Frequently Asked Questions
Still under construction!
Basic Fancy Rat Information
- Where do rats come from?
- Is a fancy rat really a wild rat?
- Are fancy rats dirty and smelly?
- How big is a fancy rat when fully grown?
- What kind of cage is best for a fancy rat?
- How many fancy rats can I have living together?
- How old does a rat have to be to get pregnant?
- How old should my baby fancy rat be before I bring it home?
- Are fancy rats smart?
- Can fancy rats be litter trained?
- Why is my rat sneezing and/or wheezing?
- Why does my rat have little scabs on his/her skin?
- What's that brown stuff on my rat's tail?
- Are my rat's teeth supposed to be THAT yellow?
- There is reddish brown stuff around my rat's eyes and nose, is it blood?
- What are rat poops supposed to look like?
- How do I know if my rat has mites or lice?
- Is it ok to use pine or cedar shavings in my rat's cage?
- What's the best bedding to use in my rat's cage?
- What should I do if my rat gets a tumor?
- What should I feed my rat?
- How much should I feed my rat?
- Does my rat need vitamins in his/her water?
- Can I give my rats peanuts?
- Is it safe for rats to eat chocolate?
- Can rats eat meat?
- Can rats eat cheese?
- Should I give my rat new food everyday, even though there's still some left in the food dish?
- How often should I change my rat's water?
- Do hairless rats need a different diet than standard rats?
- Where do rats come from?
- Is a fancy rat really a wild rat?
- Are fancy rats dirty and smelly? No, rats themselves aren't dirty and smell, that is unless you let them get that way. rats wash themselves thoroughly many times everyday, but if you don't provide them with fresh bedding and a clean cage, yes they will smell because they will pick up the scent of the soiled bedding.
- How big is a fancy rat when fully grown? Females are usually between 250-300gms. Males are usually 400-600 gms.
- What kind of cage is best for a fancy rat? rats like to climb and play. A large cage is best (18L x 24H x 14D) is an adequate size for 2 large males. The bigger the better! The cage wire should be 1" x 1/2" to prevent escapes and injury. If you are housing your rats in a glass tank, it is recommended that you put shelves of some sort in the tank, to maxinmize the area in the enclosure.
- How many fancy rats can I have living together? How many do you want? Any number of rats can live together, it becomes a question of adequate space more than the actual rats getting along. Male rats will get along as well as females if they are introduced properly. Your rats living in harmony depends greatly on the individual's personality and the situation.
- How old does a rat have to be to get pregnant? Rats can become pregnant at the young age of only 4 weeks! This is really too great a strain on a young animal's small body. rats should not be bred before 3 months of age.
- How old should my baby fancy rat be before I bring it home? rats get weaned from their mothers around 4-5 weeks of age. this is a good time you bring home your new pets.
- Are fancy rats smart? Too smart sometimes! Rats are extremely intelligent, they can be trained easily, and are very inquisitive little creatures. rats can learn thier names and come on command, (or when they feel like it!).
- Can fancy rats be litter trained? Some can, not all though. Try placing your rat in the pan at regular intervals during his time out of the cage. If he goes, reward him with a small tidbit. Some rats return to thier cages to relieve themselves, others are indifferent to the fact that they are dropping everywhere.
- Why is my rat sneezing and/or wheezing?
- Why does my rat have little scabs on his/her skin? Scabs are usually one of two things...Mites or a high protien diet. If your rat has scabs try decreasing the protien in the diet. Common high protien foods are peanuts and dog food. If protien is not the culprit, you may have to examine your rat for mites or lice. talk to you vet about the safest mite and lice remedy for rodents.
- What's that brown stuff on my rat's tail? Hmmm, well if your rat is kept in clean living conditions, that "stuff" is probably dry scaly skin. I use a soft baby wipe with aloe vera to wipe it off every so often. Never scrub a rats tail, the skin is very delicate, even though it may not seem so. The second possibility is that the "stuff" is dirt or poop from the cage floor, meaning that it's time to reassess your cleaning routine. If you pick up your rat and sniff its fur, it should smell like the fresh like clean bedding, not like pee and poop! Eeeww!
- Are my rat's teeth supposed to be THAT yellow? Apparently so...all rats and all rodents have yellow teeth. I guess pearly whites just wasn't part of the plan when god made rats :)
- There is reddish brown stuff around my rat's eyes and nose, is it blood? Maybe, but most likely not. It's probably prophin deposits. Prophin is a red pigment in rat tears and mucous. When rats sneeze you may see reddish splatteres around the cage. Time to call the vet.
- What are rat poops supposed to look like? Rat poops should be small hard and black, but some may be lighter and mushier in consistency (Ack..gag gag) depending on what you feed them. Too many fruits and veggies cause soft stool, and beans cause major flatulance in many ratties, like people i guess.
- How do I know if my rat has mites or lice? Besides the fact that there will be tiny bugs crawling around your rats fur close to the skin, your rat may have scabs around his head and neck from scratching.
- Is it ok to use pine or cedar shavings in my rat's cage? No it's not...Some rat fanciers still use cedar and pine and claim that they see no problem. I recommend against it, the oils and dust in cedar and pine can cause irritation in the respiratory tract leading to infections and illness.
- What's the best bedding to use in my rat's cage? I recommend CareFresh, Tekfresh, Aspen, and other recycled paper litter products that are safe for small animals.
- What should I do if my rat gets a tumor? Most rats eventually die from some form of cancer tumor or a benign growth that puts too much pressure on the organs. You can have your vet opperate to reduce the size. If the condition is reoccurring, it is best to have your rat humanely put to sleep if it is suffering.
- What should I feed my rat?
- How much should I feed my rat?
- Does my rat need vitamins in his/her water?
- Can I give my rats peanuts?
- Is it safe for rats to eat chocolate?
- Can rats eat meat?
- Can rats eat cheese?
- Should I give my rat new food everyday, even though there's still some left in the food dish?
- How often should I change my rat's water?
- Do hairless rats need a different diet than standard rats?
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