Rats make excellent pets. They are very intelligent, clean and friendly.

Rat Care Sheet:

• Housing

A 60cm x 30cm x 35cm cage is suitable for an adult rat but bigger is always better. It all depends on what you can afford. Wire cages with plastic bottoms or glass cages are suitable. The cages that come with tubes designed for hamsters are not suitable as the rat will outgrow these cages. Whatever cage you choose make sure it is well ventilated and wont hurt the rat’s feet. You can put a ladder and a wheel into their cage, but first make sure that they are designed for rats. There are plenty of tubes and houses you can choose for them to sleep and play in.

• Bedding

Dust free wood shavings are ideal. Don’t use cedar shavings as they can cause respiratory problems.

• Feeding

Rats are omnivores. Pre mixed hamster food is suitable for rats. You can supplement their diet with fresh fruit and vegetables. Dog food biscuits are a good treat and will keep their teeth trim. Keep their dry food in a sealed container to keep it fresh and only feed them what they will eat in a day. Remove unfinished food every day and replace with fresh food. They need water all the time and this should be replaced every day with fresh water. Water bottles are great for keeping the water clean.

• Grooming

Rats are generally very clean animals that bathe themselves like cats. If you find that your rat’s fur looks stained you may use shampoo that is suitable for kittens or puppies on them. You can use a soft toothbrush to clean their tail, just gently brush the shampoo into the tail. If you find their nails are to long you can use bird nail cutting scissors to cut them. If you have never cut an animal’s nails it might be best to have someone from the pet shop or a vet demonstrate how it is done. You can also put a brick or a rock in their cage for them to climb on this will keep their nails trimmed.

• Diseases and Health Problems

General signs of illness

If your rat looks generally unhealthy, puffed up fur, lethargic or if it is not eating or acting like it’s self and you don’t know what the reason for him acting like this is consult a vet.

Labyrinthitis

This is a bacterial infection of the inner ear which causes tilting of the head. Your rat may move in circles and have problems getting up. This can be treated with antibiotics . Consult a vet.

Red Eyes

This is a sign of an infection. There are many things that can cause this, stress or illness for example. It’s best to consult a vet if the symptoms are there for more than a day.

Murine Respiratory Mycoplasmosis

This relatively a common chronic disease. It’s an inflammation of the respiratory tract and middle ear. Symptoms are sneezing, nasal discharge, head tilt and circling. This can be prevented by keeping their cages properly sanitized. Outbreaks can be controlled to an extent with antibiotics.

Tumours

Some rats get tumours as they get older; most of these are benign so you don’t need to worry. If they keep on growing and affecting their movement and health then you can have them removed. It’s quite a common procedure but can be costly; you will have to discuss the pros and cons with your vet.

This is just a general guide line to help you with you pet rat. There are many books and web sites available for more information.