If you are thinking of getting a small furry pet, such as a rat, you have to prepare for the responsibilities of pet-ownership.
But what are the considerations? Owning a pet is a partnership and not a one-way relationship, so you need to consider whether you are suited to your chosen pet and vice versa.
Is a rat the right pet for you?
When you are considering whether to offer a home to a rat you need to think about the pet's everyday needs:
Housing
Feeding and watering
Handling
Care
Rats are lively, intelligent and make very interesting pets. They are easy to look after but should have the company of other rats. Rats from the same litter usually get on well with each other without fighting. Rats tend to be more nocturnal than mice and spend a large part of their day asleep. Therefore they may be a pet to consider if you are out during the day.
Males and females should only be put together for breeding purposes but several rats of the same sex can be kept together. Rats become sexually mature between 6 and 8 weeks of age, and produce an average litter size of between 6 to 16 babies or even more! This is why it is important to separate rats when they are about six weeks old, to avoid a population explosion.
Rats live between 2 to 3 years, and the average adult weight is between about 300 to 500g, depending on the rat’s gender.
PDSA vets advise that rats kept in groups need a minimum of an hour’s attention each day, but the more time you spend with them the better!
Look after your rats well, and they will reward you with hours of fun.
Topic of the month
Each month PDSA delivers a new pet care message through an informative leaflet written by our vets. Topics covered by the leaflets include First Aid, Vaccinations and Neutering. Why not download your free copy?
