anyone here with a pet rat?
Discussion
My two females are still alive and happy, starting to show signs of old age now thouugh 
They love making huge nests out of shredded newspaper though - amazing to watch them put it together over a few days. Last one was a work of art with little tunnels and everything.
Was gutted to rip it apart when I cleaned them out
Gives them a task I guess
They love making huge nests out of shredded newspaper though - amazing to watch them put it together over a few days. Last one was a work of art with little tunnels and everything.
Was gutted to rip it apart when I cleaned them out
Gives them a task I guess
Rather than continue in the other thread I had about pets for a flat, I'll bump this thread.
We got two rats last night. Very sweet looking things. Two females. We had looked at getting a hamster. I was more interested in rats but my girlfriend wasn't, however when we went to the shop she fell in love with them! So glad we got them.
Got the biggest cage that Pets at Home had which is a decent size. I'd like to get a three-story one in the future though.
Had fun and games last night when one escaped from the cage for three hours! She had fun running from one side of the sofa to the other!
No real photos yet as we are trying to leave them alone for the first 24 hours to get used to the flat/us.
We got two rats last night. Very sweet looking things. Two females. We had looked at getting a hamster. I was more interested in rats but my girlfriend wasn't, however when we went to the shop she fell in love with them! So glad we got them.
Got the biggest cage that Pets at Home had which is a decent size. I'd like to get a three-story one in the future though.
Had fun and games last night when one escaped from the cage for three hours! She had fun running from one side of the sofa to the other!
No real photos yet as we are trying to leave them alone for the first 24 hours to get used to the flat/us.
We have the same cage, bin the ramp as it takes up too much space and ours never used it.
Two females about a year old here, had rats before many years ago mainly from breeders but we have two very friendly females from Pets at Home bought for the kids, they've been great and the kids love them. Best small rodent pets by far.
Two females about a year old here, had rats before many years ago mainly from breeders but we have two very friendly females from Pets at Home bought for the kids, they've been great and the kids love them. Best small rodent pets by far.
We use the litter tray and use some paper pellets. Rats use it to poo in and just wee everywhere else which is fairly standard, in fact if memory serves our other rats used to wee outside the cage which was a pain in the arse.
Litter tray is easy to empty every day or so and refill with paper pellets. Cage base has straw or hay which I do when I can smell it, usually 3-4 days. Helpful to add a small cardboard box or other hiding places so they can sleep securely, our use the hammock a lot but dropped in a xmas present box and the hammock is now definitely second choice.
Litter tray is easy to empty every day or so and refill with paper pellets. Cage base has straw or hay which I do when I can smell it, usually 3-4 days. Helpful to add a small cardboard box or other hiding places so they can sleep securely, our use the hammock a lot but dropped in a xmas present box and the hammock is now definitely second choice.
I used to keep rats, and they are indeed fab little animals.
I have to disagree with Becks’ comment early in the thread to the effect that it’s okay to keep one on its own and it will interact with you more than if you had two or more. Rats are social creatures and absolutely need to be kept at least in pairs, preferably three or more (same sex or neutered, for obvious reasons). If anything, they will compete for your attention and are much more fun when kept as a little group.
One thing that I don’t think has been mentioned so far is that rats adore climbing, and are incredibly agile. So much so that I personally think it’s essential that their home provides plenty of climbing opportunities: it keeps them mentally and physically fit. They also seem to like perching up high in their cage*. A wire mesh cage is therefore far more suitable than an aquarium, although you must make sure that any floors are solid because their feet will suffer if they’re constantly walking on mesh. The cage I had was a big Terenziani one, and I cut sheets of Perspex to cover the mesh of the upper floors. The cage that “Adz the rat” pictured above looks very much like Terenziani, although Photobucket has blurred it.
* It’s tempting to imagine that they like being up high so they can see what’s going on, but actually rats have appallingly bad eyesight and can’t really see anything beyond a foot or so. I suspect it’s more to do with scent, which is the sense that rats rely on almost entirely.
I have to disagree with Becks’ comment early in the thread to the effect that it’s okay to keep one on its own and it will interact with you more than if you had two or more. Rats are social creatures and absolutely need to be kept at least in pairs, preferably three or more (same sex or neutered, for obvious reasons). If anything, they will compete for your attention and are much more fun when kept as a little group.
One thing that I don’t think has been mentioned so far is that rats adore climbing, and are incredibly agile. So much so that I personally think it’s essential that their home provides plenty of climbing opportunities: it keeps them mentally and physically fit. They also seem to like perching up high in their cage*. A wire mesh cage is therefore far more suitable than an aquarium, although you must make sure that any floors are solid because their feet will suffer if they’re constantly walking on mesh. The cage I had was a big Terenziani one, and I cut sheets of Perspex to cover the mesh of the upper floors. The cage that “Adz the rat” pictured above looks very much like Terenziani, although Photobucket has blurred it.
* It’s tempting to imagine that they like being up high so they can see what’s going on, but actually rats have appallingly bad eyesight and can’t really see anything beyond a foot or so. I suspect it’s more to do with scent, which is the sense that rats rely on almost entirely.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Sunday 29th December 09:41
Thank you . Completely agree about keeping two or more together. Ours are exploring the place together . We got two hidey holes for them but they both sleep in the same one!
Took the ramp out which has freed up loads of room! Shoved the litter tray in there and a second smaller water bottle. Heard one running for hours last night!
We're going to make a little play pen for them, somewhere for them to run around safely for a hour or so a day.
. Completely agree about keeping two or more together. Ours are exploring the place together . We got two hidey holes for them but they both sleep in the same one! Took the ramp out which has freed up loads of room! Shoved the litter tray in there and a second smaller water bottle. Heard one running for hours last night!
We're going to make a little play pen for them, somewhere for them to run around safely for a hour or so a day
. They have taking a liking to my girlfriend! She was able to get them out of the cage and have them running around her neck. It's funny we thought one was more confident than the other, but it's actually the other way round now!
Annoying my shifts aren't allowing me to have a play with them. I've been at home during the day but they've been asleep and don't want to disturb them. Want to keep their hidey holes we're they sleep as their safe place.
Pleased that they are getting on with my girlfriend, she was a bit upset they bit her and took it personally ha.
Annoying my shifts aren't allowing me to have a play with them. I've been at home during the day but they've been asleep and don't want to disturb them. Want to keep their hidey holes we're they sleep as their safe place
. Pleased that they are getting on with my girlfriend, she was a bit upset they bit her and took it personally ha.
Rats are very cautious, and it always takes at least a couple of days before they fully trust a new human.
I’m surprised your girlfriend got a bite though - it’s not normally in their nature. Sometimes they use their teeth to gently feel your finger, and it can feel a bit like a bite if you’re not used to it. They’ll stop doing it once they know you both well.
I’m surprised your girlfriend got a bite though - it’s not normally in their nature. Sometimes they use their teeth to gently feel your finger, and it can feel a bit like a bite if you’re not used to it. They’ll stop doing it once they know you both well.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Tuesday 31st December 08:46
Bump!
I've wanted some more rats for a while. But didn't want to buy from Pets At Home once I knew about the breeding treatment etc.
I wanted some from a breeder, however the timings never worked out for us.
Scrolling through on Facebook this evening and come across someone looking to rehome theirs due to the sister dying (rats sister not the owners sister!).
We are picking her up tomorrow. A year to the day since we got our two. Bit spooky!
Might need a different cage soon.
I want to go bioactive with the setup...
I've wanted some more rats for a while. But didn't want to buy from Pets At Home once I knew about the breeding treatment etc.
I wanted some from a breeder, however the timings never worked out for us.
Scrolling through on Facebook this evening and come across someone looking to rehome theirs due to the sister dying (rats sister not the owners sister!).
We are picking her up tomorrow. A year to the day since we got our two. Bit spooky!
Might need a different cage soon.
I want to go bioactive with the setup...
I've not looked too much into it yet, but you get some coco soil and it's damp enough for them to make tunnels out of.
You'll need some 'clean up crew' which are Sprigtails to keep the soil clean. You can add things like earth worms or isopods, but the rats can see them and will eat them before they get a chance to do any cleaning.
And that's pretty much it.
The cage will need to be modified to allow there to be a foot or so of soil for them to dig.
My girlfriend isn't too keen because of the Sprigtails. She doesn't like the idea of bugs in the house.
I like it as it allows them to dig which they would in the wild. And it's less cleaning!
We picked up our new one today. She's about 18 months old. She needs a diet! She's twice the size of our others who are a similar age.
Intros have gone amazingly though. Pretty much grooming each other within a few minutes. No fights or anything.
We put them all in a carrier to start with and now moved to a hamster cage for the evening. I'll stick a hammock in this evening when we go to bed and then they'll go in the main cage tomorrow some when if things stay like this.
You'll need some 'clean up crew' which are Sprigtails to keep the soil clean. You can add things like earth worms or isopods, but the rats can see them and will eat them before they get a chance to do any cleaning.
And that's pretty much it.
The cage will need to be modified to allow there to be a foot or so of soil for them to dig.
My girlfriend isn't too keen because of the Sprigtails. She doesn't like the idea of bugs in the house.
I like it as it allows them to dig which they would in the wild. And it's less cleaning!
We picked up our new one today. She's about 18 months old. She needs a diet! She's twice the size of our others who are a similar age.
Intros have gone amazingly though. Pretty much grooming each other within a few minutes. No fights or anything.
We put them all in a carrier to start with and now moved to a hamster cage for the evening. I'll stick a hammock in this evening when we go to bed and then they'll go in the main cage tomorrow some when if things stay like this.
Pretty similar to mine then.
Springtails are tiny, She wont see them without really really looking for them.
Ive got Woodlice from the garden as well as springtails and a few bloodworms in the soil.
A put an odd grape or tiny peice of fruit in occasionally just to check on numbers.
I also heavily mist, as the Gecko needs the humidity, but it keeps the subtrate moist.
The substrate is on top of 2 inches of clayballs, which I use as a water reservoir for the plants.
https://www.globalgeckos.co.uk/bioactive-custodian...
Springtails are tiny, She wont see them without really really looking for them.
Ive got Woodlice from the garden as well as springtails and a few bloodworms in the soil.
A put an odd grape or tiny peice of fruit in occasionally just to check on numbers.
I also heavily mist, as the Gecko needs the humidity, but it keeps the subtrate moist.
The substrate is on top of 2 inches of clayballs, which I use as a water reservoir for the plants.
https://www.globalgeckos.co.uk/bioactive-custodian...
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