Be your own pet rar

Others want to have a pet they can go outside with and run around the beach or the park, with a pet rat, this is quite a bit harder to do. So take those cons we talked about into consideration before choosing a pet rat as your pet. Pet rats are very affectionate pets.

Maybe even something in between those two. Of course, this depends on a few things. You need to build trust with your pets by giving them treats, spending some time with them, letting them get to know you and so on. Not only will they become more affectionate by spending more time with you, but they will also feel happier with it.

Pet rats are extremely sensitive to depression, which is mostly caused by being left alone for long periods of time. Being affectionate also depends on the gender of your pet rat.

In my experience, male pet rats tend to be lazier and want to cuddle more often. While female rats tend to have higher energy, are very curious and tend to be always on the move. First of all, the price of the actual pet rat. Some shelters also have pet rats, so they can actually be free. Then, the cage. I recommend a larger cage like I wrote about before. That will cut down the cost a lot. For the food, a bag of Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food should last you about a month for 2 adult pet rats.

Bedding for your pet rats. I wrote a whole article on what to use and what not to use for bedding, but my final conclusion is to use the Carefresh Complete Pet Bedding. Veterinarian costs. Most rats will need veterinary care at some point over their lives, and some — especially those with respiratory illness — will need repeated interventions.

An average lifespan of less than 2. For some people, this is too big of a down-side to continue to keep rats. Others find it easier if they always introduce new babies to their group as the resident rats head towards their second birthday. This can keep the focus on the natural cycle of life rather than just focusing on loss.

Most of us feel that the joy is well worth the pain. Anxious rats produce anxious rats. Being a prey animal who is also anxious about things that are new or unknown can obviously produce a watchful, nervous individual. Domestication has to a large extent bred away from this, leaving pet rats much less anxious by nature.

However, not all rats are equal, and rats sourced from a reputable breeder who is breeding for great temperament amongst other positive traits are likely to be more robust in this regard. Rats from pet shops are usually bred in huge rodent farms who breed rodents for snake food , and they are likely to be more anxious and slower to tame. This is something to consider, particularly if there will be children involved in the care of your rats. Most rat bites are received because rats are startled or feel under threat for some reason.

So, having a less anxious nature is a benefit in that regard. In context I have owned hundreds of rats over many years and have only been bitten a few times — almost always this was my fault. Most rats, regardless of their source, will become tame and affectionate, but some will need extra help to reach this point. Rats from breeders have generally been well handled and require less work to get them settled — and calm about handling — in their new home.

Rat cages can generate quite a smell primarily from loose droppings or urine under certain conditions, which include:. A good deep layer of absorbent substrate plus litter pans, with regular changes of paper bedding and cloth hammocks, will make a massive difference to smell.

All of these can cause unrest within a social group. Most rats will have the odd squabble, but social stress is a huge problem to rats causing lack of sleep, anorexia, redirected aggression towards humans, hiding away and PTSD. Incoming rats though accepted as babies can cause squabbles as young adults under the influence of hormonal changes. Groups should be managed so that no rat is left living alone, yet all are able to live peacefully. A well-bred rat who has been well fed from the time he was conceived will often be physically robust and live a healthy life into old age.

However, rats do tend to be prone to a variety of illnesses. These include:. These diseases tend to be more prevalent where their lifetime diet has not included fresh plants, fruit, and seeds. So, rats from rodent farms may not do as well. For example, in the UK, respiratory illness is much less common in well-bred rats than those from pet shop origin. Pet rats can still have major predator-induced stress. Keeping rats in proximity to cats, ferrets, and even snakes can cause stress and distress.

Habituation requires exposure without associated stress — the smell itself is stressful enough. Also, note that rats are predators too! They have been known to hunt and kill pet birds and mice. To conclude, for many people, rats do make excellent pets and can be wonderful, affectionate, companion animals. However, like all species they do have potential issues that may make them unsuitable for some people in some situations.

We hope we have given you the help you need to decide whether rats are for you. Energetic Happy Hypnotic. Romantic Sad Sentimental. Sexy Trippy All Moods. Drinking Hanging Out In Love. Introspection Late Night Partying. Rainy Day Relaxation Road Trip. Romantic Evening Sex All Themes. Articles Features Interviews Lists. Streams Videos All Posts. My Profile. Advanced Search. Track Listing. Thresher's Flail.