A Simple Guide To Rats

A Simple Guide To Rats

Rats are intelligent, affectionate pets that form strong bonds with their owners. They’re social animals who thrive in pairs or small groups and love climbing, exploring, and interacting with people. With daily playtime and enrichment, rats make wonderfully rewarding companions for hands-on owners.

Lifespan: 2-2 ½ years

Size: 9-11in (23-28cm) body length; 16-20in (40-50cm) with tail

Activity: Most active during mornings and evenings, but regularly active throughout the day

Sociability: Highly sociable – best in pairs or small groups

Suitability: Beginner-intermediate; best for hands-on owners

🏡Enclosure

• Wire bar with solid base
• Height is important as rats love climbing
• Multiple levels
• Narrow bar spacing to prevent escape
• Bigger is better
• Do not place in draughts, direct sunlight, near a radiator, or humid conditions

🛏️Substrate & Bedding

• Paper pellets or kiln-dried pine wood shavings for base substrate
• Soft, paper-based bedding
• Avoid cedar or non-kiln-dried pine shavings

🥦Diet

• Rat mix or nuggets
• Small amounts of fresh veg, such as broccoli, carrot, or leafy greens
• Very small amounts of protein, such as cooked chicken, boiled egg, or mealworms
• Avoid citrus, onion, potato, avocado
• Hay for foraging
• Fresh water should be permanently available

🧩Enrichment

• Incredibly intelligent animals that need constant stimulation
• Avoid overcrowding their cage with toys – rotate regularly instead
• Exploratory animals that enjoy tunnels, tubes, bridges and ramps, ropes, ladders
• Multiple nesting areas using hides and fleece hammocks
• Cardboard for shredding
• Chew toys and treat sticks to keep teeth trimmed
• Scatter feeding to encourage natural foraging behaviour

🤲Handling & Behaviour

• Friendly and affectionate
• Very active; inquisitive and exploratory
• Hand tame well with slow, patient interaction
• Scoop from below, rather than grabbing from above
• Never pick up by the tail
• Need plenty of out-of-cage time
• Enjoy riding on shoulders, exploring pockets, and learning tricks

🧽Cleaning

• Spot clean daily
• Full clean weekly
• Wash soft fleece items, such as hammocks, regularly

🩺Quick Health Check

• Healthy signs: bright eyes, clean coat, steady appetite, active behaviour
• Concerns: wheezing, weight loss, discharge from eyes or nose, lethargy, excessive staining around the eyes
• Vet: breathing changes, persistent lethargy or appetite loss, persistent sneezing, lumps

🧺Shopping List

• Cage
• Paper pellets or kiln-dried pine wood shavings
• Soft, paper-based bedding
• Rat mix or nuggets
• Hay
• Food bowl
• Water bottle
• Enrichment items
• Hides and hammocks
• Pet-safe disinfectant