Fancy Rat Style

Rats can make really great pets. Handled on a daily basis from 3 weeks of age they are very affectionate, sociable and intelligent. They enjoy living in groups huddling up to, licking and grooming each other.

Fancy rats may live for 2-3 years or longer and will provide you with many happy hours of enjoyment as you watch their comical antics, specially when they arrange and re-arrange their bedding and entertain the family with their mock boxing matches.

Housing & Bedding

As fancy rats are very active animals it is unkind to keep them in a small cage. They love to climb so a 3 tier cage would be ideal with plenty of activities to occupy their inquisitive nature, e.g. flower pots, rope ladders and carpet tubes cut to a suitable size.

They love to shred old, clean woollies or rags, which should be replaced with some of the cleaner pieces frequently as this provides them with security and may in some instances help prevent them from creating an extra odour.

Feeding

There are several proprietary brands of rat food available, but please remember rats also enjoy 'human' meals, in the form of

• rice,
• pasta,
• peas,
• fruit
• and vegetables.

Of course you should always ensure that fresh clean drinking water is available daily. Small treats of washed fruit or nuts and the occasional dog biscuit would make you a firm favourite.

However…

• Cakes,
• biscuits
• and chocolate

should not be fed, as these can lead to obesity and poor health.

Health

Rats enjoy playing in clean fresh hay; mouldy hay will lead to illness. Please keep your rats in a warm environment as cold, draughty damp conditions may cause them to develop respiratory problems.

Toenails can be carefully trimmed and teeth checked for malocclusion regularly.

The earliest age for breeding rats is just over 9 weeks so it is wise to separate the babies into single sex groups at 5 weeks. Female rats carry their ‘kittens’ for roughly 3 weeks and are fertile as soon as their babies are born - best to remove dad before mum litters down! The babies are weaned at 3-4 weeks and will begin to nibble on solid food around the third week.

Of course in the event of serious illness please contact Essex Guinea Pig & Rat Rescue. We will be only too pleased to advise and if necessary refer you to our own recommended Rat friendly Veterinary Practice.