# First time Rat owner



## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Hello i am planning on getting a pet rat soon and was thinking about getting a male and i found this forum to hopefully get some info on their every day need and how now if a rat is the right choice for a pet. Any info would be helpful. Thank you!


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## Ladylazerstar702 (Sep 15, 2016)

Just one? They have to be kept in same sex pairs or groups.


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## Andromeda (Apr 28, 2016)

Hi! Welcome to the forum.  It's great that you're doing our research ahead of time. I agree with Ladylazerstar, rats do much better when kept in pairs or groups. It makes them less stressed, meaning they will bond with you faster, and will probably also get sick less often than they would otherwise.


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Thanks I will try and get a pair. A big part of why my mom is debating on whether or is because she thinks she she will have to buy everything for it. So I was researching and can you really make your own food for them?Also could i use fabric as bedding and cat litter to litter box train it? Does anyone know if Fine Feline cat litter can be used? Because my mom dosent want to buy bedding lile every week buy feed all the time. So Any ways to cut down costs would help. Thanks!


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Welcome to the forum.

You will need to get a pair and not a lone rat, unless you adopt from a rescue where the rat has a history of being kept alone and can not be kept with others. If you can not get a pair, I would suggest not getting rats. Male mice need to be kept alone, hamsters.

I am guessing you are underage? Honestly the best advice I can give is to wait to get a pet until you are on your own. It is really hard to keep a pet when you can not be 100% responsible and in charge of every choice for it. Do you have income to afford to buy things for it or vet care? Rats actually can be quite expensive, a good cage is around $100 or so. And vet care is very expensive for rats. I have seen so many posts by teens whose parents got rid of their rats, forced them to get rid of them, forced them to keep them outside, wouldn't buy them the proper things they needed or refused vet care. Unless your parents want and will help care for them I really suggest waiting. 

Some people do make their own food mix, it is very difficult though to make a perfectly well balanced diet for them. The ones you often see suggest mixing dog food, cereals, seeds and pasta and this is NOT a good healthy diet at all. A rats diet is the most important thing in keeping them healthy, preventing tumors and other health issues. I highly suggest a block diet such as oxbow, mazuri or harlan/native earth, with extra veggies and such given.

NO you can not use clay cat litter for rats. It is very unsafe for them. Clay cat litters have horrible dust and will make rats very sick. 
You will need to use bedding in their litter box like aspen wood chips, pellets, paper. You can use paper based cat litters but they are expensive. 

Some rats can be litter trained but most will not be fully. It is hit or miss. Some learn pretty well but it just depends on the rat. The only fabric you should use is fleece and I really only suggest it if your rats are fully litter trained. And make sure your parents would be ok with washing it in the washer.

Really though if your mom is worried about costs and you can not afford everything yourself just wait. Do your research maybe start saving up money for when you are on your own!


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Thanks moonkissed thanks for the help.....do you know of good brands of litter to use? And could I use shredded paper as litter? And a good brand of feed to get? If I do get started in rats i will be sure to get at least a pair....and what sort of vet care is needed?like vaccines? Thanks for the help.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

You can give shredded paper for them to play/nest in but I wouldn't use it as bedding. It is not very good for odor control. I suggest aspen. I use aspen and it is great for odor control and ammonia plus it is insanely cheap. I get it at tractor supply a huge huge bag for like $10, for just two rats it would last a month or two or maybe longer idk. 

If you do use fleece though whatever you use in the litterbox will get everywhere and aspen and paper can be a pain to get off fleece. You could try pellets. Some people have good luck with them, ive never used them personally.

Rats do not need vaccines. Rats are prone to some health issues though that may require vet care/meds. All rats have myco & can get flair ups and respiratory issues like URIs. To prevent this buying from a good breeder can help, as well as keeping their cage absolutely clean the ammonia will cause issues quickly. Keeping them in a proper sized well ventilated cage, do not use candles, incense, air fresheners in the same room or around their cage, if you use fleece wash with scent free detergent, etc... 

Some rats are also prone to getting tumors, females mostly but males can still get them. Sometimes a male can get hormonal aggression and you may need to consider neutering, which is usually a couple hundred dollars. Surgery does come with risk though.

Buying from a good experienced breeder can help with all of that but diet and care is the best to keeping them healthy and not needing to see a vet.


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Thanks moonkissed you were very helpful hopefully now will let me get some. I think the only reason my mom was saying no is because I used to have guinea pigs and costed so much money with buying all they hay and feed. But now I already have some things like a water for them and a little bed and you were very helpful so hopefully I can get some now thank you for all the help!!!!


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Livloveanimals said:


> Thanks moonkissed you were very helpful hopefully now will let me get some. I think the only reason my mom was saying no is because I used to have guinea pigs and costed so much money with buying all they hay and feed. But now I already have some things like a water for them and a little bed and you were very helpful so hopefully I can get some now thank you for all the help!!!!


If money is an issue, rats aren't a good match for you at all. Rats cost at least as much as guinea pigs if not more. A rat will cost you at least $200/rat in vet care over his life, to that you need to add a good cage ($110-180) and if course a good quality rat pellet and daily fresh veggies...


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Hi Gribouilli I had guinea pigs before and I still have a lot of things left over from them like a bug huge cage water containers food dishes little houses and bed. I was saying my mom was concerned on money with bedding and everything but moonkissed posted some good brands that aren't very expensive and I live on a farm and we grow a lot of stuff so we have a lot of veggies and other things to feed them along with a high quality food. Does anyone know of a good rat brand food? I've been saving up for a while for rats. Thank you all! I will still be doing a lot of research and saving up money for rats so my mom won't have to worry about cost so much.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

How big is the cage? Rats need to climb and most Guinea pig cages aren't tall enough. What's the bar spacing? If it is more than 1/2", the rats will escape. If the pan of your cage is plastic, rats might chew it and escape. Oxbow is IMO the best quality commercial rat food. It is great that you are saving money for your pets.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I have guinea pigs as well. The costs are somewhat similar I suppose.

Guinea pigs cost more in bedding I think because they need giant cages, I think my cage is like 10 feet long or something and so I go through alot.
Guinea pig food is much much cheaper then rats. But GP need hay, buying in bulk makes it cheap but if not it adds up.
Both need fresh veggies but the GP eat more 1 V 1. 

This is the cheapest place to buy oxbow: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=16965 
buying in bulk is cheaper too. 

if your water bottles were for GPs they might have too large a nozzle for rats to use well.

And as Gribouilli said make sure the cage has 1/2 inch bar spacing or rats can slip right through! Most GP cages have an inch spacing


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Well that's good to know I will be sure to get a new cage also then we have a little pet shop that has rat cages for not that much. Hopefuply I can get some rats at the beginning of next year because thanks to have more than 2 grandmas and grandpas I get a lot more money it also helps having a huge family! Lol. I will be sure to keep researching on things about rats also.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

You can get a single critter nation for about $100. Best cage for rats and you can use that cage for all sorts of other small animals too in case you want to try other small pets in the future...have you found a great rat breeder yet? You definitely don't want to get your rats from a pet store where they are often sick (costs lots of money at the vet) or have behavioral issues- especially for a first time rat parent.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

LOL I can relate to getting lots of money from my grandparents for Christmas, birthdays...isn't it awesome? Spend it well and take great care of your pets, put some aside...they will give you more- I know from experience, lol. Grandparents are proud of grandchildren who are responsible


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

No I've been trying to find a rat breeder that's actually a good breeder and that knows there stuff. Thanks everyone for you help!


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## Livloveanimals (Nov 26, 2016)

Oh I live in Illinois what are good ways to find good rat breeder?


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Livloveanimals said:


> Oh I live in Illinois what are good ways to find good rat breeder?


There are some good breeders in that area (but also some really bad ones so be careful)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1586375411632057

I highly recommend
https://www.facebook.com/RottenRittenRattery/
I love Ashley & her rats!


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