From pest to pet: Rats can be the perfect companion

I think it’s safe to say that when you hear the word “rat” nothing pleasant comes to mind. You might think of sewers and garbage and big teeth and nasty tails. With those images in mind, it’s easy to see why rats are not the first pet many adopters seek out when they come to the shelter. Unlike wild rats, though, domestic rats are friendly and loving and make excellent pets – especially for children!

With frequent handling, rats make wonderful companion animals. In fact, they’ve even been known to ride around the shelter on people’s shoulders or nestled comfortably in the hoods of sweatshirts. Many rats end up in shelters each year and, because many people are unwilling to accept the idea of them being house pets, they often wait a long time for a new home. Take a look at what’s involved in caring for a rat and see if they might be the right pet for you!

Two are Better Than One

Rats are very social animals and are happier to live with at least one other rat. Female rats tend to do well together at any age while male rats, when raised together, should not have any problems living together peacefully. Although we do not do it at the shelter, rats can also be spayed or neutered in order to live with rats of the opposite sex.

Playtime

Like any animal, the more time you spend with your pet rats, the friendlier they will be. Rats enjoy spending time with their owners and love being handled and cuddled. In addition to one-on-one time with you, rats need out-of-cage time each day for physical and mental exercise. Rats are both active and highly intelligent. They love playing with toys and keeping busy. Rats love exercise wheels, tubes, ladders, and even swing toys! Rats also need to keep their teeth filed down by chewing on wooden toys. Make sure any wooden toys you give your rats are unpainted and untreated.

Cages and Cleanliness

Are you still thinking about sewers when you think about rats? Rats are actually very clean animals that spend a lot of time grooming themselves and each other. For a clean environment, rats do best in a wire cages with solid bottoms filled with comfortable bedding, such as recycled paper or aspen. Be sure to avoid pine and cedar shavings which, despite smelling pleasant to us, can cause respiratory issues for your rats. A wire cage or a multilevel cage designed for ferrets is preferable to an aquarium as both provide better ventilation. Spot cleaning the cage each day and completely changing the bedding once a week with keep the cage from becoming smelly or overly dirty. 

Diet

In addition to a high quality rat food, your pets should also be fed fresh fruits and vegetables each day. At the shelter, we typically feed our rats apples (without the seeds), bananas, and carrots – just like we do with the rabbits. Other foods include broccoli, peas, cucumbers, berries, kiwi, pears, and corn. Rats enjoy many different foods and have even been known to be fond of both people food and dog treats!

Health

On average, rats live between 2 and 3 years. Rats are susceptible to getting ill from heat and cold, so make sure your pet is kept indoors out of any drafts or direct sunlight. Keep an eye on your rats for any sneezing, lethargy, diarrhea, or difficulty breathing, which are signs that your pet is ill. For optimal health, make sure to take your rats to the vet each year for an annual check-up.

Rats are truly wonderful and loving pets that make wonderful companion animals for children and adults alike. If you’re thinking of adding a new pet to your family, consider the often overlooked rat!

 Alaina Goodnough is the Promotions Coordinator at Cocheco Valley Humane Society in Dover, NH. She lives in Sanford, ME with three parrots, two cats, and two dachshunds. She can be reached at CVHS at devassist@cvhsonline.org