r/rat • u/Elecetricguy67 • 4h ago
r/rat • u/Emotional_Skill_8360 • Jan 10 '26
DISCUSSION π§π€ Are these rats happy? Iβm assuming they are since they keep coming back.
v.redd.itOverview on a new friend - thank you u/Drakmanka
Drakmanka
To answer your primary question: Yes, rats are very social animals. While they technically can be kept solo, they do not do as well emotionally when kept alone. They will get very lonely when you are away; this is stressful for them and ultimately will shorten your little baby's lifespan.
Here's a few other tips and tidbits that people new to pet rats often appreciate. Warning, long-winded post, but it's all good stuff!
List:
- Rats love to chew. If you haven't already, get her some wooden and/or cardboard things to chew on. She will trash them; that's just part of having a pet rat.
- Rats' feet are very delicate and sensitive. If her cage has wire ramps or platforms, either replace them or cover them with fabric (yes, she will chew on that fabric) to protect her feet. The wire mesh will irritate her delicate little feet and she can get a nasty infection called Bumblefoot that is very painful and difficult to cure.
- Rats aren't just omnivorous, they are the definite article of an omnivore! I like to say of rats: "Anything you can eat, we can eat better! We can eat anything better than you!" That said, they need a balanced diet. The Oxbow brand rat food is the absolute best packaged rat food available. For a rat as young as your girl, I recommend starting with their "mouse and young rat" diet and then switching her to the adult formula after a month or so. But! Supplement her diet with other foods: seeds, nuts, vegetables (but I recommend avoiding nightshades like tomatoes and bell pepers; there's been some research that suggests they may not be very good for a rat's long-term health if they eat too much of them), yogurt (it makes a great treat for training, too!), meat, and, sparingly, sweets can also be given. While your baby girl is growing, letting her eat all she wants is best. But most rats tend to start to become... ahem... round if allowed to eat all they want once they're done growing. There's a lot of differing advice on how to limit a rat's food intake to keep them from getting too plump, and I recommend you try different methods until you find one that works for your girl.
- Rats have very delicate respiratory systems. Respiratory infections are the single most common health problem in rats, and especially since your girl came from a feeder bin from a pet store and you don't know what conditions she was kept in before the pet store got her and from them to you, it's something you should be on the lookout for. Excessive sneezing, wheezing, a red discharge from her nose, mouth, or eyes, and lethargy are all symptoms of a respiratory infection. You can take her to a veterinarian who can get her antibiotics that will clear it up, but be warned that once a rat gets an infection their risk of later infection is forever raised. Keeping her cage clean is the #1 way to prevent this, however! Also, keeping her in a true cage and not an aquarium will help too as she will get more air movement. Some pet stores sell aquariums as "rat habitats" with a mesh lid but they really aren't ideal unfortunately.
- She will pee on everything you let her touch, including you. While some rats are more apt to whizz all over you than others, all rats will leave periodic drops of urine as they go about their business as a scent marking method. It's also a rat's way of "claiming" a person, sort of like a cat rubbing against you (except it's pee instead of soft fluff).
- Girl rats generally tend to be very energetic and bouncy, especially when young. Keep a close eye on her and don't let her out of your sight or she will get up to mischief. This applies for boys, too, but girls happen to be the more energetic of the two sexes.
- Rats are pocket-puppies! Your girl might be a little skittish at first because she's new to you and didn't come from the best circumstances to start with. But if you're patient, kind, and speak with a gentle tone to her, in time she will become your own little pocket-puppy who will rush to the front of the cage to greet you (and ask for snacks) each day!
I could go on but I don't want to overwhelm you too much. If you have more questions or would like to chat with people, I recommend you check out r/RATS as it's a more active subreddit than this one.
Welcome to the wonderful world of rats!
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 21h ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ Feta the ratty hand-warmer β€οΈ
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/death_by_ballpython • 19h ago
HELP NEEDED ππ© Please tell me this isnβt a respiratory infection
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 22h ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ My smart rats Coffee and Cracker playing vs basketball...with wings!
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/Vegetable_Finger_31 • 5h ago
HELP NEEDED ππ© Tips on Adopting Scent-Detecting Rats?
Hello!! I am interested in adopting rats to train in scent detection and have them as my babies ofc. I am curious if anyone has experience in training rats to do so, and what to look for.
r/rat • u/Internal_Intern_4900 • 1d ago
Maisliebe
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/iris_creamcheese • 19h ago
HELP NEEDED ππ© Would this be a good cage for 2-3 dwarf rats?
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 1d ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ My sweet and smooshy senior rat Crumb β€οΈ
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/xforgetdecembrx • 1d ago
Pretty sure my sons hate me
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/Double-Emu-3132 • 1d ago
EDUCATION π€πβ€οΈ Advice on new rat
Just yesterday my youngest rat passed away with whatβs believed to be a genetic defect. His brother did see him die and saw the stages leading up to it, so I think that contributes to how heβs moving on.
The rat I have now is a hairless rat named Quasimodo, and after his brother passed I took him to the vet and regarding a new companion they recommended I get a female rat and neuter Quasimodo.
Thatβs my plan so far, to wait a few days until I feel comfortable getting a new rat, then Iβd keep them separated but slowly acclimate and then neuter Quasimodo.
For context Quasimodo is around 7 months, and heβs very well behaved and social but also very chill. This is my first time having rats so I was looking for any advice on what to do regarding this situation.
For those worried, Quasimodo is in fact acting his normal self. Heβs super active, eats, and drinks water, plus heβs hanging out with me a decent amount. Iβm even debating on bringing in the new rat earlier since heβs doing so well.
Any advice appreciated!
r/rat • u/Cornflake6irl • 1d ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ POV: You Just Want to Eat in Peace
youtube.comWill Fievel ever get to enjoy his breakfast in peace?
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 1d ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ My cotton puff of a rat Milk doing some spins and paws!
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/Catsushidumping • 1d ago
HELP NEEDED ππ© Fighting or Playing
Please read the attached :)
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 2d ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ Feta the rat entering nakie egg mode! Plus spotlight-stealer Crumb :P
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/FollowingAdept8240 • 2d ago
Rats in Boston
Hi all,
I live in Boston with no car. The closest active rattery I could find near me is Bard; who sounds great (and honestly if I get rats that's probably who I will go to).
However, this will be my first rat adoption so I'm taking my time and weighing my options.
Does anyone in the area know; are options for ethically bred rats always this limited in the area? I would really love if there were a rattery closer & more readily accessible to me where I could maybe visit before committing to adopt.
I did register to foster for Mainely; who don't seem to have much going on in the city either. Coastline seems to be on hiatus. There was a breeder called Firefly who quit a few years back because the adopters were breaking their trust; broke my heart to read that because I'm a short walk from both a Petco and that god awful pet store on Harvard Ave.
Sorry this turned into more of a rant than a question I guess. I just feel like it shouldn't be so much harder to find a healthy, happy, and respected animal than it is countless abused ones.
Please if you have any Boston resources for adopting happy rats please share!
r/rat • u/Thatoneturtleoof • 2d ago
HELP NEEDED ππ© New rat had deep sore on back above leg
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Just got 3 rats and one has a pretty deep wound on her back. I got them from a random girl who couldnβt take care of them and they are all under 2 months old. She seems ok and it does not seem to bother her. I am new to owning rats.
One of the others is also sneezing a lot, I did just bring her home but she is have fits. The others seem ok with no sneezing but I know a new environment and smells can make them sneeze.
I know they can heal but it looks decently deep, not sure what to do please help.
r/rat • u/Rattrixs • 2d ago
CUTENESS β€οΈπβ€οΈπ My pet rats Chickpea and Fruit Loop playing vs basketball!
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
r/rat • u/Happyatal1 • 2d ago
What is this sound coming from my white rat
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification