrive at the pet store (often only a few weeks old) they can be sick already (usually with Upper Respiratory Infections or Mycoplasmosis). Often, these rats are not well socialized. A lot of times the employees are not very educated about rat care. The rats are kept in small glass tanks, crowded, on pine or cedar bedding with the wrong food. I absolutely hate going into pet stores. In fact, I don’t even go anymore. I found that everything I need I can get from somewhere else. I do feel horrible for these rats. Yes, you can “rescue” a rat from the feeder bin but remember that you only replace it for another one that will have the same fate. The (mill) breeders and most pet stores don’t care about the pet. That’s why I think they don’t deserve getting supported. Of course people can do whatever they want and people have rats from pet stores that are healthy with the best personalities and of course they all deserve a good home. Unfortunately, we cannot safe them all. Personally, I’d rather support a rescue or a reputable, caring breeder. I know by complaining here I won’t make a difference.

Get at least two rats - they are social creatures and don’t like to be kept alone. They like to play, sleep and groom each other and no human can replace another rat. Don’t worry, they will still want to be with you and love you. There are rats that don’t get along with other rats and prefer humans but it’s not that common.

If you want to add more rats you have to make sure that you quarantine the new rats. This is very important! It involves keeping the new rats in a rat free home other than yours for at least 3 weeks. After you take care of the new rats make sure you wash your hands and change your clothes and don’t handle your own rats for at least 3 hours. Your new friends might have a contagious illness you don’t know about and you certainly don’t want your original rats to get sick.

Once the quarantine is over and you are sure that all of your rats are healthy you can start with the intro. Please read this useful information about introductions!

http://www.ratfanclub.org/newrat.html
Here is a video of my 3 girls’ introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzzytu4BPqM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woRSKUDmRXg

Female rats are usually more active. They have places to see and to go! Males are usually more laid back; enjoy naps in your lap or being carried around on your shoulder or hoodie.
Females tend to stay smaller and usually have less weight than males. Their fur is softer and their fur can smell like grape soda, jasmine tea or other sweet smells. People describe the boys’ smell as warm corn chip or musky. Their hair is usually coarser. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule.

Rats pee mark. Some more, some less but they all do. There is nothing you can or should do about it. Keep a Kleenex handy, accept it and be proud – it’s another way of saying you are theirs and they love you!

Most rats chew. That’s another thing you have to accept. Give them enough stuff to chew on. Some prefer wooden things, others fabrics of all kinds or plastic etc. Just remove everything that you don’t want to get chewed up.

Rats can’t vomit (but they can fart!)

Rats have a very delicate respiratory system. Don’t use air fresheners, sprays, harsh chemicals, perfumes, scented candles, smoke or incense around them and never use pine or cedar as bedding.

Rats can mate as young as 5 weeks old. Always keep males and females separated if you don’t want to deal with an accidental litter. It only takes a few seconds and they can even mate through cage bars. A female rat can get pregnant again only 24 hours after giving birth. You can have the males neutered or the females spayed. Spaying reduces the chances of mammary tumors drastically; neutering males can help with behavior issues.

Males can also get mammary tumors.

Females go into heat about every 4 to 5 days. They “hump” each other and you might see their whole bodies vibrate. Sometimes they even leap like frogs. It’s a very funny sight! In some rats it’s more obvious than in others.
This is a funny video of my girls in heat: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HahZhRRtb0Y

Females don’t menstruate! If you find blood around their genital area, you better have them checked by a vet.

Be prepared for your rat to get sick at some point in their short lives. Put money aside for vet care!

Rats grind their teeth (also called bruxing) when they are content but also discontent. When you see your rat’s whole head vibrating and their eye balls moving it’s called boggling. Watch (or pet) and enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFSUtaeE5Us

Don’t be surprised if your rat starts grooming and licking you. They might check your nose, ears, hair and teeth. My girls check my mouth and teeth daily. They are so-called “Rodentists”. You are part of the rattie pack!
Watch Rapunzel in action:

Never ever pick up a rat by its tail. It is very uncomfortable for the rat and parts of the tail can actually come off (“deglove”).

Unfortunately, rats don’t live very long. The average is about 2-3 years. Of course there are exceptions. Enjoy every minute with them and spoil them ratten!

PLEASE DO NOT EXPERIMENT WITH BREEDING! Don’t breed because you are curious or want to see the “miracle of birth”. Too many things can go wrong, you are not doing your rat a favor, you have to find homes for the babies and there are just too many rats out there that need homes! Leave the breeding up to knowledgeable, responsible breeders who breed for health and temperament first. Responsible breeders had mentors when they started, researched genetics and do not “cull” (kill) the babies they can’t place.

Before I got rats, I asked myself a few questions:

WILL I HAVE ENOUGH TIME FOR THEM?
Rats need 1 hour minimum of free roaming and social time. (I spend between 2 and 3 hours with them daily and since they have their own room they have free roaming time 24/7)
WILL I HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE FOOD, PROPER HOUSING, TOYS AND VET CARE FOR THEM?
I feed them high quality lab blocks. In addition they get fresh fruit and veggies daily and treats once in a while). I made sure I had a good vet that is knowledgeable with “exotics”. As I mentioned my rats have their own room and also a Martin’s R695 that is open 24/7.
WILL I BE WILLING TO CLEAN THEIR HABITAT? It’s a chore but it needs to be done!
WILL I HAVE A BACKUP PLAN WHEN ON VACATION? I asked several people if they would be willing to take care of my rats. Some people hire pet sitters or board them at their vet.

If you can’t answer all these questions with yes, please reconsider getting rats (or pets in general).

WHAT IF I GET ALLERGIES? Since I am allergic to a lot of pets (cats, dogs, ferrets) and other things (hay, pollen, grass, dust mites – and the list goes on) it was a gamble to get rats because I didn’t know if I would be allergic. Most people are not allergic right away but develop allergies. So far, I’ve been fine. If I ever become allergic I would never ever give my sweeties up, I would suffer through until they pass (which is too soon anyway). I would take medication.
As precautions:
- I clean their room on a regular basis (but that’s a given) and make sure there is no ammonia built-up from the pee. It’s bad for rats and people
- I wear my “rattie outfit” – just some comfy pants and shirts that I wear during playtime with my girls. When I am done I change the clothes so I am not exposed to their urine all day
- I wash my hands frequently
- I don’t let them into the bedroom unless it’s the day where I wash the sheets and clean the bedroom anyway
- Sometimes I clear my nose with a saline solution.
- When my girls scratch me I do have a minor allergic reaction. When that happens I put Benadryl on the scratches which helps reduce the itching. I usually wear long sleeve shirts though so this won’t happen. I don’t really think of it as an allergy because it doesn’t bother me much. Having dealt with asthma attacks and a stuffy, itchy nose from other pets, this is no big deal.
I got girls because I read that people are less likely to be allergic to females than males. However, I don’t know if this is true or not. I’ve heard both sides, actually. Males tend to have a stronger scent. Some people describe the smell as “musky” or “warm corn chips”. My girls have this nice grape soda smell. It’s lovely!
Here is more about allergies to rats: http://www.ratfanclub.org/allergy.html

All pets are a commitment and a responsibility. They are part of the family.

DISINFECTANTS - A COMPARISON

Phenols (Lysol & pine cleansers): Absolute NO NO. Dangerous to rodents. E.coli and other enteric bacteria can actually grow in phenols.

Chlorine Bleach: cheapest and is very effective if you are careful to rinse it well then air dry everything that has been soaked in it. Bleach is corrosive to metals! It is also inactivated by organic material, that means you must clear away any body fluids first and then use bleach. Chlorine does kill spores and Mycoplasma, something that most disinfectants are not capable of doing.

Quaternary ammonium compounds: These aren't bad but are inactivated in the presence of soap, never mix them with detergents or soaps. The household cleansers with "scrubbing bubbles" fall into this group and work very well at removing stuck on urine. They do not kill spores.

Chlorhexidine (i.e. Nolvasan): This is a great choice except for the fact that it doesn't kill spores. It is not corrosive to metals and it's non-toxic. It is not inactivated by anything, it has residual effects and best of all if mixed correctly with water it can be used as non-stinging, non-tissue damaging antiseptic.

Antibacterial Soap: These are a very poor choice because they only kill certain bacteria. They are not strong enough to kill Mycoplasma. Basically useless.

Alcohol: Is not effective against certain types of virus, it is inactivated by soap and does not kill spores. Alcohol must be in contact with the object it is to disinfect for several minutes. Not effective because it evaporates too quickly.
Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide as Disinfectants: pairing the two mists killed virtually all Salmonella, Shigella, E.coli. The best results came from using one mist right after the other - it is 10 times more effective than using either spray by itself and more effective than mixing the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in one sprayer.

Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide: That’s a great way to clean the cage or other rat toys. Fill one spray bottle with vinegar and another one with HP. First, scrub the cage with soap and rinse. Apply the vinegar and rinse. Then apply HP and rinse well. Done! Neither vinegar nor HP is toxic.