Rat adoption

5 Things To Know Before Deciding To Keep Rats As Pets

Rats. Just the name alone makes some people cringe. It couldn't be helped though, as wild rats do have some bad reputation. Rats are thought of to be dirty, that they are thieves, they destroy things, and that they carry deadly diseases. But those are the wild ones. Kept as pets, they become these smart and agile animals wowing people with their antics. Keeping rats as pets isn't as simple as putting them in a cage though. Here are some basic things that you need to know.

1. Rats are playful by nature and as such, they need room to play. Take note of this when you go looking for cages for your rats. The rule is, the roomier, the better. The more room they have, the happier they are, and healthier too as they will be regularly exercised while playing. Wide cages offer great space for rats to run around their cage. Tall ones, when equipped with horizontal bars, create opportunities for rats to climb and explore.

2. Rats are social animals. It is important that they spend their time with other rats. If not, they might suffer from behavioral problems that will one day annoy you. So when keeping rats as pets, it is best if you initially take 2 or more to share one cage. This way, their social needs will be adequately met. It is also widely thought of that keeping rats of the same sex is better than having male and female ones in a single cage.

3. Pet rats have this tendency to spray urine over you, and on your possessions. This is called scent-marking. Scent-marking is widely practiced by lots of animals, rats included. These scent markers are likely olfactory signals having territorial implications. In some cases, they are signals of ownership of something. Rat urine however is not really that offensive when it comes to its smell. It's the idea of being urinated over by an animal that turns other people off.

4. Rats have short life spans. A rat's life can last for up to 5 years, but the average figure is a short 2 to 3 years. Compared to cats and dogs and other larger animals who live longer, your pet rats can only be there for you for a few years. Dealing with the loss of a pet can happen often.

5. Like any pet, rats need veterinarian care too, but not often. Rats are relatively healthy creatures so having a veterinary clinic close by is not that important. It would help though to have one just in case.

Choosing rats as pets can be an excellent choice because of their natural playfulness, their diminutive size, and their intelligence. They like to please too, and they love showing off what they can do.

Dean Ramilo is a webmaster, web designer, and graphics artist specializing in logo design. Check out his new websites at Rat Cages. a site for people looking for Rat Cages For Sale

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Ramilo

Domestic rats

Rodents rank as the third most popular pet among families with children, after the dog and the cat. Understanding the behaviors and the needs of this classification of pets will help you decide if a rodent is the right pet for your child.

Gerbils, hamsters, fancy or domestic mice, rats, and guinea pigs are the most popular rodents that children ask for. Many times their classroom teacher will have one or more of the little critters as the class pet. Here are some things to keep in mind about each animal.

Gerbils live 1-3 years, can be housed with gerbils of the same sex in a 2-4 square foot space, and are easy to pick up and handle on a regular basis. Hamsters live 1-3 years and are smaller than gerbils. If not handled on a regular basis both can become defensive and tend to bite. They need a fresh water source, daily food, and shavings in the cage to burrow into and to soak up the urine. These shavings need to be changed out at least once a week and more often if there is an odor. Depending on the age of the child, it may not be a task that can be done independently. Gerbils and hamsters also need an exercise ball or wheel to play with when left alone for long periods of time.

Fancy or domestic mice live nicely in a small cage that is escape proof. These little critters can be quite good at escaping if given half a chance. Their needs include fresh water, food, and clean dry bedding. Mice tend to be social and are happiest if there are two or more females housed together. Males tend to fight and a male/female pair will reproduce more often than the average pet owner needs. Mice are nocturnal so most of their entertaining antics are done in the evening hours or after dark. They do not make a good pet for young children because they are quick and can easily escape the grasp of the younger child.

Rats make very entertaining pets. They live 2-4 years, are very social, enjoy human socializing, and can be trained to do tricks. They require regular handling and more time than the other rodents listed. For a responsible teen that enjoys the challenge of taming and training a pet, the rat might be just the ticket. They require a small space that is secure, fresh water, bedding, and daily food.

Guinea pigs are the largest of the rodents here, although some professionals don't consider the guinea pig a rodent. These creatures are gentle in nature. They are larger than the other rodents making them easier to hold and handle. Guinea pigs rarely bite. They enjoy the company of a same sex cage mate, but will be content alone. The diet of the guinea pig is the more challenging of diets. It includes fresh hay or pellets, fresh veggies, and a clean water source. The bedding also will require a change out at least once a week.

Consider purchasing a rodent from a reliable pet store or breeder. This ensures the pet is healthy, free from disease, and the sex that you prefer. A good pet store owner can give you tips on how to handle the animal in a safe manner for both the pet and the child. The expense of rodent ownership includes the cage, bedding, food, self water bottles, vet costs if the animal becomes ill, and any vitamin or mineral supplements that may be recommended. It is also a good idea to have an exercise wheel or ball appropriate for the size of your rodent to keep them entertained.

Rodents can be fun to watch, easy to handle, and safe to maintain around children. A soft little rodent may be the perfect pet for your child.

Terri Forehand is a pediatric/ neonatal critical care nurse and freelance writer. She has a passion for kids of all ages, especially kids who are fighting against tough illnesses and diseases. Visit her blog and website for more information. She is currently working on fiction for kids. http://www.terriforehand.com
http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terri_Forehand

Pet rats

Fancy rats make great pets for the right people. Even with the recommended minimum of play-time outside of the cage on a daily basis your pet will still spend the majority of his or her time inside of the cage called home. These animals are active pets and very intelligent creatures. Because of this, it's important to make sure that you provide a fancy rat cage that will allow your little friend to exercise physically, as well as, mentally.

The minimum floor space that is recommended for each pet rat is 24 inches by 12 inches. Please keep in mind that this is the absolute bare minimum recommendation. It is, also, recommended that if you can afford it and have the space that you get a larger cage. Vertical space can give your pet some added space. Vertical cage space isn't important and floor space but it is much better than no space at all. Fancy pet rats are very active and will utilize any space that they are given.

Ventilation is important to the health of your pet and the quality of the air you breathe. Decomposing fecal matter and urine give off ammonia gas, among other things. Many respiratory problems in rats can be traced back to ammonia gas and poor ventilation. Because of this, it is recommended that you get a wire mesh cage to use as your fancy rat cage. The open walls of these cages make ventilation a breeze when compared to aquariums or other glass tanks. You can put some litter down on the floor to help absorb the droppings. Regardless of the use of litter, you should plan on cleaning your pet's home, at least, weekly. Wire cages are, also, very handy when it comes to hanging hammocks, toys, or water bottles. Try to find a cage that does not use plastic. Rats need to chew to keep their teeth from getting too long and they will chew through a plastic cage or floor.

The author is a leader in the pet cage industry and offers quality fancy rat cages [http://qualityratcages.com/] in a variety of sizes for all of your rat cage needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derrick_R_Anderson

Rat as a pet

Rates are clean, affectionate and intelligent animals. The rat usually kept as a pet is the Norwegian Rat, Rattus norvegicus, not the Black Rat, Rasttus rattus. The average lifespan of a rat is 3 years.

Food

Rats are omnivores; they eat both animal and vegetable foods. Most Human type foods are suitable, but give mainly vegetable type foods and reserve meat for an occasional treat. Most people use a seed based mixture as a basis of the diet, but it should be supplemented with generous amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as fresh green food.

Things to Avoid

Some things are poisonous or undesirable foods for rats. Avoid giving your pet rat:

Alcoholic beverages
Anything known to be poisonous to Humans
Avocados
Bulbs and the leaves of plants grown from bulbs
Chocolate
Green Bananas
Green Potatoes
Liquorice
Onions
Potato Leaves
Raw Dry Beans or Peanuts
Raw Red Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts
Raw Sweet Potato
Rhubarb and especially rhubarb leaves
Seaweed
Tomato Leaves

The same care needs to be taken over the storage of your rat's foods as you should take over your own food.

Companions

Rats are social animals, and it is kinder to keep more than one, especially if you cannot be with your rat most of the time. It you have rats of both sexes, you can reasonable expect babies fairly soon. The females tend to be more active while the males are often more cuddly.

Buying your Rat

Unless you are already an expert on keeping rats, the ideal person to buy from is a serious rat breeder. If you buy from a pet shop, make sure that the person who serves you is knowledgeable about rats.

Housing

I suggest a minimum length for the cage of 24 inches (60 cm) and a width of at least 12 inches (30 cm). In addition, it is better if you can let the rat out of the cage and play with it. Many rat owners train their pet to sit on their shoulder.

Biting

Mostly rats do not bite. If they do it may be from fright, or because they are not used to their owner. In some cases, a male rat becomes aggressive as it becomes sexually mature. If the rat is showing excessive aggression, you may have to consider castration. If you do get your rat castrated, make sure the vet is familiar with the castration of rats.

If you are bitten by a rat, get advice from your doctor. Your doctor may recommend a tetanus injection.

Cleaning

Rats keep themselves clean, but it is necessary to clean their cage frequently.

Although rats only live for about four years on average, our Rat, Tiffany, lived for over four years. To read about her life and afterlife, see: http://www.bettatrading.com.au/Tiffany-Rat.php.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Challis