Rat Care

Our motto is ~ Beautiful Pets as Smart and Loving as a Dog only Smaller ~




This information is designed with the new rat owner in mind.. so now let me say
congratulations on getting your very first rat.

Firstly if you only have one rat, I would recommend that you get it a little friend of the same
sex as rats are social creatures who need company to be happy, unless you have lots of
time to spend with your rat, but really 2 rats are just as easy to look after as one and you
will have lots more fun watching them play together.

Please do not put a male and female together as female rats come into heat every 4 - 5
days and for 24 hours they are able to get pregnant. So that is around 5 times a month
that a female has the chance of getting pregnant if kept with a male. The after 21 - 23
days she will have her babies and will then be able to get pregnant again after giving birth.
It only takes a second for a female to get pregnant. It is not healthy for a female to get
pregnant at a young age as she may not have enough calcium in her body to give to her
babies, which means that you will end up with unhealthy babies and an unhealthy young
mother rat. So it is much better to keep males and female away from each other.

Rats really do make wonderful companion pets. They are clean and intelligent. They
groom themselves and each other routinely, like a cat, and can be trained to use a litter
box. Unlike many other "pocket pets" they genuinely enjoy interacting with people. They
love to play, snuggle, and get attention. They have an extraordinary ability to form
emotional bonds with their owners as well as their cage mates. If you took the best
qualities of other pets, rolled it up into a small package, and added fur and a tail, you
would have a rat.
This is why our Motto here at Bozzy Rats is ....
~ Beautiful Pets as Smart and Loving as a Dog only Smaller ~

And yet they are not for everyone. Even though they are not very expensive to purchase,
rats are by no means "easy" pets. They require time, interaction, and upkeep. Rats who
fall ill need medical attention just as any living creature does. Rats need to have food and
water regularly as they will die if left without food and water for over 24 hours.

Every rat has its own unique personality, making it important to learn about each rat as an
individual. This is why although we can suggest how rats may act in certain situations, not
all rats will act that way.

Rats need and enjoy interaction and look forward to time spent with you. Their intelligence
is higher than most rodents making training and play time a joy. Be sure to make such
activities not only fun, but also safe for your rat.

Do not involve your rat in activities that will scare him. You can lose his trust and rats will
sometimes bite when scared. This includes shouting at him, smacking him when naughty,
or picking him up quickly or roughly. All these things can cause him to become aggressive,
puting your new rat straight into a cage of older rats can also cause your new rat to
become scared and suddenly become aggressive towards both you and other rats, as it
learns to be the first to bite so that it doesnt get hurt itself.

Be sure that other pets that may harm your rat are securely put away before you bring
your rat out of the cage for play or training. Also please watch small children with your rat
as they can sometimes get a little excited which could cause stress or harm to your rat.

Before training or play comes trust. If you have had your rat as a companion for a little
while then in all likelihood the bond of trust has already been established.

With a new rat you have to start from square one. First let the rat get used to the new
cage and surrounding, this is why it is good to have 2 rats as it wont be so scary for the
rats if they have each other. Make sure that the cage has an opening large enough for
you to get both hands into. Then approach your rat carefully with snacks, I find chocolate
drops and milk drops work really well but you can use fruit or veggies or anything that the
rat seems to like.

Remember that new rats can be scared of the new sights, sounds, smells and people, so
give your new rats, no matter how old they are, at least a week or two to settle in before
you start to worry that they are not bonding to you, or that they seem a little nervous. As
most of the time this is just them settling in and it can take time. Just give them love and
understanding and they will start to bond with you in time.

Please always take your rat to the vet at any sign of illness, but especially lumps, head tilts
and eye problems. You rat deserves the same health care that you would expect for
yourself or any other loved one.
Copyright © 1990 -
Bozzy Rats

~ Beautiful Pets as Smart and Loving as a Dog only Smaller ~
Bozzy Rats

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Bozzy Rats Rattery  ~ Australia ~
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