MY RECOMMENDATIONS

These can be found on Amazon or Chewy. Everything listed here are what I use.

Housing

You want the enclosure to have sufficient ventilation and have enough space for roaming. Try to aim for 24+ in height with bar spacing of less than 1/2in. I’ve included the best cages on the market. These are the only cages suitable for rats.

Bedding

You want it to be absorbent but with as less dust as possible. This is to avoid respitory infections. Please do not use any type of wood bedding such as aspen, cedar (toxic) or pine. They have sensitive respitory systems. Dust particles from most bedding irritates their nostrils thus causing upper respitory related issues. Carefresh has been removed from my list due to it’s high level of dust. Fleece liners are extremely hard to keep clean. They need to be washed daily. I do not recommend fleece as an option either. My rats are born and raised on Yesterday’s News & Hemp.

Chews

Please avoid any chew on the market that is made of Cedar or Pine. (Kiln Pine however is safe!) Below you’ll find SAFE chew options.

DIET

Rats are omnivores and therefore need a healthy balanced diet. The correct amount of protein is important. Only feed what is listed here. Please research toxic foods.

Hammocks / Hides

Please note you’ll need to check daily on any fabric hide you choose. This is to make sure that the fabrics are still in tact and there are no loose threads hanging that they may consume. If there are any please cut them off. Also be advised that they’ll customize their homes in their own way and it is completely fine if they choose to.

Quarantine

This is one of the most important steps you need to take if you have existing rats already. This is done to make sure everyone is safe and can acclimate accordingly. Minimum quarantine is 30 days. This is done by housing the new babies in a separate cage. Housing them in a different room would be ideal. If you don’t have a spare room make sure they are as far away from the others as possible. During quarantine is is vital that you do not cross contaminate cages. Do not handle your existing rats and then run over to the new rats. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before interacting with the others. After quarantine is over you can then and only then begin slow introductions on neutral ground. Bathtub is the most common location for these introductions. Do not leave them unsupervised during this time, ever. I recommend doing this at least 3 times. Once the existing rats accept the new comers you can then begin to deep clean the existing rat cage. Use white vinegar and hot water. Wipe down everything that can be safely cleaned. This also includes the new rat’s belongings as well. Wash any fabric hides too and remember to switch out the bedding as well. Please, please do not skip this step!

Travel Carrier

When you arrive to pick up your new babies please make sure you have a suitable carrier. If you do not I will not release them to you. Especially if you are coming from long distance. The carrier needs to have proper ventilation and have enough room for them during travel time. No tanks, cardboard, fabric or plastic totes! I will include the carrier I use below.

Bonding

Please give your new friends at least a week to settle in to their new home before attempting to handle. Rats are extremely intelligent, loving and social creatures but they are also fragile! Never grab them by their tails, poke them through the bars, offer food through the bars, discipline them by nose bopping, or suddenly grab or squeeze them. They can sense your emotions. If you are the least bit apprehensive they will be on alert. Any rats that leave my home are temperament tested before doing so. This means I guarantee them to be well mannered pets. However like any animal they are equipped with teeth and can react if they are startled or harmed. Please, please supervise children at ALL TIMES. Teach your children how to properly interact with them. Be advised I do not recommend children under the age of 10 have rats. Remember that rats are very small compared to us. Slow, steady and confident hands are the best hands for rats. For this reason I highly recommend the parent do most of the handling. Hold them snug to your body so that they feel secure. They are most active at night so that would be a good time to approach them. I recommend bonding time be done in a bath tub. This allows the rats to come to you and explore on their own free will. You can offer treats but not every day. Make sure to place the treat(s) in their dish. Another thing I need to mention is rats do nibble! There is a vast difference between a bite and a nibble. Nibbles can be slight to moderate but almost always they do this because they smell food on you or other scents that peak their curiosity. Over all be patient and loving with them and you’ll have best friends in no time!

what not to do with your new friends

Do not feed them through the bars. This causes food aggression and will result in biting rats.

Do not squeeze them.

Do not man handle them! They are fragile creatures.

Do not lift them by their tails. Rats use their tails to help them keep their balance, to communicate and to keep their bodies at the right temperature. The tail works so well for balance that it makes rats excellent climbers! They also have many nerve endings and pulling or lifting by their tail can result in serious injury. Most commonly broken tail or broken spine.

Do not offer timothy hay, orchard hay, chocolate, citrus fruits or avocado. Please be aware of unsafe foods because there are many!

Do not use any wood type bedding of any kind. Cedar and Pine are lethal to small animals especially rats due to their sensitive respitory systems. Aspen is also not recommended due to it’s dust levels.

Do not use fleece bedding as this needs to be kept squeaky clean 24/7. It’ll need to be washed daily and the ammonia from their urine tends to cling to the fabric causing unsanitary conditions. This leads to respitory and other health problems.

Do not get any wheel of any kind. These are terrible for rats due to their long tails. Wheels can break toes, toe nails, and spines.

Do not house them in tanks, aquariums or bins. This leads to a build up of ammonia thus causing severe respitory issues which usually end up being fatal. Also these options are not big enough for rats.

Do not place their cage near high traffic areas or near dogs or cats. If you have dogs or cats it is best to put the rats on a different level in your home where neither dog or cat can see them. Dogs and cats are predatory animals to rats and rats can sense when they are near. Cats carry bacteria underneath their claws and in their saliva that is lethal to small mammals, birds and reptiles. Yes even a scratch can kill.