Rats make some of the best pets one can have.
They're relatively easy to care for, clean, smart, and playful.
When selecting a rat for a pet, it is usually recommended that you get them young - about
six weeks of age or so. This will help ensure that the animal socializes and attaches to you
readily with a minimum of fuss or "training". Older animals make great pets too. Often, you
can find a great pet rat at your local humane society or a rescue rat center, if there is one
in your location.
A mischievious rat hiding in my favorite garment.
Getting to know your pet early is key in yours and your rat's relationship. If human contact
is delayed too long, you may end up with a snippy, aggressive animal that can take a long time
to socialize. Be sure your new rat has been handled since shortly after his or her birth. Reputable
breeders and ratteries will ensure that this is the case, but always ask about that, and ask to handle
the rat yourself before you buy it. If the rat is jumpy, if it bites, squeals, or if it urinates & defecates all
over you immediately, chances are it was not handled enough (or at all) during its crucial first weeks.
Rats are smart creatures, and can be trained to do a variety of tasks if you so choose to.
Many of them can also be litterbox trained, so they won't eliminate where you don't want them to.
Many rats will even come to you when called by name.
You should handle your rats for at least an hour (preferably more) each and every day. They won't enjoy
their lives very much if they're caged 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Let them run around the house,
or in a safety-prepared "rat room". If you have soft furnishings, they can chew or scent-mark (with
a tiny bit of urine) such items; covering them with a "rat blanket" will help keep your furniture in good shape.
SQUEAKING
Rats are usually quite silent, and usually won't squeak unless something's wrong.
Rats in multiple-rat households often wrestle, and occasionally, for very brief periods,
even fight. At this time, you may hear them squeak. Unless a fight is terrible or lasts more than
a minute, it is best to leave things be. Squeaking can also be caused by little feet or little tails
getting accidentally pinched or bent wrong. In these instances, it will be a loud, short squeal that
ends immediately after the source of pain is removed. Every rat owner has accidentally pinched
or caught feet or tails in cage materials while picking up or putting down their rats, so this kind of
squeak should be at least vaguely familiar.
Some rats also squeak at times while out playing and enjoying themselves - but the majority of them
remain completely silent, even when excited by a fun rat game.
BITING and SNIPPING/NIPPING
A well-socialized pet rat will never, ever bite. Many rat owners have had many rats and never
been bitten or nipped by any of them - but sooner or later you usually get nipped.
The usual cause of nipping is that the rat smells something on your finger and thinks it's a food
item. Constantly feeding items through the bars of their cage can also cause snippiness; they
should not be fed this way on a regular basis. Open the cage door, and feed that way, if you
insist on having snacktimes in-cage.
The accepted way to put an end to nipping, is to quit doing whatever it is you're doing when
you get nipped. Washing your hands with deodorant soap will also help eliminate food odors,
and make it less likely that you rat thinks of your fingers as food items ("finger food").
Although pet rats don't normally bite, even the gentlest pet will bite if it needs to defend itself.
Badly-socialized rats are also prone to biting the hands that feed them; this behavior can usually
be eliminated, although the process is sometimes gradual - especially if the animal's former owner
abused it. And female rats may defend their new litter with their teeth, especially if they're not
100% trusting of their owner to begin with. Give the female and her new litter a wide berth for
a day or two anyway; then slowly re-introduce yourself to the new family. In this manner, you
should regain her trust very quickly, and be able to handle her new babies after that.
To deal with feeding or cleaning the cage of a new momma, you can lure her out with treats.
Once away from her babies, she should behave much as she did before - and you can put her
somewhere else (another cage or tank, or in a tall open box) while you tend to her living quarters
and while first beginning to handle the new babies.
