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Pet Rats

Pet Rats

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Pet rats make wonderful pets as they enjoy human company and are both clean and intelligent. Although they belong to the same species as the wild rat, if they have been handled from birth, it is completely safe to share your home with them. Domestic rats come in a variety of eye and coat colours and their average life span is approximately two and a half years.

Pet rats are active creatures and love to climb so try to provide a wire cage which is large and tall. Take advice from a good pet shop as to the type of cage required and also think about how many rats you would like to have in the cage. Avoid keeping just one where possible as they are sociable creatures and like company, and it costs little more to feed two rats. It is best to buy Pet rats from a reputable breeder and the babies (also known as kittens) should be at least six weeks old before purchasing. Pet rats like to be housed with others and preferably of the same sex so as to avoid unwanted breeding as this can be prolific.

Food should be a mixture of grains, proteins such as dry dog food and also vegetables. They enjoy peanuts, sunflower seeds, fruit and vegetables. Always ensure that a water bottle is filled with fresh water on a daily basis.

Pet rats need plenty of exercise and ideally an hour of playtime outside of the cage each day. It is good to provide toys for them to play with and this could be cardboard boxes or even pieces of plastic drainpipe. Avoid any wheels with spokes as these can cause injuries, it would be wise to make sure that the room where you are releasing them is rat-proofed so that they cannot escape.

Rats enjoy the contact with their owner; they like being carried around but never pick one up by its tail as this can cause injury.  They are easier to handle than other smaller rodents so ideal for children, but as with all pets for younger children, constant supervision must be available at all times.



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