Getting Rats...
Ebony in her carrier
So you’ve not been put off so far by the talk of money and your still keen on getting rats. Should you just nip down to the local pet shop and pick up the rats and cage… Not yet, first there are a few more things to think about
How Many?
Isamu, Loki and old man Wisp showing why rats need friends
The first thing to deicide is how many rats you are going to get. The only rule in this is that one rat should not be kept on its own unless the circumstances are exceptional. Rats are very social creatures and in the wild live happily in large family groups enjoying established relationships, growing, learning and playing together. This being the case a single rat is often lonely and can become stressed and ill, not to mention have a lack of social skills leading to problems later in life. Rat’s thrive on being able to spend time with a friend, grooming each other, sleeping, together, playing and occasionally fighting giving them a rounded interesting and fulfilling life. Occasionally a rat may decide on it’s own that it is better off living alone by driving off any other rats introduced. At the last resort rats may be kept alone but will need a significantly larger amount of attention than two or more rats kept together.
Keeping rats in pairs (or larger groups) is also beneficial for the owner, not only do they get multiple rats to play with they also get to see a variety off different personalities come through, the entertainment of watching the rats interact (often better than TV) and the rats are generally more confident and willing to socialise with their people if they have a friend to brave the unknown with.
So one rat is out but how many to get? Bearing in mind the cost mentioned earlier you need to choose a number you can afford. If you are a first time owner too many rats will be hard work and limit how much you can get to know your rats. Between 2 and 4 rats are considered a good starting number though cage size and personal preference will often determined how many within this group. One thing to note is that often when keeping groups of rats one will die at a significantly earlier age than the others, sometimes around 1 year and above. This being the case you can be left with one bereaved rat for a large proportion of there life or until you can settle in a new friend. It can help to have 3 or 4 rats in this situation to delay the need to introduce new rats until later in the rats life (when hopefully they have mellowed). Not to mention you then have warning when you rat population is dwindling in time to arrange some new friends before a rat is left on it’s own. Even if you’re just getting another rat to add to your group it is advisable to go for 2 or more as rats will settle quicker with a friend of there own age (see Behaviour – Introducing rats).
It is advisable not to get many more than 4 rats of the same age at any one time. It can be hard enough when all your rats reach old age and begin to become prone to the old age related illnesses. Vet bills can quickly mount up and all seem to come in at once. Spreading out the age of your rats enables a little more control of the situation and though you cannot predict when your rats will get sick it should reduce the chance of you having many old and ailing rats on your hands at once. It also has the added bonus of giving you a wider variety of personalities in the cage at once. You can have some older calmer rats to cuddle and help settle in the young, active amusing babies. Some rat fanciers also believe that the presence of young rats in a cage can help keep older rats behaving younger for longer.
Keeping rats in pairs (or larger groups) is also beneficial for the owner, not only do they get multiple rats to play with they also get to see a variety off different personalities come through, the entertainment of watching the rats interact (often better than TV) and the rats are generally more confident and willing to socialise with their people if they have a friend to brave the unknown with.
So one rat is out but how many to get? Bearing in mind the cost mentioned earlier you need to choose a number you can afford. If you are a first time owner too many rats will be hard work and limit how much you can get to know your rats. Between 2 and 4 rats are considered a good starting number though cage size and personal preference will often determined how many within this group. One thing to note is that often when keeping groups of rats one will die at a significantly earlier age than the others, sometimes around 1 year and above. This being the case you can be left with one bereaved rat for a large proportion of there life or until you can settle in a new friend. It can help to have 3 or 4 rats in this situation to delay the need to introduce new rats until later in the rats life (when hopefully they have mellowed). Not to mention you then have warning when you rat population is dwindling in time to arrange some new friends before a rat is left on it’s own. Even if you’re just getting another rat to add to your group it is advisable to go for 2 or more as rats will settle quicker with a friend of there own age (see Behaviour – Introducing rats).
It is advisable not to get many more than 4 rats of the same age at any one time. It can be hard enough when all your rats reach old age and begin to become prone to the old age related illnesses. Vet bills can quickly mount up and all seem to come in at once. Spreading out the age of your rats enables a little more control of the situation and though you cannot predict when your rats will get sick it should reduce the chance of you having many old and ailing rats on your hands at once. It also has the added bonus of giving you a wider variety of personalities in the cage at once. You can have some older calmer rats to cuddle and help settle in the young, active amusing babies. Some rat fanciers also believe that the presence of young rats in a cage can help keep older rats behaving younger for longer.
Boys or Girls?
The next big decision is whether to go for boys or girls or a mix. It is possible to keep groups of any size with either sex though mixed groups are strongly advised against unless the males or females are neutered (preferably the males as this is less invasive surgery and the fact that entire bucks may harass a neutered female which may be painful for them). Mixed un-neutered groups will quickly grow in size as a rat can have a litter every 21 days from the age of 6 weeks upwards (though in some cases it is younger if an adult buck is left in with female kittens). In one year 1 breeding pair when kept in constant contact can produce in the region of 140-200 offspring and this does not take into account that any babies left together or in with the father will go on to produce their own litters leading to a population explosion. Also the stress of constant litter rearing on the mother needs to be taken into account as back to back litters can seriously affect the health of mother and kittens. This being the case any plans for breeding must be considered fully and carefully planned and managed (see breeding section for more information).
So which are best, Boys (Bucks) or Girls (Does). Though rats vary widely in personalities there are some general rules of thumb.
So which are best, Boys (Bucks) or Girls (Does). Though rats vary widely in personalities there are some general rules of thumb.
Loki - a typical manly Buck
Bucks ;
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Miriam, a very pretty doe
Does;
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What Colour/Variety
Rats come in a variety of colours and markings as can be seen in the varieties section. Everyone has their own favourite colour or marking so this is a fairly open choice. However some varieties are more common than others so easier to get hold of, Agouti rats (traditional brown rats) are often the easiest bred though becoming rarer as people increasingly produce more popular colours. New varieties such as the Golden Himalayan are nearly impossible to get hold of as the genetics and breeding patterns are still being worked on. Some people prefer rats with dark or black eyes, some love pink eye’s. Some like standard rats with smooth fur and normal ears, some can’t resist the curly rex or comical dumbo.
For a new owner I would suggest focussing more on temperament and health than the colour. Despite this for an inexperienced or new owner (or even the more lazy experienced owner) I would advise going for a mixture of varieties. This will help when you need to recognise your rats from a distance (useful when they are about to chew through something on the other side of the room that they shouldn’t be). This can be achieved fairly easily if you get some of the marked varieties such as hooded as they have individual patterns and spotting which makes them easily identifiable. Over time you will be able to tell your rats from each other even if they are all identical Pink Eyed Whites, their head and body shape, mannerisms and even shade will be different but for those first few weeks you could be lost.
For a new owner I would suggest focussing more on temperament and health than the colour. Despite this for an inexperienced or new owner (or even the more lazy experienced owner) I would advise going for a mixture of varieties. This will help when you need to recognise your rats from a distance (useful when they are about to chew through something on the other side of the room that they shouldn’t be). This can be achieved fairly easily if you get some of the marked varieties such as hooded as they have individual patterns and spotting which makes them easily identifiable. Over time you will be able to tell your rats from each other even if they are all identical Pink Eyed Whites, their head and body shape, mannerisms and even shade will be different but for those first few weeks you could be lost.
Where to go for your rats
There are several places you can get your new rats from, each of which has their advantages and disadvantages. The first is generally where most new rat owners turn for their pets and though this might seem a good idea you can end up regretting it.
Pet Shops
Pet shops offer a convenient easy method of getting hold of rats, as rat ownership becomes increasingly popular more and more varieties and colours can be seen popping up in our local pet shop tanks. As you wander in and buy your pet supplies you walk past their whiskery faces and it’s too late… you walk home with a box full of rats, a new cage and a starter kit. Everyone (I’m sure even the most experienced rat owner) has done this at one point or another but it is not generally the best way.
Pet shop rats can come with many downsides. Many pet shops, especially large chain stores, stock rats from ‘Pet Farms’. These are places where rats and other small mammals are bred in large numbers for use by the pet trade. They are often kept in poor conditions and bred repeatedly which affects both the health and well being of the mothers and babies. These rat farm babies are bred for popular colours and markings, generally not handled when young and bought in bulk with little thought given to health or temperament. This can lead to small, sickly, nervous and/or aggressive rats that are generally slow to bond to humans. The rats are often kept in small tanks with limited toys and shelter (if any) and on wood shavings (see habitat section) or some other less than ideal bedding, though thankfully conditions are rapidly improving. There is also a worrying number of sexing accidents in the process and many people have come home with two rats only to find there populations shoots up to 20 in a few weeks. Sometimes the female rats are sold mis-sexed, sometimes they have been kept in tanks with there brothers for too long (post 5 weeks) or allowed near the males for long enough to become pregnant. I would advise anyone thinking of getting from petshops to have a good read of this link http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=111&t=76
Getting sickly, nervous rats from a pet shop is not guaranteed, it is possible to find lovely rats in a pet shop. Some small firms liaise with local breeders who breed for temperament and health, these shops will generally ask you many questions before selling you there rats such as what cage you have, whether you have kept rats before and such. They will also take your details to make sure that the breeder can speak to you and get updates on your rats. If they do not do this whatever they say they can't be breeding to improve health and temperament as they will be missing information in order to do this (see breeding section for info. You can also be gifted by a beautiful, well tempered, healthy rat from any pet shop no matter how poor, but they are the exception rather than the rule, with a pet shop rat, unless it is from a “pet shop gem”, you are always taking a substantial risk.
One thing to bear in mind is if you buy from poor pet shops, even if you think you are rescuing a poorly looking miserable rat, you are encouraging the pet shop to sell rats in the future. If you buy that poor scraggily lone rat, or that group of undersized nervous kittens you are telling the pet shop that people will pay money for rats in this condition. As hard as it is to leave them in this situation it is the best thing you can do for rats as a whole (though perhaps not for that rat in particular) to leave them behind and report them to the RSPCA. However it takes a strong person to be able to do that and it is not for everyone.
Pet shop rats can come with many downsides. Many pet shops, especially large chain stores, stock rats from ‘Pet Farms’. These are places where rats and other small mammals are bred in large numbers for use by the pet trade. They are often kept in poor conditions and bred repeatedly which affects both the health and well being of the mothers and babies. These rat farm babies are bred for popular colours and markings, generally not handled when young and bought in bulk with little thought given to health or temperament. This can lead to small, sickly, nervous and/or aggressive rats that are generally slow to bond to humans. The rats are often kept in small tanks with limited toys and shelter (if any) and on wood shavings (see habitat section) or some other less than ideal bedding, though thankfully conditions are rapidly improving. There is also a worrying number of sexing accidents in the process and many people have come home with two rats only to find there populations shoots up to 20 in a few weeks. Sometimes the female rats are sold mis-sexed, sometimes they have been kept in tanks with there brothers for too long (post 5 weeks) or allowed near the males for long enough to become pregnant. I would advise anyone thinking of getting from petshops to have a good read of this link http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=111&t=76
Getting sickly, nervous rats from a pet shop is not guaranteed, it is possible to find lovely rats in a pet shop. Some small firms liaise with local breeders who breed for temperament and health, these shops will generally ask you many questions before selling you there rats such as what cage you have, whether you have kept rats before and such. They will also take your details to make sure that the breeder can speak to you and get updates on your rats. If they do not do this whatever they say they can't be breeding to improve health and temperament as they will be missing information in order to do this (see breeding section for info. You can also be gifted by a beautiful, well tempered, healthy rat from any pet shop no matter how poor, but they are the exception rather than the rule, with a pet shop rat, unless it is from a “pet shop gem”, you are always taking a substantial risk.
One thing to bear in mind is if you buy from poor pet shops, even if you think you are rescuing a poorly looking miserable rat, you are encouraging the pet shop to sell rats in the future. If you buy that poor scraggily lone rat, or that group of undersized nervous kittens you are telling the pet shop that people will pay money for rats in this condition. As hard as it is to leave them in this situation it is the best thing you can do for rats as a whole (though perhaps not for that rat in particular) to leave them behind and report them to the RSPCA. However it takes a strong person to be able to do that and it is not for everyone.
Rat Breeders
Rat breeders in general offer one of the safest means of rat ownerships and is particularly suited to those new to rats, with limited time or inexperienced. Good rat breeders breed primarily for longevity, temperament and health, then type (the general shape of the rat), then colour/variety. This means you should get lovely friendly rats with a known background that should be healthy and settle into your home with the minimum of fuss. The breeder should also continue to support you throughout the rat’s life giving you advice and pointers when required. In return you supply the breeder with updates and information on health and temperament helping them improve their rat line for the future.
However as with pet shops there are good and bad breeders. Some breeders breed irresponsibly, sometimes for profit (impossible if you put in what you should to the babies), sometimes to see what will happen, sometimes with no thought besides producing show winners, ignoring the need to breed pet suitable rats too, leading to piles of show tanks filled with snappy, nervous, sneezy, yet beautifully coloured rats. You may also have to wait sometime for a breeder near you to have a litter as the good ones generally only breed a few times a year. There is also the difficulties in finding a good breeder in your area, often it is necessary to travel or organise a ‘rat train’ (a team of helpful people to bring your rats to you from the breeder) but all these problems are solvable with a small amount of effort.
However as with pet shops there are good and bad breeders. Some breeders breed irresponsibly, sometimes for profit (impossible if you put in what you should to the babies), sometimes to see what will happen, sometimes with no thought besides producing show winners, ignoring the need to breed pet suitable rats too, leading to piles of show tanks filled with snappy, nervous, sneezy, yet beautifully coloured rats. You may also have to wait sometime for a breeder near you to have a litter as the good ones generally only breed a few times a year. There is also the difficulties in finding a good breeder in your area, often it is necessary to travel or organise a ‘rat train’ (a team of helpful people to bring your rats to you from the breeder) but all these problems are solvable with a small amount of effort.
1, Finding a breeder. You can locate a breeder fairly easily if you have access to the internet. Most breeders have helpful websites where it is possible to examine upcoming litters and rats already available. These can be found by a simple search on the internet for rat breeders in your area or a list can be found at some of the rat websites listed in the further information sections. If you are UK based the National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) keep a list of members who are active breeders (known as kitbag) which can be requested from their website, by emailing kitbag@nfrs.org or by sending a stamped addressed envelope to: Kitbag, 4 Arthur's Terrace, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 2NN. Please be aware that this list doesn’t guarantee good breeders or cover all the good breeders in the UK but only those breeders meeting the NFRS guidelines and are members can join. You can also go to rat shows held by the various rat clubs (a list can be found in the further information sections) and talk to the breeders that attend, this is always useful as you get to see and handle their rats first. Some rat clubs still have ‘kitten tables’ where kittens can be bought on the day but this is normally reserved only for members and is becoming less popular.
2, Choosing the right breeder. Once you have found a few potential breeders it is a good idea to do a bit of research on them. There are several ways of doing this and depends on how confident both you and the breeder are with the computer. If the breeder has a website and you are happy with the internet the first port of call should be the website. These often get you off to a good start letting you know the breeders priorities and principles, allowing you to flick through pictures of there own pet rats and potential parents of your little ones. You can also often see the cages they use, check out there future breeding plans and aims and see if there’s any litters due soon or already available. One key thing to check is how recently the website has been updated as some have been abandoned for years and are a sign the breeder is no longer active.
The next stage in researching the breeder, or the first if they do not have a website, is to contact them. Don’t be tempted to blanket email several breeders at once as this will set the relationship off on the wrong foot. Pick who you contact carefully and email or phone them with a tailored list of questions depending on what information you have already found out.
You should also be able to pick up some more questions by reading the breeding section. Don’t feel embarrassed about quizzing breeders, good breeders expect, even want to, be questioned as it gives them a chance to get to know you in the process and show off just how special their rats are. Also expect the breeder to ask lots of questions of you too. Some breeders send out a questionnaire with questions such as what housing, food and litter you plan to use, your experience, what rats your looking for and why you want them. Don’t be worried if you are inexperienced, as long as you are open to suggestions and keen to learn, good breeders will be happy to help.
3, Picking your rats Once you have established a relationship the breeder will place you on there waiting list for whichever colour/variety of rat you requested. Bear in mind that if you give an open request such as “4 friendly bucks, any colours” you will get your ratties much quicker than if you request a specific colour such as “1 Russian Dove buck, 1 Pearl Buck and 2 Red Eyed Siamese Rex Bucks”. Also if you want potential show winners you may have to wait longer than just pet quality (though still beautiful) little guys, breeders will often keep the potential show winners for themselves, especially if it is one of the varieties they aim for. Most breeder sell rats on ‘Pet Only’ contracts so if you want to breed you will have to request and discuss this with the breeder.
Next the breeder will probably contact you to let you know when a suitable litter is being planned. Assuming this litter arrives as expected and there are suitable babies in it you will be given a chance to reserve your future rats (generally at 3-6 weeks) often getting pictures and the opportunity to name them straight away. You then have a short amount of time (until they are at minimum 6-7 weeks old) to make sure everything is ready for your babies.
4, Picking your rats up The breeder will often require you to come and pick up the rats yourself to allow both of you to get one last opportunity to back out. This is also the time when you get to meet your rats parents and their extended family not to mention the rats themselves. Its your chance to check the breeder out and make sure these really are the rats for you. Don’t be ashamed of walking out if you feel they unsuitable but make sure you are honest why and don't waste the breeders time. At this stage they will also be checking you out and have the same opportunity. It is worth having a good hello, and check over your new babies. Check that they appear friendly, confident, fit and well. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure. If you are not sure what to look for as the breeder to show you how to health check your rats.
Sometimes if travel is difficult it can be possible to arrange to pick up the rats from a nearby show, either directly from the breeder or from friends of the breeder though normally only if a good relationship is already formed with the breeder. It can also be possible to organise a ‘Rat Train’ where various people travelling in the right direction take the rats on part of the journey. This kind of thing can be organised using forums (such as Fancy Rats), email groups (such as Rat Lovers Uk) and word of mouth though club gatherings and shows. Not all breeders are happy passing there rats on to owners they have not met though so be prepared to travel if necessary
2, Choosing the right breeder. Once you have found a few potential breeders it is a good idea to do a bit of research on them. There are several ways of doing this and depends on how confident both you and the breeder are with the computer. If the breeder has a website and you are happy with the internet the first port of call should be the website. These often get you off to a good start letting you know the breeders priorities and principles, allowing you to flick through pictures of there own pet rats and potential parents of your little ones. You can also often see the cages they use, check out there future breeding plans and aims and see if there’s any litters due soon or already available. One key thing to check is how recently the website has been updated as some have been abandoned for years and are a sign the breeder is no longer active.
The next stage in researching the breeder, or the first if they do not have a website, is to contact them. Don’t be tempted to blanket email several breeders at once as this will set the relationship off on the wrong foot. Pick who you contact carefully and email or phone them with a tailored list of questions depending on what information you have already found out.
You should also be able to pick up some more questions by reading the breeding section. Don’t feel embarrassed about quizzing breeders, good breeders expect, even want to, be questioned as it gives them a chance to get to know you in the process and show off just how special their rats are. Also expect the breeder to ask lots of questions of you too. Some breeders send out a questionnaire with questions such as what housing, food and litter you plan to use, your experience, what rats your looking for and why you want them. Don’t be worried if you are inexperienced, as long as you are open to suggestions and keen to learn, good breeders will be happy to help.
3, Picking your rats Once you have established a relationship the breeder will place you on there waiting list for whichever colour/variety of rat you requested. Bear in mind that if you give an open request such as “4 friendly bucks, any colours” you will get your ratties much quicker than if you request a specific colour such as “1 Russian Dove buck, 1 Pearl Buck and 2 Red Eyed Siamese Rex Bucks”. Also if you want potential show winners you may have to wait longer than just pet quality (though still beautiful) little guys, breeders will often keep the potential show winners for themselves, especially if it is one of the varieties they aim for. Most breeder sell rats on ‘Pet Only’ contracts so if you want to breed you will have to request and discuss this with the breeder.
Next the breeder will probably contact you to let you know when a suitable litter is being planned. Assuming this litter arrives as expected and there are suitable babies in it you will be given a chance to reserve your future rats (generally at 3-6 weeks) often getting pictures and the opportunity to name them straight away. You then have a short amount of time (until they are at minimum 6-7 weeks old) to make sure everything is ready for your babies.
4, Picking your rats up The breeder will often require you to come and pick up the rats yourself to allow both of you to get one last opportunity to back out. This is also the time when you get to meet your rats parents and their extended family not to mention the rats themselves. Its your chance to check the breeder out and make sure these really are the rats for you. Don’t be ashamed of walking out if you feel they unsuitable but make sure you are honest why and don't waste the breeders time. At this stage they will also be checking you out and have the same opportunity. It is worth having a good hello, and check over your new babies. Check that they appear friendly, confident, fit and well. Don't be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure. If you are not sure what to look for as the breeder to show you how to health check your rats.
Sometimes if travel is difficult it can be possible to arrange to pick up the rats from a nearby show, either directly from the breeder or from friends of the breeder though normally only if a good relationship is already formed with the breeder. It can also be possible to organise a ‘Rat Train’ where various people travelling in the right direction take the rats on part of the journey. This kind of thing can be organised using forums (such as Fancy Rats), email groups (such as Rat Lovers Uk) and word of mouth though club gatherings and shows. Not all breeders are happy passing there rats on to owners they have not met though so be prepared to travel if necessary
Rescue Centres
The third and final option is that of a rescue centre. This is not only a charitable gesture taking on rats in need but can also give you lovely rats. There are unfortunately many many rats looking for homes out there. Many are the result of pet shops mis-sexing their animals or leaving them together past 5 weeks. Many are the result of owners who bought the rats for their children then couldn’t be bothered caring for them when the children lost interest. There are also those rats with owners who had legitimate reasons for leaving them, landlords surprise-banning pets, moving abroad, allergies developing, ill health or change of circumstances. The lucky ones end up in a rescue centre looking for homes, too many are merely released into the wild by people who either don’t know better or don’t care, put down, drowned or just abandoned. Giving some of these rats a permanent home can not only be a gift to the rats but also be incredibly rewarding.
1, Finding a rescue Rescue rats can be found in various rescues around the country, some are specialists in rats and/or small animals some are big widely spread rescues such as the RSPCA and Blue Cross. The smaller more specific rescues generally have a greater variety of rats but they can be difficult to locate and there is not always one nearby. The large general rescues do not always have rats looking for homes and if they do it is normally limited to 1 or 2 groups. In both types of rescues you can get rats from kittens (6 weeks – 3 months) to old rats looking for a loving home for there final months.
There are several ways to find some rescue rats. Your local rat club can be contacted and they should be able to put you in contact with some rat specific clubs. Websites such as the ‘Rat Rehoming Register’, ‘Cavy Rescue’ and ‘Fancy-Rats’ rescue section of the message board will also point you in the direction of rescues and rats in need of homes. You can carry out a search for rat rescues in your area via a search engine or use your telephone directory to ring general animal rescues like the Blue Cross or the RSPCA. Either way if you show an interest you are likely to be inundated with offers.
2, Choosing your Rescue As with pet shops and breeders rescues can often vary in quality. Horror stories abound telling of rescues that quickly became overwhelmed leading to hundreds of rats squashed in overcrowded cages, litters going un-sexed and separated and so becoming pregnant and the whole population rife with lice. This is despite the best intentions of the owner who simply couldn’t say no to a homeless rat. At the opposite end of the spectrum (and thankfully much more common than the other type) are well run rescues filled with cages full of happy un-crowded rats. All are socialised and well cared for, each looking for that final ‘forever’ home.
The best way to assess a rescue is to visit, as with a pet shop or even a breeders, checking for the health and living conditions of the rats (see the pet shop section for a checklist). Initially you can learn a lot from chatting to the rescue owner, she/he will ask you a lot of questions to figure out the right kind of rat for you and whether your suitable for the rats. You should try and ask some questions in return to get a feel for if they fit with your own ethics.
Young or Old?
Rescue rats come in a variety of ages ranging from the very young to the old. Automatically going for kittens will not always be the best choice. Older rats also offer a good opportunity and rescues offer one of the only reliable way to get an older rat (you may find some in pet shops but these are often shipped to rescues once they reach a certain ‘un-sellable’ age) other than keeping an eye out for retired breeding rats.
If you are an inexperienced owner in most cases I would say difficult adult rescues from a unsettled background are not ideal as their temperament can be unpredictable. If you still wish to investigate rescue rats either go for some kittens raised by an experienced rescuer or go for rats over the age of 6 months with a settled background where there temperaments are well known and vouched for by an experienced rescuer. Taking on a rat with behavioural issues can be very rewarding but without experience of lovely rats before it can quickly demoralise you. Plus experience of rats is the only reliable way to be able to attempt to predict and help a troubled rat.
If you are an experienced owner with time on your hands taking on a group of rescues, especially those in need of a little extra attention and love can be vastly rewarding. Being able to make a difference in any rats life is something which is valuable but knowing you’ve made such a big difference really makes you glow inside.
1, Finding a rescue Rescue rats can be found in various rescues around the country, some are specialists in rats and/or small animals some are big widely spread rescues such as the RSPCA and Blue Cross. The smaller more specific rescues generally have a greater variety of rats but they can be difficult to locate and there is not always one nearby. The large general rescues do not always have rats looking for homes and if they do it is normally limited to 1 or 2 groups. In both types of rescues you can get rats from kittens (6 weeks – 3 months) to old rats looking for a loving home for there final months.
There are several ways to find some rescue rats. Your local rat club can be contacted and they should be able to put you in contact with some rat specific clubs. Websites such as the ‘Rat Rehoming Register’, ‘Cavy Rescue’ and ‘Fancy-Rats’ rescue section of the message board will also point you in the direction of rescues and rats in need of homes. You can carry out a search for rat rescues in your area via a search engine or use your telephone directory to ring general animal rescues like the Blue Cross or the RSPCA. Either way if you show an interest you are likely to be inundated with offers.
2, Choosing your Rescue As with pet shops and breeders rescues can often vary in quality. Horror stories abound telling of rescues that quickly became overwhelmed leading to hundreds of rats squashed in overcrowded cages, litters going un-sexed and separated and so becoming pregnant and the whole population rife with lice. This is despite the best intentions of the owner who simply couldn’t say no to a homeless rat. At the opposite end of the spectrum (and thankfully much more common than the other type) are well run rescues filled with cages full of happy un-crowded rats. All are socialised and well cared for, each looking for that final ‘forever’ home.
The best way to assess a rescue is to visit, as with a pet shop or even a breeders, checking for the health and living conditions of the rats (see the pet shop section for a checklist). Initially you can learn a lot from chatting to the rescue owner, she/he will ask you a lot of questions to figure out the right kind of rat for you and whether your suitable for the rats. You should try and ask some questions in return to get a feel for if they fit with your own ethics.
Young or Old?
Rescue rats come in a variety of ages ranging from the very young to the old. Automatically going for kittens will not always be the best choice. Older rats also offer a good opportunity and rescues offer one of the only reliable way to get an older rat (you may find some in pet shops but these are often shipped to rescues once they reach a certain ‘un-sellable’ age) other than keeping an eye out for retired breeding rats.
If you are an inexperienced owner in most cases I would say difficult adult rescues from a unsettled background are not ideal as their temperament can be unpredictable. If you still wish to investigate rescue rats either go for some kittens raised by an experienced rescuer or go for rats over the age of 6 months with a settled background where there temperaments are well known and vouched for by an experienced rescuer. Taking on a rat with behavioural issues can be very rewarding but without experience of lovely rats before it can quickly demoralise you. Plus experience of rats is the only reliable way to be able to attempt to predict and help a troubled rat.
If you are an experienced owner with time on your hands taking on a group of rescues, especially those in need of a little extra attention and love can be vastly rewarding. Being able to make a difference in any rats life is something which is valuable but knowing you’ve made such a big difference really makes you glow inside.
Preparing for your rats
Some people will inevitably buy the rats plus cage and starter pack, then get home and do their research, this regularly results in being insufficiently prepared and ending up with unsuitable or poor quality equipment. However if your in the position where you have not yet got your new rats the following timeline can be useful so you can plan your purchases and work. If you already have rats and are planning on getting new rats then a lot of this effort can be avoided but bear in mind that you will generally require a temporary spare cage and accessories while introductions take place (see later).
-3-6 months
-1.5 months
-1 month
-2 weeks
-1 week
-1 day
Rat Day!
-3-6 months
- Research into Breeder/Rescue/Pet shop should begin, you should put your names down for breeders if possible
- Plan locations for your cage and pick out potential free ranging areas.
- Begin any larger scale rat proofing
- Research into your cage should begin
- Research should be made into rat diet, litter and bedding
- If you are over keen and want to do something in this time you can start making hammocks if this interests you and purchase your cage.
-1.5 months
- Breeder rats/Rescue kittens should be being born about now. Get an update on there progress and what colours/sexes are expected
- If you’ve not already done it and your planning on buying your cage on the internet buy it now to give yourself time to query if parts are missing/damaged and to give you piece of mind
-1 month
- Reserve your breeder/ rescue rats or kittens.
- If you are planning on buying any food, litter, toys or accessories from the internet begin sourcing and ordering now
-2 weeks
- Check up on your expected rats, see how there growing and that all is going well
- Begin ringing round local vets to find a good one nearby.
-1 week
- Plan out your route for picking up your rats and check on pick up times with the breeder.
- Buy any pet shop accessories required
- Make sure you have your food in (no need to mix it yet)
- Ensure you have everything you need for your rats (see list in basic setup costs).
-1 day
- Prepare and set up your cage
- Mix your food mix up (if applicable)
- Prepare your carrier for the next day lining with either litter and a bit of bedding or some soft material (a trick is to put in material covered in your smell – try keeping the material close to you for a few days before hand, e.g. in bed with you, to pick up your smell).
Rat Day!
- Put some cucumber / melon or apple in your carrier, set off in plenty of time and maybe arrange for someone else to drive you as you will want to look at the rats all the way back.
- Remember to bring money to pay for the rats or make a donation, also a pen and paper for jotting any good ideas, hints or tips and contact details.