Housemate wants a pet rat...
Discussion
We've had pet rats in the past and they make good pets. They have very distinct characters.
Unfortunately they don't live long, and due to attachment you can spend a disproportionate amount of cash at the vet prolonging their lives.
If they're left out to run about, they can cause chewing damage - this trait varies from rat to rat.
Unfortunately they don't live long, and due to attachment you can spend a disproportionate amount of cash at the vet prolonging their lives.
If they're left out to run about, they can cause chewing damage - this trait varies from rat to rat.
Autopilot said:
pretty much all of them developed respiratory problems (Pasturella I think?). They get the sniffles, start making a rattling sound and need to get on the antibiotics rather quickly.
They are prone to respiratory illness, but it is exacerbated by sawdust which is a bad choice of substrate. Much of it will be softwood, which will contain resins that irritate the lungs. I always used to use a type of horse bedding that was simply cardboard cut into small squares (about an inch squared). Doesn't look as pretty or smell as nice, but its lack of smell is a good thing as far as the rats are concerned.Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff