Should I get a rat?
Simple Answer:
The answer to this question is always “NO".” You should never get a singular rat. Rats need to be kept in pairs at the very least. Best case scenario, you get enough rats to form a hierarchic structure in their enclosure, but not so many they form a coup and overthrow you. So maybe more than three and less than one hundred? Maybe?
The best way to keep enough rats in your home is to start with two or three babies from the same litter, then add in two more babies every 10-12 months. This prevents a situation wherein you are left with one elderly rat all on his/her own. Rats typically live for two to three years, so with this method of rotation, you would have an average of 6 rats at a time in your mischief, which is a perfectly reasonable number in either a Single Critter Nation or Double Critter Nation (or another enclosure with similar measurements).
When adding rats to your mischief, always, always, always adopt in pairs or more. It is very important that rats have companions at a similar stage of development as them in their environment. Exceptions have to be made from time to time, but try to keep these exceptions to a very bare minimum.
Reasons to say No:
Now that we have the number of rats you should adopt settled, let’s examine your home and its ability to meet the needs of a mischief of rats. There are several key factors that can give very clear “NO” answers:
Financial: If you are struggling to meet your own needs, it is best to wait on adding another life into your home. If you are living with others (i.e. parents while you go to school) and rely on someone else to meet your needs, it is not a good idea to bring pets into the home unless the people financially responsible for the home are willing to help you out if needed. This needs to be agreed upon before bringing pets into the home, and all parties need to be on the same page when it comes to costs. This is why I do not adopt animals to teenagers or children directly. All adoptions must be between the rattery and a self sufficient adult, over the age of 18.
Stress: Rats are not prepared to be your emotional support animal. Owning a pet rat is not going to solve the external stressors in your life, so it is important that you are not in such a place mentally and emotionally that you will be unable to care for your animals as needed.
Time: Rats need to be out of their cage exploring for at least 4 hours per week, or one hour every other day. If you work a job that has long hours, you travel a lot for work, or your days are already filled with obligations and activites, rats may not be the best option for your home.
Preparing to say Yes:
Gather Finances:
You should have a savings set aside for emerency vet visits, twice as much as you expect to spend on one visit. When I took my rat in for pneumonia to the overnight vet, the total cost I paid was $250, so have at least $500 in savings for vet visits alone to start off with. I would also advise having enough money in savings to feed your rats for three months in the case of an emergency, bringing the total up to about $550-$600 depending on how many rats you get and what you choose to feed them.
The upfront cost for owning rats will include the following:
Cage: $200, on average
Toys, rope, etc: $100
Hammocks: $30
Bedding: $20
Rats: $50/pair
Total: $400 + savings of $600 = $1,000
Prepare Their Space:
Find a low traffic area that will allow your rats to get plenty of rest during the day and at night. Rats are crepuscular (awake at dawn and dusk) and will find it stressful to be in an environment that is loud and scary during their sleeping hours. My rats are set up in a corner of my living room, but our living room is empty from 8am-6pm and quiet from 8pm-7am, making it a good spot for our home. Many people put their rats in their own room of the house, but I find that I need to keep them in sight for my own peace of mind.
The area around the base of their cage will get messy, this is pretty much a sure thing and you will be sweeping/vacuuming often. With that being said, hard floors or a rug that can be shaken out outside are the best materials to have under the cage for ease of cleaning.
If you have other animals in the house, you will need to make sure they can’t get to the rats. I trained my dogs and cat to leave the cage alone while we are all active in the house, but this took weeks of supervision and even now I will never let my dogs or cat be in the same room as the cage when I am not home. It’s just not worth the risk of injury.
Prepare yourself
Know that the rats are not going to live beyond three years (in most cases). You will, in not too much time, have to say goodbye. Typically, rats die in ways that require euthanasia in order to ease their suffering, so you will need to have a vet established who treats small animals.
You will also find that rats can get sick pretty easily with URIs, so having a vet you trust established will come in handy when keeping your rats healthy.
There will be times when you may need to go out of town or when you might get sick. Then, there is always the possibility that you have a tragedy that prevents you from owning rats any longer. For all of these situations, it is good to have someone you trust who will look after your rats and care for them in your absence.
Getting the Rats:
Once you have all the supplies you need and are fully prepared to step into rat ownership, it’s time to go get those rats. Choosing rats should be done in person, giving you an opportunity to meet and play with the available rats in order to see personalities and figure who will be a good match for you. As with any pet, choosing rats should be done with consideration for more than just cuteness. Make sure the rats are healthy and are of a good weight. You should not be able to easily feel their bones under their fur. The rats should be active and lively. Young rats may nibble on fingers and clothes, but do not adopt a rat who bites with intent to harm. Where you get your rats matters, too. Try to stay away from large corporate sellers and gauge the cleanliness of a breeder’s facilities as well. A good breeder keeps their rats as pets first and breeding is secondary to the health of their rats.
Conclusion:
Rat ownership really is a rewarding experience. The first time a baby rat fell asleep in my arms, it was hard not to acknowledge the gravity of that moment. A (mostly) defenseless, fragile, living animal decided he trusted me enough not only to let me hold him, but to fall asleep on me. How crazy is that? Rats crawled their way into my life in a way that I didn’t expect, and I appreciate and admire them just as much as I do any other pet I have been lucky enough to love.
If you are interested in adopting rats from Pie Town Rattery, click the link below to check out our adoption application and join our waitlist!
Sources:
Fettes, J. (n.d.). Thinking about pet rats. Isamu Rats. http://www.isamurats.co.uk/thinking-about-pet-rats.html
RSPCA. (n.d.). Keeping Pet Rats Together. RSPCA. https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/rats/company#:~:text=Rats%20are%20social%20creatures%20and,they%20live%20on%20their%20own.
