Care and Keeping

   Your new rats eat Mazuri 6F Rodent Breeder. This food has a better protein balance for rats. I use blocks instead of a food mix to ensure that my rats are getting all the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.

   You can also give rats treats of fresh vegetables, and small quantities of fruit. Stay away from citrus fruits, but otherwise veggies you enjoy, they will enjoy! Vegetable baby food is a great way to encourage bonding; rats have to stay near you to enjoy it.

   Good cages for rats are big, at least 32x20 inches, and 24 inches tall. After that minimum, you can calculate how many rats your cage can hold on the FancyRatsForum.

   Rats can be prone to respiratory troubles, and need lots of good ventilation to keep their lungs healthy! Aquariums or glass tanks should not be used to house rats. They can also slip through small gaps, so choose a cage with 1/2" bar spacing.

   I use dust-extracted aspen bedding in my cages as substrate. You can find it at Tractor Supply in Lincoln, NE or order it online. Using dust-extracted bedding is essential, because their lungs are delicate and they can become irritated or sick from too much dust.

   Fleece can be a good cover for wire shelves or ramps (it's important not to walk on bare wire). Use a layer of fleece and an absorbent second layer of fabric, and wash often.

   Rats are prey animals. This means they are naturally a little skittish and frightened; this healthy fear helped them survive for thousands of years!

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   This means they like dark, cozy spaces to hide, sleep, and cuddle. Hammocks with layers (which I handmake!), "hides" like the igloos seen in pet stores, or even cardboard boxes with entrance and exit holes will make your rats feel comfortable and safe.

   Rats are domesticated animals, but just like dogs and cats they still have wild instincts. They love digging and climbing especially, and giving them "dig boxes", ropes, or tree branches is important.

   These dig boxes are simple to make! A cat litter pan or storage tote with holes in the lid can hold lots of aspen, paper shavings, coco coir soil, straw.. an endless variety of materials for your rats to dig through!

   Just like humans, rats are a social species. They need other rats to grow and thrive. A human is good company, but a rat needs rat company as well.

   For this reason, I only adopt out my rats in groups of two or more. If you already have a group of rats at home, it's good practice to quarantine new rats separately to avoid spreading disease; adopting two means they will have a quarantine buddy!