# What do i need for my new rats?!



## Edie16 (Apr 24, 2016)

I'm getting my rats next week and I don't know what I need! I have a tank, some food (kaytee brand), a water bowl, some softwood bedding, and a chew log hide away (snak shak I think). What else do I need?


----------



## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

Well Edie16, it sounds like you to start over before your ratties come home. A tank is the worst home ever for a rat. They have very very sensitive respiratory systems and glass tanks provide no ventilation for air flow. Need to get a wire cage with1/2 inch spacing. All soft wood beddings are toxic to rats except for aspen, and snack Shaka first ingredient is pine shaving, which again are toxic to rats. Also although water bowls aren't nesscessarily bad, a water bottle with the ball sippers keep their water fresher and are better for them to use. You should investigate som of the stickies here before you get your ratties home so you know what is ok and what you need. I am not trying to be mean, just want your new pets to be healthy and last more than a month.


----------



## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

First of all tanks are not an adequate home for rats. Firstly they don't provide climbing space and they don't provide enough airflow for rats even without a top. You can pick a wire cage with a solid bottom and check it on a cage calculator to find out if it is big enough. Secondly Kaytee food is awful for rats. You need a food like Oxbow Regal rat or f you are getting babies then you need to add extra protein like egg three times a week or get the baby formula. Third softwood bedding causes respiratory infections in rats. Hardwoods like aspen are fine for rats, but if you use softwood like cedar and pine then you will end up with sick rats. Fourth snack shack logs are not good for rats. There is a thread on this here: http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?317146-Snak-Shak-BAD-for-rats-IMO


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Hopefully you didn't open anything and can take it all back. 

I'll spare you the third degree and condescension. I've written a review on a bunch of cages I've owned that you can access on my blog. (If you're on a computer or request "Desktop Mode", there should be a count for the number of blog posts I have. Click on it. All of those cages are suitable for rats unless otherwise noted.)

Save yourself some time, bite the bullet, and get a Critter Nation. 

The Rat Manor is a great cheap starter cage, but you'll get tired of its limitations quickly. And for a little bit more you can get the Rat Skyscraper (R-695) from Martin's Cages.

Go with Oxbow or Harlan Teklad. Don't confuse yourself with the millions of options out there. The only time I've ever used Kaytee was when I was DIRT broke. Crap food is better than no food, but it doesn't stop it from being crap. 

Harlan Teklad is going to save you money in the long run, but I prefer Oxbow's nutrition. They're having a sale on HT (aka Native Earth). Get the 40lb bag and one of those containers for pouring cereal and use the cereal container for daily use. It'll keep things fresh.
http://www.petfooddirect.com/product/9093/native-earth-18-protein-4018-rodent-diet-40-lbs

I use fleece with something absorbent underneath. Right now I'm using rabbit food pellets, which are cheap but do nothing for the smell. I prefer Drymate Whelping Mats, which also do nothing for the smell, but at least they don't stink when wet.
If you want to go the bedding route instead of a litter box, stick to either Aspen or paper.

If you value your washer, don't mix aspen/carefresh together. It's a pain in the ass to pick out. 

You can always PM me. I'm too lazy to judge, and I've worked with kindergarteners, so there's no question too stupid for me to answer.


----------



## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Everyone already commented on why the bedding and cage weren't good. I will add that the Snak Shak is toxic as it is made mostly out of pine shavings which is about the worse for rat respiratory system and will make IRIs more likely which means going to the vet.


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Oh, and toys! I forgot toys. Hammocks. Hammocks, hammocks, hammocks.

Here's some examples:
http://www.ratropolis.com/Rat Tutorials/RatTutorials.htm

Those small dog tennis balls are cool. About an inch in diameter. Pretty much any of the catnip free cat toys are cool, including kitten furniture.

You'll need a wheel. There are lots of wheels out there, but these two are my favorites.
http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/super-pet-large-silent-spinner-12-wheel
http://www.exoticnutrition.com/trwhla14in.html

You can probably get better deals elsewhere, but regardless, they have to be 12" in diameter.

If you're handy, you can also make your own.
http://www.dapper.com.au/toys.htm

(Meant to say, "If you value your washer, don't mix aspen/carefresh together with fleece. It's a pain in the a** to pick out.")


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

And for houses, stick to plastic or fleece cubes. Easy to wash. Those wood ones look great, but they'll stink in a week and need to be boiled clean.

Bird toys for chewing. Not 100% sure on cuttlebone though.


----------



## Edie16 (Apr 24, 2016)

Thanks everyone. I will get them a double crooner nation, fleese, and oxbow food. Phew!


----------



## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Congratulations on doing research before getting new pets.

Rats love paper and cardboard. They can be given tissue boxes with some tissues left in them. Tissues are okay for rats to play with, but not toilet paper. Tissues are made to hold up when wet and toilet paper is made to dissolve easily which makes it dusty when it's torn apart. Paper towel rolls and tissue rolls make cheap toys and rats love to explore empty boxes.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

First let me whole heatedly agree with everything that's been said up to this point... I'd add, if it hasn't already been stressed... a really reliable water bottle and that you test it every day is critical to keeping your rats alive... 

Other than that, there are many perfectly acceptable choices of bedding, foods, treats and cages... rats really aren't very needy animals. We've had several rats now that have pretty much lived in a metal cabinet in the kitchen and have never, if ever eaten rat blocks of any kind... That doesn't mean that some didn't steal rat blocks and hide them around the house... they just never eat them.... 

Mostly any cage is good if your rats are never or rarely in it, and even pine bedding isn't tragic as long as you store it super dry and open to dry air so it can vent and what ever you do don't ever let it get moldy. Pine is not the best choice, but it does work and I know lots of old timers who use it with no ill effects... in fact I did for years, but then again our rats are almost never in their cage... As to treats, rats love pretty much the same things humans love... and just like humans, rats shouldn't live on cookies or candy bars... 

The most important thing rats need is love and interaction with you... There is no cage too small for a rat that has lots of room to free range around the house and no cage that's large enough for a rat to spend it's whole life in. There's almost nothing rats can't eat, but everything in excess is bad for rats. There are no toys rats won't play with, but given the choice of playing with you or another rat, they will rarely choose any toy. 

You have been given great advise, and you can't go wrong following it... but keep in mind the most important thing in keeping your rats healthy and happy is simply being with you... playing with you and being part of your family. Rats are not like hamsters, they are like little dogs. They need to feel loved and they need someone to love.


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Edie16 said:


> Thanks everyone. I will get them a double crooner nation, fleese, and oxbow food. Phew!


Good deal. You're going to want a litter box to go with the fleece, so look up litter training and go pick out an appealing pee rock.

And Rat Daddy is right in that the most important thing is love, but I would wait until you get to know your rats (and rat body language) before free ranging them like he does.


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Yup... I was doing day three of intros today... and first our new rat Bunny disappeared and now Misty is gone... Both rats usually come when called... still it can be unnerving not knowing where your rats are or when they are coming back. It's kind of normal around our house... but it takes a while to get used to.


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

That'd drive me neurotic, even if I didn't have to worry about the cat trying to munch on them.


----------



## Ratloved (Oct 4, 2015)

Edie16 said:


> Thanks everyone. I will get them a double crooner nation, fleese, and oxbow food. Phew!


Phew is right!! It is a lot to learn to care for them correctly. I just want to say, "Way to go on researching them before getting your rats". They will be much happier and healthy little pets for you. I hope you really love and enjoy them. Post some pictures of them soon, we would love to see them too!!


----------



## CourteesRatties (Feb 23, 2016)

Guys this is a troll. if you look at previous posts it shows he got rats on the 25th!!!


----------



## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

I was pretty sure I saw it somewhere, but honestly I needed to write an intro anyway.


----------



## Edie16 (Apr 24, 2016)

whos being a troll?


----------



## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

Wait yeah why are you acting clueless about rats when in your profile it appears you have had some already?


----------



## Edie16 (Apr 24, 2016)

oh! Lol. That was a picture from the breeder. And I also had other rats BUT I didn't take care of them right so I bought them new things.


----------

