Rat — care sheet

Beginner. One of the most rewarding first pets there is — clever, affectionate and genuinely bonded to their people, and the basics are simple. The two hard parts are emotional, not technical: they must be kept in company (never just one), and they live only about 2–3 years, so you will love them and lose them fast. Health issues (respiratory infection, tumours) are common, so a rat-savvy exotic vet matters.

A complete commercial rat food (nuggets/pellets designed specifically for rats — not rabbit, guinea pig or hamster food) as the base. As omnivores they enjoy small amounts of fresh food — vegetables, a little fruit, cooked egg, grains and seeds — but give these as part of the daily ration, not on top of it, or they gain weight. Feed twice a day (they’re dawn/dusk feeders), from open ceramic bowls rather than metal (metal creates stressful ultrasound), and provide fresh water from several drip bottles. Avoid onion, citrus, walnuts, rhubarb, grapes/raisins and chocolate, and keep sugary, fatty and dairy foods to occasional treats only.

A large, tall wire cage — as big as you can give, with multiple levels — so they can run, climb, and stand up on their hind legs. Solid floors (never wire mesh, which causes foot problems), with bar spacing narrow enough that they can’t push their head through (if the head fits, the whole rat follows). Rats are expert escape artists, so it must be genuinely secure, kept in a settled spot, and out of direct sunlight. Fill it with vertical and horizontal space — platforms, ropes, hammocks, ladders and tunnels — without cramming it so full they can’t move.

Rats are highly social and must never be kept alone — a solitary rat can become depressed and develop abnormal behaviour even with lots of human attention, and rats housed together are just as friendly with people. Keep them in pairs or small same-sex groups, ideally siblings introduced young; in mixed-sex groups all males must be neutered. Give as many shelters as rats, plus one, each with more than one exit. Never pick a rat up by its tail or scruff, and never hold it up high.

Keep them at a steady 19–23°C, out of very hot or cold rooms (not a conservatory, garage or shed) and out of direct sunlight; move them somewhere cooler in a summer heatwave. They’re nocturnal and very light-sensitive — especially red-eyed (albino) rats — so give them a room that’s not too bright by day and dark at night, and keep them away from high-pitched noise and ultrasound.

A solid floor with a generous layer of safe bedding — non-aspen wood chips, cellulose-based chips or shredded filter paper — plus nesting material such as plain white tissue, hay or shredded paper. Avoid dusty sawdust, aspen, and fragrant or dyed bedding (respiratory risk). Never use cotton-wool or fluffy strand “fibre” bedding: rats can swallow it or get limbs tangled and lose circulation. Spot-clean through the week and clean the cage fully about weekly — keeping ammonia down directly protects their lungs — leaving a little clean used bedding behind for familiar scent.

Rats are intelligent and need a lot to do: daily time out of the cage to explore (supervised), plus tunnels, ropes, hammocks, ladders, digging trays and safe things to chew. Feed some of their food by scattering, hiding it, or making them work for it — foraging is a core natural behaviour. Provide untreated wooden gnaw blocks, as their incisors grow continuously and must be worn down.

Rats groom themselves fastidiously, so they rarely need bathing. The real “grooming” job is monitoring: run your fingers over each rat weekly to feel for lumps (mammary tumours are the most common tumour in rats), and weigh them regularly to catch gradual weight loss. Provide gnaw materials for the ever-growing teeth; a vet can trim overgrown incisors or nails if needed.

None needed on a complete rat food — and don’t over-supplement, as high-calorie diets are linked to tumours. Eating some of their own droppings (coprophagy) is normal and healthy: it’s how rats absorb certain nutrients, so never try to stop it.

Adults commonly weigh around 250–500 g or more, with males noticeably heavier and chunkier than females — a comfortable hand-sized body plus a long, nearly body-length tail they use for balance and to cool down.

Sadly short — on average about 18–36 months (roughly 2–3 years). Chronic respiratory disease often shortens it further, which is exactly why clean, low-ammonia housing matters so much.

See a small-animal or exotics vet if you notice: Raspy, clicking or laboured breathing, sneezing or sniffling — respiratory infection is common and serious in rats; see a vet promptly; Any new lump or bump anywhere on the body (mammary tumours are the most common tumour in rats); Reddish-brown staining (“red tears”) around the eyes or nose, especially a lot of it — a sign of stress or illness, not blood; Loss of appetite or weight, a hunched posture, or a dull, puffy or fluffed-up coat; Head tilt or circling (often an ear or respiratory infection, or a pituitary tumour); Discharge from the eyes or nose, hair loss, scabs, or persistent itching; Weakness or dragging of the hind legs, especially in an older rat.