# Should I get a rat?



## MidnightWolfie (Jul 12, 2015)

Hello everyone!
My story is.. somewhat complicated, is what most people would say.
I am originally from Croatia but a year ago I have moved into Czech because of my girlfriend. (We were tired of online relationship and I decided to make a big step  )
I left everything in Croatia, including my very own Guinea Pig. I was working hard to get him into Czech, but it was almost near to impossible. And now that I finally had the chance to bring him... My sister told me that my family gave him away. Worst thing is, they gave him away on my birthday.
Well, since my girlfriend knows how much I love my rodent, she told me she wants to gift me a new one, as an extra birthday gift. We live on a farm and she has a lot of guinea pigs so obtaining one of those wouldn't be an issue, BUT...

I have never seen a pet rat in my life until about 6 months ago, when I saw one at the vet. And I immediately fell in love. It was large and fluffy, especially the type of animal i love. So today my girl said "i'd love to get you a pet rat." So I started browsing a bit online to see if I can actually have a pet rat.

Currently i am working at a horrible job. Luckily I am leaving that and getting a new job in less than a month. After I settle into a new, better house, and get that new job, I would most likely get that rat from my girlfriend. I don't know all the specifics of the new job yet, but I am sure I will be there around 8 hours a day, and it would take me about an hour all together to get to work and home. So I would be away from home for 9 hours. I would have the rest of the day to be with my pet rat. I would buy one, and ONLY one rat, even though I know I should get two. There is also a possibility that my girlfriend will move in with me, and she would bring her dog with her (her dog is a very tiny dog that we carry on trips with us. She's a 4 month old puppy  ) and I don't know how would that affect the rat. Dog has been living in a village so she is used to seeing reddens all over the place.

I do not know how big of a place will I have for my rat's cage, but I know that the rat would mainly be closed when I am asleep and / or at work. All other time (most likely including traveling) he would be with me, possibly on my shoulder 



To put it blunt: I am not sure if I should get a rat or not. Taking care of it will be no issue at all, but I can't have two rats. Should I get a rat, or should I rather skip it?
Also, please do elaborate your answers since I still do not know much about pet rats. As I said, I have never even seen one until like 6 months ago, and I have started looking into pet rats today, three hours ago to be more exact. But the "shoulder pet" part won over me. I've always wanted a shoulder pet, hence I wanted to buy an Ara. But that's entirely a different topic.

Thank you all for your responses! I'm looking forward to reading your opinions.


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## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

If you can only get one rat, you should not get a rat. There are actually several countries where this is illegal because it is so emotionally damaging to them. Guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, and several other small pets should never be kept alone. The only time a rat should ever be on its own is when they are experiencing hormonal aggression, and even then this can and should be solved either through training, "fixing" (spaying/neutering), and only in very rare, very few cases can rats truly be kept alone.

This isn't an argument like food where an animal would be fine with this food or that food - unless a rat has proven they cannot live with other rats, it is a mental *necessity* that they have company. There are no ands, ifs, or buts about groups unless it is an emergency take in or an emergency aggression case.

_Edit: _​Edited for typos.


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## lost_whisper (Nov 11, 2014)

Having 2 rats is pretty much the same as having one, except is WAY better for the rats. If you want to have a rodent alone for 9 hours a day, get a male mouse. Rats need company 24 hs a day, and I'm sure of this because a while ago I adopted a rat that had lived her whole life alone, and until I could introduce 3 weeks went by. Before she got friends, she would sleep all day in the same corner ignoring me, her toys, her whole cage and even food for the most part. She wouldn't even drink as much water as a rat should. She was living in slow motion and she wasn't happy. I tried my best to spend as much time as possible with her and did my best to socialise her but I honestly thought for a while that she was never gonna love md as I've seen other rats loving other humans.She is a different rat now. She is even a better companion to me. Now she is confident, and she trusts me and her pack. She plays all day, builds nests for her new sisters and is happy and confident enough to go out with me almost anywhere. She is happy for the first time in her whole life. She is living now.

I don't understand why you insist on having just one rat, but you should know that is simply cruel. Rats live in colonies of hundreds, not by themselves. They need other rats to eat, to play, to fight with, to sleep, to groom each other. They are meant to live in packs, they don't properly function without friends. 

If your concern is breeding or aggression, you can simply get two females. They can't breed with each other and they are rarely aggressive towards others.


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## theRatGirl (Feb 25, 2015)

I am not trying to be rude. This is what I tell anyone who only wants to get one rat:

Getting one rat is putting your wants before your pets needs. Rats need company. No matter what. Unless you plan to have your rat on you 24/7, your rat will need company. When you sleep, your rat will be alone. When you work, your rat will be alone. When you are not with your rat, he/she will feel lonely. Lonely rats may overeat, starve themselves, undergroom, overgroom and pick up bad habits such as bar biting. Rats that are housed alone are more likely to get sick. I really recommend that if you can only get one rat, you shouldn't get a rat at all.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Your other responses have been about keeping just one rat, so I want to address "shoulder pet". If you are using that phrase to mean a rat that goes everywhere with you, you need to be aware that not all rats are candidates for outdoor activities. Such rats are fairly rare. I would suggest that you read: http://www.ratforum.com/showthread....f-home-rat-activities&highlight=shoulder+rats for information on how to train such a rat.


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## Jess <3 (Jan 23, 2014)

It doesn't sound like rats are the right pet for you. Coming from someone whose had rats in my life constantly for almost nine years, I can absolutley assure you that keeping two or more is essential. Here's why;

One of my past rats, Bobby, had lost the last of his three cagemates. Now Bobby was three years old and never had any health problems before but within weeks his condition had deteriorated immensely. He'd lost weight, stopped exploring his cage, stopped wanting to come out and play and I was extremely worried about him. So i introduced him to my neutered boy Tyrion (who had been living with my female group). Immediately, he perked up, he put all his weight back on, enjoyed playing and exploring again, and ended up living longer than any of my other rats, which i can assure you would not have happened if i had left him on his own. 

Basically, some animals are social creatures and there's no getting around it. Look at the effect that solitary confinement can have on a human's mental health for instance. Rats pretty much do everything together, eating, sleeping, playing, grooming...mine even try to drink out of the water bottle at the same time (and there are five of them!) Besides, you miss out on a huge aspect of pet rats if you don't have more than one, I could watch them interact with eachother for hours!

So sorry if this wasn't the answer you were looking for but it's the truth, it's just not fair to keep a rat alone.


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## Fanciestrats (Mar 10, 2015)

just to add to what is being said.... it is far more interesting to have two (I have three. If i take one out to hang out with me; the other one in the cage still has company.) They will still be very interested in you. Very interested. And the cleanup is not bad. 
our rats are constantly in contact with each other, playing with each other and cleaning each other. I can't imagine one alone....a person would never be able to provide enough contact.
addressing the work issue:
I work 8 hours a day full time, and my fiance and myself still have plenty of time to spare for our rodents...they get out every day, too.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Rats are amazingly adaptable to almost anything except neglect or being left alone... think of them pretty much as little humans, they, like us are social animals. I have raised and owned a single rat, but I work from home and I was there for her 24 hours every day, and she became the prototype for my thread on shoulder rat training. She went everywhere with us, she was NEVER left at home alone. 

So yes, you can have only one rat, but it will have to go to work with you or stay with someone who will keep it company all day. And yes some rats can become true shoulder rats that can go everywhere with you... but you are doing things about the hardest way I can imagine... the way I did it. 

We have two rats now and I can go out and do my shopping without worrying about what stores are rat friendly or who is left home alone... and my life is a lot easier. 

Rats make wonderful pets and great friends. They really are worth the effort, but as other people have written, it will be a lot easier to have two... adopt them very young and train them well and you might even wind up with true shoulder rats. Short cut the process and you can wind up with an angry, lonely animal with very sharp teeth. And that wouldn't not be good for anyone...

Yes, I know one rat seems twice as easy as two rats... but think of rats as shoes... they work best in pairs. One shoe might seem better than no shoes but in all reality it's often better to go barefoot then walk around with one shoe. As to cage size, we don't have a big cage but our rats spend most of the time free ranging the house... There are many ways rats will adapt to your lifestyle and many ways you can adapt to their needs so almost anything is possible. But two rats is easier than finding a rat sitter when you go to work every day.... Try to make your life easier, not harder.

Best luck.


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## Smilebud (Jul 31, 2012)

Why do you only want one rat?


Don't get a rat if you want just one pet. Giunea pigs are also better with a friend, have you considered getting a bunny? They're very adaptable and loving. They can even live in your house like a dog.


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## janrobwei (Jun 25, 2015)

I'm new to having rats myself, I'll hold my hands up and admit that I never did any research about rats before hand and I'm still learning as I go along now. We bought our first rat about 3 weeks ago and thought she would be ok by herself as we spent plenty of time with her but, one morning I woke up to see her curled up on the little shelf by herself (she normally sleeps in her bed) and it broke my heart, she looked lonely, we realised that as much as she enjoyed our company it wasn't enough for her, she needed another rat for company too. So we now have two rats and they both couldn't be happier. I agree with what people say about they should be kept in at least pairs, it's better for them and when it all boils down to it we want our little ratties happy :relaxed:


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## MidnightWolfie (Jul 12, 2015)

Thank you all for nice replies 

Okay, so apparently I shouldn't get a rat if I want just one, but I keep seeing "you should get two females."
The thing is, I don't want a female. I've read that female is much more playful, nice, and loves to explore. But that's exactly why I'd like a male. I just want a rat that would lazily sit around me and just enjoy my company, without too much activity (Well I mainly don't want him / her running off of me when we're outside on a walk).
With that said, why did no one recommend two males? Can I not have two males?


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## Jess <3 (Jan 23, 2014)

Two males will work too, however the gender of a rat can never fully determine their personality. I've had females who were squishy laprats and males who just wanted to play and explore. Also, not all rats can be taken outside. That's something you should speak to RatDaddy about though, since he has alot of experience with shoulder rats.


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

I love both my males and females equally. Males can be more cuddly then females, and females can be more active. Many times I find the opposite to be true. Currently I own three neutered males and a female, and my girl, Lynn, is probably the cuddliest girl I've ever owned. She will sit still for a whole 15 minutes and allow you to pet her, and she will sometimes fall asleep on her back while you are holding her. The same can be said for one of my boys. He loves chasing things, he likes to play his own version of tag, and he knows how to ger your attention. I wouldn't pick a rat based on gender, but I would pick one based on personality. Each rat is different. =P

This is a picture of Lynn when I first got her and she was so exausted that she fell asleep.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

MidnightWolfie said:


> Thank you all for nice replies
> 
> Okay, so apparently I shouldn't get a rat if I want just one, but I keep seeing "you should get two females."
> The thing is, I don't want a female. I've read that female is much more playful, nice, and loves to explore. But that's exactly why I'd like a male. I just want a rat that would lazily sit around me and just enjoy my company, without too much activity (Well I mainly don't want him / her running off of me when we're outside on a walk).
> With that said, why did no one recommend two males? Can I not have two males?


Every animal is unique, the gender differences sometimes hold true and other times not quite so much. You always have to be aware with pets that you might not get a clone of what you want. They are individual animals and our plans for them may be different then what they want. If your rat isn't like that will u rehome it or still love it anyways?

I have currently 11 rats. 

Most of my girls are very hyper, they love to run around, explore, go go go. My heart rat khaleesi is so smart and is constantly trying to figure out ways to get somewhere new lol
My older adult boys are very calm but still not really lazy. They go at a slower speed as they explore. lol I can carry them a bit & they will sit by/on me for a bit to be petted but then its oh whats over there? 
My young boys are hard to explain, they definitely have a calmer more zen personality I guess. But are still young & hyper. Actually my one boy Maly is the MOST hyper needy crazy rat ever. He just is constantly bouncing & hopping all over the walls like someone pumped him full of sugar lol! OMG I love him, but he reminds me of a 5 year old constantly repeating- "mom! mom! mom!" because he runs away then runs and jumps up & down in front of me until I pick him up then he runs away and does it again lol
So I do think younger males are still going to be a bit on the playful/hyper side the same as girls.

I have found (again each case is different), that girls get along really well with little fuss.
On the other hand sometimes when boys hormones are racing they may fight among each other. Neutering helps but is often expensive.

I have my 11 set up as 7 girls all together, then the boys separated into 2 different groups of 2 because one set of boys constantly try to attack the other set of boys. But together as 2 they are all fine & BFFS. 

A rat is not for everyone. They need a ton of playtime outside their cage, mental & physical enrichment. I would never count rats as a lazy/calm pet. Sure there are the some like that, but they are just so intelligent & so love to explore their world that it isn't really their style most of the time until they start to age and slow down.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Yes, our girls are higher energy, until they get older, they don't much like just sitting around on our shoulders... they love to go go go.

Now we also have a daughter and I think she appreciates playful rats...

https://vid.me/bYiW

https://vid.me/3edL

https://vid.me/BzNQ

https://vid.me/SgmU



The truly amazing Fuzzy Rat would jog through the park with us, go swimming with us and hang out in tall tree tops on warm breezy days. Obviously she could find her own way back to the car. She was in fact a very special rat. Very few rats can become true shoulder rats... girls or boys because rats are inherently agoraphobic and prone to panic attacks. But if you find a special rat and train it properly from a young pup you can sometimes wind up with a true shoulder rat. We just qualified our fourth!















Most true shoulder rats do tend to be girls, but there have been some notable boys too. There was even a wild boy black rat that grew up to be a true shoulder rat. Even with our level of experience, we've had rats wash out of the program. The fact is that you just can't tell which rats will make it through and which will wash out until you start working with them at your safe site. In my opinion a rat that only stays on your shoulder isn't much of a true shoulder rat... you have to be able to put them down to go potty and feel safe that they won't panic and run away. We enjoy playing outdoor chase games with our girls, but that's us... 

If you would prefer to work with boys, I can't see any reason not to. At any given time, there are very likely only a few hundred true shoulder rats in the world... they are exceptional animals... they need the right personality and they need lots of bonding and handling and training. This is our final test:









True shoulder rats are a real commitment in time and effort... you literally need to eat with them and sleep with them and take them out often to keep them in training. And even then, it's a great way to get a rat killed or lost. This particular form of extreme rat handling is not something you should undertake lightly. If you do it right, and with the right rat, you will have the time of your life, if you don't have the right rat or you screw up you will have a very bad day... your first mistake can be your last. We're pretty good at working with shoulder rats and two weeks ago my 9 year old daughter managed to lose Cloud in a swamp. Thankfully she's a very well trained rat and came back an hour later. But it was a very stressful hour waiting to find out just how good her bond, her training and her sense of direction was. She's a top notch true shoulder rat, and we still worried. Most rats would have been lost in the marsh forever. Cloud apparently went looking for me and when she couldn't find me, she want right back to the place she fell in and waited to be recovered... that's calm and cool rational thinking. That's what a true shoulder rat is supposed to do. And she did it in a very unfamiliar area. We're very proud of our true shoulder rats, but I can also assure you that not all of our rats have been nearly as successful. Those stories are a lot harder to tell.

Best luck.


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## MidnightWolfie (Jul 12, 2015)

Due to all of these stories I am really considering to get two rats.
I don't mind bringing two rats into family, my issue is that in the new house I will be living at, rats are.. well, the most hated animal. The house owner hates rats more than anything. So my girlfriend and I (the home owner is actually my girlfriend's dad) will need to change his mind into letting me get a rat or two. I told my dear what all of you told me, and that I probably shouldn't get a rat, but she said she wants to talk to me more about it later when we both get some more time together (wednesday or thursday.)

So now out of curiosity, who can I train better, males or females? Rat Daddy, I would love to trust my rat(s) to stay safe if I put them down from my shoulder, and to return to me if needed. Can I actually train rats to run back to me if I call for them? And how big of a cage should I get for two rats? (I would get the same sex rats so I wouldn't need to worry about getting... uninvited guests.)

Thank you all for contributing to all of this, you all give me more information than any website had thus far.


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## Pandorascaisse (Mar 12, 2014)

As far as training goes, I would think it depends on the individual rat, but that girls might be easier in a sense that they're more eager to get going, but males might be easier in the sense that they're generally calmer and would sit still for the lesson. I know it's not really an intelligence problem, I've never heard of either sex being smarter than the other, but you wouldn't approach training a male and a female rat with the exact same mindset, should they fall into typical roles for the sex. The problem with saying "boys would likely be trained x y z" or girls is that training is down to the individual rat. It's very easy to say males are, in general, calmer. It is very difficult to say males in general are more food, praise, toy, etc. motivated. That comes down to the individual rat, not their sex. You could have 5 male rats and have all be the same as far as reward goes, or you could have 5 male rats and have them all be different. 

For cages, I would say that 21 x 21 x 21 inches (about 54 x 54 x 54 cm) is usually considered appropriate for two rats. I generally like to go with something no shorter than 28 inches, though, as you have to figure in the base of the cage and rats love climbing. So, a cage that's got a length of 17-21, a width of 17-21, and a height minimum of 28 should be good. (for cm, that's 43-54, with a minimum height of 71 cm)

I just prefer the 28 measurement myself because height is one of the most important things in keeping rats active and healthy. They are avid climbers, which helps to grow proper muscle mass and strength. However, with lots of outside time, even shorter (or smaller) cages are perfectly adequate, so long as they are wire (never a tank or a bin, unless you have a mother and her pups). The measurements above are just a general guide.


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## Fanciestrats (Mar 10, 2015)

I have had males and females. I feel like it is best to choose based on the connection you feel to those particular animals, rather than gender. If you get that feeling...where you KNOW that the animal(s) in front of you have amazing personalities and you could give a lot to each other....go with it. 
we had awesome cuddles with our boys, and i still have moments like that with one of my females. I don't feel like I am missing out on anything.  One of my males was very easy to train, the other wasn't. My females pick up on things rather quickly too. They can come when I call.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

To be honest, the real key to training a shoulder rat is to build a pack bond with them. They actually see you as family. And very much like a child, they may not obey every order, but they don't want to get lost or lose you either. Fuzzy Rat, the rat leading me back to our car liked to run off and explore, she would be gone for about an hour and then turn up exactly where she left us. Usually she also came on command, but sometimes she had more important things to do or explore. As she got older, she explored less and if she couldn't be found, she was on top of the right front tire of my car. She would wait for us to come back to the car so we would always take her home. She was about as competent as any dog and just like a dog, she would get interested in things she smelled and wanted to check out... she also had a passion for wild boy rats so we had to be very careful about going places where wild boy rats lived... but otherwise we didn't have to worry about losing her. 

Unlike other rodents, rats are pack animals... they are social and they bond to each other to create extended family units... they don't really give each other orders, but they stay together and when everything goes wrong you have to rely on this 'instinct' to bring your rat back to you safely.

The first problem occurs when a rat doesn't properly bond with you. It's going to walk or even run away and never come back. Hopefully it will find a new family, but in any case you come home one rat short. The other problem is that many rats panic, the will run into the street or down sewer grates or into places you can't follow, then they hunker down and won't come out. They can stay planted for hours or even days and because they are in terror, they won't come back. Unless you can find them and retrieve them, they are gone too. 

A true shoulder rat can't panic, it has to stay cool and in control and it has to be bonded to you so it won't lose you. It's actually rather funny, because when people see us out with our rats it all looks so natural. When I tell people that my rats are trained, they ask what tricks they do. Sometimes it's hard to explain that the fact that our rats are walking around at heel in a park or playing chase games with us isn't "natural" rat behavior. Perhaps it is natural rat behavior, but usually it doesn't involve humans leading the pack.

To be honest, indoors our rats pretty much ignore commands... there's no stress and no threat they are masters in their indoor environments and pretty much do as they please. Outdoors where there are a lot more dangers they pick up on the urgency in my voice and respond appropriately. 

A rat that panics or isn't bonded can't go outdoors with you, at least beyond your safe training site. But with the right rat with a strong bond there's hardly any place you can't go... Still, all rats have their limits and the world is very dangerous for rats so as the trainer and handler you have to develop your own skill set to keep your rats safe outdoors. 

I take great pride in our rats, and I've worked hard to learn my 'craft' and I can make it look easy when working with a good rat, but it really is the result of thousands of hours of experience and practice and we still screw up. Like my daughter losing our rat in a marsh two weeks ago. That wasn't on the agenda. But it was very nice to see our rat keep her cool and do the right thing on her own so that she could come home with us. Both rats and humans aren't perfect, we all make mistakes we train our rats and teach ourselves to compensate for each other's shortcomings. There's nothing safe about taking a rat outdoors, it's all about managing risks and preparing for things that will eventually go wrong.

Best luck.


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## RavenTheRat (May 28, 2015)

Rats are incredible pets. But you NEED two. NEED. It's not an option.

May I suggest a gerbil? I have one (Yes, one is a mistake I know. I was young and stupid when I got him- he's far too aggressive with other animals to pair him up now that he's old I'm afraid)
He's my little bud. He sits on my shoulder and eats treats from my hand. It took me hours to get him to do that, but I did it. They're friendly little buggers, I highly reccomend them, BUT, you should also keep two of those. They do require much smaller housing, however.

EDIT: Sorry, I just saw that you said you can get two. In that case, go for it! They're so intelligent, and can learn tricks! They're snuggly and overall the best freinds you will ever have.


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## MidnightWolfie (Jul 12, 2015)

Rat Daddy, how can one form a good bond with his rats? And is it possible to take both rats out on a "walk" without worrying of them running off into the wild (if they are bound and trained well, of course.) or does a pair instantly mean that they might disobey their human and follow their natural call in stead?


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## MidnightWolfie (Jul 12, 2015)

Also, sorry for double post but i didn't find an edit option, where do rats go to bathroom? I've read many times that I should have carpet's or such in rat's cages. Does that mean that they can be taught to go do their stuff into a litter or where?

Thanks a lot


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

MidnightWolfie said:


> Also, sorry for double post but i didn't find an edit option, where do rats go to bathroom? I've read many times that I should have carpet's or such in rat's cages. Does that mean that they can be taught to go do their stuff into a litter or where?
> 
> Thanks a lot


Some rats can be fully litter trained, some will be mostly litter trained and others just do not care and will go wherever they want. 

My first girls never went potty outside the cage & were good with the litter box, my current girls will use the litterbox & everything else lol though they are pretty good at not going out of the cage except for in corners., my one group of boys did very well with the litterbox! But one of them will still mark (pee) on everything and everyone outside of the cage. 

if you work hard at it you will have better chances. Have a good number of litterboxes per the size of your cage, use a large rock in the box called a pee rock which they for some reason love to pee on rocks it helps direct them to the box, use a good litter that is different from what you use in the rest of your cage, pick up poos often and put them in the litterbox.

IDK about carpet in the cage. Maybe but it seems like it would be a pain to clean. I use dish drying mats with fleece on top for my girls & aspen chips for my boys. People use alot of different things.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Rats are social animals, they bond with their pack or family. It's quite a natural process and I cover it thoroughly in my thread "immersion, the guide" 

Theoretically, you could work with an entire pack of well trained shoulder rats outdoors at the same time. There's a fellow that has been known to bring three shoulder rats to times square in New York and charge for photos with them. I currently work with two, but I prefer to have my daughter along. We replace our rats as they pass away, so usually we have one fully trained and qualified true shoulder rat and one new trainee to work with. This makes it much safer and easier. 

When you are training a rat, it requires your complete concentration and focus. One rat can distract you while the other gets into trouble, or worse yet they can both get intro trouble at once while being apart putting you in the difficult situation of dealing with two separate crisis at the same time. Every rat you add to your travel group will test your rat handling skills exponentially. Accidents are much more likely to happen to one rat when you get distracted by the other.

Once you have two highly trained rats you can trust and you have polished your skills sufficiently you can manage two and perhaps more, but while you are learning and while your rats are being trained, one rat is more than enough of a challenge for a single inexperienced trainer to work with.

The important thing to understand is that the question is not what's possible, but rather why your skill level and your rats level of training can safely support. If you have one very well trained rat, you can focus more on the other, if you have two really well trained rats, it's still a matter of splitting your concentration, two untrained rats are going to have you chasing in two directions at once sooner or later... and that's when things go wrong fast. When you have two rats free ranging in the car, you are twice as likely to get one killed closing the car door or while you are training one, the other might be eating poison mushrooms behind your back. In time, you develop methods to deal with two rats, like doing a head count before you close or open any doors and like checking for mushrooms before putting any rats down on the ground... and you learn to split your focus appropriately.... but as a human being you can only really concentrate on one rat at a time. And yes, I've had to leave one rat on it's own, while I chased the other I was training... trusting it would be waiting when I got back. That takes quite a bit of confidence in the rat you are abandoning to it's own devices. 

I would strongly recommend that you start by working with one rat at a time, and I would suggest you bring your girl along as your assistant, then if that rat becomes competent and trustworthy you can bring out a second to the safe site together and train a second while someone keeps an eye on the first. Even then, working as a team, things can go wrong because you can screw up on your communication. The important thing, is that it only takes one mistake and your rat is lost or dead.


At any given time there are only a few hundred trained true shoulder rats alive in the entire world. That's out of millions of rats. True shoulder rats are the most competent rats and they are usually working with the best rat trainers and handlers. That you will ever own a rat that can be a true shoulder rat is far from a given conclusion. If you are a very good trainer and handler you can make a good rat even better but the potential has to be there. Yes, some rats are born great and they are literally easy to train. They bond with you almost instantly and they are inherently confident, by 4 weeks old Fuzzy Rat was exploring outdoors on her own and could be relied on to come back. Misty our latest true shoulder rat was afraid to come out from under my blankets until she was over six weeks old. It took a great deal of patience to build her confidence up before we ever got outside. But once she became confident she became competent very quickly. She had great potential because she never panicked, but she was far from a natural and some rats we worked with never bonded properly or panicked. Amelia was a very well bonded rat but after two years, if we put her on the ground she tore off like the devil was on her tail. As a good trainer, with a very fast daughter, we could handle her because I knew she would run to the first dark place and we could recover her there, or my daughter could run her down, but that wasn't any fun for her or us. When we went into a store she would pee on us out of fear, again, not fun. And nothing we could do could fix that. We trained another rat to be competent, but she also became very independent and as she grew older and more competent she also became less bonded to us... and she eventually pulled off a truly amazing escape. Honestly, she never liked people and she didn't even bond well with out other rat. Every day she became more self confident and competent was one day closer to her great escape. It was the first time I experienced that, I now know the signs to look for, but back then I didn't and I got caught flat footed and blind sided. 

We were very lucky to start out with a truly great rat who made up for most of our mistakes, then we had to learn a lot more the hard way. And mistakes still happen. We now have a good and relatively safe training program in place and we give our rats rather severe tests along the way. When going outside we have procedures we follow. And for people watching it all looks pretty easy. But it came through years of experience and a lot of close calls along the way. 

I think the most important thing I learned is when to wash a rat out of the program. If a rat can't make the cut, it has to stay indoors. You can't just lower the bar and move forward anyway. If your rat can't be relied on at the safe site to come back to you it's going to get lost or killed in the real world. 

Most people have never seen an actual true shoulder rat, much less will ever own one. We've trained four. So good training does help, but it's never a foregone conclusion. If you get lucky and get the right rat or very, very lucky and get two, you will also have to perfect your handling skills to manage two at the same time. The procedure I've developed, working at a safe site, will give you a chance to "more safely" train and test your rats without getting them killed. But if you wind up with even one true shoulder rat, you will have a great deal of fun together and you will have a rat you can be truly proud of. But remember, it's a small fraternity and it's not because we're exclusive, it's just that dead or lost rats don't count.

And if you can't appreciate my remarks to this point, consider what a horrible feeling it would be to come home one rat short, after you spent hundreds of hours building a relationship and falling in love with your best furry friend. It's dead or it's gone and it's your fault. And it's not something you will ever get over completely. Shoulder rats lead a very rewarding and a very dangerous life. And like I said, there are only a few hundred in the world at any given time... Take it one step at a time and never get ahead of yourself... and you might wind up with one.... maybe two eventually... but be careful and take it one day at a time and always be as careful and safe as you can while you learn what you are doing. And don't be afraid to wash a rat out when it doesn't make the grade it can still be a great indoor friend. I wouldn't worry about working with two rats until you can safely work with one.

To be entirely honest, if your only reason for owing rats is to have a true shoulder rat, you may wind up very disappointed.

Best luck.


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## Sherritasworld (Mar 17, 2014)

*What rat lovers don't tell you about rats:*

First of all, they require FAR more time than any other pet. They recommend an hour of playtime outside of the cage every day. This may not sound like much but they require CONSTANT supervision. When ppl say they "forgot" their rat was in their hood and went to the grocery store, they're lying. Rats are small, and vulnerable. You must be constantly vigilant while attending a rat. I intentionally got male rats bc I was told they were lazy and "lap" pets. Bullshit! Mine are over a year old and still scratch me to death to try to escape. Sure, they're fat, and sleep most of the time, but the moment I come near the cage they go crazy, and do NOT calm down within an hour! When ppl say they fell asleep while attending their rats, I'd love to know what kind of magic room they're in that has nothing plugged in, nor any wood or plastic to chew on, bc mine chew on ANYTHING that isn't in their cage. They've caused damage to doors, closet doors, a bookcase, exercise equipment, a headboard, etc and that's with me sitting right there watching them every second! I have at least ten different things for them to chew on in their cage, as well as a wheel they don't use, and they don't use any of them. But put them in the bathroom, they'll chew the door, the cabinets, and anything else they can get their teeth on! Don't get me wrong, I love them to pieces, but the fantasies in my head of them being good company for my dog has quickly dissipated! He loves them, or at least he did, until they clawed his lips to pieces bc I don't have the patience, nor the sight required to clip their tiny nails. They're VERY tiny, and EXTREMELY squirmy! Now they're just tiny, lovable demons that claw everything to death. Oh, I tried, I did, and they squeal every time I clip one, so I eventually decided it isn't worth our anxiety to try anymore. Oh, and as if this isn't hard enough already, try to keep fresh fruits and vegetables available every other day. And don't forget the bottled water, rats can't drink tap water, it has fluoride in it. It's fun, go ahead, try it! Don't forget to clean every surface they're anywhere near, either, that stinks, too, until males are well over a year old. 

I wouldn't give my lil babies up for anything, and I certainly don't regret getting them, I don't. But had I known how much work they were, I wouldn't have, which is why I'm writing this. If you're thinking of getting rats bc you think they're easy, DON'T! I love mine madly, but when they die I will NOT be getting more! On top of all the work, they don't live long, which just gives you enough time to love them so much you become obsessed with trying to make them live longer.


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## Jess <3 (Jan 23, 2014)

Sherritasworld said:


> First of all, they require FAR more time than any other pet. They recommend an hour of playtime outside of the cage every day. This may not sound like much but they require CONSTANT supervision. When ppl say they "forgot" their rat was in their hood and went to the grocery store, they're lying. Rats are small, and vulnerable. You must be constantly vigilant while attending a rat. I intentionally got male rats bc I was told they were lazy and "lap" pets. Bullshit! Mine are over a year old and still scratch me to death to try to escape. Sure, they're fat, and sleep most of the time, but the moment I come near the cage they go crazy, and do NOT calm down within an hour! When ppl say they fell asleep while attending their rats, I'd love to know what kind of magic room they're in that has nothing plugged in, nor any wood or plastic to chew on, bc mine chew on ANYTHING that isn't in their cage. They've caused damage to doors, closet doors, a bookcase, exercise equipment, a headboard, etc and that's with me sitting right there watching them every second! I have at least ten different things for them to chew on in their cage, as well as a wheel they don't use, and they don't use any of them. But put them in the bathroom, they'll chew the door, the cabinets, and anything else they can get their teeth on! Don't get me wrong, I love them to pieces, but the fantasies in my head of them being good company for my dog has quickly dissipated! He loves them, or at least he did, until they clawed his lips to pieces bc I don't have the patience, nor the sight required to clip their tiny nails. They're VERY tiny, and EXTREMELY squirmy! Now they're just tiny, lovable demons that claw everything to death. Oh, I tried, I did, and they squeal every time I clip one, so I eventually decided it isn't worth our anxiety to try anymore. Oh, and as if this isn't hard enough already, try to keep fresh fruits and vegetables available every other day. And don't forget the bottled water, rats can't drink tap water, it has fluoride in it. It's fun, go ahead, try it! Don't forget to clean every surface they're anywhere near, either, that stinks, too, until males are well over a year old.
> 
> I wouldn't give my lil babies up for anything, and I certainly don't regret getting them, I don't. But had I known how much work they were, I wouldn't have, which is why I'm writing this. If you're thinking of getting rats bc you think they're easy, DON'T! I love mine madly, but when they die I will NOT be getting more! On top of all the work, they don't live long, which just gives you enough time to love them so much you become obsessed with trying to make them live longer.


That does sound like a hectic experience but can I just say that not everyone shares the same experience as you. I've had plenty of rats who were happy to sit still on my shoulder and fall asleep in my lap. One little guy,who was very special to me, would wander straight to my lap whenever I let him out, and curl up with his head resting in the crook of my arm and then sleep for hours on end while i stroked behind his ears. As for free-range, I finally managed to set up a cardboard barrier that is yet to be breached and i can really sit back and relax while my rats are out of their cage now. I'll just watch some YouTube videos or read the new posts on this forum and they'll play together, explore and then come to me when they want attention. 

As for needing more time than any other pet, my dogs definitely require more time and attention than my rats. Exercising rats can be done easily indoors while dogs require a couple of hours daily outdoors.

...and falling asleep in my hood...well my rats prefer the pocket of my hoodies and yes, i have forgotten i was carrying a rat in my 'pouch' a few times in the past!


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

I liked having one rat, not two or more. The bond for me is different. When I had one rat he was with me 24/7. At that time I worked from home and he was free range, open cage policy. He slept with me, took showers with me, went to the beach, went camping, drive ins, traveled out of state with me, parks, fairs, so on and so on. I found him when his eyes were still closed and had to do the hand raising thing. If you really just want one rat, you may be able to find a special needs one that can't be housed with other rats. It's rare, but it happens. If you want a good bond I'd suggest "bottle feeding" really young ones if you have the time for it. Find a feeder bin or again rescues might have some new babies. Just my two cents. The videos in my signature is of my old rat that used to travel with me. Best of luck.


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