"Absolutely worth doing the research before obtaining ratties as a pet!"
How I did it: Domestic rats are very intelligent, and affectionate pets. They are entertaining, and bond well to their owners. They do cute things, like bruxing and boggling... check out youtube or the like, and you will see these neat behaviors. I waited a month before purchasing them, in order to better educate myself on how to care for them properly.
I owned a single rat in the past, however, I did not have the internet or other resources to learn to best care for her, and there was much trial and error on my part. My first pet rat lived a good 3 1/2 years or longer, however there was much I could have done to increase her lifespan and comfort, that I didn't know about before.
I set aside $100.00 for my initial purchases. You can get bare minimum equipment and food for under $100.00 if you are frugal. I did not buy tunnels or hammocks, nor many toys for my ratties initially, rather I did some more research and made my own, from items I had already around the house. I focused instead on a cage, necessities, food, medical care, comfort items and items for the ratties to chew on, for their dental health.
I will be spending another $50.00 to $100.00 on a larger cage in another months time. You can start with a smaller cage size at first, as long, as you plan properly and purchase a larger cage when your ratties outgrow their small cage.
Lessons & tips: I found, it is better for the emotional health of your rat, if you
actually purchase a pair, so that they may keep each other company, and
entertained.
It is important to devote at least 4 hours a day to your new ratty friends.
I learned to sex rats, in order to ensure I received to females, or two
males, so I wouldn't have a pinky (baby) surprises later on. The pet
store employees are not always helpful or accurate, as I have found out
in the past. If you get your rats from a breeder, they will be able to
properly sex your rats.
I found, it is best to use an open air cage, with 1/2 inch space
between bars, so that your ratty friends don't escape or get stuck
between them. 2 square foot per rat is appropriate sizing, when
considering cage sizes.
Also... powder coated cages are best, as raw metal can be detrimental to a rats health. Martins cages are an excellent choice.
Rats love wood toys, and things to climb, soft ratty hammocks, and
tunnels. Wheels can also be used, but they are not always a winner with
rats, and you must be careful what kind you get, as open spoke wheels
can be a hazard to your rats tail.
It is good to keep various treats (though use in moderation as they are
junk food, and not good for your ratty friend in large amounts). You
can use treats to reinforce good behavior, and for training purposes.
You can litter train them, as well as teach your new ratty pal tricks!
It is good to keep a training clicker on hand if you plan to do this.
Rats can be prone to respiratory infection, if they are stressed. Rats
do not get colds, but carry a bacteria in their lungs that can become
unbalanced, if their immune system is taxed.
Garlic cloves can help support immune health. It is also good to keep
wet tail treatment on hand, in case your ratty gets the runs. >.<
Keep in mind, that despite your new rats size, and shorter life span (3
to 5 years, depending), they sometimes may need to visit the vet for
respiratory issues. You can usually bring multiple rats to a single
visit, which may cost between $45.00 and $60.00. and around $5.00 to
$10.00 for antibiotics for 2 rats. The open air cage, and garlic will
help minimize the possibility of an infection however, as long as you
don't overly stress them.
You can, also, have your rats spade or neutered, if you'd like to place
males and females together to play or live, without the fear of baby
surprises.
It's actually better to get a rat from a breeder then a pet store...
they tend to be healthier (due to better breeding), however, rats in
pet stores, need love too!
It is good to feed your rat many types of food, both dry pellet and
seed/dry vegetable mix, in separate feeding cups, as well as fresh
fruits and veggies (and even canned veggies). Too much "wet" food, can
lead to loose stool however, so be careful that you do not feed fresh
foods in too large a quantity.
There is so much more that can be learned about rat care, just take a
look around the internet. There are even decent books on the subject
now. Rats have a very interesting psychology which is worth looking
into as well.
Anyway, enough of my rat rambling! Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp-Wuu04zho
Resources: http://www.dapper.com.au/index.htm
http://www.martinscages.com/
http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/careofrats/a/ratscare.htm
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/8377/ratcare.htm
May 14, 03:32PM PDT
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