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Anyone ever owned a rat?
I've had a hamster before (when I was really young) and since have gotten into reptiles a lot, and have snakes and lizards and all that. So I'm pretty used to handling a lot of animals, (and, well, I wouldn't do something idiotic like holding a rodent before handling my snakes.)
I think rats are one of the most intelligent species of animals, and make great pets. I've always loved them, and I'd like to get a young rat. - I'm not sure how to take care of one, though. Are they OK in a regular cage? In a tank? Is taking care of a rat more complicated, or about the same as a hamster? If I do get one, I want it to have a full life. How long do they usually live?
I tried looking info up on these guys but everything was contradictory, depending where I got it from. Thanks for anyone who helps, and please - no comments on rats and snakes being "gross! eww!!!11oneone!!". They're really nice animals and beautiful creatures.
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Want to answer more questions in the Domesticity category?
Maybe give some free advice about: Pets?
(First of all I agree with you about rats and snakes being really nice)...
Rats are pretty much the same as hamsters. Although they can live in a tank, I think that a cage would be better because it allows more air to pass through and you need a big cage anyway (a big cage is easier to clean than a big tank). Just make sure to put it in a good place because rats stink a bit more than hamsters!
A normal rat life, depending on it's genetics, will live for about 2-3 years. You can get really nice ones from rat breeders that might be more healthy and friendly than the ones in normal pet stores. I also reccomend getting 2 rats to keep eachother company if you won't be handling yours 24/7.
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i know i had 2, but 1 died! they live for 2-4 years. you should just love them, and they get really big so get a bigger cage! anyway, play with them and feed them and give them treats! it should all go well for you! good luck!
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I think it would be pretty much the same as a hamster. My friend has a mouse, and I don't see any difference in its 'house' than from a hamsers'. And yes, it's in a tank.
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Well rats can be kept in glass tanks but it'd be better to keep tham in a wire cage so they can get fresh air. Rats also like to climb. Rats can live from 2 to 5 years but about 2.Rats are the sweetest animals and almost never bite! Rats are about the same as a hamster but they are more loving. You can feed them table scraps, but not meat or penutbutter! I hope this helps!
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The problem with searching for information online is that basically anyone can make a website. So, what one person see's as expert information can actually be quite harmful to someone who wants to care for their pet properly.
I've searched for a few different sites that should be useful. I would try to only search for sites with .org or .gov or .edu, as opposed to simply .com. With the first three, you at least know that the site comes from a qualified source.
Here's the "Rat and Mouse Club of America" website:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Here's the "American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association" website:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
and the "Rat Fan Club" website:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Those should be a good start to looking for information on care of your rats.
Despite popular belief of the great expertise of PetCo and PetSmart employees, I would not suggest going there for help. Most often, the employees of any pet store's, no matter how large the chain is, will be neglectfull of the animals. From my experience working at a petstore, going through interviews to work at petstores, and the horrible horrible story's I've heard from other people, I would advice you to not take any of their employee's "expert advice".
Most of the time, you will actually get harmful advice. The things that they sell for rodents are usually very poor food sources, harmful toys, and overly expensive and harmful cages. But at most pet stores, they will try everything possible to get you to buy these things. That is, after all, how they get their paycheck. So, really, that's all they worry about.
I wish I could give you more information on Rats in particular, but I'm not entirely experienced with them. But, if you need more information, chances are, I can help you find it.
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rats or any rodent are best kept in a tank so they cant slip threw and get strangled by the holes in the wire...hamsters are harder because they need more excersize.
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i had a rat and id probbaly suggest a tank cus somtimes they dig and sling stuff out of the cage and they may smell..... but they are very sweet and fuuny, but make sure its heallthy like me and my 2 brothers both had rats and one got ill and the other 2 picked it up. so have fun and good luck
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Okay I have a rat and she is a good pet she lived in a tank for a while but we moved her to a cage with bars and stuff.So it doesnt matter what type of cage you put it in.I dont no how long they live though you could ask someone at Petco or where ever you are going to get your rat from.
hope I helped and good luck with ur new rat.
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eww
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I've taken care of a rat before. It probally needs a medium sized cage, with water and food. And maybe soem play toys (just make sure they are small enough they don't hog the cage and make sure there big enough so they don't swallow them whole). I would recomend the rat that "comes to you" ask the employees if you can hold some of them so you can see wich one you enjoy most. Make sure you hold them ocasionally because of you don't they might not get used to vbeing picked up and might bite you! When you buy your rat put him in his cage and leave him alone for a bit to let him/her adapt to their surroundings. If you want to get 2 make sure they are both female not 2 males (males don't usually get along) TRY not to get a boy and girl because if they mate they won't live very long after and plus you'd have lots of little bald things running around! GOOD LUCK!
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i had 2 mice for like 3 days i made a cupple of mistakes that i hope you dont do im pritty sure a mouse is close to the same size as just a regular rat it dependes on what kide you want if you get one thats a fance rat then ther really big i think they live close to around 8yrs but if you get a little one they like around 5 or 6 and with the little ones i would keep them in like somthing of a fish tank cuz i had mine in a cage one with wires and he managed to get out witch sucked cuz the lady at the store thing said that it would be ok to keep them in.all you have to do is go down to the pet store near you wit a adult im gessing thats how it is where i live but any ways just go in and say that you want a rat and they should pick you out a young helthy one and they should tell you how to take care of it and what to feed it
if you finaly do get one tell me about it and if you have any more questions im me or add somthing to my column
-*Tori
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Owning a rat is like the same as having a hampster, you can keep it in a tank just no wheel and they are very nice pets, but i don't know how long they live. sry
~soccrchick~
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umm... my 4 year old next door neighbor used to have a rat. They kept theirs in a tank with everything that would be used with a hamster. (except for the spinning wheel) she would carry the rat around with her and it was very faithful. They are about the same amount of work as a hamster. I don't know how long rats typically live though because her little friends came over one day and one of them accidentally sat on it, sadly killing it. Sorry. but if you ask someone at the place that you buy your rat then they could probably tell you a lot more. good luck!
♥ Katie
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We keep several rats here. Wire cages are usually not that good of an idea, because a rat's foot can get stuck between the wire and that can be very painful. We keep ours in an aquarium. The bottom is lined with pine shavings as litter. You can buy bags of that at the pet store. The aquarium needs a top of some sort but don't worry about how secure it is. They probably couldn't get to it if the tank is tall enough. Make sure the tank is big enough to have some sort of hut (we use a shoebox), a water and food bowl, and an exercise wheel. (The bigger the better.) Sometimes we see both rats running on the wheel at the same time.
A rat's life span isn't all that long...usually 2 or 3 years. Taking care of rats isn't very hard. They're a pretty good beginner pet, actually. You just need to change out the litter once a week or so. Most pet stores sell some type of food special for rats.
Anything else you need, I'm here.
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I have to admit..that I know nothing about taking cacre of rats..so I did a littl search for ya!
I found a site..
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
this guy has a pet rat..and seems to know what he's talking about. You can email him and stuff with any questions you might have!
I hope I helped ya out here.
Good Luck!
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