Care Information
Supplies you Will Need
Cage appropriate in size for the number of rats it will house:$60-$150 new
Bedding: $10 - $25 a bag, depending on type and size
Water Bottle: $4 - $15
Food Dish: $4-$10
Water: Free if your tap water is dechlorinated and doesn't contain fluoride, otherwise you must use Brita or Bottled water
Toys: Tubes, Wheels, Hammocks etc: $2-$15 each
Cage
Each rat requires a minimum of 2 cubic feet. This means that the minimum cage size for 2 rats is 4 cubic feet. The minimum acceptable will be 24" long x 12" deep x 24" high. In order to prevent your rats from escaping, bar spacing must be 1/2" or less. 1" is too large for most rats under the age of 6 months.
Food
Laboratory blocks which are sold by many different companies, are generally the best commercially available rat diet. Harlan Teklad and Oxbow Regal Rat are great brands. These blocks do not contain 100% of your rat's needed nutrition, you will still need to supplement their diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. The level of protein for babies and nursing mothers should not exceed 18%, while the level of protein for adult rats should not exceed 14%. Seed based diets are not a good choice for rats, as the rats are allowed to pick and choose, resulting in a very unbalanced diet.
Bedding
Litter: Clumping cat litter should not be used as it could be ingested, causing harm to your rats.
Wood Shavings: They are cheap, but Pine and Cedar chips cause respiratory infections in rats and can be lethal. The best kind of wood is aspen.
Carefresh: Carefresh is a brand of recycled paper product. It is soft and contains no chemicals that will harm your pet. It even comes in different colours! It is quite expensive though, and I tend to use it only in litter boxes.
Fleece: Personally I use fleece to line the bottom of cages. I have found it to be economic as it can be reused, and it is good for the environment. Make sure not to wash it with scented soap, I use vinegar to remove the smell of urine.
Females vs Males
Females have less odor, are more adventurous. are often smaller than males and have softer fur.
Males tend to have more of an odor, are a lot more docile, are slightly larger than females and have coarser fur that can become greasy
The choice between males and females is a personal one. If you are looking at getting a rat that is entertaining to watch but not as happy being held, you will probably be happier with a female. If you want a rat that is docile and loves to sit with you, you will probably be happier with a male. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule. There are females that love to be held and are very calm. There are also males that are more adventurous.
Cage appropriate in size for the number of rats it will house:$60-$150 new
Bedding: $10 - $25 a bag, depending on type and size
Water Bottle: $4 - $15
Food Dish: $4-$10
Water: Free if your tap water is dechlorinated and doesn't contain fluoride, otherwise you must use Brita or Bottled water
Toys: Tubes, Wheels, Hammocks etc: $2-$15 each
Cage
Each rat requires a minimum of 2 cubic feet. This means that the minimum cage size for 2 rats is 4 cubic feet. The minimum acceptable will be 24" long x 12" deep x 24" high. In order to prevent your rats from escaping, bar spacing must be 1/2" or less. 1" is too large for most rats under the age of 6 months.
Food
Laboratory blocks which are sold by many different companies, are generally the best commercially available rat diet. Harlan Teklad and Oxbow Regal Rat are great brands. These blocks do not contain 100% of your rat's needed nutrition, you will still need to supplement their diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. The level of protein for babies and nursing mothers should not exceed 18%, while the level of protein for adult rats should not exceed 14%. Seed based diets are not a good choice for rats, as the rats are allowed to pick and choose, resulting in a very unbalanced diet.
Bedding
Litter: Clumping cat litter should not be used as it could be ingested, causing harm to your rats.
Wood Shavings: They are cheap, but Pine and Cedar chips cause respiratory infections in rats and can be lethal. The best kind of wood is aspen.
Carefresh: Carefresh is a brand of recycled paper product. It is soft and contains no chemicals that will harm your pet. It even comes in different colours! It is quite expensive though, and I tend to use it only in litter boxes.
Fleece: Personally I use fleece to line the bottom of cages. I have found it to be economic as it can be reused, and it is good for the environment. Make sure not to wash it with scented soap, I use vinegar to remove the smell of urine.
Females vs Males
Females have less odor, are more adventurous. are often smaller than males and have softer fur.
Males tend to have more of an odor, are a lot more docile, are slightly larger than females and have coarser fur that can become greasy
The choice between males and females is a personal one. If you are looking at getting a rat that is entertaining to watch but not as happy being held, you will probably be happier with a female. If you want a rat that is docile and loves to sit with you, you will probably be happier with a male. Keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule. There are females that love to be held and are very calm. There are also males that are more adventurous.