Would you like to get a rat for yourself and your family but don’t know where to begin? To find out more about rat breeding, we contacted dozens of rat breeders across the country and asked them:
When it comes to buying a rat for the first time, what tips would you recommend? “We would like to thank all the rat breeders who SoCal Rattery shared their knowledge and experience in the often-misunderstood world of rats. Their contact information and social media handles are listed at the end of the article.
3 Rattery Tips Provided by the Rats Breeder
- Do Your Research
Before you buy a rat, check out some Facebook groups for rat owners. Consider common issues, cage types, food, toys, hammocks, treats, and the expense of rats before getting them. Most people think, “oh, fun, a new pet for little Timmy would be great.”Rather than hamsters, rats need daily interaction and time to explore outside their cages.
Rats also have an innate fear of heights, so make sure there are no places where they can get stuck or injure themselves. As with any new pet, be prepared for a few surprises. Rats can chew wires, run through wires, pull off their bedding, and have other health problems. They have a life expectancy of 6 to 8 years, but it depends on the rat’s genetics and the care you give them. You should expect to clean their cage once a day and feed them twice a day. Rats also require a lot of space.
- Avoid Buying Rats from Pet Shops
It is rare for pet shop rats to be handled and socialized. It is also common for them to be mis-sexed, resulting in unwanted pregnancies. Feeder rats are usually friendly at a young age but are often very inbred since no selective breeding is done or records are kept. Thus, they are more prone to tumors and cancers and can die at a younger age from unknown issues.
A young rat can live up to two years, although most breeders suggest at least three to five years of age. Feeder Rats should be fed a diet consisting of 25% protein, 15% fat, 35% carbohydrate (starch). If you feed them this diet, they will have an average life span of 3 to 5 years. They should be given a daily feeding schedule. The amount of food should be determined by the weight of the rat. They should eat at least twice a day.
- Reputable Breeders Make All the Difference in The World
Helpful individuals put more effort and thought into giving their pets a wonderful home. The chances are they have given more time to their program if they truly care about who they place their rats with – so the rats will be healthier and friendlier.
A Rat Rescue is like any other rescue in that the focus is on the welfare of the animals. We must give each animal a good home, one where they can live out their lives happily. Our goal is to help as many rats as we can, but we can’t take on all of them. So, we rely on the kindness of others who share our goals.
Our focus is primarily on helping rats in need. We work with many rescue groups and organizations; Rats are intelligent animals and very social creatures. They are highly motivated to make friends and form bonds. The only thing more exciting to them than being rescued is being placed into a new home with people who love them. When a rat is saved, it is brought to a local shelter, where it is given medical care and socialization. It is then screened for health problems and potential suitability as a pet.
