BASIC RAT CARE
Pet stores don’t always know what is best. Their training for animal care is minimal, and their ultimate goal is in sales. Please, please, please do your own research to find what is best for your rats, your home, and your budget!
Mischiefs
Rats are social animals and need the company of another rat. No amount of human interaction can make up for the bond that rats have with each other. Lone rats can develop depression and behavioral problems.
Cages
With so many different cage options to choose from, it may be hard to decide what is best for your rats.
In general, a proper rat cage will have 1/2inch bar spacing, a minimum of 2 cubic feet per rat, good ventilation (Glass aquariums DO NOT provide proper ventilation), and room for hideaways, and toys.
More floor space is best, and adding levels and hangouts throughout the entire height of the cage makes the best use out of the space. Rats need room to move, and if they are in a small space with other rats, it can cause fighting, and waste builds up very quickly. Rats are intelligent animals with unique personalities, and even though you will often find them all in a pile sleeping, some rats really need their own space to live peacefully.
Levels and Ladders
The levels and ladders inside the cage should be of a solid material. Little hands and feet can get caught and twisted if they have holes. Although it is a common belief that metal 'grated' bottoms and levels cause bumblefoot, that is not entirely true. From my best understanding, bumblefoot is more common with these types of flooring because they are harder to clean, and harbor bacteria easily.
Bedding
Bedding is an important factor. Our rattery uses kiln dried pine. With a trend towards pretty fleece lined cages, ammonia build-up can be deadly. Fleece is great with an absorbent layer underneath (not puppy pads), but must be changed/washed frequently. Pine bedding has oils in the wood that smell great, but will also affect their respiratory systems. Kiln dried pine is great with odor and most of the oils are removed through the heat treatment (as well as any lice/mites that may live in the wood). Most bedding is decent as long as the cage is regularly cleaned. Remember, if you think it smells bad, imagine living in it.
Diet
We recommend a lab block diet, such as Oxbow or Mazuri. They are made to provide all the essential nutrients that your rat needs for a long and healthy life. Seed mix diets are often sold at pet stores, but these do not have everything your rat needs, and it allows them to pick through various food and eat only what they want.
Smoking
I’ve added this to our Basic Rat Care because a previous adopter lost 2 rats she adopted from us due to smoking indoors. We were not aware of these living conditions until she contacted us about a refund.
Rats have a very sensitive respiratory system. Smoking cigarettes in the house can and most likely will kill your little friends. Smoking in the same room is an obvious no-no, but smoking in other rooms in the house will also seriously affect their health, especially the young and elderly. Smoking causes cancer in humans as well as rats, but the effect on rats happens much quicker.
Aerosols like Febreze and candles should not be used in the same room either.
Quarantine
Quarantine your new rats. You don't know what your new rats could be carrying that can be passed to your other rats, and you don't want to find out the hard, and sometimes heartbreaking way. When handling strange rats, wash your hands and change your shirt before handling your own rats. There are some scary viruses out there. Mites and lice can also transfer from your clothes.
Don't forget to wash your water bottles! Mold and bacteria can live inside the water bottles!
Most importantly, love your rats. Their lives are so short, and they give so much love. Your bond with your rat is worth all the work to keep them healthy.