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

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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

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Rats types

Rats are rodents that belong to the Rattus genus of the family Muridae. These are the most dominant species on earth. There are several species of rats in the world. Most rodents are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous. In general, there are two basic types of rats. They are black or roof rats and Norway or brown rats. Both are thought to have originated in Asia and are now widely distributed throughout the world.

The brown rat, which is also known as the Norway rat, house rat, gray rat, barn rat, and wharf rat, is one of the best-known and is the larger of the two. Their scientific name is Rattus norvegicus. They are mostly grayish-brown, with a lighter colored stomach. A fully-grown brown rat is 18 to 26 cm long and weighs between 400 and 600 gm. They have a tail shorter than its body and their nose and muzzle are blunt. They prefer moist conditions and nest in deep burrows.

Roof rats (Rattus Rattus) are also called black rats and ship rats. They are usually black, slender, 16-21 cm long and weigh about 80-300 gram. Their tail is longer than the head and body and their nose and muzzle are pointed. As the name suggest, roof rats are climbers. Their paws enable them to climb and build nests in upper parts of dwellings, attics, rafters and crossbeams of buildings.

These rats breed when they are three to four months of age. They breed 1 to 13 times a year and produce 1 to 22 in a litter. Black rats and brown rats eat about the same things. Their diet typically includes seeds, nuts, grains, vegetables, fruits, cereals, meats and invertebrates. They consume about one-third of their weight in food every 24 hours.

They carry lethal diseases, damage structures and contaminate food. Some of the diseases potentially fatal to man that spread through rats are Weil's disease, plague, salmonella food poisoning and toxoplasmosis.

Rats provides detailed information on Rats, Rat Terrier, Pet Rats, Rat Snake and more. Rats is affiliated with Electronic Pest Control.

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