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Caring
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 LAHand without fingernails belongs to Chris. Note cataract in this rat's eye. Origins: Rats originated in Europe. The common wild rat is usually called the Norwegian rat. Rats are well known sailors. Of course, they spread all over the world in ships -- just like the Norwegians. The wild rats that inhabit city dumps (and other sources of food) are the same species we keep as pets -- without good manners. Our pet rats come in a variety of colors and certainly possess better manners. Note his clean fingernails. The rat, not Chris. Natural Environment: Any area that provides food, water, and some sort of cover will support rats. They love those old style, wire grain bins out on the farm. Red rat snakes (called “corn snakes”) also inhabited these old corn bins and helped control the rat population. Today, most rats are reared in extremely clean facilities for use in laboratories. Pet keepers keep just a few.
Temperament: Rats love people. That could explain why they move into some people’s houses. They are the least likely of all the rodents to bite you. Nocturnal by nature, rats easily adapt to whatever schedule you prefer.
Activity Level. Rats like to loaf during the day. When you turn their lights off, all the rats stand up on their hind legs and begin a rather weird “rat dance.” Check it out. Females move around a lot more than the males. Males prefer to loaf more. Your male will sit on your shoulder and watch TV with you – especially if you share your Tostitos with him.
Size: Male rats grow much larger than the females – nearly 50% larger on average.
Foods: You can’t go wrong by feeding the “pet block” foods specifically designed for rats. These blocks meet all their nutritional needs and help them keep their teeth gnawed down. Use a heavy, untippable bowl. As you may well suspect, rats will also eat anything you will eat as well as a great deal of things you will not eat.
Supplements: You need no added vitamins or mineral supplements. They do like occasional snacks. Pizza crusts trip their trigger. Ditto, peanut butter cookies.
Water: Since these guys love to chew, you better protect their water bottle from their always gnawing teeth. The “bell” bottles from Oasis work great, although rats eventually gnaw off their caps. We prefer Ginger’s full metal jackets. Position your water bottle at the top of your cage. Putting it against your lid will reduce gnaw destruction.
Cages. Wire cages (small mesh) give your rats additional roaming room. They climb the walls and even clamber across their ceiling -- if the mesh is big enough to get a grip on. They will also utilize any extra shelves you provide. Toys: Rats love climbing on wooden bird ladders and clambering on large link chains as well as the mooring lines of ships. They are as agile as the tree rats (which some people call squirrels). A large chain with a piece of wood attached makes a good toy. Most rats like larger wheels (larger than hamster wheels). Rats will play with most bird toys but wind up chewing the plastic ones to shreds.
The Nay Votes: Blondie climbs atop her kitchen table and shrieks when she sees a mouse or rat. The movie makers always put rats in any film where the hero goes thru a tunnel, sewer, or basement. Lotsa people just plain hate rats. (These people should not keep pet rats or read this information.) The Yay Votes. In 2002, a Viet Nam veteran in Billings, Montana (where pet rats are illegal) barricaded himself in his hotel room and shot at police who were attempting to confiscate his pet rats. After 30 hours of tear gas, pepper spray, water cannons, and concussion grenades, he finally surrendered his rats. The Middle Ground? Most
people find themselves somewhere in the middle of these two opposing ends of the
“rat appreciation spectrum.”
Jen Lasoski, July 14, 2006
I just got finished reading through your rat care sheets and I'm horrified that you posted such information. I have owned rats for many years and so many things that you list are just plain wrong. Also looking at the pictures it seems that you are not giving those rats nearly enough room. 10 gallon tanks do not suffice for 1 rat let alone multiple rats!
Cleaning should be done more than once a week, and water
should be replaced daily -- even if the bottle holds enough
for a week. Food should be a mix of grains, fruits, veggies
and lab blocks.
And finally I'm truly disgusted that you even consider
telling people that it is ok to pick up a rat by its tail.
That could cause damage to the tail or even break the rat's
back, causing serious pain and even death.
I feel that you should remove this information and do some
research.
A: Thanks for your input, kiddo. I've been picking
rats up by the tail for four decades. I've never broken a rat's tail
much less a rat's back in that time. You are welcome to your opinion.
You haven't read Hans Zinnser's book, have you? LA Lauren Purdy, July 16, 2006 Pet Rats Canada
http://petratscanada.com/tail.htm Rat & Mouse Club
of America
http://www.rmca.org/Articles/qna2_99.htm Rats Rule
http://www.ratsrule.com/ratcare.html
Ship Rats Maintenance site
http://cj_whitehound.madasafish.com/Rats_Nest/Ship_Rats/Maintenance.htm This is the result of tail
de-gloving (from RatGuide:
http://ratguide.com/health/wounds/degloving_injury.php
http://ratguide.com/health/figures/degloving_injury_figure_1.php Rats are (as you mentioned on your site) extremely
prone to respiratory problems. Ammonia
is very bad for rat's respiratory health. So cages might need cleaning
more frequently than once a week, it will depend on how many rats you have
in your cage of course. But if you can smell it, then it is bad for
them. In an aquarium the ammonia tends to build up quickly as there is
little ventilation.. So aquariums are not as good as wire cages, and
should certainly be cleaned more often. Bruxing -- as you mentioned, they do it to grind
down their teeth. I don't think you mentioned the fun fact that they may
also do it when they are extremely happy, just as a cat purrs. And the sad
fact that they may also do it when they are ill or in pain, just as a cat
purrs. A: Thank you for your information. I've added it to my Rat Page also. LA Go to Rat II © 1997, © 2003, © 2004, © 2006 LA Productions
3600 Sixth Avenue Corner of Sixth & Euclid Avenues Des Moines, IA 50313 515 283-0300 |
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