The above photos are not pictures of Snickers and Twix.
Snickers
Name: Snickers
Gender: Female Type: Rat Color: Black and White Markings: Black heart shaped blob covering her eyes down to her nose, and one little splotche at her shoulder Description: Snickers is the more calm and laid back of the two rats. She is sweet and loves sweets and loves to hide and play in dark areas or boxes. Like her sister, her favorite sleeping place is one of their two hammocks that are placed in the cage. Both Critters are persistent and curious. Nickname: 'Lil Rascal, Critter, or Rattie |
TwixName: Twix
Gender: Female Type: Rat Color: Black and white Markings: "Broken heart" shaped, black blob formed around the eyes and nose, light patches of black around her neck Description: Twix is more energetic, and curious. If she's thinks there's a way out of the cage, she'll keep at it and try to get out for quite while. For example, sometimes when the bedding is replaced in the cage, Twix will dig out the bedding at every corner of the cage until she finds out that the corners don't offer a way out. She loves to climb and runs on the wheel more often than her sister, Snickers. Her favorite sleeping place is the other hammock placed in the cage. And, like most rats she also love dark areas and hiding places. Nickname: 'Lil Rascal, Critter or Rattie |
Q/A
The following information is not everything you need to know for owning a rat.
Some questions you might ask are:
Where did you get the rats? People breed and sell rats just like they would breed and sell dogs, so I got my rats from a Breeder in Kentucky. She let me pick out two or three from the litter of 5...I wanted 3 (the third would have been named Reesie Cup) but in the end, I came home with just two. Some is better than none, right?
Why did you want rats?-You could have gotten a hamster or something! Well, unlike hamsters, gerbils, or guinea pigs, rats almost NEVER bite. My rats are very tame and have never bitten to hurt anyone. If a rat does bite, then you either smell like food or you have accedentally touched an injury and it's letting you know that it's hurt. They are also very friendly and loveable, so often make good family pet. To add to that, the critters are very smart and trainable. Many reviews on getting a pet rat stated that "These rats make better pets than any of the other small animals!"
What exactly do you feed them? At most pet stores, in the small animal section, they have bags of rat food that's similar to any hamster or ferret food...it has lots of different kinds of seeds, dried fruits, etc. Also, I have made my own mix of seeds (It's really good for them) that I mix into the store bought food. My mix of seeds contains flax seed, pumpkin seed, rolled oats, red quinoa, radish seed, pecans, walnuts, and broken up angle hair. And yes, some spaghetti/pasta noodles are good for them :) Also, fresh fruits are a must have everyday snack.
Can you give them just any ol' water? NO, NO, NO! Tap water or sink water often has cleaning chemicals and bleach in it. We humans have strong enough bodies that we can drink it and it not hurt us. You can give rats tap water, but shouldn't because it could make them sick. Your best option is to simply give them bottled water (at room temperature).
How often should you groom them? Actually, rats have excellent hygiene, so, not often. At first, I was worried about us having to trim their nails to prevent them from scratching themselves because one wrong move calls for one less finger. But, I soon discovered that my rats trimmed their own nails- either by chewing them or simply walking on rough surfaces and wearing them down. They also don't need brushed or bathed often because, 1. To much bathing could take away some of the natural oils in their fur and, 2.They frequently clean themselves. However, if you find your rat smelling, you can bathe them with dawn dish soap- that's what I use. Just make sure no soap or water gets anywhere near their eyes, ears, or nose. I made that mistake once and ever since, my 'Lil Rascals have feared water dreadfully...so bathing is often avoided.
Do you ever have to take them out and play with them? The answer is yes, you definitely have to let them out of their cage for at least an hour or two a day. Whether you let them run loose in your room, (which is not recommended unless you love chewed wood, torn wires, hidden food stockpiles, and droppings everywhere) let them run through a maze or play place you have built out of cardboard boxes (It's cheap and easy to make!), run outside under supervision, or simply pet and hold them, they need some outside of the cage time.
How big would a cage need to be? Bigger than you think. A ferret sized cage with plenty of play toys, hammocks, hiding spaces, etc. might be suitable for two rats. The more the rats, the bigger the cage. A home made cage is recommended because it's cheaper and will suit the needs and wants of the owner and pets.
Do rats need to be around other rats? For the most part, yes. The only way you could properly own only one rat is if you take it out and play with them at least 4-5 hours a day. No exceptions. Period. Otherwise, the critter would get lonely, and develop sicknesses. It's nearly impossible to have a very healthy single rat...because hardly anyone has enough time to spend all day everyday with their pet rat and still have a life. You also shouldn't get two or more male rats together. Male rats are territorial and will fight other male rats. A male and a female would lead to much reproductions...so you'll eventually end up with nearly 100 rats on your hands (Not. Good., Unless you want to become a proffesioanal breeder.). Two or three females (or female sisters) are the best option.
Do their teeth continually grow? Yes, rats teeth are always growing, so its important that chew tows and such are available to keep their teeth worn down. You can get their teeth trimmed at the vet, but this is expensive and won't be needed if you have things available in the cage that is hard and chewable.
How often should you clean their cage? This is the part that many people try to brush over and avoid. But, you can't avoid this if you want a healthy pet. All rats need a clean cage to live in. Humans need a tidy house to live in! I reccomend tidying the cage once every week-every other week. Here is a brief checklist for doing so:
-Inspect the cage to make sure their are no dangerouse hazards for the rats to stumble on and their are no escape routs out of the cage. Because you can guess the first one to find a way out of the cage. If their are any ways out of the cage, simply fix it. You also need to make sure their are no sharp edges in the cage walls (or floors) and all the clibing ropes, swings, hammocks, etc. are sturdy so that if a rat climbs onto it, it won't fall and get hurt.
-If their is spilled food, clean it up. Remove stock piles by either throwing them away ar placing them back in the food bowl. (A stockpile is where rats carry the food into a box or corner or something and make a hidden stash of food). If theirs spilled water, just remove the wet bedding (it will mold if you dont and that could make the rat REALLY sick) and put down a handfull or so back into that area.
-Tidy up the toys and other apparati that may have been scattered or knocked over.
-Clean or wipe down anything that you think needs it.
That's not all you have to do. Every month you must "spring clean" the cage. And for that:
-Remove all toys, food bowls, boxes, ropes, etc. from the cage. You'll need everything out that you can get out. Wash all those toys, bowls, huts, ect. by either scrubbing them with just water or using a little dawn soap (again, that's what I use). If you do use soap, rinse thoroughly.
-Take the cage outside along with a bowl of water, a wash cloth, a large trashbag, and a bag of the fresh bedding you will use to replace the old bedding.
-Dump out all the old bedding into the trashbag and throw the it away, but don't put the new bedding in just yet!
-Take your wash cloth and water and scrub the walls and the floor of the cage. Then you can put the new bedding in.
- Now that the cage is ready and all the toys are clean, you can put the tys and everything else back into the cage. Then your done!
Gee wiz! Taking care of a couple rats sure takes up a lot of time and energy! Actually, it's easier than you think, once you get used to it, of course. Sure, it sounds like a lot of work but once you get the hold of things, things go faster and easier. I personally don't think it's that hard, but I have taken care of rats for nearly two years now...
Once again, the above information is not enough information for properly owning pet rats.
Because I am an experienced ;) rat owner, I would be happy to answer any other questions about rats. So, if your further interested, you know where to reach me! (or you can post a comment about your question thingy in the blog)
Some questions you might ask are:
Where did you get the rats? People breed and sell rats just like they would breed and sell dogs, so I got my rats from a Breeder in Kentucky. She let me pick out two or three from the litter of 5...I wanted 3 (the third would have been named Reesie Cup) but in the end, I came home with just two. Some is better than none, right?
Why did you want rats?-You could have gotten a hamster or something! Well, unlike hamsters, gerbils, or guinea pigs, rats almost NEVER bite. My rats are very tame and have never bitten to hurt anyone. If a rat does bite, then you either smell like food or you have accedentally touched an injury and it's letting you know that it's hurt. They are also very friendly and loveable, so often make good family pet. To add to that, the critters are very smart and trainable. Many reviews on getting a pet rat stated that "These rats make better pets than any of the other small animals!"
What exactly do you feed them? At most pet stores, in the small animal section, they have bags of rat food that's similar to any hamster or ferret food...it has lots of different kinds of seeds, dried fruits, etc. Also, I have made my own mix of seeds (It's really good for them) that I mix into the store bought food. My mix of seeds contains flax seed, pumpkin seed, rolled oats, red quinoa, radish seed, pecans, walnuts, and broken up angle hair. And yes, some spaghetti/pasta noodles are good for them :) Also, fresh fruits are a must have everyday snack.
Can you give them just any ol' water? NO, NO, NO! Tap water or sink water often has cleaning chemicals and bleach in it. We humans have strong enough bodies that we can drink it and it not hurt us. You can give rats tap water, but shouldn't because it could make them sick. Your best option is to simply give them bottled water (at room temperature).
How often should you groom them? Actually, rats have excellent hygiene, so, not often. At first, I was worried about us having to trim their nails to prevent them from scratching themselves because one wrong move calls for one less finger. But, I soon discovered that my rats trimmed their own nails- either by chewing them or simply walking on rough surfaces and wearing them down. They also don't need brushed or bathed often because, 1. To much bathing could take away some of the natural oils in their fur and, 2.They frequently clean themselves. However, if you find your rat smelling, you can bathe them with dawn dish soap- that's what I use. Just make sure no soap or water gets anywhere near their eyes, ears, or nose. I made that mistake once and ever since, my 'Lil Rascals have feared water dreadfully...so bathing is often avoided.
Do you ever have to take them out and play with them? The answer is yes, you definitely have to let them out of their cage for at least an hour or two a day. Whether you let them run loose in your room, (which is not recommended unless you love chewed wood, torn wires, hidden food stockpiles, and droppings everywhere) let them run through a maze or play place you have built out of cardboard boxes (It's cheap and easy to make!), run outside under supervision, or simply pet and hold them, they need some outside of the cage time.
How big would a cage need to be? Bigger than you think. A ferret sized cage with plenty of play toys, hammocks, hiding spaces, etc. might be suitable for two rats. The more the rats, the bigger the cage. A home made cage is recommended because it's cheaper and will suit the needs and wants of the owner and pets.
Do rats need to be around other rats? For the most part, yes. The only way you could properly own only one rat is if you take it out and play with them at least 4-5 hours a day. No exceptions. Period. Otherwise, the critter would get lonely, and develop sicknesses. It's nearly impossible to have a very healthy single rat...because hardly anyone has enough time to spend all day everyday with their pet rat and still have a life. You also shouldn't get two or more male rats together. Male rats are territorial and will fight other male rats. A male and a female would lead to much reproductions...so you'll eventually end up with nearly 100 rats on your hands (Not. Good., Unless you want to become a proffesioanal breeder.). Two or three females (or female sisters) are the best option.
Do their teeth continually grow? Yes, rats teeth are always growing, so its important that chew tows and such are available to keep their teeth worn down. You can get their teeth trimmed at the vet, but this is expensive and won't be needed if you have things available in the cage that is hard and chewable.
How often should you clean their cage? This is the part that many people try to brush over and avoid. But, you can't avoid this if you want a healthy pet. All rats need a clean cage to live in. Humans need a tidy house to live in! I reccomend tidying the cage once every week-every other week. Here is a brief checklist for doing so:
-Inspect the cage to make sure their are no dangerouse hazards for the rats to stumble on and their are no escape routs out of the cage. Because you can guess the first one to find a way out of the cage. If their are any ways out of the cage, simply fix it. You also need to make sure their are no sharp edges in the cage walls (or floors) and all the clibing ropes, swings, hammocks, etc. are sturdy so that if a rat climbs onto it, it won't fall and get hurt.
-If their is spilled food, clean it up. Remove stock piles by either throwing them away ar placing them back in the food bowl. (A stockpile is where rats carry the food into a box or corner or something and make a hidden stash of food). If theirs spilled water, just remove the wet bedding (it will mold if you dont and that could make the rat REALLY sick) and put down a handfull or so back into that area.
-Tidy up the toys and other apparati that may have been scattered or knocked over.
-Clean or wipe down anything that you think needs it.
That's not all you have to do. Every month you must "spring clean" the cage. And for that:
-Remove all toys, food bowls, boxes, ropes, etc. from the cage. You'll need everything out that you can get out. Wash all those toys, bowls, huts, ect. by either scrubbing them with just water or using a little dawn soap (again, that's what I use). If you do use soap, rinse thoroughly.
-Take the cage outside along with a bowl of water, a wash cloth, a large trashbag, and a bag of the fresh bedding you will use to replace the old bedding.
-Dump out all the old bedding into the trashbag and throw the it away, but don't put the new bedding in just yet!
-Take your wash cloth and water and scrub the walls and the floor of the cage. Then you can put the new bedding in.
- Now that the cage is ready and all the toys are clean, you can put the tys and everything else back into the cage. Then your done!
Gee wiz! Taking care of a couple rats sure takes up a lot of time and energy! Actually, it's easier than you think, once you get used to it, of course. Sure, it sounds like a lot of work but once you get the hold of things, things go faster and easier. I personally don't think it's that hard, but I have taken care of rats for nearly two years now...
Once again, the above information is not enough information for properly owning pet rats.
Because I am an experienced ;) rat owner, I would be happy to answer any other questions about rats. So, if your further interested, you know where to reach me! (or you can post a comment about your question thingy in the blog)
Cage Items
These are all of the items in Snickers and Twix's cage:::::
And the items still to come::::::::::
|
The rat in this video is bravely DIVING DEEP into the tub of water. The little green things are peas that the rat dives for and comes back up to sit on the perch and eat it...many rats like to play in water (although it takes one brave and smart rat to dive that deep) but mine won't have anything to do with it!
|
This is the world's smartest mouse...yes, a mouse not a rat, and I think that it would've taken a whole year or so of training to get a critter to do that!
|
You see, rats are very smart and will figure out how to open cage doors or find a way out of the cage very easily. That's why if you have a cage with a door like this, you need to find a way to double lock it so the rat can't get out.
|
My cat doesn't take much interest into the rats...he did when we first got them but now he just sits and watches them play in their cage for a couple minutes, gets board, and walks off to do something else. Now my rats on the other hand, will try to claw/attack the cat from inside of the cage. Of course, they can't do anything because the rats are on one side of the cage and the cat is on the other, but those rats don't hesitate to tell the cat to back off!
|
Lil' rascal's tidbits
Rats actually are affectionate. Whenever I would let my rats out to play in my bedroom (before I discovered the destruction they created) the rats would run off and every 10 minutes or so, run back to me to check if I was still there and if everything was still ok. After confirming that things were still good, they would run off to play and check back later. Also, when I put them outside to play when I'm watching them (also making sure the sun's not to bright or hot because it can damage their eyes and get overheated) they would run back to me and try to climb up on my shoulder as soon as I put them on the ground. I think they did this partly because they were timid out side.
Rats are smart. They can easily learn to do tricks and figure things out. They also need brain stimulating things because of this. I once put both my rats into a small box and closed the lid. There was a small hole that I had cut into the top of the lid and that was the only way out of the box. Soon enough, the rats figured out that they needed to chew the hole so that it would be big enough for them to fir through. After a couple minutes of chewing, both Snickers and Twix were able to fit through hole and get out.
More tidbits and stories to come!......
Rats are smart. They can easily learn to do tricks and figure things out. They also need brain stimulating things because of this. I once put both my rats into a small box and closed the lid. There was a small hole that I had cut into the top of the lid and that was the only way out of the box. Soon enough, the rats figured out that they needed to chew the hole so that it would be big enough for them to fir through. After a couple minutes of chewing, both Snickers and Twix were able to fit through hole and get out.
More tidbits and stories to come!......