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Your First Pet Rat
by Caroline Barnard-Smith
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Many people can be squeamish about rats. After all, they carry disease and live in the sewers, don’t they? And as for that long tail! This is  exactly what ran through my mind when my husband suggested buying a pet rat. We lived in a tiny flat that couldn't possibly support a dog or even a cat, but we did have room for a small cage. I'm glad that I was eventually convinced to give rats a try, because domestic rats actually make great pets. They're sociable, intelligent and fun to watch. Most importantly, they are the ideal first pet for a child. If you like the idea of giving a different type of furry friend a home, read on for the tips and practises that will soon make your new pet an important part of the household.
Choosing Your New Rat
So you've decided to go ahead and buy a pet rat? Brilliant! Now you have some choices to make:
- The first thing you need to decide is where to get your rat from. If the rat is going to be a child's pet, I recommend the local pet shop. The child will be able to choose for themselves which rat they want, helping them to form an early bond with their new pet. If buying from a pet shop, the rats are also likely to be young (usually they will be about six weeks old and newly weaned) as, believe it or not, rats sell fast and it is unusual for a rat to grow old in a shop. The added benefit of having a young rat is that they are not yet set in their ways and can be more easily trained.
If you want your rat to stand apart from the rest of the crowd, another option is buying a fancy rat such as a Russian blue or an English mink from a specialized breeder. Fancy rats are rarer, more expensive rats and will not often be seen in shops. Breeders’ advertisements can usually be found in pet magazines or on pet shop notice boards. If you are interested in having a rat for yourself and not for a child, there is one last option and that is adopting an abandoned rat from an animal shelter. This may not be suitable for children because these rats will be older and may have been mistreated, so you will need patience to form a strong relationship with them. I think adopting a rat is an important option to consider because rats are often left for years at shelters, surrounded by the 'cuter' kittens and puppies, with no prospect of a new home.
- When you have decided where you will get your new pet, the next decision is whether to choose a male or a female rat, a buck or a doe. The two
 sexes are dissimilar in their needs and habits and you will have a completely different experience depending on which you choose. Bucks will often fight with each other, so you might decide to have just one per cage. Rats are sociable pack animals though and you will have to pay a solitary rat extra attention. This can include handling him regularly, talking to him; and leaving the radio playing when you go out. Bucks can grow fairly large (they can weigh up to 700g) but are more placid than does and can be more affectionate. This is partly because they are so laid back that they can’t be bothered to attempt escape when you cuddle them!
One drawback to keeping a buck is that he is likely to scent his living area, producing an unpleasant odour if his cage is not cleaned regularly. He may also become more aggressive once mature, which will mean a trip to the vet for a castration. Does are more lively than bucks so are more fun to watch in their cage. They also have softer fur, produce less odour and can be kept in groups. They are less affectionate, however, because they find it hard to sit still for long. My husband and I keep does and they always seem to be looking for mischief!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Visit Caroline Bernard-Smith's webpage at www.carolinebarnardsmith.tk..
This document last modified Wednesday, 16-Jul-2008 06:46:58 EDT
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