Rats And Their Food

      You should be very well aware of what your rat food is composed of. Rat nutrition is very important to a rat's health, and without it they can quickly deteriorate. Rats need varied diets just like us. If you are not sure of what to include in your rat diet, visit www.afrma.com for the nutritional standards of pet rats.

 
       You should find a nutritionally complete rat food, usually provided in the form of lab blocks. You can also supplement your rat's diet with fresh fruit, vegetables, meats, breads, and dairy products. Rats have a wide palate, and can safely eat tons of different foods. Is your rat eating proper foods? If you are not sure, stay tuned for our DO NOT FEED list. This will be good to print out and keep near your rat so you always know what not to feed them. Otherwise, your rat could wind up very sick!

        Rats are a pleasure to have, and it isn't too difficult to give them a stable and nutritionally complete food source. You just have to know what they can (or can't) have, and what vitamins and nutrients are vital. Protein is very important in their diets, and so is fat content. They have high metabolisms, and can easily eat 30% of their weight in food EVERY day.

Rat Cage Accessories: What To Put In You Pet Rat's Home

                Rat cage accessories can make the
difference between a happy rat and a very bored and

             

depressed rat. Here, we will tell you what rat cage accessories you will need and the best places to find them. You want to ensure that your rat’s or rats’ health is maintained, that they get plenty of exercise, and lots of mental enrichment; rats are highly intelligence animals and need to be stimulated much like people do. Rat cage accessories can help with this.  

                Of course, of all rat cage accessories, you should always have a house or hideaway for the rat. Rats need “safety zones” where they can run and hide if frightened. This will also be their bed. You should also have a wheel, as this is one of the most favored exercise equipment as far as rats are

Rat Supplies: What Your Pet Rat Needs

                If you are in the market for rat supplies, it is vital that you know which rat supplies that you need. Rat supplies are an obvious need when you own a pet rat, so below you will find listed many rat supplies that you will find necessary in owning your pet rat.

                First in our list of rat supplies is the cage and litter. You must have a place to house your rat. Preferably, you should choose an open wire-walled caged. This allows plenty of airflow; Aquariums trap dirt and dust, which can cause respiratory problems, and trap heat. Be sure that your rat has at least 1 ½ square feet of floor space. Wire walls also allow for climbing and exercise. The bedding is recommended to be carefresh, as this is the healthiest option when it comes to cage litter. Remember: Cedar is deadly!

                Another important focus with rat supplies is feeding. You must find a high quality rat formula to feed your rat, a food dish, and a water bottle. Water bottles are much healthier, as contaminants cannot enter the bottle. However, be sure to scrub the inside of the bottle weekly. Algae can indeed grow in the bottle. As for dishes, be sure that the rat cannot successful chew and ingest the materials. I find that hard ceramic dishes work best.

                Toys are very important rat supplies, as they keep our rats healthy, happy, and entertained. You should be sure to offer these toys as a minimum: Hideaway/house, treat chews or bars, exercise wheel, and wooden chewing blocks. Rats are creatures who love to spend their time chewing, investigating, and running. To keep your rat’s need to explore fulfilled, allow him to explore your home. You can also introduce a new toy to the cage once a week, rearrange the items in the cage (they love when you do this! Plus, if they REALLY liked where something was previously, they will let you know by putting it where they want it), and switch out which toys are in the cage at any given time. Tunnels and complex layouts are a rat’s favorite. Go crazy with the cage design by adding tons of ropes, bird perches, small platforms, hide-aways, and hanging bird toys for your rat to monkey around on.

                You should also remember the medicinal, cleaning, and preventive side of rat supplies. Keeping first aid items on hand will be a great relief if a problem arises. You should always keep some shampoo (tear free baby shampoo works great!) and cage cleaning products on hand. You will need them on occasion. You can also find antibiotics for rats, in case he gets sick or sustains a minor injury. Small animal vitamins are also a good investment. 

                Rat supplies are a big deal when getting a new rat, just as dog supplies are for a puppy. Without the proper rat supplies, you may not be able to provide for your rat when needed, nor in a timely manner. You can never be too safe, so make sure that you have all rat supplies listed above, along with any other preventative medicinal items. These items will be most likely to actually become important later in the rat’s life. Good luck with your new pet!

Rat Mites

                Rat mites are a common occurrence in rats, just as fleas are with cats and dogs.  Usually, rat mites are no big deal and can easily be gotten rid of. I have found a few good home remedies for rat mites, and you can also find them to benefit you too. If you find that your rats have become afflicted with rat mites, do not become too worried. They will not take much work to be relieved of the rat mites!

                Rat mites are very small insects, that are commonly considered parasites. They feast on hosts, which are animals that they use as food. If you are not sure whether your rat has rat mites or not, look for tiny orange or red specks in the fur, towards the skin. They are obvious on white rats, but may be harder to see on darker colored rats. Rat mites generally affect the skin of the rat, usually causing excessive scratching, cleaning, and irritated skin.

                If you find that your rat has mites, start by separating your rat from his cage. Give him a nice soaking of baby oil (be sure that you are not in a hot room), massage it in, and allow him to soak for 5 minutes. This will suffocate the rat mites. Do not allow him to lick himself. You can control this by playing with him and keeping his attention. Once you have allowed his body to thoroughly soak, begin to massage again, to loosen the mites. Rinse him generously, to allow all excess oil to rinse from his body, along with the mites. Then, use a few drops of dawn dishwashing detergent, and massage into a rich lather; this will lift all remaining oil and lift the rat mites from the fur. Rinse your rat again, and give him a long relaxing bath with baby shampoo. This will gently cleanse any excess oil from his fur and any remaining mites. It is also tear free, hypoallergenic, and will not irritate ratty skin.

                Of course, your rat will be poofy once dry from the rat mites treatment! This is because his natural oils have been removed from his coat. Don’t worry though; he will look normal again by the next day or two, with no rat mites in sight. If the rat has sensitive skin, you can always create a homemade oatmeal bath (usually with no actual soap) to soak him in to relieve his skin of irritation.

                Place your rat in a clean box to dry, and thoroughly clean his cage, washing and soaking all pieces in the cage. This will remove any rat mites who may still be in the cage. Once the cage too is dry, you can place clean litter and your rat back in the cage, free of rat mites. You can then buy a mite repellent for birds to hang over the rat’s cage for a week, to ensure they do not return.

                Rat mites are extremely annoying for your pet rat; although rat mites do not pose a serious health risk most times, they can still ruin your rat’s day. Getting rid of rat mites may take a few hours, but it can usually be done with things that you most likely already have. Be sure to watch for more rat mites in the future, to keep your ratty happy and itch-free!

Pet Rat Clothes

                Pet rat clothes have become an interesting fashion fad within the world of rats, just as it has with dogs. People are becoming interested in buying pet rat clothes, along with trying to find them online, so now there is a slight demand for them. Some rats may be quite opposed to being all dolled up, while others are more carefree. If you are thinking about dressing your pet rat, you should be sure to keep the animal’s comfort in mind. Now, I am going to point out a few notes regarding pet rat clothes, where to find them, and can you make them???

                Pet rat clothes are slowly making their way into the fashion world, as they wait on a heightened demand from consumers. There are already many shops online that sell rat clothes, whether it be for costume or regular wear. The only problem with rat clothes is that rats are so small, and different varieties can have different body structure sizes. Therefore, you may want the clothes custom made or be able to compare the dimensions. Pet rat clothes can be absolutely cute, but you don’t want them to be sized wrong!

                If you have come this far, you must be interested in buying pet rat clothes!  One of the best places to find pet rat clothes is online. Many vendors and creators sell their items online, to attract a wider audience. They know that a local market is difficult to find so they stick to the cyber sales world. There are people who make conventional rat clothing, then those who will make extravagant gowns. If you do a little searching on good old www.google.com, you are sure to find something to suit your needs. Just be sure to include any other detail words, perhaps clothing type or color, to help narrow your search.

                If you are looking for something one of a kind, pet rat clothes can be a DIY (do it yourself) project! Basic sewing skills, clothing plans, sewing machine or thread and needle, fabric, steam iron, and a few decorative items are all you need! You can incorporate more decoration also, including: lace, buttons, frill, iron on decals and patches, pockets, metallic hem, embroidery, and much more. Just let your creative side run wild. You never know- you may own the first popular rat fashion line. Fashion can be a fun hobby.

                Now that you have a little information on the fun and whacky world of pet rat clothes, you can incorporate them into your rat’s soon to be wardrobe.  As previously stated, you should ensure that your rat is okay with wearing clothes, because it can quickly go from fun and cute for the owner to stressful torture for the rat. Just remember: If you hated being dressed up, would you let your sisters do it constantly? Probably not J so just keep the ratty’s feelings in mind when playing dress up with the pet rat clothes.

Rat For Sale: Selling Your Pet Rat, Or Responding To Rat For Sale Ads

                Have a rat for sale and not sure what to do to sell it? Or are you looking for a rat for sale? Either way, we have a few tips for you. Whether it’s a rat to sell or a rat for sale, you should always keep the health and happiness of the animal in mind. There are two separate paragraphs regarding each, so hopefully you will find some useful information with us!

                If you have a rat for sale, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out how you are going to get them sold comfortably and easily. You want your rat to be safe in its new home, but you also may be selling for profit, and you may be trying to find someone who won’t breed the rat. Depending on your case, we can give you some different examples of places to find the new owner. You can list your pet on www.craigslist.org, and carefully screen all applicants. You can also place an ad in your local paper. If you are going to be continuously selling rats, whether they are rescued or you are breeding, you should build a website and begin SEO to gain traffic. Once you have your different audiences, expose yourself, and wait for the proper new owner to present himself or herself.

                If you are looking for a rat for sale, you can follow the steps above in reverse. Search places such as craigslist and other free online classified ads sites. Look in your local newspaper, and you could even do a search on google for a rat for sale in your area. You may choose to search for ratteries to find a young pet rat. Rat rescues always have rats for adoption, so be sure to check out all of the rat rescues in your local area. Once you find a rat, inquire about his or her health, age, sex, temperament, and ask for pictures. Be sure to meet in a public place to meet the rat, and to decide whether this is the rat that you want. Never meet a potential seller in a secluded place, or at nighttime.

                It is very easy to find a rat for sale, but it can be difficult to actually sell your pet rat to someone. Be sure to do plenty of research, and to make sure that the potential buyer or seller is someone who you would be willing to sell to or buy from. If a buyer seems shady, sell your pet to someone else. You have every right to choose who your pet will or will not go to. And for the buyers, get started now, and enter “rat for sale” with your location into google search!

Pet Rat Names: Cute Female Pet Rat Names & Male Pet Rat Names

Pet rat names are always the fun part of obtaining a new pet rat, and here we have some cute female pet rat names, and male pet rat names. You may decide to go with a more run of the mill pet rat name, or you may decide to go with an interesting and unique pet rat names. Just like any other pet, there is no certain name that you should give your pet rat. That is the beauty of creativity!

If you are looking for cute female pet rat names, you may be interested in some of these names: Minnie, Pearl, Annie, Tinkle, Precious, Dottie, Tiny, Pudgy, Melanie, Ratara, Princess, Breeze, Misty, or Fiona. If she is a chunky rat, you may find these names to be cute: Plumper, Pickles, Fluffy, Chunkette, or Pieface.

As for male pet rat names, there are many for you to choose from. These can include: Mickey, Jerry, Jumper, Nick, Fred, Jeffy, Steve, Timpleton, Sammy, Cameron, Flash, Thunder, or Kyle. As for chunky names, you may decide to name your male pet rat: Chunkers, Nibbles, ButterBoy, Bouncy, or Neptune.

There are so many different name registries out there that you can also choose a name from. These registries are scattered all over the web. You can also buy baby books in your local stores for other name ideas. One of the best features of the online registries are the multitude of cultural, ethnic, and genre specific name sites out there.

If you want a unique name, you could always observe your new pet for days before finally naming him or her. For example, if the rat is quite anxious and hyper, you may name it Speeder, Jumpy, Lightning, or Hopper. If they are very loving, you may consider Sugar, Sweetheart, Sugar Plum, Cookie, Kisser, or Lover. If they are mischievous, you might name him or her Trouble, Destroyer, Schemer, or Diablo.

Pet rat names can be easy or difficult to find depending on how picky you are. We have listed a few cute female pet rat names, and male pet rat names. Hopefully, you might just find one of them to be perfect for your pet rat, and if not, I hope you will now be able to quickly and easily find a name database or the creativity to pick a pet rat name.  Cheers to you and your new little ratty and family member!

Rat Costume Ideas: For You And Your Rat!

If you are looking for rat costume ideas, you have come to the right place for some inspiration. I have a few ideas, whether these rat costume ideas are for you or your pet rat. No matter the occasion, it’s always fun to dress up! I sure hope you will benefit from the rat costume ideas I have. J

Do you want rat costume ideas for a human? If so, you might consider a classical outfit. Even though Mickey was originally a mouse, Mickey Mouse is a great idea! Everyone loves him. Another would be Templeton from Charlotte’s Web. Templeton was a great friend to Wilbur, and if one dresses as Templeton, someone else could dress as Wilbur or Charlotte; making it a great group costume idea. If you are looking for something more subtle, you can find rat ear costume pieces in the form of headbands or hair clips, makeup for whiskers and facial markings, and a rat tail that clips to the seat of your pants. For a scary look, you could go with a demented evil rat costume. All of these can be found in party stores, Halloween shops, or via online searching in online stores.

If these rat costume ideas are for your rat, you should be very creative! Although, many rat costume ideas may go down the drain with a non-cooperative rat. Be sure that your rat is comfortable with the idea, before torturing him or her. My favorite rat costume ideas would be: dressing the rat as a cat, a human, a clown, a chicken (you could use pet safe paint to color the snout orange like a beak!), or even as an angel. How cute is a rat with a halo??? Any facial decorating should be done with pet safe paint, all head décor should go around the neck or adhere to the hair (you do not want anything to tight, as your rat may choke or become anxious and panicky), and any clothing should be loose enough to allow the animal to be comfortable, but not loose enough to hang up limbs or cause them to injure themselves. There are so many different rat costumes ideas- for more, use google images! They will give you tons of rat costume ideas!

There are two different instances you may need rat costume ideas, whether it be for a human or rat. Some people may even want to dress up a different pet as a rat- If so, I’m sorry I didn’t list ideas for these! However, both suggestions can be used to improvise. Hopefully, you will soon find the rat costume ideas that will ultimately lead to your ideal costume choice. Good luck in your search, and remember: Google images will really help you out!

Where To Buy A Pet Rat

                Wondering where to buy a pet rat? Sometimes, the many options can confuse a potential rat owner as to where to buy a pet rat. There are many options, from: Rat Breeders, Ratteries, Rat Rescues, Adoption Events, Rat Shows, Pet Shops, and even people who are trying to rehome their pet rats. Now, your original question (“Where to buy a pet rat”) has been answered; it’s only a matter of location, time, and cost!

                If you are looking for a low priced pet rat, then you may want to view pet rats that are looking for new homes by owners or rescues. These rats will even cost more than pet shops, because they are avoiding people who own snakes (who will try to feed them the pet rats). Pet shops do not care as to what happens to their pet rats after purchase, after all, the snakes need to eat too. However, it is appalling to see a sweet, loving rat go into the jaws of a snake. These rats may not have much information on their past or genetics; although you may find pedigreed rats with owners who need to rehome them due to personal problems.

                Another great option is to seek out hobbyist rat breeders, pet quality ratteries, and adoption events. These rats will usually be of impeccable pet quality, and can have genetic and health information along with ancestral records. These will usually come from well established breeders who have raised at least 3 generations. You can usually assume that the temperament of the animal will be incredible, as long as the rat comes from a reputable breeder. When most think of “where to buy a pet rat”, these are the first options to come to mind.

                However, if your variation of the question is “where to buy a pet show rat”, well, pedigreed ratteries and rat shows are the answer! Pedigreed ratteries who adhere to show standards will be able to supply you with a show quality pet rat. However, they can be VERY pricey! You may be looking at a price tag of $40.00 to over $200.00, depending on the variety. Rat shows can be great places to find many show rats on sale in one place, with their prices being slightly lowered to increase the likelihood of sales for older rats and kits.

                With the transition from “Where to buy a pet rat” to “Which place will I buy a pet rat from”, you can now debate on which of these options works best for you. It is personally recommended to find a homeless, rescued, or near-homeless rat to give a loving home to. Most times, these rats are absolute sweethearts, but just as dogs and cats, no one seems to want to love them. Please make a wise and well thought choice, and I hope you enjoy your new rat!

                

Pet Rat Accessories: What Your Pet Rat May Like

                Pet rat accessories are a fairly important part of owning a pet rat. Accessories include basic needs, health supplies for rats, and other things such as toys or fashion. Your pet rat should have everything it needs, and some really great owners will buy tons of items for their pet rats in the assumption that they will keep them as happy, healthy, and perhaps as adorable, as possible. Some owners know that it does not take much money to keep a pet rat happy, as long as they keep the basics. We are going to cover the extra pet rat accessories, with the basic needs being covered in other articles.

                One of the newest fads in pet rat accessories is clothing and fashion. Many people have begun to buy clothing and stylish accessories for their pet rats. They may buy simple items such as hats, bows and rat jewelry; Or they may buy larger or more extravagant items such as rat costumes, pet rat clothing, dresses, and other items.

                Other pet rat accessories that have been around for ages are external play items and areas, such as running balls or exercise balls (which the rat is safely enclosed in, allowing it to explore the house), tunnel systems (some people may run these through the walls of the home, so the rat can enjoy a bird’s eye view of many rooms), and treat balls. These all allow for mental stimulation, allowing the rat to explore and figure out different ways to retrieve treats from the ball.

                One other example of pet rat accessories is personalized ratty belongs. People will buy pet rat accessories such as travel bags, sleeping pouches, rat hammocks, and more, then personalize them with different fabrics or the name of the rat. These are usually a little expensive, but can take a rat cage from boring and normal, to a hip and colorful lounge for the rat.

                Pet rat accessories are a great consideration when owning a pet rat, especially if you would like to spoil your pet with extra cash you may have. However, the ultimate pampering for a pet rat costs absolutely nothing: Tons of love and attention! Pet rats crave tons of social interaction, and will miss you and greet you just as cats and dogs will. Your rat will enjoy having tons of pet rat accessories and toys, so don’t be afraid to splurge on them every now and then!

Rat Hammocks: A Lounge For Your Pet Rat

                Rat hammocks are a favorite open lounge item for pet rats. They can be hung from the top of a cage, allowing them to curl up and keep an eye on the world around them. More social and outgoing rats will usually turn these into their main sleeping area, while shy rats may nap there for short periods of time. Rat hammocks are comfy, soft, and they dangle from nowhere. Rats love being in the air.

                With good quality rat hammocks, you may not need to worry about the chewing problem rats have. If they do chew on them, you can always incorporate flavored rat chews into their cage. If they have an attractive odor and flavor, your rat will be more inclined to chew on them and to leave the hammock intact. Rats love to chew, so without an alternative item to chew on, they may turn their attention to the hammock since it is a frequented area.

                Rats are nesting creatures, so they may turn the rat hammocks into a literal rats nest. They will take bedding, fluff, and even small towels and rat blankets into the hammock to build the nest. They will then begin to store food and favored items in the nest with them. If your rat begins to build a nest and storing food, be sure to clean it at least once a week. Throw away the used nesting materials and stored food. Then, wash the rat hammock to avoid mold growth, to remove odor, and to eliminate the possibility of a parasitic infestation such as fleas or mites.

                You can order rat hammocks from online stores, or buy them in pet supply shops and pet stores. If you order them online, you can find an array of styles, sizes, material content, and design. Most customizable items can be embroidered with names or phrases, and if you order through an individual who handcrafts them, you can even choose the fabric and dimensions of the rat hammocks. You can order a large rat hammock, small rat hammock, colorful rat hammock, whatever personalized rat hammock interests you.

                If you are interested in a simplistic style of rat hammocks, you can search pet supply stores. However a customized rat hammock may take some scrounging around online. You may even build your own rat hammocks, as they are not very difficult to create! If you are looking for something unique, be sure to take plenty of time to shop around to find the hammock that interests you most.  Be wary of your budget, as they can range in price, with some costing $30 or more.

Rat Breeders: About and Locating

Rat breeders are located all over the world, and the Internet is your best friend when searching for a breeder in your area. Rat breeders are responsible for raising healthy, tame, happy, and friendly pet rats while responsibly choosing the proper buck and doe to breed. It is delightful that you have decided to find a proper rat breeder to buy your new pet rat from.

The Internet is one of the best places to find pet rat breeders. It is important that you research the breeder to ensure that they raise their rats properly and that the kits will be healthy and happy. All you have to do is do an Internet search with the proper keywords. Of course you want to include rat breeders, the name of your country or state, and the town that you live in. This will show you all rat breeders located in your area that have a site online. It will also pull up any ads in your area where someone may be trying to sell their pet rats.

You can also search in your newspaper for rat breeders. Unfortunately, it is not common to find rat breeders in newspapers and many areas. However,  in states or countries where pet rats are particularly popular, they may be quite easy to find.

Once you have chosen the rat breeder that you are interested in contacting, see if you can find any past customers of them to see how their rats have fared. If the rat breeder is promising and you do find that they produce happy and healthy kits, you might now be interested in being added to their contact list or waiting list for upcoming litters. Different rat breeders will breed different varieties, colors, and grades of rats, whether they be pet quality or show quality. Show quality rats will usually cost much more than pet quality, because they meet or exceed all showing standards with the different rat show chapters.

Hopefully you are now ready to find different rat breeders, your new pet rat, and begin the journey to pet rat ownership. I wish you the best of luck in finding a new pet rat companion, and I surely hope that you will develop a good relationship with a rat breeder in case you decide to purchase another pet rat in the future. Sometimes, finding a good pet rat breeder will be hard, but once you do it is well worth the wait.

Rat Breeders: About and Locating

Rat breeders are located all over the world, and the Internet is your best friend when searching for a breeder in your area. Rat breeders are responsible for raising healthy, tame, happy, and friendly pet rats while responsibly choosing the proper buck and doe to breed. It is delightful that you have decided to find a proper rat breeder to buy your new pet rat from.

The Internet is one of the best places to find pet rat breeders. It is important that you research the breeder to ensure that they raise their rats properly and that the kits will be healthy and happy. All you have to do is do an Internet search with the proper keywords. Of course you want to include rat breeders, the name of your country or state, and the town that you live in. This will show you all rat breeders located in your area that have a site online. It will also pull up any ads in your area where someone may be trying to sell their pet rats.

You can also search in your newspaper for rat breeders. Unfortunately, it is not common to find rat breeders in newspapers and many areas. However,  in states or countries where pet rats are particularly popular, they may be quite easy to find.

Once you have chosen the rat breeder that you are interested in contacting, see if you can find any past customers of them to see how their rats have fared. If the rat breeder is promising and you do find that they produce happy and healthy kits, you might now be interested in being added to their contact list or waiting list for upcoming litters. Different rat breeders will breed different varieties, colors, and grades of rats, whether they be pet quality or show quality. Show quality rats will usually cost much more than pet quality, because they meet or exceed all showing standards with the different rat show chapters.

Hopefully you are now ready to find different rat breeders, your new pet rat, and begin the journey to pet rat ownership. I wish you the best of luck in finding a new pet rat companion, and I surely hope that you will develop a good relationship with a rat breeder in case you decide to purchase another pet rat in the future. Sometimes, finding a good pet rat breeder will be hard, but once you do it is well worth the wait.

Buy A Rat: All About It!

Have you finally decided to buy a rat? If so, congratulations! Pet rats are one of the best pets that you will find, and they are very friendly, intelligent, and incredibly sweet. There are so many different places that you can buy pet rats, and there are so many different types of pet rats, including varieties and colors, that you may become overwhelmed. Hopefully this entry will show you some great tips in buying a new pet rat.

First, you must consider when to buy a rat. Have you already obtained all of the necessary supplies and cage? Once you are ready to buy a rat, you must then find the best place to buy a rat. This may come in the form of rat breeders, adopting homeless rats, or visiting a pet store. It is recommended that you find either a rat rescue to adopt the pet rat from, or find a rat breeder in your area with a great reputation. Usually rat breeders will always keep in the pet rat babies' health and temperament in mind when breeding two adult rats. Therefore, this is the best place to obtain your new pet rat or pet rats.

There are many different colors and varieties of pet rats out there, therefore you should decide what type of rat and what color you would like. The many different varieties include: Dumbo eared rats, hairless rats, velveteen rats, and of course the standard pet rat. Rat colors can range from solids such as white, brown, cream, bleu, gray, black, and more. Rats can also have special marking such as belly marks, blazes, spots, roaning, and ticking.

Now that you are ready to buy a rat, and have chosen the type of rat you desire and the breeders you plan to contact, you are well on your way to having a friendly new family member.  it can take anywhere from a single day to many weeks before you may receive your new pet rat. This usually depends on the method you plan to obtain your new rat with. If you visit a pet store to buy a rat, you may walk home with him or her that day. If you go with a breeder and are choosing a very particular type of rat, it can take weeks before the breeder has any babies available. With a little patience, you will find what you're looking for!

A Rat Cage: Choices, Choices, Choices!

 A rat cage is one of the most crucial supplies when keeping pet rats. You can find a rat cage in many different places. You may search your local pet supply stores, pet shops, department stores, or you may even find them at yard sales or consignment shops. Another good idea is to shop online, where you can find many different sizes and types of rat cages at different prices. This also allows you to shop the world instead of just your local area. If you are a creative individual, you could even decide to build your very own rat cage, and customize it to the size and material that you find preferable. This can also be one of the cheapest ways of obtaining a pet rat cage.

If you want a rat cage that is ready to be used and already assembled, a pet supply store or a pet shop will probably be the best place to buy a rat cage. Places such as Wal-Mart also carry small rodent cages. You can make a rat cage out of almost any small animal cage, as long as the rat cannot fit through the spaces in the bars or chew through the cage itself. Unfortunately these places may not offer the lowest prices.

Another good place to buy a rat cage is by shopping online. You can shop with places such as: eBay, Amazon, or major online pet supply stores. Shopping online can help you to compare prices on different models, sizes, and colors while saving you plenty of money because the stores do not have to pay to stock to a physical location, pay employees, or pay other expenses that relate to a physical store. You can also find lightly used cages on auction sites such as eBay. When shopping online you will probably find the widest variety of cages to suit your needs, making it one of the best places for someone who wants a unique cage but does not have the time to make their own.

If you want a rat cage that is unique and specially designed to suit your needs, you should build it on your own. It does not take too much studying to figure out how to build a rat cage that will suit your needs. There are many sites online that provide layout plans for rat cages, or you could build a very simple cage out of closet shelving that is stocked in home improvement stores. This is perhaps one of the cheapest ways to build rat cages, and it's definitely a good idea for those of us who keep many rats but do not want to spend thousands of dollars housing.

A rat cage is crucial, obviously, but we all have different needs and different lifestyles which may or may not give us much time or money. Hopefully you will now easily find the best way of obtaining or building cage to suit your needs and to keep your pet rat happy and healthy. Always remember to allow your pet rat plenty of room to run and play in his or her cage.

Pet Rats: Wood Shaving Bedding Versus Carefresh Bedding

                When it comes to bedding for your pet rats, you should be very careful in choosing your pet rat bedding. Some bedding can be dangerous for pet rats- such as Cedar Shavings. Why? We will discuss this below. Your bedding choice can determine how healthy your rat is now, and how healthy your pet rat is in the future. Some will even cause quickly impending death for your pet rats; So it is VERY important that you read this blog post. Hopefully, you will gain something from this entry on pet rat bedding care, and your pet rats will breathe easy (literally!) with your new bedding choices.

                At the bottom of our list, we have Cedar Shavings/Bedding. Cedar shavings and rats are a very bad combination. Cedar bedding may be cheap, but cedar is very poisonous to a pet rat’s health. The oils, dust, and chemicals contained within the wood itself will cause many respiratory issues, respiratory illness, and toxic poisoning of your pet rat. In the beginning, you will see symptoms such as: a rat sneezing a lot, a rat hacking a lot, rat wheezing, labored breathing in a rat, and more tears than usual. It will progress to intensified symptoms as listed above, and will also begin to include: fatigue in the rat, rat weight loss, rats not eating, lazy behavior in the rat, and ultimately death. Cedar should ALWAYS be avoided! It will cause long term rat health problems. As a matter of fact, almost ALL wood bedding SHOULD be avoided, due to dust and oil content. They can both be very harmful to a rat’s health, even though it is not toxic like cedar is.

                News paper is not anywhere near as bad as cedar, and is appropriate for occasional use. For example, if you run out of pet rat bedding. The ink on the newspaper is not a desirable thing to have around your pet rats, but is not as dangerous as cedar itself. The ink can also stain the cage and toys, if used often. Newspaper does not have the best absorbency or odor containment, so it has to be changed very frequently.

                Paper towels are also good for temporary use. Paper towels can be fairly cheap, and provide great absorbency compared to newspaper. This is preferable for temporary use. It also does not contain ink like newspaper, and should your rats ingest it? It is not toxic.

                The best bedding to use would be CareFresh pet bedding. This bedding is made specifically for caged animals, and is made of recycled materials. Therefore, it is a Green product. It has a low dust content, keeping your animals healthy and happy. It can be a little on the expensive side if you own many pets, but it is well worth it for a healthy pet! 

Why Rats As Pets

                Why rats as pets? That’s an easy one: Pet rats are simply one of the best pets you can have! They are incredibly sweet, very docile, almost never aggressive (Any animal can pose a risk of being aggressive, with it usually being linked to past ancestors and breeding), spectacularly intelligent, and fun to watch!

                Of course, rats need plenty of attention. It is recommended to give your rat at least 1 hour of play time per day. If you have a lone rat, it is better to play with him or her for at least 3 hours a day, to ward off depression and loneliness.

                Rats are great with young children, and will usually get along with other species, such as cats and dogs, very well. Yes! Rats and CATS can make the best of friends! That is, if your cat has been raised not to attack them as prey. I have two cats, both were descendents of stray hunters, who have grown to love and appreciate the rats I’ve raised. One is particularly close, defending her “children” (anything from a 2 week old kit, to a fully grown well fed male) from every other animal in store. It is such a blissful sight to see all of your animals playing together and lounging together in perfect harmony- especially in cases where they would normally be enemies, or consider the other a part of his or her dinner.

                With their superior intelligence, rats can learn and take action on many different stimuli. This can be voice commands, tricks, trained habits or courses, daily routines, and more. They are capable of more than one may think. Every moment they spend getting into things and exploring, they are taking “memory videos”. These mental videos will give them a lifelong memory of all areas they have explored, how to navigate them, and where all of the food and hiding areas are.

                With a properly raised pet rat, you can expect them to be very well attached to you, much like a dog or cat. They will also become attached to other animals, whether it be a “favorite cage mate” or the family dog. Watching your rat play and explore can be very fun, especially when they become slightly mischievous. They may decide to annoy the dog, play monkey bars in their cage, or dig in your purse for that left over candy bar.

                All of us love our pets dearly, so don’t forget to join the MPMETM community, located at www.facebook.com/mpmetm.

Welcome To The Ultimate Pet Rat Care Blog

Welcome to the pet rat care blog! Here, we will discuss many of the important aspects of pet rat care, including: pet rat health, pet rat nutrition, pet rat keeping, pet rat illness, pet rat housing, pet rat toys, and pet rat games. This blog is a part of the MPMETM Network, (My Pet Means EVERYTHING To Me! Pet lover’s community, located at http://www.facebook.com/mpmetm with the blog at http://www.mpmetm.blogspot.com )

This blog is dedicated to every aspect of pet rat care, and we hope that you enjoy this blog. Please bookmark us, share every post you find useful, and stay on the lookout for new posts!

Pet rats have been domesticated for centuries, being kept and bred as pets. Pet rats are still considered slightly taboo; with their popularity not yet reaching that of pet hamsters. Pet rats are intelligent, and pet rats are very friendly. Pet rats make incredible pets for children, because of their docile, friendly, and generally non-aggressive personalities. You wouldn’t believe just how well of a bond pet rats and children can build!

If you have never owned a rat, you should definitely consider getting your very first rat kit (or kitten) for a pet. Baby rats can also be called pups, but are generally referred to as kits. Rats as companions need plenty of attention, much like a playful puppy. Companion rats also need to be located near the family members, so they too can watch and observe the family behavior, while not being left out. Rats get bored very easily!

It is also very important to get your rat a second rat companion. This is because they are very family oriented, and need at least one cage mate to spend their days with. A lonely rat can become a very depressed rat. To keep your pet happy, be sure to get him or her a friend, preferably same sex to prevent unwanted litters of rat kits. Rats can breed very quickly and produce anywhere from 7 to 14 kits on average, with a 21-24 day gestation on average. You may not be able to handle so many rats, so be sure to be safe rather than sorry!

Ultimate Pet Rat Care Blog

Thank you for visiting, and thank you for reading our very first post! If you are also interested in visiting our Pet Rat Recipe Site, please visit http://www.ratrecipes.freehosting.com . I have been a caretaker of pet rats for over 10 years, and am looking forward to sharing all of the knowledge that I can with you guys. Also, don’t forget to like our facebook page, and stay up to date with our posts!