You’ve probably looked at a rat sitting in his rat cage and maybe cringed at the thought of this rodent with his long, bald tail, so it would proably suprise you to know that rats are clean, intelligent, affectionate animals which bond to their human companions in much the same way that dogs do. 

It’s true!!  With the right care a pet rat would provide the same level companionship as a pet dog.  Domestic rats are the same species as the wild brown rat but over the last hundred years or so they have been selectively bred for their looks and temperament.  It’s fair to say that they are now totally different in temperament from their ancestors.

For a start, they are far less aggressive towards humans and other rats  and will become very attached to their owners.  They make playful, sensitive pets and can be taught to come to you by calling their name.  They will also be able to learn a variety of tricks. However, unlike some other rodents, you will find that rats are a fairly high maintenance pet.

Like most pets, you should aim to spend at least an hour playing with your rat outside of his rat cage every day. If you fail to do this, because they are much more intelligent than many other small animals, your pet rat will suffer greatly.  He needs lots of love and attention, free-range time and environmental stimulation.  Rats are extremely rewarding pets and will repay any attention and affection you give them over and over again but they may not be suitable for everyone.  However, if you can’t guarantee to give your rats at least one hour of quality time every single day, then perhaps a lower maintenance pet would be more suitable for you.

Unlike rabbits and guinea pigs, domesticated rats don’t take well to cold weather.  They must live inside or in an enclosed outbuilding that is warm and dry and well ventilated but without draughts.  Rats also need to have a good quality rat cage.  You should place the rat cage in a place where the temperature will not fall below about 45 degrees F ( 7 degrees C) and ideally will not rise beyond around 75 degrees F (24 Degrees C). If you place the rat cage in a busy part of your home, you will see that the rats will enjoy watching you and your family passing by and if part of the rat cage is at eye-level, you will find that you interact with them more.

As your rats will probably spend most of their lives in their rat cage and because they are such intelligent, active animals, they should have plenty of room in their cage.  Here at ideas-4-pets we always say that there’s no such thing as a cage that is ‘too big’ for a pet, and the same is true of rats - giving your animals more space is an easy way to make their lives more interesting.

As a minimum the floor-space of the rat cage should be at least 24″ L x 12″ W, but we would stress that this is the minimum acceptable cage size and most pet owners would want to give their pets more than the minimum.  It’s really important to check the dimensions of any rat cage before you buy it and those few extra inches of space in the cage can make a massive difference to small animals like rats.

Remember that your rat cage should be kept pristine clean at all times for hygienic reasons for both your rat and your family and that your rat should have access to fresh, clean water at all times and be fed a quality diet which your vet or breeder will recommend for you.  Also, make sure that you place some toys and playthings for your rat to amuse himself with when you aren’t around - there will be a variety of  playthings available for him at your local pet shop.

Remember that the more attention you give your new rat when you first get him home, the sooner he will get used to your voice and your smell and begin to make friends with you.  It’s important at this stage to handle your rats as much as possible.  They may not like it too much at first, but will soon lear to trust you and to enjoy your company.

Unless a rat is very nervous or unwell, you can’t give it too much attention or handling and a good way of getting your rats used to you is to let them ride around the house on your shoulder or inside your sweater.  They will love the closeness of being next to you and it also gives them a bird’s eye view of their surroundings within your house !!

One important note, rats should never be picked up by their tail - they don’t like it and it can cause severe pain and / or  injury.  Rats should be lifted by placing one or both hands under their chest, behind their front legs -but be careful that you don’t squeeze too hard or you will hurt or injure him.

As with all new pets, before purchasing ideas-4-pets would recommend that you read up as much as you can about the rat and also talk to your vet, the breeder or the rescue society about looking after him, his diet, illnesses to watch out for etc.  If you have full knowledge of your rat then there is no reason why you should not have 2-5 years of companionship and fun with him.