Rats - Company

Do rats need company?

Rats need to have the company of another rat to have a good quality of life. Having a friend allows them to play together and they can huddle for warmth or reassurance. Research shows that rats kept together tend to be less fearful and recover faster from illnesses.

It’s best to keep two female rats together as males can fight, unless they grew up together. If possible, females should also have grown up together as littermates to reduce the chance of fighting.

It’s strongly advised not to keep males and females together as they will breed and it can be difficult to find homes for the young.

Rats become sexually mature between six and eight weeks of age, and produce an average litter size of between eight to 18 babies. So it is important to separate rats of different sexes before they are six weeks old, to avoid unwanted litters.

Is a person a suitable companion for a rat?

Company from people that a rat trusts is better than the rat living alone. But a person isn’t really a good substitute for living with another rat, as people and rats have their own separate needs and methods of communicating. A rat living with just people is like a person living with just rats. Would you be happy living with just rats?

A rat kept alone should have plenty of opportunity to interact with trusted people when they’re awake.

How do I know if my rats are being aggressive or just play-fighting?

Rats often play with each other even when they are adults, but sometimes they get separated and have to live alone because their owners confuse harmless play fighting with true aggression.

When rats fight aggressively one or more of the following signs are usually seen:

• One of the rats’ fur stands on end during the fighting
• Injuries are caused
• One rat will attempt to bite the other rat’s bottom or sides
• One of the rats (the weaker one) hides a lot, or creeps nervously around the cage

When rats play fight, however, different signs are usually present:

• Both of the rats will take turns in chasing and pinning the other rat
• The “bites” (which don’t cause injury) are targeted at the back of the neck
• Squeaking can be heard during play fighting or aggressive fighting, so it doesn’t mean that a rat has been harmed.

If aggressive fighting is occurring frequently it is kindest to separate the rats to avoid stress and injury.

Who should care for my rats if I go on holiday?

If you go away, you should leave your rats in the care of a trusted friend or neighbour. A small transport cage will allow you to transfer them safely.