Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Rats

Some interesting facts cannot be covered in the topic text, so this article focuses on the questions that rat owners ask most often.

What does a domestic rat look like?

The appearance of the domestic rat has not changed much in comparison with its wild relatives. Most of the animals have an elongated stocky body and a long bald tail covered with sparse bristles. The size of the animal can be from 8 to 30 cm, and weight – up to 400-500 g. The elongated head is crowned with round ears, the eyes are small and bulging. The jaw of rats consists of 4 front incisors and molars. Different breeds of decorative rats differ in the structure of their coat:

•  smooth;
•  thin and shiny;
•  curly;
•  downy.

There are animals without hair, for example, sphinxes and rodents with a mixed coat. Colors can be plain or mixed. From gray and brown to orange and blue.

In Dumbo rats, the ears “sit” not on the top of the head, but lower, like those of elephants. As a result of the mutation, rats were born that have no tail at all.

Do pet rats smell?

The natural smell of the animal is not too strong, the main aromas are excrement. It is commonly believed that sexually mature males stink, but this is not so. Despite the fact that males mark the territory, leaving odorous traces, some females can easily outdo them. It all depends on the nature of the pet. There are clean boys who choose a certain angle for the administration of natural needs and careless girls who “record” hammocks and cage bars. Aromas in the cage of ornamental rats depend on: the size of the room, “population density”, the quality of the litter, and most importantly, the frequency of cleaning.

You need to clean the cage of a domestic rat at least 1 time per week. Every day you should wipe the shelves, change the water and wash the bowls of wet food. It is better to remove the “signed” filler immediately or do it at least once a day.

Important! Rats can not pour coniferous filler!

Hammocks used as a toilet should be washed 2-3 times a week.

If some family members do not like the pet, then they will always smell the animal

It is almost impossible to completely get rid of the smell in the room, but it is so light that pet owners often do not notice it. Harsh odors can be washed off with household or baby soap, soda, rodent shampoos. The soapy solution should be thoroughly washed off with hot water.

Important! Rats are sensitive to strong odors.

Do house rats bite

They bite, but very rarely. There are a number of cases when a rat may bite:

• fright;
• pain;
• error. The animal tries everything on the tooth, so a finger stuck through the grate can be perceived as food;
• transitional age in males. From 5 months, males may bite in an attempt to dominate;
• female pregnancy. A pregnant and lactating female is able to bite, protecting her offspring.

In almost all cases, the owner himself is to blame. Slight biting in animals is a form of communication. The pet is trying to attract the attention of the adored owner.

Important! Physical punishment for a bite is the biggest mistake: a rat can lose confidence in a person.

In the case of dominance, you can either turn the “impudent” on its back and hold it in this position or sprinkle it with water. Usually it is enough to drive the pet away from you or stop playing with it.

How to grind rat teeth

Healthy young rats grind their teeth on solid food and unsalted mineral stone. If you give a rodent a lot of soft food, it may ignore dry food. Mineral stones are not liked by all animals. Some people love crayons, while others ignore these things altogether. “Whims” need to pick up hard objects to taste:

• walnuts, hazelnuts or pine nuts;
• branches of fruit trees;
• special sticks from a pet store;
• boiled chicken bones;
• unsweetened dryers or crackers.

You can give your rat cuttlefish shell or dry dog ​​food to grind down its teeth. If the incisors have grown back and the rat is starving, immediately run to the doctor. He will cut his teeth, and the animal will be healthy. Such an operation can be done independently, but for the first time, trust the veterinarian.

Why does the rat gnaw the cage

By nature, a rat is supposed to gnaw on everything in its path. The cell is no exception. Many pets do this at night, keeping them awake. Experience shows that for the animal this is more entertainment than an attempt to grind incisors. Rats gnaw a cage out of boredom if the animal is alone in it.

Most often, nervous animals are engaged in such things, but completely healthy individuals will not deny themselves such pleasure. It is almost impossible to wean a rat from chewing on a cage, but you can try to do something:

• put a mineral stone, a twig, a piece of wood or a cracker in the cage before going to bed;
• close your favorite place of “nibbling” with a mineral stone and hang branches between the bars;
• move the cage to other objects with animals so that the animal does not get bored.

Several same-sex rats should be brought in, then they will be busy with their relationship and, perhaps, will not touch the bars.

Why are rats kept in pairs?

Rats are social animals. In nature, they live in packs. Unlike lone hamsters, a rat needs to communicate with its own kind. Can you keep a rat alone in a cage? Yes, but she needs close communication with the owner, otherwise she will yearn.

How rats fight

You can understand whether rats are fighting or playing by the consequences. If it came to blood and torn hair – this is a fight, emotional screams and wallowing opponents on the floor – rather the establishment of a hierarchy. There are always masters and subordinates in a rat pack, dominance in behavior can be expressed in the form of bites. A real fight of rats can be among males if there is not enough space in the cage. Showdowns start from 4-5 months until all roles are distributed. If hormones affect fatally, animals can be seated or castrated.

Is it possible to add a rat to an adult rat

A rat up to 2 months old can be planted with both males and females, but there are nuances. Males will most likely accept the baby well, but problems will begin when they reach adulthood. Adult males must build a hierarchy of relationships among themselves, and young rats are no exception. In the case of ladies, there will be difficulties when a rat is moved to an adult rat. “Girls” do not like strangers, even if they are babies. We’ll have to wait until the children are saturated with the smell of old-timers. When the adopted children “get official registration” from mature ladies, then everything will be calm.

If you need to hook the baby to a lonely rat, then it is better to start two

When the old rat goes to another world, the owner will not be left with a lonely animal. And if the old man does not accept the young, then two will have more fun in the next cage.

The procedure for moving rats in is as follows: if the baby needs to be placed with the elders, then you should first wash the cage so that there is no smell of adults left there, and vice versa, a mature rat, getting into the territory of the kids, will behave more modestly in other people’s aromas. It is best to bring rats in neutral territory.

How to walk a rat

It is better to refuse walking a rat on the street: it is too dangerous: the animal can “pick up” an infection on the ground or in the grass. Any noise can cause panic, and the animal will run away. There is a category of pets that feel calm in the bosom. With such rodents, you can go out in warm weather without lowering them to the ground. However, it is better to carry pets in a carrier.

For home leisure, it is necessary to fence off walking in a room where there are no wires and dangerous objects. You can release the animals on the sofa or table, but make sure that they do not fall.

Do rats eat each other

A well-fed rodent does not eat a relative, cannibalism is not characteristic of rats. However, in a closed space, a flock of hungry animals eat each other.

At home, it happens that the female eats the cubs, but here we are talking about stillborn or non-viable babies. The point here is not hunger, but “cleaning the room”: the dead cub will begin to decompose.

How to catch a domestic rat

Sometimes smart rodents get out of the cage and disappear. If this happens, you should not panic. It is necessary to isolate and secure the proposed location of the animal and start searching. The rat, getting out of the cage, does not seek to go far, and hides in the usual place. If she is a climber, it is worth starting the search from the upper shelves, and vice versa, the “earthly” rat is looking for a gap in the lower tier. Will a decorative rat return if it ran away? Sometimes a tame beast comes out to the call of the owner, but you should not count on it too much.

Important! You need to move things carefully so as not to harm the hidden animal.

You can use pets, but under strict control. The cat will quickly find the fugitive or indicate his place. As an extreme option – use the “live trap”. You can leave the cage doors open and put liquid bait, such as yogurt, in the cage. A starving animal will get out by the smell, but it will not be able to drag the delicacy. To prevent the rat from running away, complicate the locks. The animals are able to lift the door, and sometimes cope with the carabiner.

Do rats like to be stroked?

Manual animals gladly accept affection from the owners, especially if they do not try to pick them up by the tail. The rat should be picked up with both hands: often it climbs on its outstretched palm. To make a rat like it, you need to stroke it on the head, scratch behind the ear and on the cheeks. The animal is pleased with a gentle touch to the withers and stroking the back in the direction “from the head”. Some animals trust the owner to scratch the abdomen, but not all. You can watch the social interaction of rodents to understand what they like.

Can rats be transported by plane?

Theoretically, it is possible, but it is a troublesome business:

1. Find out if you can bring a rat under the rules of this airport.
2. Find out if your carrier is carrying rats.
3. For 3 days, take a veterinary certificate for a rodent.
4. Before check-in, go through the veterinary control at the airport.

Do not forget about the laws of another country, whether they will let the animal in there. It can only be carried in the cabin, it will not withstand the luggage compartment. Don’t put the rat through the scanner, it will hurt him. Don’t open a carrier on an airplane for a rat. It can only be fed through the bars.

Problems are solved easier if you manage to negotiate with the crew of the aircraft.

Can rats jump

Yes they can. The rat is able to jump 30-40 cm in height in a calm state. In emergency situations, the rodent is able to “fly up” high – up to 80 cm. A jump record was set – more than 2 m.

Why does a rat eat its own feces

This is usually done by rat pups that eat their mother’s feces. The female produces a special substance that helps children switch to adult food. By eating poop, the child receives the necessary bacteria to assimilate new food.

Sometimes the little rat eats its excrement, this is also normal, it will grow up and stop. If the process is delayed, you can take stool tests for the content of protozoa.

Why do rats pee on hands

The pet does not piss so much as marks the owner, and this is normal. Like dogs, rodents must “stake out” their territory, including the owner and his things. The mark differs from the pissing in the amount of urine excreted: a drop is enough to indicate ownership.

A rat “pees” on people if they are saturated with strong odors: perfume or detergents. It is almost impossible to wean a rat from marking. A young male can be castrated, but this will not be a 100% guarantee either.