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Female Rats
Personality - Female rats are very playful and like to explore. They will let you hold them and pet them but generally they do not like to cuddle until they have run around and smelt everything. They like to have things to do and keep busy. They tend to be more destructive than males chewing on everything in their cage. Make sure you give them lots of chews and plenty to occupy them.
Physically - They are usually much smaller than males. They are usually more slender than males. They eat less and thus poop less than males (or at least mine do). So their cage maybe able to go longer in between cleanings. They tend to smell fruity, almost like grape.
Health - Females are prone to mammary tumors. Unfortunately when rats were domesticated they were bred to have tumors so they could be experimented on. It's in their genes. Statistics say that about 50% of females will get mammary tumors. I am working very hard to lower that statistic in my lines. Diet can increase these risks.

}!{ Do male rats spray?
Both the males and females leave little dribbles of pee. Sometimes they do not even do it at all. I think it is all depends on the rat. A little more than half my rats do it. It is barely anything, like tiny droplets. They are not like cats, they do not spray or leave large amounts of urine. And actually, if your rat scents you, it means they are very comfortable with you and are marking you so they can find their way back to you. It is a good thing rather than a bad thing.

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Hairless Rats.

Hairless rats need to be kept in warmer places. They get cold easier. Even if your house is warm, it will be a little cold for the hairless rats. Hairless rats eat more food because they have a high metabolism to help them keep warm. It is a good idea to give them pieces of fleece to make beds with and snuggle in.
They can get eye infections and may have a higher amount of discharge from their eyes compared to a furred rat. The red stuff around a rat's eyes and nose is called porphyrin. It is produced by a gland behind the eyeball and helps lubricate the eye. Porphyrin naturally drains from the eye down into the nose through a small tear duct. Small amounts of porphyrin can be seen every now and then and are normal. You will see it more in hairless rats because they do not have the fur and eye lashes to keep things from getting in their eyes so their eyes will constantly get things in them and will become irritated. Hence the reason why you may see a lot of porphyrin around their eyes. Them getting things in their eyes also may lead to an eye infection but I have never encountered one. All you will have to do it take a clean, damp, warm cloth and carefully wipe their face, around their eye, to wipe away the porphyrin.
Since they do not have fur they are more likely to get scratches and bite marks from the other rats or where ever they may be. It is normal though. You just have to watch and make sure the injuries do not get infected. Rats heal fairly quickly and can handle some pretty deep cuts without needing sutures. They may need baths (or just wipe them with a warm clothe as bathing can be traumatic) while haired rats often do not. Again, they do not have fur so there is nothing ti wick the grease away from their skin and keep the dirt off of their skin. They may become greasy and may even get zits / blackheads.

Double Rex Rat.

Double Rex rats are like little alien rats. They can be any where from peach fuzz with bald spot to Rex fur with bald spots and everything in between. They typically lose and gain fur (molt). Some do it often while others only do it a few times. Some only molt while they are babies and remain a constantly peach fuzz covered rat. (You get Double Rex rats when you breed two Rex rats together.)

Ones with less hair will need to be kept warmer. (See the description above for hairless rats.)

They have curly eyes lashes (and whiskers). The curly eye lashes do not deflect things from their eyes well. So you may see more porphyrin discharge than in stand fur rats. (It is the same for Rex rats who also have curly fur, eye lashes, and whiskers.)

Other than that, hairless, double Rex, and haired rats are pretty similar

If you go into how they are different when breeding then it is another story. Haired female rats are usually more maternal. They almost always lactate (produce milk) and very rarely eat their babies. Any rat will eat their baby if it is sick or dead. Hairless female rats do not always lactate. The gene that causes them to be hairless also sometimes causes them to be sterile or unable to produce milk. They are often more cannibalistic. They will often eat the babies for no known reason. Some will eat all the female babies every time. They have smaller litters than haired rats. Much smaller. An average haired rat litter is 8 to 15. An average hairless rat littler is 2 to 8.

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Should I spay/Neuter My rat?

Yes and No. I personally, as a veterinary technician and long time rat owner/breeder, feel very strongly against spaying and neutering in rats. BECAUSE almost all the vets around here do not specialize in rats or rodents. They merely generalize in them. Their main focus is with dogs and cats, sometimes birds, reptiles, or live stock. Why are most vets inexperienced with rats? Not many people bring rodents to the vet so they do not get much practice with that species. (A lot of people feel that spending hundreds on a pocket pet who can be replaced for a lot less than the vet bills is a bad choice.)

All vets can do the surgery but chances are, they have only done a few, if any. Which means they are inexperienced in spaying and neutering rats. If you find a vet with a surgical technician who is experienced then there is less risk. That's the case where I would support altering the rats.

Surgeries on rats are very dangerous. They are tiny. Their body may be harder to navigate. It's harder to use anesthesia on tiny animals. (It's why spaying/neutering cats/dogs have recommended ages and weights. It's to reduce some risks. Calculating for such a small body weight and high metabolism then administering can be difficult. Especially for someone who is inexperienced with surgeries on pocket pets.) A vet and their technician who administers/monitors the anesthesia and perform the surgery needs to be very experienced. Any vet can do it. But unless they do it regularly they're not a safe option. (Some vets even charge extremely high rates instead of the average price to deter clients.) Some do not even know the recommenced age to wait until the surgery is considered safer. (The recommended age for altering is four to six months old with many vets recommending six months). Surgeries should only be done if completely necessary.

There is little benefit to neutering male rats unless they are showing aggression and continue to have aggressive behavior towards their cage mates or humans. The aggression has to be consistent and frequent. Neutering reduces the risk of testicular cancer. (I've never had a case of testicular cancer in the history of my rattery.) It will also reduce "undesirable behavior" such as humping or marking. (Male rats do not spray like cats. They may leave urine droplet trails. So do females.) So in my professional opinion neutering males just to have them neutered is unnecessary and puts them at risk for no true benefit.
There is a benefit of spaying females. It greatly reduces the risk of ovarian, uterine, breast, and pituitary gland cancers. Mammary tumors are very prevalent in female rats. If you have an experienced vet I do recommend spaying.

If there is a history of cancer/tumors in the rats family then I would have them neutered/spayed. However if a breeder is breeding rats with the knowledge that they carry a higher likely hood than normal for having cancer/tumors than female rats normally do, then that is not a breeder you should be dealing with. As a breeder they should stop breeding any rat who's babies have high incidents of developing cancer/tumors. Also, pet store rats are more likely to develop health problems like cancer and tumors. (They are not usually breed for health, temperament, or longevity.) So they are often better candidates. If you can find a vet who regularly sees rats and does rat surgeries on a regular basis (which is the kind of vet you should have) then that is great. With a vet who is experienced with rat surgery you can most likely have them safely spayed/neutered and I fully support that.

Will neutering my male rat make him less aggressive?

All rats will fight on occasion. Some rats rough house a lot. This is not aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior is puffing up, tail wagging, actively chasing down another rat, jumping on them and attacking, biting, etc. (I recommend researching and watching videos to recognize aggressive behavior.) If this behavior is frequent or escalates then the rat is aggressive. It may be hormonal aggression. Neutering may likely fix hormonal aggression.
(I do not have a history of hormonal aggression in my lines. That's why I do not recommend automatically neutering males when they become of recommended age. My males are picked for their health and temperament. No amount of aggression is tolerated.)

Will not spaying my female rat cause her to get cancer?

Spaying does reduce the risks of cancer/tumors but they will not automatically develop cancer because they are not spayed. A lot of factors go into females getting cancer. Genetics, lineage, environment, diet, etc.
Female rats are prone to mammary tumors and pituitary tumors. So it is more beneficial to females to get them spayed. It would be a necessary risk especially if you have a good vet. If you have an experienced vet and the funds to get them spayed I'd recommend it.
I have an extremely low incident rate of pituitary tumors in my lines. I have also greatly reduced the rate of mammary tumors in my lines. Rats were bred to get tumors because they originated from lab rats used in experiments. It's estimated that about 50% of female rats will get a mammary tumor. (I've been working to reduce that percentage. I have succeeded greatly but I need updates from everyone with females to keep complete records.) If a female gets a mammary tumor it's very likely that she will develop more mammary tumors. While they are doing surgery to remove any tumors I recommend spaying her as well. That will help reduce the rate of reoccurring tumors.
Here is my female rat policy.

Why don't you sell neutered or spayed rats?

I would love to sell all my rats already spayed and neutered. However, I would have to reflect that in the adoption fee. Most vet offices will charge at least $250 to spay / neuter. (I have heard reports as high as $700.) No breeder would sell a rat pre-neutered/spayed for cheap. They would be losing so much money. It would cost them hundreds, if not a thousand a litter to do this. However, there are rescues who work hand in hand with vets, get a discount on the surgery, and are then able to sell them for cheaper. They pass the savings onto the adopter. That is wonderful for both parties.
Also it's recommended to wait until four to six months old before spaying/neutering rats. So I'd have to keep each litter for six months.

Remember.

Always remember, you usually get what you pay for. I can not stress that enough in the vet world. (High prices are usually due to the vet office having the very best/latest in equipment and the newest techniques.) Some animal shelters charge less because their vets are usually right out of school and practicing (hence they do not have to pay them as much). They are usually sloppy and do not follow proper protocol with sterility. (I have witnessed this and heard this. But this does not occur at all shelters.) I do not even think that shelters who get abandoned rats (or other rodents) spay or neuter them. It is not something that is high priority, cost effective, or really done often. If it is, it is done for a very specific reason. Like the rat had tumors and they removed the tumors and spayed as they were doing the other surgery. Some rescues work hand and hand with vets are are able to get the rats spayed/neutered for cheap or even free. That is great but not everyone has access to that kind of resource.

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With that said I would also like to say that not all rats want to live with other rats. Some rats just want to be alone. Usually because they have already lived alone for quite some time and are used to it by now. Some rats get used to living solo and learn to prefer it. It has become their routine. If that is the case they will not accept another rat. It is rare, but it happens. Rats normally welcome new friends. There will be dominance issues at first but after a little while they all live happily together. But even with rats who have lived together all their lives still fight over who is the boss. And as always, there will be little quarrels every now and then. Everyone fights. It is a way of life. But a rat fight usually consists of the dominant rat holding down the submissive rat and grooming them roughly while the other rat squeaks in protest.

I believe so strongly in keeping rats in at least pairs that I will not adopt out a single rat. The only way a single rat leaves my home is if you have other rats at home and can prove it to my satisfaction, you are waiting for another one from another litter (if it is a litter of mine you will sign a paper promising to come back for another rat, if it is not another of my litters then I have to have contact from the other breeder proving you do plan on getting a second rat), or the single rat I am adopting out has shown severe signs of aggression and is better suited for living solo.

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What should I do when I get a new rat?

New rats should be quarantined for at least two weeks. (Some people do any where from a week to four weeks. Some people do not quarantine at all. But that is your choice.) During this time you'll be looking for signs of illness or parasites. Some signs of illness include but are not limited to excess excretion of porphyrin, constant sneezing (but this shouldn't be confused with "new home sneezes"*), wheezing/squeaking/nasally sounds (you may only hear these when they're active or sleeping), lack of appetite, not drinking water, lethargic behavior, dull unkempt fur, weight loss, and just a general depression. Signs of parasites (typically lice) are excessive itching or picking at themselves and scabs. However those two symptoms may be signs of too much protein. At that point you'll need to look through their fur and look for lice. (Here is more information on lice.)

"New Home Sneezes"* - When rats go to a new home (or when you clean their cage) they often root around in the bedding and sniff around a lot. The extra smelling and rooting often causes them to sneeze. They'll sneeze often but it should stop within a few days. With no other symptoms present sneezing usually isn't a concern.

True quarantine would be to keep them in a separate air space (so another home than where your old rats live).

However keeping new additions in a completely different home is not an option for everyone. If that's the case then keep the new additions in a separate room; preferably one as far away as possible like on another floor of your home and a room that has a door that can be kept closed.

In both cases these practices should be followed. You must act as if everything is contaminated. Always change your clothes and wash your hands/arms after caring for or handling your new rats. Do not use the same cage cleaning equipment on both cages. (If you only have one scoop bleach it after you use it to clean the new rats' cage.)

You can use the quarantine time as a chance to bond with your new rats before they bond with your other rats. You can build a relationship with them and gain their trust. This way instead of immediately bonding with the other rats and forgetting about you they will form a bond with you and still enjoy your company even when they are in your mischief.

How do I introduce my new rat to my old rats?
If there are any aggressive displays you may have to revert back to the previous step and stay there for a few days. Take things slow. Aggressive displays are typically tail wagging, huffing, fur puffing up, side stepping, etc.

Little scuffles are sometimes needed to establish a pecking order but they should be quick with no injury. Power grooming is more common and a more acceptable way to establish a pecking order. Rats may squeak when being power groomed. But if no one is getting hurt it's fine.

Keep something handy (like a spatula) to break up fights. Don't use your hand in case they accidentally bite or scratch you. Sometimes when they're scared or riled up they don't realize that it's you grabbing them and they react negatively.

You can put vanilla extract on their shoulders to help "mask" their scent and encourage grooming which promotes bonding. You can also hide sweet things around the introduction place so it becomes a positive experience. Just make sure it's a tiny amount (one rat bite size) in multiple areas so no one hoards and becomes aggressive. Yogurt works well because they have no choice but to eat it right away.

Steps/Weeks

Some people take a week for each step while others only take a few days for each step. It is at your discretion. However, baby rats can not live with adults until they are twelve weeks old. Until twelve weeks old babies will not be big enough to defend themselves in scuffles. They may get seriously injured due to their small size.

Week one and week two - Babies will have just come home. They'll be six weeks old or so.

This is typically the two week quarantine process. This time also allows you to bond with the new babies before they form a bond with your older rats. It allows the new babies to adjust to your home and become used to you. (True quarantine is keeping the new rats in a separate air space (like another house) from your older rats. That's hard for a lot of people so they usually just keep them on a separate floor of the house, change their clothes, and wash their hands before touching their older rats.) Quarantine is optional but is recommended.

Week three - The babies will be around eight weeks old.

Put the two separate cages next to each other. Do not have them touching. You do not want any accidental biting. (Such as little fingers getting bit when they're sticking in the other cage.) This will allow the rats to be more aware of each others' presence.

Week four - The babies will be around nine weeks old.

Swap the older rats into the new rats' cage and the new rats into the older rats' cage. (This let's them get up close with each others' scent without coming in contact.)

>>> Be sure to hold your new rats separately from your old rats to continue bonding with your new rats. You don't want them to always be stressed (from being out with the old rats) when you're holding them. And don't forget to show the same one on two attention with your old rats. You want to continue everything as normal. <<<

Week Five - The babies will be around ten weeks old. For this step I would also suggest clipping or filing all the rats nails* before you introduce them. Rat nails are very sharp and can create very large, deep wounds. If everyone has trimmed, smooth nails it is less likely that someone will get hurt.

Introduce them to each other on neutral territory. Some place like the bath tub (put a blanket down because it'll be cold) or on your bed. You can add scent neutral hides (hides with no rats' scent on it) and treats to the neutral territory. The treats are a reward for meeting each other. The treats should be rat bite size to avoid hoarding. The hides help them feel secure and not out in the open and vulnerable. You can put vanilla extract on their shoulders blades to mask their scent and encourage grooming which also encourages bonding.

Week six - Babies will be around eleven weeks old.

This step is similar to the one above. However instead of having their play date on neutral territory have their play date on whatever place your take your old rats out on. So if you have a comforter that your old rats go on while on your bed put that computer down. Let the babies interact with the old rats on territory that the old rats may think is theirs. Still have scent neutral hides and treats down.

Keep an eye out for any signs of aggression. This is a precursor to the babies moving in with your old rats. This will help you know if they are ready to live together.

Week six or week seven - The babies will be around twelve weeks old.

If all is going well you can now try adding the babies to the adults' cage. Make sure you clean the cage and everything in it thoroughly. This will help eliminate scents and help remove the older rats' claim to the cage. You want it to be like a new cage that no one has possession of.

Hides treats around the cage to distract them and make it a positive experience to have new cage mates. Have plenty of hides so that the rats can "escape" and hide without feeling cornered.

* You may have to clip their nails as often as twice a week. If clipping their nails is too hard you can get a piece of low grad sand paper, affix it to something, and gently drag them over that. They will go to grip the sandpaper and as you carefully hold their body and pull them back they will file their nails. A lot of people also put rocks or bricks inside the rats' cage to keep their nails filed. When they climb on it it naturally wears down their nails. You can put it in an area where they frequent to make sure they are stepping/climbing on it. Like under the water bottle. Lava ledges are also helpful.

Here are some helpful links.

The Rat Fan Club's article on introductions.

The Rat Guide's tips on introductions.

RMCA's article on introductions. (It has some good info but it's not the best.)

How long will it take for them to get used to each other?

That is something no one knows for sure. I have had rats who immediately were accepted into the rat colony and got along well with everyone. I have had rats who were shy to other rats and chose to sleep by their self; slowly accepting their new rat cage mates. So I suppose to answer is any where from a day to a month. I would say the average time is three to five days.

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Wire Cages
Wire cages are nice. When they have plastic/solid levels you can easily keep them clean and you can hang hammocks and all sorts of toys for them. You will have to wipe off the shelves daily though because some rats choose to go to the bathroom on the shelves.

Things to keep in mind when getting a wire cage is to see what kind of levels it has. Wire levels are no good for many reasons.

The first one being that the wire levels will cause pressure sores called bumble foot on the rats' feet. They will get blister like sores that will get infected (as they do walk in their own urine and fecal matter). This is often hard to avoid because most nice large cages have wire levels. If you have your heart set on the cage but don't know what to do about the wire levels there are a few options. You can purchase extra plastic levels from some sites. Just make sure they will fit. You could also get some plexi glass and cut it to fit on the levels, drill a hole in it to fasten it to the level so they can not push it off, and there you go. No more wire levels. (However, the plexi glass is flat, no lip like the plastic levels have, so they make leak urine outside of the cage if your rat urinates near the edge.) You can also cover them with towels and then put fleece or flannel over that. (Make sure your rats are not chewing and ingesting the towels. The long strings/fibers can easily cause a blockage.) You can find a plastic place mate, not the foam ones, and use those. You can also look for some linoleum and buy a piece big enough to wrap over the whole shelf, securing it underneath the shelf. This way there are not edges for the rats to chew, and if they pee and it runs over the side it won't go in between the material and the shelf. They will be able to be sprayed with a sanitizer and easily washed off. Do not use materials that are permeable and will hold the urine. Things like wood will soak up the urine and allow the bacteria to grow. This will be a health issue and could cause infections in their feet. It will also smell horrible. Wood shelves can not be replaced easily, and they would need to be replaced every week. Think of all the trees you will be killing! Also, wood and other wood products will be chewed on and some woods contain chemicals used for curing that may poison you rat. If they eat a lot of cellulose product they can become blocked and this could lead to death.

The second issue with wire levels is the fact that they have tons of nooks and crevices. When they urinate or defecate on the wire levels, the urine and fecal matter will get squished into all the little spaces. It will make it hard to quickly wipe down daily. It will also be hard to thoroughly clean. The cage will smell faster. Meaning, you will clean it, and because all the urine and fecal matter collects in the little spaces, it will start to smell a day or two later. The smell will be over powering, yet the bedding on the bottom will be nearly spotless. So, with those two things in mind, make sure you find a cage with plastic levels or be prepared to make the levels solid.

I am sorry, but I can not adopt to you if you have wire levels and do not cover them. Why take the chance of your rats getting injured when it is easily preventable? (Not to mention the expensive vet bills for the rats when they get bumble foot.)

If you are buying a cage, DO NOT buy a Rat Manor, Martin's Cage, or a similar cage with wire levels. It will be a lot of work and extra money to make it rat safe by covering the wire levels. A Rat Manor, Martin's Cage, or a similar cage with wire levels are harder to clean, take longer to clean, and need to be washed down more often. I know from experience. I regretted buying them and sold them after only owning them for a month. There are many cages out there that do not have wire levels, are around the same size, and are close in price.

Aquariums

Because I breed I use aquariums for the Mothers and babies. Otherwise I would have escapees all the time. I have also had incidents where the babies have gotten their tiny feet stuck in the corners of the wire cages, gotten hurt, and that is not a vet bill I would like to pay again. Not to mention the unnecessary trauma to the baby; physically and mentally. When they are older I move Mom and babies to my Kaytee Exotics cages.

If you are buying a cage, DO NOT buy an aquarium. I will not adopt to you if you are going out and buying an aquarium. (I do not adopt to people who already have aquariums; they are just not ideal rat cages.) This is because you would need a 40 gallon breeder (with a screen top and top clips) to be big enough for two rats and that would cost just as much, if not more, than a good, roomy wire cage. So there is no reason to buy one. Wire cages are better because they have a lot of air circulation and all the customization you can do when adding toys, hammocks, and other hanging beds/tunnels. And if you already have an aquariums I will still insist on buying a wire cage. You can easily sell the aquariums on Craigslist to recoup some money. (I sold my 40 gallon breeders with screen tops for $100 each and they had been rat chewed. But brand new they were around $150.)

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There are some cages that are marketed towards rat owners (or small animal owners). They are horrible cages. The bar spacing may be too large, it may have a wire bottom/levels, or it has a flimsy plastic tray held into place by metal lips. The specific reason depends on the cage.

Brands include, but are not limited to...
• Prevue
• Ware
• Topeakmart
• Yaheetech
• Martin Cages
• Rat Manor
• Polar Aurora
• PawHut
• Susanna / Tucker Murphy Pet
• Full Cheeks

Why are these cages unsuitable and unsafe for rats?

1. The bar spacing may be too large. Rats need 1/2 inch bar spacing or smaller to prevent escaping. (Some rats only come out at night so you may not even notice for a while that they can escape.) Not every cage will give you the bar spacing measurement.
A lot of these cages also have large gaps once put together. These are escaping hazards.

2. They may have a wire bottom with a tray under it. Wire surfaces can promote bumble foot.
It's not as simple as removing the wire bottom. Once the wire bottom is removed then there is just a plastic tray left. There is no cage under the tray and once chewed the rats can escape. These cages were not designed to leave the wire level out.
They may have wire levels. Cage with wire levels are harder to clean, take longer to clean, and need to be washed down more often. You'd need to cover these to prevent bumble foot.

3. The bottom may be just a plastic tray. The tray usually does not have any cage or rat proof metal under it. It's just a flimsy plastic tray held into place by a metal lip. Rats chew, especially females. They may not chew the tray right away but eventually they will chew the tray. They can chew a sizable hole in the tray within hours. Once they chew a hole in the tray there is nothing there to prevent them from escaping.
You would need to cover the bottom in hardware clothe to prevent escaping. However that does not take care of the chewed tray problem and creates a new problem of them walking on wire. The cost of the hardware clothe would bring the cage price very close to the price of a far superior cage. Plus the time and hassle of putting the hardware clothe on the cage makes it even more impractical.

Here are some photo examples of cages that you should not buy.

- Good Cages For Permanent Residency -

Here is a website that gives you a cage calculator. You enter in the measurements of the cage and it will give you an estimate of how many rats you can keep in the cage. Just remember, the formula does not take into account levels as added space for the rats. It is also using adult males, which are almost always larger than adult females. Rat Cage Calculator

A lot of cages were not made for rats so the bar spacing will be too big and they will escape. Bar spacing that is one inch or 3/4 of an inch will be too large for baby rats and most adult rats. Rats will need cages with bar spacing that is 1/2 inch. Anything bigger and they will escape.

If your cage has bigger bar spacing than 1/2 inch then you will have to cover the cage in something like hardware clothe. Do not use chicken wire; rats can easily chew through it. This can be an expensive and tedious process so it's worth the time and money to get a cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing.

These cages are great sized cages for rats and they have 1/2 inch bar spacing to prevent escaping. I provide a link to the cage but always shop around for a lower price.

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The Critter Nation
(Comes in a single unit and a double unit.)

Please do not mistake the Critter Nation with the Ferret Nation. The Ferret Nation has too large of bar spacing. It has one inch bar spacing and the vars are vertical. (The Critter Nation has 1/2 bar spacing and horizontal bars.) The rats will always escape a Ferret Nation. Here is a website that goes into more detail about the differences.

The Critter Nation is a far superior cage to almost all other cages offered. While the shelves (trays) are not chew proof the entire cage is chew proof. The rats can never escape. It's front is made up of two giant doors that open and allow easy access to the entire cage. It's beyond easy to clean. You can purchase extra shelves and you can purchase plastic or metal bins to go on the levels and the bottom so you can use bedding instead of it being the plastic tray. I own three Critter Nation double units and two single units. I love them.

Critter Nation single unit: 36"L x 24"W x 39"H - Bar spacing is 1/2 inch - around $195

The single unit is able to house about six rats depending on their size. It is perfect for two to four rats. I do not recommend getting the double unit for two to four rats. Too large of a cage may cause stress and that stress can manifest into negative/aggressive behavior.

Available at Amazon.

Critter Nation double unit: 36"L x 24"W x 63"H - Bar spacing is 1/2 inch - around $320

The double unit is perfect for six or more rats. It can house up to twelve rats depending on their size. It can be divided into two separate cages if needed.

Available at Amazon.

Thank you Randi for donating your cage when you were done with it. I truly appreciate it.

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The Frisco Small Animal Cage.
(Comes in a single unit and a double unit.)

Chewy has recently released their version of a Critter Nation. It is nearly identical. It comes with metal guards for the bottom. (You normally have to buy those for the Critter Nation.)

Frisco single unit - 37.4" L x 28.5" W x 37.9" H - 1/2 inch bar spacing - around $197

Available at Chewy.

Frisco double unit - 37.4" L x 28.5" W x 63 3" H - 1/2 inch bar spacing - Around $320

Available at Chewy.

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Accessories for the Critter Nation and the Frisco Small Animal Cage.

The Critter Nation and Frisco Small Animal Cage have a very shallow pan and it is hard to use bedding in it. The rats will constantly knock bedding out. (Cage guards do help some.) However you can purchase a deeper pan to go inside.
Home Depot has a black plastic cement mixing tub (search word, Black Large Concrete Mixing Tub) that fits almost perfectly inside the Critter Nation. You just need to trim a tiny bit off the left and right sides. It is around $16 so it is much cheaper than the Critter Nation scatter guards (just a piece of metal or plastic that goes around the whole cage) or the metal trays (usually only 3 inches high) that are sold for the Critter Nation. Bedding can still slip under the guards and the 3 inch deep metal pan isn't much better. This bin is easy to get in and out to clean. It cleans up very fast.
Available at Home Depot.

Some people leave the shelves bare. (As the shallow shelf tray makes using bedding nearly impossible.) Others cover them in fleece. (The fleece would need to be changed every other day to prevent ammonia build up which can lead to respiratory illnesses.) Or you can use a cat litter box that fits almost perfectly on the shelf. That way you can use bedding.
Here is a link to a litter box that is almost the same size as the shelf tray.
Available at Walmart.
It's under $10. (It's deeper than the metal pans sold for the shelves. And it's about 1/3 (galvanized) to 1/5 (stainless steel) the price of the metal pans. Which in my opinion makes them a much better deal even if you have to replace them every few years.)




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Slightly cheaper cages
They're around $160.
They're about $30 cheaper than the Critter Nation and Frisco Small Animal Cage. However they are not chew proof, they're smaller, and they are harder to clean. (Having a plastic bottom (base pan) sets the cage up to be chewed snd escaped from. Once a hole is chewed in bottom they're basically useless.) So in my opinion they are not worth the price. (Before the pandemic they were $75.)

The Kaytee My First Home Habitat Multi-Level for Exotics
It has three shelves. It is about 30.5" length, 18" width, and 30" height and has 1/2 inch bar spacing.
It's a great size (two will have plenty of room), easy enough to clean (the shelves pop out), it doesn't need the levels covered because they're solid, and it has small bar spacing (1/2 inch) so baby rats should not get through and you should not need a temporary cage while they grow. (A lot of similar cages have 3/4 to 1 inch bar spacing which is too big for babies and most adult rats.)

Available at Petsmart

The All Living Things Rat Starter Kit
(It has two shelves instead of three and the bedding/food that comes with it are not safe for rats so they need to be discarded).
It is about 30.5" length, 18" width, and 30" height with 1/2 inch bar spacing. It's basically the same cage as the Kaytee cage above except it has two shelves instead of three.

Available at Petsmart

The only downside to All Living Things Rat Starter Kit and the Kaytee My First Home Habitat Multi-Level for Exotics cages are the plastic bottom that rats can chew through. Not all rats do but it's a possibility and should be considered when buying a cage especially at that price.

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- Good Cages For Temporary Residency - Like when you clean their cage, take them to the vet, go on vacation and take your rats with you but do not have much room, or need a quarantine / sick cage -

If you get a LARGE hamster cage (like the size of the rat cage below) you WILL have to take out the accessories. The rats will chew them and get stuck in them.

Super Pet Habitat Defined Home for Rats- Measurements 25.25"L x 12.25"W x 28.25"H - Bar spacing is 1/2 inch
This would barely be fine for two rats. Especially NOT two male adult rats. It is only suitable for one adult rat. (It is not good to keep rats solo and I do not adopt out single rats to homes with no other rats.)
It is good as a temporary cage or a cage for babies until they get big enough to not fit through the bars of a bigger cage. It is also a good cage to use as a quarantine or a cage to use while on vacation.
This cage is not a good cage for permanent residency. Do not buy this cage as your permanent cage. I will not adopt to you if you have this cage as your only cage. It is not suitable for permanent living.

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Super Pet My First Home Complete Kit for Rats - Measurements 24.5"L X 12.5" W X 14.5" H - Bar spacing is 1/2 inch
I have this cage. It is very small. It is only suitable for one adult rat and just barely. (It is not good to keep rats solo and I do not adopt out single rats to homes with no other rats.)
It is good as a temporary cage or a cage for babies until they get big enough to not fit through the bars of a bigger cage. It is also a good cage to use as a quarantine or a cage to use while on vacation.
This cage is not a good cage for permanent residency. Do not buy this cage as your permanent cage. I will not adopt to you if you have this cage as your only cage. It is not suitable for permanent living.

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A Ten or Twenty Gallon Tank with a Screen Cover.
This is simple and very efficient. It is easy and fast to clean, wash, and dry. You can usually find a used one for very cheap on Craigslist.
However, aquariums are not suitable permanent cages for rats. They should be used very short term. They need to be cleaned often as ammonia will build up in them. There is very little air flow.
Aquariums also do not allow for any hanging toys or hammocks so I really would not recommend this as a temporary cage for babies. They need a lot of enrichment.

- Good Cages For Transporting - Like When You Take Them To The Vet Or Go To Pick Up A New Rat -

PETCO Pet Keeper for Small Animals. I love this carrying cage. I own several. They come in a multitude of sizes and colors. You can find just the right size for your rat or rats. This makes it very easy to take them some where.
Since the cover comes off, you can easily reach in and take them out at the vet. No more fighting to get them to come out of that carrier shaped like a tunnel.

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If you think the bag of shavings is dusty you can always put some in a strainer and shake it over the trash can to get rid of the dust.

People say pine is toxic. Pine shavings are fine as long as they are kiln dried. This takes almost all of the essential oils out of the shavings. If you open a bag of pine shavings, you should not smell pine. There may be a very slight hint, but that is it. If they smell very piney, like Pinesol, then they were not kiln dried and you should not use them.

Why I recommend kiln dried pine or Aspen.

I personally recommend kiln dried pine and Aspen bedding. That is what I have used since first owning rats in 1996. There has been a lot of research done to support that they may be the best choice for rat bedding.

Here are some websites that show studies and their results.

Article title: Evaluation of Cage Micro-Environment of Mice Housed on Various Types of Bedding Materials.
E. E. Smith, Jason D Stockwell, Isabelle Schweitzer, Stephen H. Langley, Abigail L. Smith
This study says that pine absorbs and or neutralizes ammonia while paper bedding (such as Carefresh) does not. This can be seen in the data on table 2, table 3 and table 4. After three weeks of using pine the bedding has significantly less ammonia than the two weeks of Carefresh bedding. (On table 2 it says that the Carefresh part of the study had to be discontinued after two weeks because the ammonia concentration levels had become too high to safely continue. So Carefresh didn't make it the full three weeks.) The numbers really speak for themselves.
Website link

Here is the PDF of the full research article.

Article title: The Effects of Chronic Exposure to Common Bedding Materials on the Metabolic Rate and Overall Health of Male CD-1 Mice.
Corey E. Becker, Carolyn F. Mathur, and Bradley G. Rehnberg
Department of Biological Sciences, York College of Pennsylvania
I know there are a lot of people who say that pine (and other wood shavings) are not safe for rats. There are even older studies that state that as well. There are three specific older studies (published prior to 1991) that say pine is unsafe. The study I'm about to go over directly references those studies and disproves them. Thus proving kiln dried pine is safe for rats.
Research shows that pine is actually safe for rodents and is not harmful to their respiratory system. It has no effect on growth rate, food intake, rates of oxygen consumption, IgE antibody concentrations in the blood (which is associated with lung damage and allergens from working with wood), or general appearance and behavior.
The study states, "Because the IgE antibody levels for the cedar and pine bedding were not higher than those of the CareFRESH®Original bedding, it is not likely that plicatic acid or abietic acid as found in resinous beddings, were having any effect on the respiratory tracts of the mice. The highest values were seen from the control conditions when the mice were being housed on newspaper as bedding."
It states that newspaper is not safe:
"The newspaper was not very absorbent and needed to be changed every few days to prevent a strong buildup of ammonia, which is the product of ureasepositive bacteria breaking down the urine and feces (Gamble & Clough, 1976)." Beddings that do not absorb urine and dry create a breeding ground for bacteria that will produce ammonia.
​"Sailstad et al. (1998) reported that individual mouse IgE levels in response to allergens can be highly variable. Although the results were not significant, the pine bedding had the lowest mean values throughout the experiment and appeared to be the least variable."
"Even though ammonia levels from urine were not measured in this study, personal observation through smell indicated that ammonia levels were highest when the mice were housed on the newspaper. It is possible that the apparently higher levels of ammonia were adversely affecting the respiratory tract of the mice and causing an allergen IgE immune response. Gamble and Clough (1976) found that ammonia causes damage to both the tracheal and bronchial epithelia. They also found that ammonia levels increase with high heat and humidity, both of which are optimal for bacterial growth." "It might be that pine bedding was more able to absorb urine and neutralize ammonia than were cedar and CareFRESH®Original beddings, which resulted in lower mean IgE antibody levels."
The study went so far as to show that Rodents actually prefer PINE/wood chip beddings over other bedding alternatives.
"Some research has shown that rodents actually have a preference for wood chip beddings over artificial beddings. A study by Lanteigne and Reebs (2006) found that hamsters preferred pine shavings over aspen shavings, corncob, and wood pellets. Iturrian & Fink (1968) found that pregnant mice will give birth on natural flakewood bedding versus commercial cellulose bedding if given the choice. Also, 39% of mice forced to give birth on the cellulose bedding later moved their nests to flakewood bedding."
Here is the PDF of the full research article.

Article title: Effect of Bedding Materials on Concentration of Odorous Compounds and Escherichia coli in Beef Cattle Bedded Manure Packs
Mindy J. Spiehs,* Tami M. Brown-Brandl, David B. Parker, Daniel N. Miller, Elaine D. Berry, and James E. Wells
This study concludes that wood shavings may have the smallest impact on air quality. It shows that shredded paper and corn cob bedding may actually increase odor productions and impact air quality.
"Results of this study indicate that ground corn cobs or shredded paper may increase odor production/whereas wood shavings may have the least impact on air quality."
"Four bedded packs of each bedding material were maintained for two 6-wk periods ( = 64). Straight- and branched-chained fatty acids and aromatic compounds were measured. Corn cob bedding had the highest concentration of odorous VOC, and wood shavings had the lowest [concentration of odorous VOC]( < 0.01). Calculated odor activity values were highest for corn cob bedding and shredded paper and lowest [odor] for wood shavings ( < 0.01)."
The PDF can be downloaded from this website.

However if you do not feel comfortable using pine shavings then that is fine. There are many other options.

Other types of bedding.

You can use kiln dried aspen bedding. (Again, if you think it is dusty, you can always put some in a strainer and shake it over the trash can of get rid of the dust.)

Fleece / fabric

If you choose to use fleece you MUST change it out every couple if days. Even if it doesn't look dirty. Fleece is made if synthetic fibers and does not absorb urine. This causes the urine to stay wet and allows bacteria to grow. As bacteria break down urine they create ammonia. Leaving fleece in for more than a few days may drastically increase the amount of ammonia in the environment. This is very unhealthy for your rat.
Some people put down towels and cover them with fleece. (The towel is to soak up the urine. You must watch to make sure they are not ingesting the towel. It's fabric is very stringy and can easily create a blockage which can lead to death.) You can also just do a couple layers of fleece. When using fabric as a bedding you must spot clean the cage daily. Otherwise they will be stepping in their own waste all the time. With shavings or paper strips the waste goes down to the bottom or dries out from the bedding.

They sell several kinds of crinkled paper strips.

Vitakraft Eco bedding (This is not typically sold at Petco but is sold at Petsmart.)

Carefresh Crinkles (crinkled paper strips)

Other people use paper that they shred themselves. Be careful when using newspaper. You must make sure that the ink is nontoxic. I do not like newspaper because it makes their feet black from the ink.

Some people use rabbit food as bedding. You just need to make sure your rats do not constantly eat it. (It is fine if they eat some buy they should not eat the rabbit as their diet. Usually rat do not do this but there is one some where.) Rabbit food can be dusty (the bags are thrown around, pellets get crushed up and turn to dust). So just make sure you shake the pellets and filter out the dust first.

Iffy bedding. I am not sold on this type of bedding as a whole cage bedding.
They have these recycled newspaper pellets. I think they are great for the litter box. Just make sure they are not ingesting them. I however do not believe that it is a bedding that should be used throughout the whole cage. It is hard and not very comfortable to walk on or lay on. I have been told that they turn to a mush when wet.

They have wood shaving / dust pressed into pellets. These can be used for the litter box but keep in mind they do break up and go back to their natural form, dust. When they are wet they turn to mush, dry back into dust, and that urine dust is not in the air. So there may be a higher risk of the rats developing an URI. And again, they are hard and not really suitable for the whole cage.

Beddings not to use. (I will NOT adopt to you if you use these beddings. Even if they are a different brand name but the same type.)

I would not use corn cob bedding. I have clients who have used it and some of their rats would eat it constantly. The corn cob could cause a blockage in the rats. It could cause discomfort. Remember, rats can not vomit. So if they eat the corn cob bedding and become sick, they can not vomit it out. (I also worry about mold as some corn products easily grow mold. I have never used corn cob bedding so I can not say whether or not it has mold in it.)

Do not use cedar bedding. The wood keeps most of its essential oils (hence the nice smell) and those are toxic to rats. The urine/ammonia mixes with the oils in the cedar and create a toxic gas. This leads to a lot of respiratory issues. Keep in mind, rats have very sensitive respiratory systems and are very sensitive to smells. I would not recommend using any scented bedding either. I know they have bedding with natural rose or lavender scent. That is just stress on their respiratory system and can lead to a respiratory infection. Also, lavender is supposed to be a natural repellent for rats.

Do not use any kind of paper fluff or paper crumble bedding. It is extremely dusty and certain brand are known for having mites/lice. Some may not be dusty, some may not have mites, but they are dusty and rats have sensitive respiratory systems so to be safe I do not adopt to people who use any of the paper fluff bedding.

Bedding names include but not limited to...
Carefresh paper bedding (including but not limited to Carefresh Natural, Ultra, Colors, Ultra Soft, or Confetti. Carefresh Litter Plus For Smaller Species or Litter Plus For Larger Species. Carefresh Shavings Plus or Basic Blend.
Oxbow Pure Comfort
Kaytee Granules any of their variations) or Kaytee Clean and Cozy (any of their variations)
Planet Petco Crumbled Paper Small Animal Bedding, Planet Petco Small Animal Paper Bedding with Baking Soda
Vitakraft Fresh World Strength Crumbles, Vitakraft Fresh World Soft Crumbles, Vitakraft Fresh World Ultra Strength Crumbles, or Vitakraft Fresh World Multi Pet Strength Crumbles.
All Living Things Small Pet Bedding or All Small Animals Fresh World Bedding Crumble

I personally do not like Carefresh or other similar type beddings. Why is that you may ask? Well, let me tell you.

1. It is recycled paper. There could be who knows what in there. It could potentially have bacteria. It also means it is processed and treated with some kind of chemicals to condition it and sanitize it. But with mass production of something, you never know what kind of quality you are getting each time.

2. The rats tend to take all of it and push it in one corner. That leaves the rest of your cage bear. This means, it is going to get puddles of urine and there is going to be feces about that they will step in and get stuck on their feet. This also means that they cage will smell faster and have to be cleaned more. They want to use it as nesting material, not litter.

3. There is this myth going around that Carefresh and other type beddings are practically dust free. (The company even lies and puts it right on the bags.) That is not the case at all. When you take a clump of Carefresh and tap it on some black paper, you will get a fine coat of dust. That is the kind of dust that goes into a rats respiratory system. Not the large particles of woods chip dust you see in the shavings bag. If you can see it, it can't go too far into their sinuses. It is the dust you can barely or can not see that is the thing to worry about. A lot of rats develop respiratory infections when living on this type of bedding.

4. People say that their rats were sneezing a lot with a wood bedding and would not stop. If that is the case that may because the rat is allergic to the wood (you can try the other kind of safe wood to test this, if it works both times then they are allergic to both.). (All of my babies have been born and raised on the pine/aspen bedding. So they should not be allergic to it.) Also, when rats are put into something new, or a freshly cleaned cage they will root around and explore everything again. Thus sniffing a lot and ticking their sinuses. If they continue to sneeze after a couple of days it is safe to say they are allergic to the bedding. (Please note, if they are sneezing like crazy, not just a random sneeze here or there throughout the day, and they never did before and it continues for more than a half hour to 45 minutes then I would remove them from the bedding, see if they stop, and if they do put them in and see if they start up again. If they do start up again I would change bedding. Also, please do not do anything you feel uncomfortable with.)

UPDATE! March 2011 - It has come to my attention that you should no longer be using Carefresh with your rats. I have had two clients (One from about seven months ago and one from about four months ago) say that their rats were experiencing respiratory distress. One has sadly passed away, even with vet treatment. I knew that it was not something from my rattery, as URIs, Pneumonia, and other respiratory illness are not congenital and they are not passed in the genes. It is something your rat catches. Then, three other people, people who wanted to adopt rats, were complaining of the same problem. I asked some questions to see if there was a connection. It turns out they were all using Carefresh. They were all rats from differ litters/pet stores and they all lived in different cities, some lived in different states. My client with the rat who passed away said that her husband found a forum in which a user (who works in a pet store) posted something to this effect, "Apparently, their rats were doing fine until the store made a deal with the Carefresh company and they started using Carefresh in there rat habitats. The girl stated that they lost more rats to that stuff."

I am concluding, though I am searching for more information, that Carefresh has had a bad batch. They must have a contamination in their factory. Five cases all in the last two weeks is hard to ignore. So to be safe please switch to aspen. If you are worried about mites in the aspen, just freeze it before you use it. I know if you get a big bag of it this can be hard. What you can do it take a bag full (the amount you will use) and freeze it a few days prior to using it and do this every time. It is an inconvenience but it will work. I have been using pine/aspen shavings for over ten years and I have never got mites from it. (The only time I had mites is when a client with rats at home who had mites (and never told me until months later) came into my rattery and infected my rats with mites. This was back in the fall/winter of 2009.)

Update July 2013 - I have been seeing on a lot of forums, rat pages, etc. that A LOT of peoples' rats are getting mites/lice. I wondered if there was a correlation. The only thing the same is, they all use Carefresh.
I read on The Rat Health Guide, that Carefresh has been known to have mites. However, someone must have complained or the company must have contacted the website because that was taken off. It is now replaced with, "*Please note* That any bags of litter/bedding that have been noted to have a row of holes in the top of the bag, or any bag that has been breached, during storage in pet store and feed/tack warehouses, where mite-infested animals may reside can be at risk. It is best to freeze the litter/bedding, in such cases, before using in cages." Carefresh has holes in the top of their bags...
I also read further that the gray, "natural" Carefresh has been more prone to these infestations. (And of course the dyed and scented Carefresh is not a great idea for rodents.).
So, not only is Carefresh, all kinds, extremely dusty. But there seems to be a coincidence between rats living on it and rats getting mites/lice. (Who knows if it comes in the bedding or if that type of bedding promotes mites/lice.)

January 2022 There is no new news on the bedding. So it's still assumed to be unsafe.

Not to be harsh, but to protect my rats, I will not adopt to you if you are using Carefresh or another kind of paper fluff bedding. I just can not put them into that situation and gamble if the Carefresh or other paper fluff type beddings are now safe. You should not risk your rats either.

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Oxbow has two kinds of rat food. One for young rats and one for adult rats. You can feed your rats the young rat food until around 6 months old and then switch to the adult food.

Young Rat -

Adult Rat -

Some people try to make their own rat food mix. It is often hard to make a correctly balanced diet. It takes a lot of research, time, and money to perfect it. (If you are feeding your own mix, the SueBee rat mix, etc. then I can not adopt to you.) When feeding high quality lab blocks there are usually no nutritional gaps in your rats' diet. So feeding the lab blocks and a mix is unnecessary. It is only adding excess carbohydrates, fats, and sugars. You shouldn't be feeding cereals, pastas, rice, grains, dried fruits, etc. daily.

What about seed mixes? (Store bought or homemade.) Seeds and nuts are full of fats and oils. A seed mix can be unhealthy if eaten every day; it also does not provide all the essential nutrients and vitamins they need to be healthy. It is like feeding them a buffet of junk food. (Would you eat McDonald's every day? When eating it every day males will get obese and females will get chubby.) The seed mix may have healthy options in it but you can not force the rat to eat them. They will pick out their favorite and leave the rest. If you choose to feed a seed mix as their main diet then I can not adopt to you.

It can be given as a treat though I do not even recommend that. Seed mixes often contain bugs, their larva/eggs, webbing from insects, and the corn has been known to have mold/fungus in it. All this can be very dangerous for the rats. The seed mix also has a lot of unneeded chemicals and preservatives that can cause cancer. (Just open the bag and smell it. It does not smell like food it smells like chemicals.) Your rats would be much better off if you bought them human grade seeds and nuts as a treat.

Keep in mind that even sealed bags of rat food can contain bugs. (I witnessed it at pet stores several times. The bags and open bins were infested with moths.) Check the bag for signs of bugs. Such as the actual adult bug, larvae, eggs, webbing, holes in the bag, holes (like little borrows) in the pellets, etc. It is always best to freeze your bags of rat food for at least 24 hours before you feed it to them.

You can, and should, give them other "human" foods as well. Pretty much what you can eat they can eat. It would take forever to make a list of foods that are good for them. So instead here is a list of foods to avoid.

Fruits

Apple Seeds - Apple seeds contain a small amount of cyanide which could be harmful to your rat.
Avocado - Very fatty. Also, the pit, rind, skin, and leaves of the avocado are toxic.
Grapes / Raisins - There is a debate on whether or not they are toxic. Better safe than sorry.
Green Bananas - Inhibits starch digestion.
Mango - Contains d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats.
Oranges - The white part on the peel (pilf) and outer layer of a peeled orange is harmful to male rats. It is said to cause testicular cancer. It seems to be alright for female rats, but I just stay away from citrus fruits in general.
Orange juice - Contains d-limonene which can cause kidney cancer in male rats.

Vegetables

Broccoli / Brussel Sprouts - Rats can not burp so this may cause gas and upset their stomach. Feed cooked and feed in small amounts to help reduce gas.
Cabbage / Red Cabbage - Rats can not burp so this may cause gas and upset their stomach. Feed cooked and feed in small amounts to help reduce gas.
Green Potato Skin / Potato Eyes - These are poisonous.
Raw artichokes - Inhibits protein digestion.
Onion / Garlic - There is a chemical in them that can lead to anemia and an upset stomach.
Raw Sweet Potato - Fine after cooking.
Rhubarb - High levels of oxalates which bind up calcium.

Other Foods

Blue cheese - Contains a toxic mold.
Cuddle Bones (for Birds) - The general consensus is that these have far too much calcium to be healthy for your rat.
Licorice - Contains a suspected neuro-toxin.
Poppyseeds - Possible toxicity.
Raw Bulk Tofu - Packaged tofu is ok.
*Raw* Dry Beans Or Peanuts - Peanuts you buy in a store are almost always roasted so they are fine for rats. Beans will need to be cooked first before giving to rats.
Raw hide - Difficult to digest and can cause intestinal blockage.
Wild insects - You do not know if they have ingested pesticides. You are better off to buy from a pet store. (Most rats love meal worms as a treat.)

I would stay away from canned fruit (too mush sugar) and canned vegetables (too much sodium). If you do not eat it on a regular basis chances are, they should not eat it.

You can feed them cereal, dried and cook pasta (keep in mind the uncooked pasta will expand more in their stomachs. So not too much.), rice, grains, dried fruit, fruit, seeds, nuts, and other foods high in carbohydrates, sugar, fats, etc. in moderation. Definitely not every day. Diets high in carbohydrates and sugar have been known to promote tumors. Diets high in fats promote obesity.

Rats can be fed as much raw or cooked vegetables as they want. But limits should be put in place to assure that they are eating the lab blocks. (If they get soft stool reduce the amount you are feeding.)

Dark leafy greens (like spinach) may cause bladder or kidney stones so they should be fed sparingly.
There is research linking a heart disease (CDM) to foods (dibbed suspect foods) in dogs and cats. (Possibly all animals but only dogs and cats were studied.) These foods are sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, lentils, and legumes. So to be safe you should limit these in your rats' diet.

Rats love chicken bones, pork bones, beef bones, etc. (All bones should be cooked to avoid bacteria).

Do not feed them too much protein. Some rats have a low tolerance for high levels of protein and they may develop eczema or other skin conditions. They will itch themselves so much that they give themselves wounds. They will be covered in scabs. If this happens it is easily fixed. Stop giving them protein (their lab blocks not included). They will stop itching and the scabs will heal. If they are very bad you can bath them in Chamomile tea. It will help soothe their skin. You can also trim their back nails so they can not dig at themselves as much. (Also, to be on the safe side, if this happens, check for mite. You should be able to move their fur and see the mites on their skin. Or you may even see some shinny eggs stuck to their fur. It most likely is that they are getting too much protein, but you always want to check for mites anyways. They could be in the bedding or the food.)

Experts/researchers believe that diets high in fats (especially polyunsaturated fat) promote mammary tumor growth. Some say sugar, high carbohydrates, and high calorie diets promote mammary tumors as well. Not that anyone should give their rats artificial sweeteners but experts/researchers also say that it promotes cancer in rats.

When in doubt about a food, look it up online. To make sure it is a fact not fiction, try and find the same thing on several different websites. Or, just don't feed the food to them.

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Your rats will need more than just food, bedding, and a cage. Your rats will need a food bowl and water bottle. Your rats have teeth that constantly grow. While they do grind them down themselves chew toys will help keep their teeth trim and provide some entertainment. They need places to hide, things to play with, and places to sleep.

Water Bottle and Food Bowl

A lot of rats (especially females) will not keep their food in the bowl. They like to hide it else where and munch on the food throughout the day/night. For that reason I recommend not spending too much on a bowl. You may get disappointed when you always find it empty.
You should get a glass or ceramic bowl. These are practically indestructible and very easy to wash. If you get a plastic bowl they may chew it to bits. They do not need too big of a bowl. Just one that is big enough to fit like 20 lab blocks at a time.
You can find cheap food bowls at the dollar store and Walmart. They do not have to be pet bowls, they can be regular bowls. They just should not be plastic.

You will want at least a 12 ounce water bottle for two rats. But getting a bigger one is great. You will just need to change the water because even if the water bottle is still half full they will need fresh water.

Some rats will not chew a plastic water bottle but some rats will chew every plastic water bottle you buy the day you put it to use. You may just want to start with a glass water bottle.
I have pretty much only seen on glass water bottle on the market. That brand is Kaytee (They do make three sizes. 6oz, 12oz, and 26oz. Some pet stores do not carry the 26oz.) They used to be known as Superpet.

Important One thing you need to know about their bottles. The metal nozzles almost always leak. They may not leak right away but they eventually end up leaking. (I have 8 6oz ones, 3 12oz ones, and 4 26oz ones. They all leak.) You do not have to throw the bottle away or buy a new one. Instead just buy a cheap plastic water bottle with the same sized nozzle and put the new plastic nozzle on the glass bottle.

Chews

Chews can provide some entertainment for your rats. Rats have teeth that constantly grow and although they grind their teeth down themselves it is a good idea to provide them with things to chew to help keep their teeth the right length.
Chews are usually wood. Some chews do not come with something to hang them up with. Chews really should not be left on the cage floor. They may get urinated on and then the rats will not use them. You should always hang them from the ceiling of the cage or attach them to the walls. The rats will chew on them and not get them messy. (You can use a thick wire to attach some of the chews to the wall.)

Here are some examples.

This is a metal hanging chew holder. (The wood stick ones can be chewed in half in a day and leave the chews on the ground.) It is reusable and easy to change / reload chews on to. - http://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Small-Animal-Ka-Bob-Dispenser/dp/B00176F664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438474137&sr=8-1&keywords=kaytee+chew


This a a ball made out of colorful sticks. It does not have something to tie it up but if you tie it to the ceiling the rats have a lot of fun pushing it and chewing on it. - http://www.amazon.com/Kaytee-Small-Animal-Ka-Bob-Dispenser/dp/B00176F664/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438474137&sr=8-1&keywords=kaytee+chew


These are chews you can use to reload the hangers or you can use wire to attach to the side of the cage.

Hides / House

Hides and houses really should not be made out of wood or other porous materials. They should be made out of something that can easily be washed. Wood will get urinated on, soak up the urine, and quickly become smelly and unsanitary. A plastic hide or house is perfect for rats.

DO NOT GET SNAK SHAK OR OTHER EDIBLE HIDES. They are made of materials that rats di not normally ingest (like saw dust) but because it's flavored they eat it. These edible hides will cause blockages, health problems, and even death. These are extremely unsafe and not appropriate for rats.

Here are some examples.

Igloo - These can be found at almost any pet store. Do not get the tiny or mini size; those will be way too small for most baby rats and surely too small for adult rats. The size (each store seems to call it by a different name) that you want to get is about the size of a basketball or the circumference of a dinner plate. This will allow your rats to have enough room to move about inside.


Space Pod - These can be set on the cage floor or hung from the ceiling.

Places to sleep.

Hammocks make great places for rats to sleep and hang out. You can buy hammocks from pet stores, private makers, or make your own.

Rats often chew the hammock to make it better suit their needs. Or they just feel like shredding it. Hammocks can become pricey if the rats keep destroying them. (A hammock lasts my females (10+) about a month before it is not usable.) You can solve this by going to a fabric store (some Walmart's have fabric sections with very cheap fabric) and buying fleece or t-shirt like material to make hammocks out of. (You can use old clothing as well. Towels are not recommended because they have a lot of threads and can catch the rats' feet/toes and hurt them. Or they can be ingested and cause blockage.) You want material that is some what thick and sturdy so it will last longer. (I have found that doubled jean works wonderfully. You just need to watch for when it frays and make sure they do not ingest the material.) You can get fancy and sew them. If you can not sew then you can still make your own hammock. Just cut the fabric into good sized squares / rectangles and make a hole in each corner. (You can make a large one and fold it over to double it up.) Now you just need to buy some metal clips and clip it to the ceiling.

I have been using my Husband's old boxer briefs as rat hammocks. They are stretchy so they easily span the cage (front to back or side to side) and the rats love going inside of them.

You can take single layer hammocks and layer them by hanging one slightly lower than the first one.

You can buy metal clips or large paper clips to hang the hammocks. (You can string together the clips to make the hammocks hang down any height you want.)

You can also give your rats piece of fleece, eco bedding/shredded paper, and other soft things that they can make nests out of.

Wheels And Exercise Balls

If you are getting a wheel you will need to get one that is at least 15" in diameter. Larger is fine as well. Smaller wheels make the rats arch in an unnatural position for extended periods of time and that leads to damaging their back and causing pain.

Rats shouldn't be put into exercise balls. They'd need one the size of a beach ball (for the same reason as the large wheel). However rats can not see well so they rely heavily on their hearing and sense of smell. The exercise ball greatly reduces their senses and cause stress to some. Also, they'll go to the bathroom in the ball and then as they walk it falls back onto them.

16" Diameter Rat Wheels

There have been a few emails regarding rat wheels that are at least 15" in diameter. (As you may know rats need larger wheels to prevent their backs from being bent while running. Staying in that bent position for extended periods of time can cause back injuries. These will have a lasting negative impact on your rat.)

Wheels that are big enough for rats are often $50 or more! (Commercial ones are around $120 and handmade ones on places like Etsy are around $50.) But there is a more costly solution. You can make one yourself. (Just like the people on Etsy do.)

Here is a video where a woman talks about her homemade wheel.

A tutorial on how to make the wheel.

A tutorial on how to make the wheel.

Here are some links to the "wheel" (pan) part that you can buy to make your own wheel. They range from $10 to $25 for the pan.

16" diameter.

This one says 17x17 so it may be a 17" diameter.

16" diameter.

This one says 17x17 so it may be a 17" diameter

Toys

There really is no end to what can be a toy for your rat. Let your imagine run wild.

Some hanging chews can double as toys.
Make sure the toys are safe for your rats. Keep in mind that rats love to chew and destroy things to make nests with. So if you get them plastic toys keep an eye on them and make sure they are not ingesting the toys. (Most times the rats will not actually ingest what they are chewing.) If you gave them clothe toys or stuffed animals make sure they are not ingesting the material. You also need to be careful that they do not get stuck in the threading.

Rats are intelligent and need interactive toys to prevent boredom.

Here are some examples. (You can also Google rat toys to see what others have come up with.)

Pea Fishing - This is a great warm weather time game. (This is a temporary toy and should be done with supervision. It should not be left in the cage.)
You get a shallow bowl or container and add a few inches of water to it. (As your rats get used to water you can add more later on.) You then put frozen peas in it and allow them to "fish" the peas out.

Digging Box - This is a great toy that will keep them entertained and give them exercise. You will need some dirt (if you are buying dirt make sure it does not have any chemicals or fertilizers in it. If you are using dirt from outside you should consider baking it first to kill any bacteria. fungus, or parasites that may be in it), cat grass seeds (or other plant seeds that are safe for rats to eat the plant of), and a container. You can get a semi shallow container (some people use a small cat litter box or a shallow Tupperware bin) to use for the dig box. Fill the container with dirt, plant the seeds, wait until they grow and then put in with your rats. (You will want to wait until the plants are established and have developed some roots. Otherwise the rats will dig up the plants and fling dirt every where.) Some people use it while the rats are out during play time and others use it as a permanent part of the rats' cage.
You can hide treats in the dirt and among the grass to increase their interest in the box. It will satisfy their urge to forage.

Hidden Treats - You can easily make little toys that have treats hidden in them. You can take a toilet paper tube and put some treats in it then block up each end with paper towels.

Cave Of Wonders - Rats love to shred things. Give them a paper bag or card board box (even ones from pasta, cereal etc. are great) and let the fun begin They will climb in it, trample on it, and rip it apart.

Ropes and Ladders - You can use old socks or old clothing to tie into knotted ropes, ladders, and bridges. The rats will love climbing on them.

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Albino rats see even worse than non-albino rats.

Since rats have poor vision it is critical that you do not feed them through the bars of the cage. They will learn that anything coming through the bars is food. This means that when you stick your finger through the bars they will bite you and try to pull your finger in. They do not mean to hurt you. They just think you were feeding them another treat.

Here are some sites on rat vision.

Rat Behavior - Perception - This one has pictures of what they would see.

Rat Behavior - Rat Vision

Rat Behavior - Rat Cam

RMCA - Vision

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You will probably get scratched a lot if they are afraid of the bath. So you should trim their nails a day or so before you bath them.

*When bathing they can inhale water and develop an URI/pneumonia. Or they may get water in their ears and it may turn into an ear infection. Groomers stuff cotton balls in dogs / cats ears when they bath them to prevent this. However, rats' ears are just too small. So you have to be very careful to keep the water away from their heads, avoiding their mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. Make sure you dry them thoroughly and keep them warm. They could become sick from that as well.

When you bath them you should not have the water running with them in there, especially if it is their first time. The running water almost always freaks them out.

You can just wash the area (like their butt) that's dirty without giving them a full bath. That's more safe and less stressful on them.

When I bath my rats I usually have them in the sink. I fill the sink up to their sides, about 2 inches, with warm water. I then stop the water and put them in the water. I have my hand on them so they do not fly away. I talk to them the whole time to help calm them. I scoop up water and wet their fur. Then I use baby / kitten shampoo on them. (I have read that both are fine. You may read that one is better than the other.) I lather them well and then pick them up. I unplug the sink and let the water drain. I then run the tap very slowly, still holding them I put them back in the sink. I hold them underneath with one hand and use the other hand to run fresh water over them and thoroughly rinse out the soap. Then I take them out, dry them well with a towel, and give them a treat.

If it's your rat's tail that is dirty and not your whole rat then you can just wash their tail. Or maybe you've noticed that their tail is full of dead scales. You should put some warm water in the sink and keep pushing water over their tail, letting it soak some to loosen the dirt / dead scales. You can then use a baby soft tooth brush and some baby / kitten shampoo on the tooth brush. You should brush with the scales. You do not want to hurt their tail or cause scales to fall off that were not ready yet. Also, if you brush against the scales you could cause the dirty matter to lodge under their scales. This will be uncomfortable for them and it could cause an infection or injury. You may have to do the tail bathing on a few different occasions before it is fully clean. You do not want to do too much too fast or you may irritate their skin. An irritation could lead to an infection.

If you're concerned about putting them in water you can wrap their tail in a warm compress to moisten and loosen the buildup on their tail. This may take 10 to 20 minutes (and refreshing the warm clothe periodically) to be effective. Then with the clothe still wrapped around their tail, holding the clothe wrapped tail in your hand firmly but not tight enough to pull their tail,* gently pull the clothe downward. You can repeat this a couple times. If debri is not coming off you may need to do the warm compress longer.
*You do not want to grab them by the tail, pick them up by the tail, pull their tail, or pull too hard when wiping it because their tails are delicate. The skin on the tail is like a sheath around the muscle and bone; if you pull their tail too hard (or hold them up by the tail) the sheath may come off leaving the tail exposed. (It's called degloving.) They will then need medical attention and possibly amputation depending on how much of the tail has been desheathed.

Rat Nail Trimming.
There are several different ways to do this. I will list the easiest to the hardest. Keep in mind there are tones of videos on Youtube to help you. You will have to do it at least once a week as their nails do grow pointy quickly.

Easy - Put a rock or a brick in their cage. You can put a rough rock or brick inside their cage. Try to put it some where in the cage where the frequent so they will be sure to walk over it a few times a day. This will naturally wear down their nails.

Moderate - Low grade sand paper. You can go to the hardware store and buy a low grade piece of sand paper. Low grade means soft / smooth, so it will feel like an emery board. You can hold the sand paper in one hand and the rat in the other and put them against the sand paper. They will naturally go to grip that sand paper covered hand. You then slowly pull them back from it. (If you go fast or hard you will scare them and they may hurt their fingers.) Their little nails will rub against the sand paper and it will file them. You can repeat this a couple times. It will get all four feet done at once. This works well when you have an active rat who will not hold still. Or you can put the sand paper on their ramps, inside their wheel, etc.

Hard - Nail clippers or an emery board (nail file). This is a little harder if you have an active rat. You will have to hold the rat to your chest (their side to your chest) with your forearm. Then with that hand extend their leg back. Then use your other hand to carefully clip their nails. Be sure not to clip too much or you will make them bleed. Just clipping off the sharp, pointy tip will be enough. Or you can hold your rat to your chest (their back to your chest) and with their feet sticking out you can clip their nails like that. Some rats will sit still and you can just put them on a table and lift up their foot to clip their nails.

You can use the same positions to file their nails. You will have to hold their foot and toe still for the emery board to work. Otherwise you'll just being using the tool to move their toes back and fourth. This will take longer than clipping and your rat may not sit still long enough for you to do all four feet.

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Rats Vets located in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont) and in New York.

Click for the Rat Vet Directory

States are listed alphabetically then cities/towns are listed alphabetically under the state name.

These vets are recommended as rat vets. Information was gathered from Facebook Groups, The Rat Fan Club website, vet directories, other rat breeders, and from rat owners.

Please call the vet office ahead of time to make sure that that rat vet is still there or that they still have someone experienced with rats available. Some of these referrals may be outdated.

If you have a rat vet that you recommend but isn't listed below please email me with their information and I will add them to the directory.

Here is a very useful website that helps with rat health problems. It is not an alternative to seeing a veterinary.
(Click the image to view the website.)

You can take a soft clothe and some eye solution like natural tears (nothing with additives) and wet the clothe. Then gentle clean the porphyrin away. Some people use water which is ok just not the same PH as the eye. Other just do not even bother to clean it off because the rat will eventually take care of it.

Rats produce extra that you will see around their eyes or their nose for many different reasons.

Morning eye sleep/gunk - Your rat may have just waken up and did not have time to clean their self yet. All rats have some porphyrin discharge visible at some point in time. Some more than others.

Got something in their eye - Maybe they got something in their eye and it teared up to try and wash it out. Rex rats have curly fur and curly eye lashes. They are more prone to getting something in their eye then a rat with straight eye lashes.The curly eye lashes do not work as well to deflect things from getting in their eyes. I have never had a problem with the Rex rats. It is just something to factor in when you see porphyrin.

Stress - When rats get stressed they tend to produce more porphyrin. Which then does not get cleaned away as fast / easily and then you see signs of it. Some white rats will get a little rusty staining on their fur from trying to wash up.

Just sneezed - Sometimes when they sneeze porphyrin comes out. You may even see porphyrin flecks on the cage / toys. Like when you sneeze and you see it on the mirror / window / etc.

Sick / allergies - This is when you will see excessive amounts of porphyrin (not just dried but wetness or tears of porphyrin as well) from both eyes and their nose then this may be a sign that he is sick. You should clean away the porphyrin, listen to there breathing, and see if the porphyrin comes back. If they sounds wheezy or congested then they are sick. If they are sick they will have a lot of porphyrin discharge and it will keep coming back. The porphyrin would be accompanied by other symptoms if they is sick. Symptoms may include but are not limited to not eating well, not eating, not drinking, lethargic, wheezing, congested sounding, not acting or playing normal, etc.

Remember. All rats get porphyrin discharge from time to time. Some get it more often then others (like hairless and Rex rats) and on some it is more noticeable then other (like hairless and white/light colored rats). They just usually clean it before you see. Just keep in mind that seeing porphyrin does not automatically mean something is wrong. Some people think that if you see porphyrin that you should go to the vet right away because it means they are sick. It can be a sign of being sick but it needs to be paired with other symptoms too. (Not eating well, not drinking well, lethargic, wheezy, congested, not acting / playing normally, etc.) Use your judgment. If you feel they are sick or something is wrong then by all means take them to the vet.

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Why is my rat itching a lot? That is a very common question. It has many possible answers. It usually goes hand in hand with Why does my rat have scabs on them?

Here are some possible reasons for the itching and scabs.

1. Your rat is just an over grooming kind of rat. Some rats groom all the time. Whether it is out of boredom or an OCD for cleanliness.

2. Your rat has a skin condition. Such as eczema. Rats can get eczema from eating too much protein. This then makes them itchy and they itch until they get scabs. Once they get scabs those will be itchy too and they will keep itching and reopening the wound. Even when the protein in the diet is greatly reduced it may take some time for the scabs to go away.

3. Your rats has bugs. Rats can get lice or mites very easily. They can come from the bedding, the food, from new additions, or they can be brought home on your clothing from a visit to another rat.

Over grooming rat - Some rats just get bored and groom a lot. As long as they are not hurting themselves it should be fine. (Always check for other reason too.) I have had some rats who seemed to be OCD about being clean. Their fur was always clean and soft, and their tails were gorgeous. It all depends on the personality of your rat.

Eczema - Some rats can handle a lot of protein and never have a problem. Some rats can not handle much protein and develop eczema. If you notice that your rat is scratching a lot and creating scabs (usually around their neck, behind their ears, and on their shoulders) then try cutting back on the protein in their diet.

Once a scab forms it creates a vicious cycle of itching, breaking open the skin, re-scabbing, and itching again. It is best to trim your rats back nails so they are not so sharp and do not do as much damage to their skin when they scratch. So even if you cut back on the protein they may still be itchy and have scabs for a while. (Please check for lice / mites as well. It might not be eczema and all possibilities should be ruled out. Below tells you about the skin parasites.)

If your rat is bath friendly you can try bathing them in a nice warm chamomile bath to help soothe their skin. (Remember to dry them thoroughly so their skin does not get dry and they do not get cold.). If they dislike baths you can always dabbed them with some chamomile water on the itchy areas and then dry them thoroughly.

Bugs! Mites / Lice - Lice and mites are very common in rats. (I will just be calling them bugs for the sake of not having to rewrite lice/mites every time.) They can come from the bedding you use, the food you feed, new rats, or they can come in on your clothes.

Bedding - No matter what kind of bedding you use you should always freeze it for at least 72 hours before using it. (If you use fabric it should be washed before use. Even if to just wash out the extra dye and chemicals used to make it.) Certain brands of beddings are known to have a bug problem and are mentioned on many forums, pages, and websites as having such problem. (Carefresh is one of them.)

Food - Should be frozen 72 hours prior to use as well. Not only to rid any chances of lice/mites but in case there was a beetle or moth problem in there. Although seed mix is not an acceptable diet for rats people often feed it as a treat. I have seen on numerous occasions where the bags had tiny beetles in them or moths. So freezing the food will kill any eggs or the insects that are in there.

New additions to your home - Pet store rats are notorious for having bugs. That is why it is always recommended to do a two to four week quarantine for new rats. In this time period you will see if they are sick or have bugs. (You couldn't want to expose your whole mischief (rat group) to whatever the new rat may have.)

On your clothes - If you go to the pet store and hold that cute new rat or you go over someone's house and hold their rats you may be bringing bugs home on your clothes. Always change your clothes (throw them in the hamper or right into the washing machine) and wash your hands before handling your own rats. This may sound a bit over dramatic but with animals better safe than sorry is always the best policy. (Did you know that you could bring home mycoplasma in your nasal passage if the rats at the pet store (or any where) are infected? It lives in your nasal passage for up to 24 hours! Imagine what else you could be bringing home!)

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Itching and scabs may be a sign of your rat having bugs. However, mites and lice are very small and often hard to see. You may be able to see the actual parasite on their skin. (behind the eats, on their inner thighs, or wherever the fur is sparse is easiest to see the parasites.) Some people can not see the actual bugs but they are able to see the nits (eggs) of the bugs. These are shiny and look like tiny pearls or tiny beads of water stuck on their fur. You will be unable to wipe or blow them off as you could easily do with some shavings. They are very sticky and completely adhered to the fur shaft. Using a magnified glass will help a lot in most cases. If you have white or light colored rats the nits will be harder to see.

How to treat these parasites. - There are many kinds of treatments for lice/mites. However, I feel that Ivermectin works best for my rats. I usually get the oral kind from my vet. NEVER get the injectable kind. It can be hazardous to your rat's health. Some people like to use revolution for the mites / lice. This is usually a one time application because it last 30 days, well past the three life cycles it takes to rid the rats of the parasites.

Ivermectin has to be given in at least three doses. I always do four treatments to make sure. A treatment is usually every 7 to 10 days. I do every 7 days. The reason for the time span is to make sure you get all the bugs who are just hatching and maturing. Their life cycle is around 7 days (some people say 10 days). So every 7 to 10 days is sure to get all the adults in that dosing and then the next dosing will get the new set of adults and so on until there is no one left.

Treatment alone will not get rid of the bugs. You must thoroughly wash the cage and everything in it. I mix a 10:1 bleach solution and spray everything down in the tub, letting it sit for at least 15 minutes. (Hot water and soap will not effectively sterilize your cage and equipment.) Anything that is porous must be thrown away because you will be unable to get the ones in the crevices and can risk a reinfection. All clothe materials should be washed in the washing machine (with bleach is preferable) and should be dried on the regular heat setting. Using the low heat or air dry will not thoroughly sterilize the fabric from the parasites. This process of cleaning and sterilizing must be repeated every 7 to 10 days (it goes with the cycle you chose for your medication.). Even after the last dose you should repeat this cleaning regiment.

Many people have contacted and asked me about non vet treatments. I can not by law give medical advice. All I can do is suggest you read some of the sites below. I am also not responsible for anything that may results from reading those sites.

Here are some great websites on rat lice / mites.
Rat Health Guide - Very informative. A great site for a whole world of rat problems.

Rat Balls - Great site about lice / mites.

Rat Fan Club - Gives a lot of information on many skin problems.

RMCA - Do not do the injectable Ivermectin. Any vet who does it is not well versed in rats.

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What is Rat Bite Fever?

"Rat-bite fever (RBF) is an infectious disease that can be caused by two different bacteria. Streptobacillary RBF is caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis in North America while spirillary RBF or sodoku is caused by Spirillum minus and occurs mostly in Asia. People usually get the disease from infected rodents or consumption of contaminated food or water. When the latter occurs, the disease is often known as Haverhill fever. If not treated, RBF can be a serious or even fatal disease." - CDC

Do your rat's carry Rat Bite Fever?

You can not know for sure if your rats carry Rat Bite Fever unless you get them tested. I have never had an issue or a suspicion so I have not tested for Rat Bite Fever. I have owned rats for more than half my life time. I handle my rats every day and kiss them. I do not always wash my hands after holding them and I have given them food from my plate. I have been scratched, bitten, licked, peed on, defecated on, and just about anything else a rat does. I have never once been sick from them. Nor have I ever had Rat Bite Fever.

I have been bitten by my rats before. Mistakes happen. (Remember though, the disease can come from a scratch, handling contaminated items or even the rat themselves.) Other people have been bitten (again, sticking fingers through the bars or giving a treat) and no one has reported any illness.

Although I can not say for 100% I feel confident stating that my rats do not carry Rat Bite Fever.

I own rats. Am I at risk for getting Rat Bite Fever?

I know a lot of people are concerned with rat bite fever now that the Doctors and other news sources have talked about the child dying from it. That case was in California back in June 2013 and it seems as if they were unaware of rat bite fever so he was never treated until it was too late. (Rat Bite Fever is rarely fatal; unless left untreated.) Petco has many different distributors (facilities who mass produce their rodents) and that CA one is probably not used in Mass or Connecticut Petcos. (Which leads me to conclude that there may not be the bacteria around here, or at least not prevalent.) My brother in law buys rats from Petco for his snake and he was sent a general letter from them saying that some of their (not specify a store branch) rats tested positive for rat bite fever. This was back in August 2013. I put a notice up on my rattery's facebook page when I was aware of it. (I have a copy of the letter if anyone wants to read it.) A bunch of people contacted Petco and they were told by managers and other higher ups that the contaminated rat/s did not come from their producers (located in Mass and CT.) I hope that Petco has resolved the issue by now. Especially since mice can also carry it and contaminate the food and bedding that they sell. (Most rodents are able to be carriers.)

Now, for the rats coming from Petco that carry rat bite fever, keep in mind they are from breeding colonies who have hundreds to thousands of rats in unknown sanitary conditions. Any rat can carry the bacteria (there are two different strands that they could have) but it is mostly found in wild rats who are in dirty conditions. (Such as being in their own fecal matter and urine, going through garbage dumps, and living in waste sewers.) So Petco rats are much more likely to have something than a smaller breeder or a small Mom and Pop pet store who gets rats from local breeders. However none of my rats have ever come from a Petco so I am confident that they have not been exposed to the bacteria. But I can not say for 100% because I have never had them tested. (It is supposed to be a rare disease. Everything, even the CDC website says it is rare. I can not even imagine what Petco's suppliers' rats live in to carry the illness. They must live in pure filth.) I have had a lot of scratches and a few bites and I have never developed any symptoms or gotten sick. I have not found a definite answer but the vet maybe able to do a non-invasive test to see if they have the illness.

The biggest thing is to know about rat bite fever, watch for symptoms, and then tell the doctor that you own a rat and whether or not if you were bitten/scratched by a rat so he can know it is not just the flu or something else. Treatment is easy and highly effective. Penicillin is usually the anti-biotic given. (Make sure you're not allergic.) I have copied the symptoms information off of the CDC website for you. (Also, the CDC says, "If you have any symptoms of rat-bite fever after exposure to rats or other rodents, please immediately contact your health care provider. Be sure to tell your provider of your exposure to rodents."

"Symptoms are often different for the two types of RBF: streptobacillary RBF and spirillary RBF.

Symptoms and signs of streptobacillary RBF include:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Rash

Symptoms usually occur 3-10 days after exposure to an infected rodent, but can be delayed as long as 3 weeks. By this time, any associated bite or scratch wound has usually healed.

Within 2-4 days after fever onset, a maculopapular rash may appear on the hands and feet. This rash is identified by flat, reddened areas with small bumps. One or more joints may then become swollen, red, or painful.

Symptoms and signs of spirillary RBF (also known as sodoku) can vary and often include:
- Fever (that may occur repeatedly)
- Development of an ulcer at the bite wound (when applicable)
- Swelling near the wound
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Rash (occurs following partial healing of the wound)

These symptoms usually occur 7-21 days after exposure to an infected rodent.

The symptoms associated with Haverhill fever (RBF you can get from consuming contaminated food or water) can differ from those that occur when you get the disease through bites and/or scratches. The most notable differences may include more severe vomiting and sore throat."

Here is the CDC website about rat bite fever. http://www.cdc.gov/rat-bite-fever/index.html

Do not trust everything you read about rat bite fever. Anyone can post anything online. (Some rat people think that rat bite fever does not even come from rats.) Make sure the source is credible (such as the CDC website).

If you still have questions or concerns I would be more than happy to talk with you (on the phone too).

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