Got Rats?
Sep 22 '02 (Updated Sep 25 '02)
The Bottom Line Searching for a loving, loyal, intelligent pet? Look past the prejudice and give rats a chance.
There are two photographs on my desk at work. I don't have kids and I'm not married, so my family photos are of my pets. One frame contains a photo of my two cats. The other frame holds a photo of two furry little creatures with small round ears, bright black eyes alight with mischief, and whiskery noses.
Co-workers see the photo and slip into the oogling-baby-pictures voice, then ask me, "are those hamsters?"
"No, they're rats."
At that point, the co-worker generally turns a different color and stares at me as if I'm a madwoman.
My poor rats. Thousands of years of prejudice has labeled them as dirty or vicious. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. They are among the best pets that I have ever had.
The domestic fancy rat is otherwise known as a Norwegian Rat. They are a separate species from Rattus rattus, the rats that were partially responsible for spreading the plague in medieval times, so, no, my babies do not have the plague. Pet rats have been kept for hundreds of years, and have consequently been bred to have pleasant temperments. Neither of my rats have ever bitten anyone, which is more than I can say for my hamster.
Compared to many other animals, rats make excellent apartment pets. Rats are fairly clean animals, and spend as much time grooming themselves each day as a cat spends grooming itself. With proper cage cleaning (once every five days in my case), rats do not smell bad. They are quiet pets, and will rarely make more than a few squeaks while play-wrestling.
And then, there are the rats' personalities. Rats are highly inquisitive, intelligent little rodents. They are bright enough to come when called, and can learn tricks. They love to play, explore and investigate. They also adore their human companions. Of all the pets that I have owned, my rats are second only to my old golden retriever in the amount of love that they seem capable of. When I come home from work, the rats crowd into the corner of the cage and place their paws on the bars, waiting for me to open the door so that they can lick my hand and run up my arm. They snuggle on my shoulder against my neck, nuzzle my ears, and brux (a sound made by grinding their teeth together, which is the rat equivalent of a purr). They will snuggle me for hours when they have the opportunity, and will even try to groom me. It has always struck me as wonderful that so much authentic affection can be found in an animal so tiny.
Have I won you over yet? If you are considering bringing these little creatures into your life, there are several things to consider.
First, will you be able to house them well? Rats grow to be fairly large, and can sometimes reach weights of 1.5 pounds. They like to climb and play, so they will require a large cage with many toys. Their cage should contain hiding places and bedding (but NOT cedar or pine shavings, since these are very toxic to rats).
Second, do you live somewhere that allows pets? Will your landlord be okay with your unconventional pets? If you still live at home, will your family approve? It would be horrible to have to give up your pets!
Third, will you be able to provide proper health care for your rats? Rats often suffer from respiratory ailments which require prescription medication. Some rats are also prone to getting tumors, and might require surgery. In order to prevent medical problems, you will need to carefully monitor what your rats eat. Commercial rat food is usually inadequate and unhealthy-- seed mixes are far too high in fat, and most contain cancer-causing preservatives. You will need to research dietary and health recommendations for your pets, and provide them with the care that they deserve.
Fourth, are you willing to deal with the heartache of having such a short-lived pet? Rats usually live only around two years.
Finally, will you be around enough to supply your rats with the affection that they crave? Like dogs, well-socialized rats love their humans and will want to be with you as much as possible.
Do you fulfill all of the above qualifications? You do? Hooray! Now, on to the next part.
Pet rats may be obtained from a variety of sources, including pet shops, rescue organizations, and breeders.
Pet shops often supply rats primarily as feeders for snakes, so many pet shop rats are unhealthy and poorly socialized. Pet shop rats can make excellent pets, but be prepared to spend a lot of time working through your new pets' fears and a lot of money on medical care.
Rescues often have pet rats for adoption. If you adopt from a rescue, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped to save your pets. Unfortunately, you may not have a complete medical history or pedigree of the animal, and consequently you may need to deal with the same sorts of health problems that many people encounter with pet shop rats later in their lives.
The best choice for a new rat owner is probably to find a reputable breeder. You would then know that your rats had been socialized from birth, you would know their medical histories, and you would get to know someone who could help you out when you had questions about your rats in the future.
If I had it to do over again, I would have purchased my rats from a breeder rather than having to deal with pet shop rat problems when I was still learning the ins and outs of rat ownership. As it stands now, I will probably get any future rats from rescues.
When choosing your first rats, make sure that they are not wheezing, and listen to their chests to hear if there is any congestion in their lungs. If you hear wheezing or congestion, the rats probably have serious respiratory problems, or may have a potentially fatal (for rats, not for humans!) virus. They should not have red liquid around their noses and eyes (this is called porphyrin, and is often a sign of stress or illness). Babies should be at least six weeks old before you take them home. If you are getting rats from a pet shop, make certain that the shop keeps the males and females separate; female rats can become pregnant VERY young (4-5 weeks of age!), and you probably don't want to bring home a pair of pregnant female rats and end up with 40 rats overnight.
You should get more than one rat. Rats are happiest living in same-sex pairs or small groups. Don't get a male and a female unless one is neutered or spayed; rats multiply, and irresponsible breeding leads to many homeless and sickly animals. Rats are highly social animals and crave love and attention from their own kind as well as from humans. Rats that are kept alone are sometimes depressed, irritable, frightened and aggressive. It is much kinder to have two or more of the same sex. Beyond the benefits to the rats, you then get the enjoyment of watching your rats play with each other, and you get even more cuddles and kisses.
Rats really are wonderful pets. I hope that this information might encourage some of you to open your hearts and homes to these little animals.
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Epinions.com ID:
LilScamp
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Member: Sara
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Reviews written: 94
Trusted by: 76 members
About Me:
I'm back-- and starting down the road to veterinary school! Critters will be my life.
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