On this page you'll find information about our breeding ethics, as well as general rat care information. We advise you read through the information on this page before deciding to keep rats as pets.
All information here is based on my own knowledge and the research I have done during my time as a rat lover. I do not assume to know everything, and your journey of rat knowledge should be supplemented by your own research.
Pidge'n'Soap Breeding Ethics
As a breeder of fancy rats, I follow a code of ethics. These ethics can be summarised by saying that I do not breed for food; I do not knowingly put my rats in danger; I accept full responsibility for all rats in my care and the litters they produce; all rats receive health care when required; I only breed healthy rats with good temperaments; I do not knowingly breed rats with genetic defects, health problems, or problems with temperament; I breed for quality, not quantity; I will not knowingly place rats in homes that are not in their best interest; and all rats are treated with respect and are loved.
You can read more about the ethics of rat breeding here.
General Rat Information
On the average, rats live for 2 ½ to 3 ½ years although
some have been known to live for more than four years. I know of a rat
who recently passed away at the grand old age of 5 years. This is not
the norm, but it can happen.
Theres a lovely story thats been doing the rat fancy circuit for a few years
now about why rats are only with us for a short time. The story goes
that God told the angels that they could only stay on earth for as long
as they could hold their breath, and when you couldnt hold it anymore
they must return to heaven.
What type of housing
do rats need?
The best housing for rats are wire cages. Aquariums do not allow adequate
airflow which can contribute to respiratory infections. The recommended
space for rats is 2 cubic feet per rat. You can use this handy Cage
Calculator to find out the space you need. Wire
floors are generally not recommended because its not comfortable for
the rat to walk on, and can sometimes contribute to bumblefoot. I recommend
just letting your rats walk on their litter bedding, and it tends to
be more hygenic. Wire shelves can be covered with fabric, lino or wood,
though you must take care to clean these often.
What bedding should I use?
Contrary to what you see in pet shops, wood shavings are -never- an option
for bedding. You must use something without dust. My favourite bedding
is newspaper pellets (Breeder's Choice) which you can find in the kitty
litter section at a supermarket, or you can just line the bottom of the
cage with newspaper. The RSPCA kitty litter pellets are also a good option
(theyre made out of rice byproducts) but they can tend to be a little
dusty.
What do I feed my rat?
Rats are omnivores and will eat almost anything. However there are some
rules to follow. Your rat will not benefit from generic 'rat seed mixes'
from the supermarket or pet store. A lot of items in these mixes are
not nutritionally complete, so its a better idea to make up your own
mix. A good diet is the Suebee's
Diet. You can also supplement with lab blocks which are used
as a complete diet for lab rats. This can get a little boring for the
rat however, and I strongly advise that you make your own mix. This
is also quite a lot cheaper than pre-mixed rat food.
Once a day rats will also benefit from a 'wet food'. You can pick up
tins of baby food from the supermarket for less than a dollar per tin.
You can get fruit puree, custards, meat and vegie purees and much more.
Also supplement their diet with fresh fruit and veg. I like buying the
frozen vegie bags from the supermarket and defrosting as I need it.
Beans, broccoli, sweet corn, peas and cauliflower are all favourites
with my kids. Rats also love apple, watermelon, honey dew melon, rockmelon,
etc. Do not feed bucks (male rats) oranges as this can contribute to
cancer. Id advise against feeding any rats orange or other citrus fruits. Here is a list
of forbidden foods. These are foods you should never feed
your rats.
Water must be available continually and this is usually provided via sipper
tubes. The tubes can easily become blocked with dirt and should be checked
regularly.
What diseases affect
rats?
Respiratory conditions are common and especially mycoplasmosis. With
this condition, the rats develop a nasal discharge and are breathless.
Mycoplasmosis is almost impossible to eliminate but can often be controlled
with antibiotics. The disease is more common in cages contaminated with
high ammonia levels. As ammonia comes from stale urine, cleanliness
is vital.
Respiratory diseases and infections are incredibly common in rats. When
choosing a pet listen for any sign of sneezing, coughing or wheezing.
If a rat is visually breathing hard (their sides are moving dramatically
when they breathe) this is a sign that its taking a lot of effort for
them to breathe and that its vital you get them to a vet ASAP.
Rats also suffer from various intestinal diseases. Mammary tumours and
kidney disease often affect older rats. Tumours can be removed by surgery,
but its important to listen to your vets advice on the matter. Sometimes
its just too late for some animals, and that they would suffer less if
they were put to sleep if the tumour is inoperable or if you vet is not
comfortable doing surgery (particularly if they dont specialise in exotics).
Do rats spread disease?
Contrary to popular belief, rats do not commonly spread disease. The
Plague was spread by fleas that were carried by the rats, not the rats
themselves. Rats are incredibly clean animals.
Some
people are allergic to rat dander and to rat urine and rat bites are
sometimes a problem, but otherwise, diseases are rarely spread from
pet rats to humans.
Aren't rats smelly?
Rats are naturally tidy and spend hours grooming themselves. They will
keep their bed clean and often learn to use a specific area as their
toilet. They are much less smelly than mice and odour is only a problem
if their cage is not cleaned. Bucks
are normally a bit more smelly than does because they tend to scent
mark, but this should not be a problem if you take great care to clean
the cages frequently.
What are rats like
as pets?
Rats are friendly and curious animals and have stronger personalities
than mice. They are very inquisitive and quite social. They very rarely
bite unless they think theyre in danger or have aggressive tendencies
that can be bought on by tumours in the brain or mistreatment.
What toys can a rat
play with?
There are lots of toys that your rat will love to play with, and it stops
them from being bored when you cant play with them as frequently as you'd
like. Plastic 'bell balls' often sold for cats are a good choice, as well
as the many different kinds of wooden and rope toys generally sold for
rabbits, guinea pigs or birds. Cardboard tissue boxes, toilet rolls, etc
are also fantastic toys.
Are rats easy to breed? Rats are too easy to breed and if a rat owner is not careful, a pair
of rats can produce hordes of offspring with litters of more than ten
being common. A doe takes about three weeks to produce pups after mating
and she will be fertile again twenty-four hours after giving birth.
For this reason, a pregnant female should be separated from bucks before
her pups are born. Unless you're planning on having a lot
more than you bargained for, get same-sex pairs as pets. Do not contribute
to the mass population flooding the rescue market these days.
<:3 )~~
Please please please if you're thinking about breeding your rats DONT.
A pair of rats and their offspring can produce more than 15 000 rats
per year. In each litter a doe is likely to bear around 15 young, and
this is NOT a suitable outcome for someone wishing to experience the
miracle of birth. Rat breeding is an incredibly serious business that
should only be undertaken by people with vast experience with rats.
The more people who 'backyard breed' rats, the more prevalent disease,
tumours, respiratory problems and aggressiveness are in the rat fancy.
I will not place animals of more than one gender in any home for this
reason, unless you are a responsible and ethical breeder.