RatPalace.com - Pet Rat Care and Discussion

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:14 pm

I found this while browsing the web, it may be helpful to make a sticky.

Contact your veterinarian immediately if your small pet:

Has signs of heart or respiratory disease including:
No pulse or heart beat
No breathing or labored breathing, especially if accompanied by sneezing and eye/nose discharge
Bluish or white gums or tongue
A near drowning
Has had trauma including:
A broken bone, or a cut that exposes a bone
Bleeding that cannot be stopped
An eye injury, the eye is out of the socket, or appears enlarged or protruding
A fight, especially if it was with a cat or a wild, or unvaccinated animal
Being hit by a moving object
Puncture wounds to the abdomen or chest
Any trauma to the head
A bite from a snake, scorpion, or poisonous spider
A broken tooth
A severe laceration, or an incision that has opened and the skin is gaping
Falling or jumping from a height of over 2 feet
Mishandling (e.g., squeezed by a child)
Has had heat or cold related injuries including:
Chewing on an electrical cord and receiving a shock or burn
Burns or inhaled smoke
Heat stroke or a fever over 105°F (normal is less than 102.5°F)
Has frostbite or hypothermia
Has signs of gastrointestinal distress including:
Straining continually, but unable to produce feces
Choking
Bloat (abdomen is enlarged and sounds hollow)
Swallowing a foreign body (e.g., toy, needle and thread)
Diarrhea with blood, a green or black color, mucous, straining, a foul smell, or that is uncontrolled; especially if the animal appears ill (coat puffed up)
Black, tarry stool
A protruded rectum or bleeding from the rectum
Bleeding from the mouth
An overdose of medication or suspected poisoning
Has signs of nervous system or muscular disease including: Extreme lethargy or depression, unconsciousness, collapse, or coma
Seizures
A head tilt, nystagmus (eyes move rapidly from side to side), staggering, walking in circles, knuckling over (walking on the top of the foot), unable to use hind limbs, or other problems moving
Severe or continuous pain
Sudden inability to bear weight on one or more limbs
Has signs of urinary or reproductive problems including:
Difficulty giving birth: no offspring after 15 minutes of active straining; weak or infrequent contractions once labor has started; crying or licking the vulva area excessively; abnormal bleeding or vaginal discharge; weakness
Straining continually but unable to pass urine, or the urine has blood in it
Crying or squeaking while trying to urinate
Bleeding from the urinary or genital area

Call your veterinarian the same day if your small pet:
Has signs of heart or respiratory disease including: Increased rate of breathing, sneezing, coughing, or wheezing
Runny nose or eyes
Has signs related to digestion or food and water consumption including:
Not eating or drinking for 8 hours, or having difficulty eating
Diarrhea for more than 24 hours and acts depressed
Drinking water excessively, unrelated to activity or environmental temperature
A soft stool, but there is no pain, blood, fetid odor, green or black color, mucous, or straining
Has signs of nervous system or muscular disease including:
Sudden change in behavior
Lethargy, depression, sleeping more than usual, unwillingness to play or exercise
Crying when touched or picked up
Cloudy eyes, squinting, or appears to be unable to see
Sudden, severe lameness
Swollen joints (a sign of scurvy)
Has signs of urinary or reproductive problems including:
A retained afterbirth for over 8 hours
A female who is pregnant or nursing her young and develops a red, swollen, or painful breast
A male with swollen testicles or scrotum
Has signs associated with the skin including: A rash, excessive shedding, excessive head shaking, or persistent scratching or chewing at spots on the body
Abnormal lumps or bumps that are painful, red, and/or hot to the touch
Maggots
A nosebleed for no apparent reason, bruising easily, or tiny red dots on the skin

Call your veterinarian in 24 hours if your small pet has signs including:
Has signs related to digestion or food and water consumption including:
Foul breath
Sudden weight gain or loss
Drooling
Has signs of nervous system or muscular disease including:
Lameness for more than 24 hours
Has signs associated with the skin including: Moderate itching or an unpleasant odor from the coat
A discharge from the ear or other body opening

Last edited by Spadez on Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:15 pm

Common house hold Items Hazards!

Common hazards to avoid:
Acetaminophen
Acetone
Alcohol
Ammonia
Antifreeze
Aspirin
Bleach
Boric acid
Brass cleaner
Caffeine
Camphophenique
Carbon monoxide
Charcoal lighter
Chlorine
Chocolate
Christmas tinsel
Coffee
Cola
Copper cleaner
Corn removers
Crayons
Deodorants
Deodorizers
Detergents
Disinfectants
Drain cleaner
Dry cleaning fluid
Easter-basket grass
Fabric dye
Fabric softener
Flea/tick products
Floor polish
Furniture polish
Gasoline
Gun cleaner
Gun powder
Hair dyes
Herbicides
Hexachlorophene
Insecticides
Iodine
Kerosene
Laxatives
Lead
Lighter fluid
Lye
Matches
Medicines
Mineral spirits
Model glue
Mothballs
Muriatic acid
Nail polish
Oven cleaner
Paint
Paint remover
Paint thinner
Perfume
Perm solutions
Pesticides
Photo solution
Pine oil
Plants
Poisons
Polish remover
Raw meat
Rodent poison
Rubbing alcohol
Shaving cream
Shaving lotion
Shoe polish
Silver polish
Sleeping pills
Snail bait
Soaps
Solvents
Spot remover
Spray starch
Sulfuric acid
Suntan lotions
Super Glue
Tar
Toilet bowl cleaner
Turkey bones
Turpentine
Wart remover
Wax
Weed killer
Window cleaner
Wood preservative
Wood stain

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:17 pm

Making A Small Pet First-aid Kit

Important phone numbers

Veterinary clinic phone number and directions to the clinic
Emergency clinic phone number and directions
Poison control center phone numbers
Equipment and supplies
Magnifying glass
Scissors
Tweezers
Nail clippers and metal nail file
Styptic powder or sticks, Kwik Stop, or cornstarch
Penlight
Scalpel blades and handles
Eye dropper
Cotton swabs
Cotton balls
Clean towels - cloth and paper
Rectal thermometer
Lubricant such as mineral oil or KY Jelly (without spermicide)
Disposable gloves
Syringes of various sizes
Needle-nose pliers or hemostats
Wire cutters
Pet carrier
Heating pad or heat lamp to use at home
Gram scale
Stethoscope
Heat pack or hot water bottle (to keep pet warm during transport; wrap the pack in a towel - do not apply directly to your pet, or burns may result)

Bandaging materials
Square gauze of various sizes - some sterile
Non-stick pads
First aid tape - both paper (easily comes off of skin) and adhesive types
Bandage rolls - gauze and Vetwrap
Band-Aids (for humans)
Nutritional support
Rehydrating solution such as Gatorade or Pedialyte
Medicines*
Wound disinfectant such as Betadine or Povidone
Triple antibiotic ointment for skin
Antibiotic ophthalmic ointment for eyes, e.g., Terramycin
Eye wash solution
Sterile saline
A probiotic gel such as BeneBac, LactoBac, Probios, or Fastrack
*Watch the expiration dates on any medication, and replace as needed.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:21 pm

Plants Dangerous for Small Animals:
Air plant
Amanita
Amaryllis
American yew
Andromeda
Arum lily
Autumn crocus
Australian flame tree
Avocado
Azalea
Balsam pear
Baneberry
Bird of paradise
Bishop's weed
Black laurel
Black locust
Bloodroot
Bluebonnet
Blue-green algae
Boxwood
Bracken fern
Broad beans
Broomcorn grass
Buckeye
Buckthorn
Bulb flowers
Burdock
Buttercup
Cacao
Camel bush
Castor bean
Caladium
Calla lily
Candelabra tree
Cardinal
Castor Bean
Chalice vine
Cherry tree
Chinaberry tree
Christmas candle
Clematis
Cocklebur
Coffee
Coffee bean
Coral plant
Coriander
Corncockle
Cotton bush
Coyotillo
Cowslip
Crown of thorns
Cutleaf
Daffodil
Daphne
Datura
Deadly amanita
Death camus
Delphinium
Devil's ivy
Dieffenbachia
Dutchman's breeches
Eggplant Elderberry
Elephant's ear
English ivy
English yew
Ergot
Eucalyptus
Euonymus
False hellebore
False henbane
Flame tree
Felt plant
Firethorn
Four O'Clock
Foxglove
Ghostweed
Glottidium
Golden chain
Ground cherry
Johnson grass
Heliotrope
Hemlock
Henbane
Holly
Honeysuckle
Horse bean
Horse chestnut
Horsetail
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Indian licorice
Inkberry
Indian turnip
Iris
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Java bean
Lima bean
Jasmine
Jerusalem cherry
Jimsonweed
Juniper
Kentucky coffee tree
Lantana
Larkspur
Laurel
Leucotho
Lily-of-the-valley
Lima bean
Lobelia
Locoweed
Lords and ladies
Lupine
Malanga
Mandrake
Marijuana
Maternity plant
Mayapple
Meadow saffron
Mescal bean
Mexican breadfruit
Mexican poppy
Milk vetch
Milkweed Mistletoe
Mock orange
Monkshood
Moonseed
Morning glory
Mountain laurel
Mushrooms
Narcissus
Navy bean
Nettles
Nightshades
Oak
Oleander
Panda plant
Parsley
Peires
Pencil tree
Periwinkle
Philodendrons
Pigweed
Pikeweed
Poinciana
Poinsettia
Poison ivy
Poison oak
Pokeweed
Potato
Precatory
Privet
Pyracantha
Rain tree
Ranunculus
Rape
Rattlebox
Rattlebush
Red maple
Rhubarb
Rhododendrons
Rosary peas
Sandbox tree
Scarlet runner
Skunk cabbage
Sorghum grass
Sorrel
Spindle tree
Snowdrop
Snow on the mountain
Spurges
Sudan grass
Sweet pea
Tansy ragwort
Tobacco
Thornapple
Vetch
Virginia bower
Virginia creeper
Wattle
White cedar
Wisteria
Yam bean
Yews
Yellow jasmine

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:22 pm

housing your Rat/MouseOther than size, mice and rats have essentially the same requirements for housing. A wire cage is best, allowing for 12 x 24 inches of floor space for 2 rats or 4-5 mice. Glass cages do not allow for good ventilation. The wire cage also encourages the animal's instinct for climbing and offers exercise and stimulation. Your design can expand horizontally or vertically, depending on the space available to accommodate ramps, wheels, climbing platforms, ladders, and other toys (toilet paper and paper towel cardboard rolls make wonderful tunnels for running). Mice and rats need and enjoy a lot of exercise, so be sure the cage and accessories can fill this need.

Bedding

Bedding material serves many purposes including: providing a sense of security, insulation, absorbing moisture from waste materials and also as nesting material during breeding. The ideal bedding material should be clean, nontoxic, and free of oils or preservatives. Since heavily soiled areas of the bedding should be removed daily, bedding material should also be easy to replace, relatively dust free and absorbent for convenient maintenance.

There are a variety of bedding materials available including: wood shavings, shredded paper, processed corncobs, and pelleted bedding materials. However, when using wood shavings, avoid cedar or pine shavings. Aspen shavings are the preferred bedding material if using wood shavings.

Recycled shredded paper is another good choice and is environmentally friendly. Shredded newspaper can be used as well but be sure it is printed using soy-based ink. Conventional newsprint ink can be harmful to your pets if ingested. Shredded paper towels work well for "nesting" areas usually created in one corner of your pets' environment.

To provide a clean and healthy environment for you and your pet, the entire cage including accessories, should be thoroughly cleaned and the bedding changed once a week. Heavily soiled areas should be removed daily. Selecting the appropriate bedding material can make maintenance more convenient and create a clean and safe environment for your pet.

Cage location

Ideal cage location is in a relatively quiet area which is still within view of what is going on in the home. Placing the cage on a table or stand will help your mice or rats feel more secure. Avoid placing the cage in direct sunlight or drafty areas and prevent access to the cage by other household pets, especially cats and dogs.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:26 pm

Where to Get Pet Rats

It is best to buy your rats direct from a responsible breeder, for many reasons. A breeder who has only a few litters of baby rats (called 'kittens') at a time should have handled them from an early age, so that they are well socialized. The rats will have been spared the traumatic upheaval of moving to a busy shop at a young age, and so will have suffered less stress. They have had fewer opportunities to catch diseases from other animals. You will be able to meet the parents and relatives of the baby rats, and to check that they are healthy and friendly. A good breeder will be able to give advice after you have taken the rats home, and will usually take her rats back if you have any problems with them.

The best way to find a responsible rat breeder is to contact your local/national rat club and, ideally, ask around before you buy. For example, the UK's National Fancy Rat Society keeps a 'Kitten Register' of baby rats which are well socialized and suitable as pets - send an SAE to NFRS Kitten Register, c/o NFRS, PO Box 24207, London SE9 5ZF for a list.

Buying rats from a pet shop is more of a gamble than buying direct from a breeder. Some pet shops have knowledgeable staff, who handle their rats daily and treat them well. Others may see small livestock as just another commodity to be piled high and sold cheap. Advice from pet shop staff can be unreliable; no qualifications, or even experience, are needed to sell pets or to advise people on their care. Incidentally, the size of a store is no guide to the quality of its advice; some of the large chain 'pet superstores' are notorious for their poor animal care. If you buy rats from a pet shop, look around before choosing a store. Find out where they get their rats from. The best options are stores which take in small numbers of rats at a time from local breeders, or which breed small numbers of their own rats, and give them lots of attention. However, many pet shops purchase their small livestock from pet wholesalers, and this is the worst possible start for an animal. These rats are bred in huge numbers, then transferred to the wholesaler, who sells them on to pet shops. They can suffer great stress, and have lots of opportunities to pick up diseases. In order for the rats to reach the pet shops while they are still small and 'cute', they are often taken from their mothers far too young.

Before you buy from either a breeder or a pet shop, consider whether they meet up to the following standards. Good rat breeders and good pet shops put a lot of time and effort into breeding and socialising pet rats; they will only breed from good quality, healthy, friendly animals and will allow the mother to rest between litters. The babies will have been regularly handled from a young age - before their eyes have opened - and should be confident in human company by the time they are ready to leave home, not hiding away or urinating in fear when they are picked up. They will usually be over six weeks old, and certainly no younger than five weeks; the breeder or pet shop should be able to tell you their date of birth. They will have no problem telling the sexes apart - rats can be easily sexed from a few days' old, with a little practise. They will have kept male and female rats separate from the age of five weeks, because females can become pregnant even at this age. Good breeders and good pet shops will certainly care about the welfare of their animals, and will want to make sure that you have suitable housing and know how to keep rats, before they will let you buy any from them. If they were not concerned that you would look after the rats properly, it might indicate that they did not care about the animals themselves.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:27 pm

Place to Buy Con't
Rat Rescue

Rescue organisations sometimes have rats which need good homes, and your national rat club will be able to put you in touch with members who deal with rescued rats. In the UK, the National Fancy Rat Society is not a rescue organization, but many members take in homeless rats. One of the nice aspects of the rat world is that it does not polarize into those who breed and show, and those who keep rescues - most rat breeders find room for a few homeless rats amongst their prize winners. 'Rescued' rats may have been dumped by owners who did not look after them properly - often by people who bought a breeding pair and then could not cope with the babies. Sometimes they have been seized by animal welfare organizations, either from individuals or from pet shops. If you adopt an adult rat, you will be able to get a rough idea of its health and temperament straight away. Initial shyness may subside as the rat gets used to you. Baby rescued rats are more of a gamble, as it may be hard to find out about the health and temperament of both parents. It can be very rewarding to give a home to an animal which truly needs one, and many rescued rats make great pets. However, we recommend that you do not take on rescued rats until you have kept a couple of friendly, well-socialized rats, after which the rescued rats can benefit from your experience.

Breeder is top palce ot get Rats

Rescuing' from pet shops

Imagine this scenario: in a dingy pet shop, staffed by people who apparently could not care less, you find a tank full of rats. Overcrowded, dirty, perhaps with no food or water, some of the rats are obviously sick and many of them are unhappy. No-one cares about these rats because they are 'just snake food'. You buy one of these unfortunate rats, knowing that you have saved it from certain death. Is this 'rescuing'? Many of us have done it, including the authors. However, we do not believe that it does any good, and it's certainly not 'rescuing' in the same way that giving a home to an abandoned rat is truly 'rescuing' it. Once you leave the nasty pet shop, another rat will be sold for snake food in place of the one you bought. The total number of rats sold for snake food will not change, just because the shop sold one as a pet. However, the pet shop staff will note that rats are selling well. They may be encouraged to breed more rats. They will not be encouraged to look after the ones they have better. If you find that a shop is not looking after its livestock properly, and want to improve the welfare of the animals, then write to complain to your local council, for the attention of the environmental health officer. Contact the local animal welfare organisations. Contact the local newspapers. Visit the shop and try explaining politely how they could improve things. If that doesn't work, kick up a fuss. But please, don't buy from them - it will only encourage them. If you want to rescue a rat, see 'rat rescue' above. You can give a home to needy rats, without encouraging irresponsible breeders.

Before buying rats... please consider whether you can commit yourself to caring for them properly for three years or more. Pets' needs do not change just because their owner gets a new job, or new interests, or will not find time to play with them any more. You cannot assume that you will be able to re-home rats in a year or so, if your interest fades. It is very stressful for an adult rat to have to adjust to a new home and new humans.

Rescue organisations have many animals to rehome, from cases of genuine need - for example, where the owner is seriously ill or has become homeless. They really do not need people to dump animals on them when the owner could easily, with a little effort, look after the rats themselves. Here are a selection of very poor excuses : 'my daughter won't clean them out' (so teach her about responsibility!), 'I forgot that I was going to work abroad when I bought them' (i.e. 'I'm bored with them..'), 'I have a new baby and I don't want animals in the house now' (the rats are no danger to the baby, and the baby will love watching them). There are all too many sad cases like these, where owners abandon pets for no good reason.

If you have a genuine reason for not being able to keep your rats, first contact their breeder, then any rat club which you are a member of. If your breeder cannot help, and you are not a member of a rat club, then try an animal rescue organization like the RSPCA.

Please do not dump pets outdoors under the illusion that you are 'setting them free'; domesticated rats brought up in captivity would be terrified in the wild, unable to fend for themselves. Most would either be killed by cats, or starve to death, within days of release.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:28 pm

Handling rats

The more attention you give your new rats when you first get them home, the sooner they will get used to your voice and your smell and begin to make friends with you. Handle your rats as much as possible, whether they seem to like it or not at first -- they will soon learn to enjoy your company. Unless a rat is very nervous or unwell, you cannot give it too much attention or handling. One good way of getting your rats used to you is to let them ride around the house on your shoulder or inside your sweater.

Rats should not be picked up by the tail -- they don't like it, and it can cause injury. It is best to lift your rats by placing one or both hands under the chest, behind the front legs -but be careful not to squeeze.

Rat-Proofing your house

Once your rats are used to you, make sure you know where your rats are while they roam free range, and rat-proof any room that they are let loose in. Rat-proofing requires a little common sense, but need not become a major DIY project. Many rats will scent-mark 'their' territory with tiny drops of urine and you may want to keep a 'rat-blanket' to throw over soft furnishings when the rats are out. Electrical cords that cannot be kept out of reach of small teeth should be covered with aquarium tubing which can be bought cheaply from most pet-shops, or hosepipe; it is easiest to slit the tubing along its length and feed the flex into it. Rats will also chew books, clothes, pencils and other items, and are adept at knocking things over. Breakables and valuable possessions should be put out of harm's reach while your rats are out and about. Make sure that windows and doors are closed, and that there are no possible escape routes. Rats can fit through tiny holes, so you should check for cracks along skirting boards, between floor-boards etc. It is strongly advised that you do not wear shoes while your rats roam free-range. Some house plants can be poisonous (check in a book on houseplants to find out if yours are safe), and rats often enjoy climbing plants and digging in plant pots - so it is probably most sensible to keep plants away from your rats.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:29 pm

Bitey rats

Biting and nipping

Biting, out of fear or aggression, is unusual in pet rats. It is not something that you should have to put up with. Here are some of the situations where it may occur, and some possible solutions:

Male rats occasionally become aggressive towards humans and/or other rats at some point between 3-12 months of age, although if this happens it is most common at 4-5 months. The rat becomes 'super macho' if his levels of male hormones are too high. He will puff up his fur, hiss and huff at other rats and people, and may attack or bite cage-mates or his owners. He may also scratch at the floor, rub his sides against hard objects (to leave his scent), and leave trails of scent-marking pee wherever he walks. Normal, happy bucks may also scent-mark like this, but problem rats take it to extremes. If a male rat starts to squeak when you pick him up, or threatens to bite you when he is playing outside the cage, then we recommend that you take action quickly and do not leave it until you get bitten. This condition can usually be cured by having the rat castrated, and his hormonal levels and behaviour will return to normal after a few weeks. Castration also stops excessive scent-marking. A rat whose hormones are driving him to obsessive levels of aggression and sexual frustration is not a happy animal, and we do not think that it is fair to leave him in such a state. If you must have a buck neutered, make sure that you use a vet who has done this operation on rats before: rats have an internal muscular structure unlike that of dogs and cats, and a slightly different procedure must be used (the base of the inguinal canals must be stitched closed). Neutering can cost between £25-50 (prices last checked and updated 11/2004). The National Fancy Rat Society has a list of vets that have experience in dealing with rats.

Female rats sometimes bite when they are pregnant or have babies. This behaviour usually disappears when the babies are weaned. Although such biting is perhaps understandable, most female rats do not bite in these circumstances, so we believe that the biting doe should not be bred from again - she may pass the trait on to her offspring, and also the breeder may avoid handling the babies if she is worried that the mother will savage her. This means that the babies may not be as well socialised as they should be.

Intervening in a rat fight is a common way to get bitten. The rat may think that you are another rodent joining the scrum, and bite in self-defence. To avoid this, break up rat fights by squirting the animals with water from a plant spray, and separate the animals for a few hours until they cool down.

Finger nipping may occur if your rats are used to getting treats through the cage bars. This is not true biting, but merely an accidental nibble. If a finger is poked through the bars too, the rats may nip, mistaking the finger for food. Train your rats to tell the difference, by telling them when food is arriving - eg 'Sweeties!' - or fingers, eg 'Be gentle!'. If this fails, stop feeding treats through the bars; instead, open the cage door to put your hand inside when hand-feeding.

Sometimes a rat crops up which is just nasty. This is rare amongst rats from responsible breeders, but more common when indiscriminate breeding occurs. Not surprisingly, it is particularly common when rats which bite are bred from - the tendency towards bad temperament is often inherited, and may be recessive. This means that breeders need to select for good temperament in every generation, because even friendly rats may have the odd nasty child. Biters should never be bred from, no matter how pretty they are. If a rat continues to bite for more than a few weeks after castration or continued gentle handling, you should consider having the rat put to sleep. This is a difficult decision which no-one apart from the rat's owner can make, but the authors believe that a savage animal, kept permanently in its cage because people are scared to handle it, is not having much of a life. We would rather offer homes to other rats which could enjoy their lives more.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:41 pm

Does and Bucks

It is very easy to tell the difference between male and female rats. Males have large, prominent testicles which are visible under the tail from well before the age when they are ready to leave their mother. They can draw their testicles up inside them if they are afraid, but will not do this for a long period of time. A good rat breeder or staff at a good pet shop will find it easy to tell which sex baby rats are. If they cannot tell the difference with ease, they should not be selling the animals.

Both male and female rats make great companion animals, although they have different characteristics. Does (females) are smaller, more lithe and more active than Bucks (males). Does have a smoother coat (unless they are rexes, in which case they have a less curly coat); they have almost no discernible smell and rarely scent-mark territory. Approximately once every five days a doe will be in heat for around twelve hours. This usually happens in the evening. You will notice that your doe is in heat by changes in her behaviour: she will be jumpy, skittish, and may perform a mating 'dance' by freezing, arching her back and fluttering her ears if you tickle her haunches. Bucks are larger and more laid-back than does. Their coat is coarser and has a slight musky smell to it. While they are as affectionate as does, they are much lazier, and when left free-range will often curl up in a corner or on your lap. Some bucks scent mark almost everything that they run into -- including their human companions -- but this is not as disgusting as it sounds as the 'scent' is only a few drops of urine and does not smell strongly.

As discussed in 'Biting and Nipping', occasionally male rats may need to be castrated if they become too aggressive. This is not a usual occurrence and should not be confused with the normal rough and tumble of adolescent rats. However, if you own a male rat, you should remember that neutering may become necessary. On the other hand, female rats are much more likely to develop mammary tumours than males, and you may decide to have these surgically removed. When you take on a pet, you have to take on the risk that it may one day need an operation.

Growth and Lifespan
Rats are born after 21-28 days gestation, although the normal term is 22-23 days. Rats have poor eyesight but their senses of hearing and smell are many times more sensitive than ours. Baby rats' eyes open when they are between 13-16 days old, although they can hear and smell a few days after birth. They often start to nibble solid food as soon as their eyes open, but they still need their mother's milk until they are at least four weeks old. As with all mammals, mother's milk is the best food for young rats - they should not be weaned from the mother, or fed milk substitutes/animal formula, without good reason. Their bodies are designed to thrive on rat milk, not cat formula! There is no need to offer soft weaning foods; unlike human babies, young rats have teeth and can gnaw from the moment they start to eat solids. They do not need purees.

Rats normally leave their litter at 6 weeks of age; they are fully weaned from their mother at 4-5 weeks, but benefit greatly from staying with their breeder and being socialised until 6 weeks, since the period from 2-6 weeks of age is a crucial stage in the rat's mental and social development. It is important that rats are allowed to stay with their litter until this age, and the UK's National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) does not allow baby rats to be sold through its shows or register before they are six weeks old.

Rats usually become fertile between 5-12 weeks of age, but does have been known to get pregnant as young as 3 1/2 weeks. This is only an issue if young does are introduced to older males who can mate with them; their litter brothers will not become fertile until after 5 weeks of age. If litters are not separated by sex at 6 weeks old, some does are likely to be pregnant. We are aware that most rat books say that does do not become fertile until 8 weeks old, but unfortunately, many baby female rats have not read the books, and get pregnant a lot younger than this! Such early pregnancy places a great strain upon the mother and her babies; please don't take the risk.

Rats grow rapidly until they reach 12-14 weeks. After this, the growth slows down but they continue to fill out until they reach six months of age. Adult bucks usually weigh 400-700g, does around 200-500g. As long as a rat has been handled as a youngster, it will bond to you no matter how old it is when you first get it. Rats usually live for around two years, although some make it to three and beyond. A big cage, other rats for company, a healthy diet, and lots of exercise is the best way of making sure that your rats have a long, happy life.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:41 pm

Social Life: Rats Need Company size=2

Rats are highly intelligent, social animals, and although they enjoy the companionship of humans, they thrive in - and need - the company of their own species. Although they will usually survive if kept as single pets, pet care is not just a matter of keeping animals alive; rats will have happier and more interesting lives when kept with other rats. Rats should never live alone, and ideally should be kept in groups of two or more of the same sex. It is unfair to deprive any social animal of the company of its own species. Rats enjoy grooming each other, curling up to sleep together, and sometimes even fighting. It is usual for rats to scrap occasionally, especially when they are 'teenagers' between 3 and 6 months old; do not worry about this unless you see serious injuries, as the rats are just establishing a pecking order.

No matter how much time you can spend with your rat, you will never be able to replace the attentions of his own species. A rat's most active time is in the middle if the night, when most rat owners are unlikely to be able to provide their pet with companionship. One fear expressed by potential rat-owners is that if they get more than one rat, the animals will bond together and be less tame as a result. The opposite is usually the case, as solitary rats can easily become clingy, introverted and neurotic. Rats kept in pairs or groups are happier, more confident, and no more difficult to tame. If you want proof of this, go to a rat show or visit someone who keeps a group of rats as pets. You will be able to meet plenty of extrovert, confident rats and their ratty friends. We are not aware of any sound argument for keeping rats alone, but there are many good reasons to let them live in single-sex pairs or groups: two rats are as easy to look after as one, a cage that is big enough for one rat is big enough for a pair, two rats are much happier and live longer than single rats --and they're many times more interesting to watch! Do not worry about a pair of rats producing unwanted babies - rats should be kept in single-sex groups to avoid this, and it is very easy to tell the difference between males and females with a little experience.

It is possible to sex baby rats from birth with practise, and it is hard to confuse does and bucks from four weeks onwards, as by this age the male's testicles have dropped and are clearly apparent. While baby rats are weaned before five weeks of age, they should not leave their same-sex littermates until they are at least six weeks old. Any pet shop or breeder who claims that their baby rats cannot be definitely sexed yet is either selling them far too young, and does not have the animals' best interests at heart, or they know very little about rats. Either way, they should be avoided at all costs

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:42 pm

It is easiest to introduce rats to their companions when they are young (preferably under 10 weeks old). However, even adult rats can be introduced to companions. When introducing adult rats, first clean out the cage thoroughly to remove territorial scents from the resident rat. Dab both rats with perfume or vanilla essence (to disguise their smells) and introduce them on neutral territory, not in a cage which one recognises as its own. There will usually be some fighting for the first few days after they are introduced. This is not usually serious, but to avoid it you may prefer to introduce them gradually, letting them first just sniff each other and then work up to putting them in the same cage over about a week. It is harder to introduce adult male rats to other adult males, and such introductions need to be done over several weeks. It is usually fairly easy to introduce an adult male to a young baby male of 6-10 weeks, although the introduction must be carefully supervised

Food

Like people, rats are omnivores. They fare best on fresh wholesome foods: wholegrain (brown) rice, vegetables, grains (wheat, barley, oats, millet), wholemeal bread, etc. and some animal protein. High protein puppy food is useful as a supplement to help build up young rats (up to 10-12 weeks), and normal to low protein dry dog food is a good component of a healthy diet. Ideally, an adult rat should be fed some whole-grains, some vegetables, and some protein (lean meat scraps, dog food or mealworms) every day. This can be supplemented with a bowl of 'rodent mix' as a snack food.

Debbie Ducommun of the Rat Fan Club has devised an excellent recipe for rat health food that appears to boost immune reaction and general health, see the Rat Fan Club (below) for details. Debbie is a vegetarian herself, but she found it impossible to formulate a vegetarian diet for rats which would fulfil all of their nutritional requirements. If you want your rats to thrive, they should have small amounts of animal protein. The simplest way of providing this is via a few dog biscuits.

While such home-made nutritionally complete diets are ideal and are strongly recommended, it is also possible to give your rat a well-balanced diet using pet-shop mixes as a base. There are several specialty rat foods on the market, but the only one that the authors know has been fully researched from a nutritional point of view is Burgess Supa-Rat. Most rats will eat all of this food, which makes it nutritionally complete for the average rat. However nursing mothers and kittens will still need supplements to add protein and extra calories to their diet. Reggie Rat made by Supreme Pet Foods also claims to be specially formulated with the nutritional needs of rats in mind. In theory it is a complete food, but a) we have yet to meet the rat which will eat all of the mix, particularly the pellets, and the diet cannot be 'complete' if rats only eat part of it, and b)your rats will always appreciate healthy fresh snacks as treats. As it is quite high in fat and protein, restrict amounts of Reggie Rat for rats which put on weight easily. A less rich option is a good quality rabbit food like Burgess Supa Rabbit or Burgess Supa Natural (no pellets), supplemented with fresh vegetables, some animal protein (mealworms, lean meat or dog biscuit), and the odd cooked meat bone (chicken bones are fine -- the rats just crunch them up) or natural yoghurt to provide extra calcium. This is what the authors' use. A "complete rat food" in the form of extruded pellets is due to be released by Burgess in 2005 -- see below for more on "all-in-one" foods.

If you feed a grain mix, like Reggie Rat or rabbit mix, give just a small amount at a time. Most rats will pick out their favourite pieces first, but they will not get a balanced diet if they only eat their favourite part of the mix. Do not give any more food until all of the first lot has been eaten, except for the empty grain husks, and the pellets. These pellets are made of alfalfa, and they mainly add bulk to the diet. Most rats would rather starve than eat them; don't worry, as they are not essential. It is better for rats to get their fibre from fresh fruit or veg anyway. We would not feed 'mono-diets' such as complete blocks of rodent food as a sole food. Such diets are boring, depriving rats of the fun of rummaging through their food and eating the tastiest bits first. However "complete foods" in the form of extruded pellets guarantee that rats are getting all of their vital nutrients, and as such can be an important part of a healthy mixed diet - e.g. mix a quality grain mixture and extruded pellets in a 50/50 ratio for the dry element of your rats' diet.

The following foods can be used as treats/supplements to the regular diet: fruit (apples, cherries, grapes, banana etc.), vegetables (broccoli, potatoes, peas, carrot etc.), cooked liver, kidney, or other low-fat meat, cooked bones, cooked pulses (cooked Soya protein may reduce the risk of cancer), live yoghurt, sunflower seeds (an exceptional source of B vitamins), wholemeal pasta and bread, brown rice, unsweetened breakfast cereals, and the occasional capsule of cod-liver or garlic oil. Table scraps will be eaten with relish, but try to avoid feeding fatty or sugary scraps. Carbonated drinks should never be given to rats as they cannot burp, and the build-up of gasses in the stomach from fizzy drinks could be fatal. Bear in mind that dietary fat has been linked to tumours in rats, and keep fatty foods like peanuts and sunflower seeds as treats. Moderation is advised in all things - the diet should not be made up of just one main ingredient. For example, some people worry that too much maize (sweetcorn, or just 'corn' in the USA) could be harmful, although small amounts are enjoyed.

Fresh water should be available at all times, preferably in a gravity (ball-valve) bottle which will keep the water clean. Water should be changed daily, and the bottle should be scrubbed out once a week. If using a plastic bottle, it is a good idea to thoroughly clean or replace it every few months, to prevent excessive bacteria and algae building up. The problem with giving water in bowls rather than bottles is that rats tend to dump litter in the bowls, or knock them over. However, most rats prefer drinking from a bowl, and like to wash themselves with the water - so they do appreciate being given a bowl from time to time. Sick or elderly rats may find it hard to drink from a bottle, so a low bowl should be provided to encourage them to drink. You will have to clean the cage more often, but it will help to prevent the rat suffering from dehydration. Vitamin supplements should be added to food rather than to drinking water -most make the water taste horrible, and may discourage your rats from drinking. In any case, healthy rats fed a healthy, well-balanced diet should not need to have vitamin supplements.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:43 pm

Grooming

Rats are extremely clean creatures, spending almost a third of their waking life grooming. As such, it is rarely necessary to bathe rats, with the exception of light-coated varieties which may need the occasional stain-removal session if you wish to show them. If you decide that your rat needs bathing, make sure that you use a shampoo formulated for animals - a kitten or puppy shampoo is best - as human shampoo can irritate their skin.

Some rats do not clean their tails thoroughly and can develop dark stains or patches on their tails. If you wish to clean your rat's tail you can do so with an old, soft toothbrush and either a gentle soap / animal shampoo, or bicarbonate of soda. Wet the tail and apply the soap / shampoo / soda. Very gently stroke the rat's tail with the dampened toothbrush, or rubbing with your fingers, brushing away from the body towards the tip of the tail. Do not brush your rat's tail roughly as this can damage or even remove the delicate skin on the tail, and can be very painful for her.

Some rat owners like to have their pets' nails trimmed regularly. This can be quite difficult and for the first time it is helpful to visit a vet or an experienced rat owner - a show can be a great opportunity for this - and ask them to show you how to do it. Styptic powder (anti-bleeding) is a useful thing to keep on hand if you intend to cut your rats' nails as accidentally nicking the vein inside the nail can cause serious blood loss. Putting a large (cleaned) stone or brick in your rats' cage for them to climb on can also wear down their nails.

Changing the bedding (tissues, kitchen towel, etc.) in your rats' cage every few days will prevent them from becoming too smelly. If you change the bedding daily you may find that your rats' cage becomes smellier: rats can become insecure when "their" smell is removed, and may ramp up urination in order to mark their territory. This is particularly true in cages of bucks. Leaving a few bits of smelly bedding in with the new bedding can help to reassure your rats. Likewise, it can sometimes be helpful to sprinkle a little of the dirty substrate (shavings/Bio-Catolet etc.) back into cage after it has been cleaned so that it smells like "home" to its occupants. It is also a good idea to give your rats a bowl of water every now and again, as mentioned above, so that they can wash themselves. In the summer they will enjoy paddling to cool down; a heavy crockery dog or cat bowl works well for this.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:44 pm

Surgery

Any surgical operation carries a risk that the animal will not survive the anaesthetic, but modern inhalant anaesthetics are far safer than the older-style injectables. Try to find a vet who uses Isoflurane anaesthetic - it is very safe for small mammals, complications are extremely rare, and they recover quickly from it. Vets who have used it rave about it, and the authors would not risk having any other anaesthetic used on their rats.

There is no need to starve rats before an operation, as they cannot vomit. Starving the rat puts it under extra stress, and may delay recovery.

After an operation, rats often try to remove their stitches. You can stop this by applying Johnson's Anti-Peck (sold to stop caged birds pecking themselves or others) or Bitter Bite (a repellent product similar to bitter apple, but more effective and marketed for dogs and cats) over and around the wound. Elizabethan collars should be avoided - they can be very distressing for rats. Many people recommend using a length of surgical stocking/stockinet to cover the whole of the rat's body, cutting out holes for legs.

A few common symptoms of rat ailments are:

General Signs of Illness: the animal is hunched up, lethargic, coat staring (fluffed up and messy), uninterested in food or attention. Eyes may be half closed and breathing may appear laboured. If your rat shows these symptoms, or others that worry you, consult a vet.

Red Discharge Around the Eyes and/or Nose: Not an ailment in itself, but a symptom of distress. Rats' mucus is stained red with a pigment called porphyrin (indeed, the mucus is commonly referred to as porphyrin). This discharge may be present if your rat is ill or simply stressed (as, for example, from moving house). Observe the animal carefully, and if it appears unwell or if the discharge continues for more than a few days, consult a vet.

Head-weaving is often seen in rats with pink or red eyes. The rat will usually stand still and weave its head from side to side for a while. This is perfectly normal; all rats are short-sighted (although they can sense movement from some distance, they can only focus for a few feet), but any animal with pink or red eyes has worse eyesight than those with dark eyes. Moving the head from side to side helps the rat to judge distances and the depth of objects by making them appear to move. This should not be considered a fault or problem - rats sense smells, sounds and movement (by feeling vibrations on the floor) much more acutely than humans, and can cope perfectly well with limited eyesight. Note that there is a different, unrelated condition called head tilt or wry-neck, where the rat holds its head on one side permanently. This can be caused by a inner-ear infection, or a brain tumour; it needs urgent veterinary attention.

Sneezing/Wheezing/Noisy Breathing: Often the sign of a respiratory infection. Virtually all pet rats are infected with an organism called mycoplasma which inhabits their respiratory system. Many rats carry mycoplasma without appearing to suffer any illness, while others are not able to carry the infection unharmed. These rats will usually start to sneeze as young adults; they then develop some damage to the respiratory tract (lungs, windpipe, etc.) which makes it easier for bacteria to enter and cause an infection. This is usually what has happened when a rat starts to wheeze, and if a great deal of damage is caused to the respiratory tract, the rat may develop emphysema, bronchitis, pneumonia and lung abscesses.

Although sneezing is not necessarily a sign of serious illness (most rats sneeze at some point in their lives), a rat that sneezes frequently and for an extended period should be observed for any other signs of illness. If your rat's breathing appears laboured, wheezy, or has a rattley sound, consult a vet immediately. When treated early, secondary respiratory infections can often be kept at bay with a strong course of antibiotics (see Antibiotic Therapy).

While sneezing or snuffling may be the result of the irritation of the respiratory tract from dust and phenol oils if the rat is kept on shavings, often a rat with noisy breathing is suffering from a secondary infection in the upper respiratory tract. These infections often sound far more serious that they are, and we have had some success treating them ourselves without antibiotics, as discussed below under 'Home Remedies'. These approaches have helped our animals, but we would stress that your pet's health is your responsibility. If you are in any doubt about which approach to take, you should talk to your vet.

A rat which shows a tendency to succumb to infection should never be bred from, as the tendency towards respiratory illness is partly hereditary. This means it is likely that offspring and resulting generations will have weakened immune systems. It is important to obtain rats from breeders who select for healthy animals; a persistent sneezer, or a rat which wheezes, should not be bred from.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:44 pm

Tumours: Some rats develop tumours as they get older. Female rats are more likely to develop tumours than males, and rats fed on a high-fat diet are also more at risk. The most common form are benign mammary tumours, which start off as a small, pea-like lump and grow steadily. They can occur in the rats' groin or armpit, along her side or on her back; rats have mammary tissue in unexpected places. They do not usually cause any distress until they either seriously impede the rat's movement or start to ulcerate and become sore, or outgrow their blood supply and become gangrenous.

If your rat develops a tumour then you can either have it surgically removed, or to have her put to sleep when she becomes unhappy. You do not need to put her to sleep as soon as a tumour appears - she may have many months of happy life ahead of her before it starts to hurt, and as the rat's owner you will be the best person to decide when she is no longer enjoying life. If you decide to have the tumour removed and it is benign, the operation is relatively simple and need not be stressful for the rat if she is otherwise healthy. The cost of tumour removal depends on teh complexity of the operation, and can cost from around £30 to £120 (2004 prices) and, again, it is helpful to find a vet with experience in this area. However, bear in mind that a rat who is prone to tumours may well develop others after a first tumour is removed. This does not mean that it is not worth having the operation done - the rat could well gain at least an extra 3 or 4 months of life, which is comparable to 6-8 years for a human - but you need to take into account her overall health and your vet's opinion as to whether the tumour can be operated on. It is easier to remove tumours while they are still small.

Antibiotic Therapy

While antibiotics can be a useful tool to fight bacterial infection in rats, they should never be used without the instruction of a vet. Microbiologists and vets who specialise in rat care have noted more frequent and severe outbreaks of bacterial infections among pet rats in recent years. Over-use of antibiotics in animal medicine is thought to have contributed greatly to the cases of antibiotic-resistant bacteria now in evidence. Every time an antibiotic is used there is a risk that it will encourage the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which threatens humans and animals worldwide.

Another disadvantage of using antibiotics is that there is evidence suggesting that, in the long run, they harm the health of the patient. This is partly because antibiotics destroy bacteria that live in the animal's gut, and which help make some vitamins and minerals which the body needs. It is therefore a good idea to feed some sort of pro-biotic supplement during and after a course of antibiotics. If you do decide to use antibiotics they should be given only when prescribed by a vet who has examined the animal.

A rat which shows a tendency to succumb to infection should never be bred from, as the tendency towards respiratory illness is partly hereditary, and it is likely that offspring and resulting generations will have weakened immune systems. It is important to obtain rats from breeders who select for healthy animals; a persistent sneezer, or a rat which wheezes, should not be bred from.

If antibiotics must be used, it is important that the entire course is used up, otherwise the malignant organism being treated may return in a stronger, antibiotic-resistant form. Experts vary in their opinion of the best way to administer antibiotics; some believe that they should be given for at least a week after all symptoms disappear. Others, worried about the damage that antibiotics can do to the natural bacterial balance in a rat's body, suggest a cycle of ten days on the medicine followed by a rest period of five days off. This is repeated two or three times, with the rat fed live yoghurt and/or pro-biotic supplements during the five days 'off' to replenish gut flora and minimise damage to the immune system. In some cases of respiratory disease, your vet may advise two courses of different antibiotics --one following the other -- to combat the primary and secondary infections respectively.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:44 pm

Breeding

Rats should be kept in single-sex groups; if you keep un-neutered males and females together, they could produce a litter of 8-18 babies every 3-4 weeks for at least a year, leaving the mother exhausted and the babies undernourished. Baby rats often become fertile after 5 weeks of age, so males and females must be kept separate after this time. Where a mating is planned, it is easier to reintroduce the male to his male cage-mates if he is only allowed to stay with the female for a short time - he can be left with her for an evening when she is in heat, or perhaps overnight. A pregnant doe can be left with her (female) cagemates until a few days before she is due to give birth.

We do not recommend that you leave a male and female together after mating. Although male rats make good fathers, a buck that has lived with a female for any length of time can be difficult to reintroduce to his male companions. Furthermore, does go into heat -- the post partum oestrus -- within hours of giving birth. If you leave the male rat in with the mother she may get pregnant immediately after giving birth and her health and that of her offspring will be greatly compromised as she tries to suckle one liter while another grows in her belly.

Does should be separated from their cage mates when they look heavily pregnant, or at around 20 days' gestation if you know the date of mating. They should be given privacy, lots of nesting material, and a secure, dark nestbox such as a cardboard box. Complications are rare when the doe is left to labour alone, but there is hard evidence that animals subjected to close observation and disturbance in labour are more likely to have difficulty. In general, leave well alone; the doe will deliver her babies and tidy them up without any help. If a baby is born dead or deformed, she may eat it - and again, she should be left alone to get on with this. However, if you find that the doe has been straining for more than 3-4 hours without producing a baby, or if she appears distressed, call a vet.

Rats do not generally respond well to hormonal stimulation with oxytocin, according to experts we have asked. If serious difficulties occur in labour, a caesarean operation may be the only solution. It is highly unlikely that any baby rats delivered this way will survive outside a sterile laboratory. The mother will not usually be able to nurse them, but if you try to hand-rear them from birth they will not have received any colostrum and will generally die. It is probably kinder- to you and the baby rats- not to try.

Before breeding from your rats, please consider carefully whether you will be able to find suitable homes for a large litter. Pet shops will not always be able to take unwanted babies off your hands, and if you are at all concerned for the welfare of your baby rats then you should only offer them to a pet shop if it has an excellent reputation, and the staff are knowledgeable. Many pet shops sell rats as food for snakes (called 'feeders' or 'feeder rats', but they are just ordinary domesticated rats) - but the best will only sell them as pets. You may well have great difficulty finding good homes, and could end up having to keep the whole litter. Before breeding, it may help to consider whether the rats in question have any special characteristic which you want to see passed on. Whatever their looks, they must be healthy and friendly - but unless they are also particularly attractive and extrovert, are other people going to want their babies?

If you do decide to breed, we strongly recommend reading the chapters on breeding and rearing rats in Nick Mays' 'The Proper Care of Fancy Rats', and if possible contacting the breeder of your own rats for advice. It is a basic requirement that both parents are friendly and healthy -- there are large hereditary aspects to the temperament and functioning of the immune system, so rats which are aggressive or sickly are likely to produce babies which share these characteristics. The female should be at least 4 months old so that she has had time to mature. If a female has not bred a litter by the age of 8 months then there is a risk that she will have difficulty giving birth, but if she has produced a litter before this age then she may be bred from until she is around a year old, providing that she is healthy and in good condition.

The mother must be left with her kittens until they are fully weaned at 4-5 weeks, but they will not be ready to go to new homes until about a week after weaning (in order for the breeder to make sure that the babies are well handled, healthy, and of good temperament). To preserve the health and condition of the mother she should be allowed a rest of at least a month after weaning one litter of kittens before she is mated to produce another

Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:34 pm

For most of that you could have just linked to it's source - http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/

Pete A.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:53 pm

Yeah, hehe. It would have been easier on you to just post the link where you got all that info, so the rest of us could book mark it. But thanks for the effort! :]

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Megan and the Hyper Hoppers. Blueberry and Butterfly, Naked Evee, and Chii.

Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:34 pm

Aye - generally, it's not really good form to simply copy and paste huge chunks of information (particularly without stating where you got the info from). Someone (or some group of people) probably went to a lot of effort to create their website and it's not polite to take that content verbatim and pass it off as your own. We have a number of health and care articles already on RP - if you click on the links on the left hand side of the screen, there are a few things to check there.

Most of this info is covered in existing stickies and although some of this information is useful, I've spotted a few inaccuracies just scanning over it. We already have a link to Ratguide in a sticky in the Health forum - probably the most comprehensive medicine and health guide for rats - which has a symptom guide as well as detailed articles and medical information. But most people don't read the sticky threads as it is. wink

As it is, the mods are working on a health/symptom guide thing which I hope will be availabe soon.

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Andy & The Rats

~ Darwin ~ Maisie ~ Ella ~ Zak ~

~ Finn ~ Malachi ~ Azrael ~ Newton ~ Charlie ~