Subscribe
You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “Should I get a pet rat?”.
July 16, 2010 in DUMBO Pet Care
Tagged 106171, amp, budget, dogs, dumbo rats, experiences, fancy rats, fruits and veggies, games, hermit crabs, money, ntt, petco, proud owner, specifics, tara
Tagged 106171, amp, budget, dogs, dumbo rats, experiences, fancy rats, fruits and veggies, games, hermit crabs, money, ntt, petco, proud owner, specifics, tara
Rats are highly social so you should get two. Dumbo rats and standard (top ear) rats are no different from each other other than their ears. Dumbo rats simply have a gene that causes their ears to be rounder and lower on their heads. Some people say dumbo rats are nicer, but that is simply due to good breeding for temperament and the personality of the individual rat.
I don’t know if Petco sells dumbo rats are not. They don’t sell rats at all in my area. You should really consider getting them from a breeder. It’s not going to cost much, if any, more. You’ll get healthier rats if bought from a good breeder.
That cage will fit two rats. You should cover the wire floors with fleece or Plexiglas attached to the cage. Walking on wire floors can cause bumblefoot (infection in their feet).
Lab blocks should be the main diet. I recommend Harlan if you can buy things online. If you can’t, Mazuri is a decent brand that can be found in many stores. They should also get a mix every couple of days for variety. Store bought mixes are very bad for rats so I suggest you use a homemade mix. They will also need healthy, safe human food everyday as treats. They can eat most foods but there are some foods that are dangerous for them (see links below).
Harlan: http://www.theratshop.com/index.php?cPath=1
Suebee’s: http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html
List of forbidden foods: http://www.petratscanada.com/forbidden_foods.htm
NEVER use pine, cedar, clay/clumping cat litter, sawdust or anything scented as bedding/litter. They can make your rats very sick and can even kill them. Some safe bedding/litter options are carefresh, yesterday’s news, aspen and fleece.
Rats are very intelligent and need toys to play with. Bird, ferret and rodent toys, boxes, hammocks, baskets and tunnels are all fun for ratties. Even some baby, dog and cat toys are fun for them. Rats don’t need to chew to keep their teeth short, they brux (grind their teeth together) to keep them short. However, they do love to chew so having some wood toys in the cage is good. They will also need a little house to hide in, I recommend a plastic house such as an igloo rather than a wood house (wood houses soak up urine and will smell). Some rats will use wheels, others won’t. If you get them a wheel, get one with a solid running surface. The mesh ones and ones with spaces in the floor can cause injuries to your rat.
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm
Rats need AT LEAST AN HOUR out of the cage everyday. And please DON’T use one of those running balls. There is a risk of the rats getting their toes caught in the air holes and getting injured. They need time out of the cage to explore and play without being trapped in nothing more than a rolling plastic cage. Rat proof a room for them to run around in or set up a play area on a bed or table.
To litter box train them, first get a shallow plastic box that is large enough for them to fit their whole body in. You might want to use one that is different from the rest of the bedding. Then put some clean litter in the box, along with a small amount of soiled litter and some rat "raisins". Place the box in the corner they seem to use the most often. Everyday you’ll need to pick up all of the rat "raisins" in the cage and put them in the litter box. If you see them using another spot instead of the litter box, pick them up and put them in the litter box. If you see them using the litter box, offer them a treat. Eventually many rats will learn that they should use the litter box. You will probably never be able to get a male to pee in the litter box since they urine mark their territory. You may not be able to get them to use it at all.
I wouldn’t keep them in the closet. Although they are nocturnal animals and will spend most of the day sleeping, there will be times that they will be wide awake while you are. If they can see you in the room, they will become more comfortable around you. They will also become attached to you soon and will miss you when you’re not around. Plus if there is a vent in your closet, they room will become colder/warmer than the rest of the house.