All You Ever Wanted to Know
and were afraid to ask

Amazing Rat Facts

Average life span - 2 to 2 1/2 years
Maximum life span - 7 years 4 months
Estrus cycle - Every 4-5 days, and immediately after giving birth
Gestation period - 21 to 23 days, 28 days for a post partum pregnancy
Average litter size - 12
Eyes open - 2 weeks
Weaning age - 4-5 weeks
Age at puberty- 5 weeks
Physical maturity - 8 months
Intelligence - Comparable to a three year old child
Bruce effect- Does not occur in rats
Gnawing- Rats are capable of gnawing through cement

Rat Behaviour
From: Rat and Mouse Club of America

1. Rats require two seconds to mate - even through cage bars. Never house males and females together ‘just for a moment.’
2. Never pick up a rat by the tail - the tail may deglove (and it hurts!)
3. If you see red discharge from a rat's nose or eyes, the substance is usually porphyrin, not blood. The discharge is produced by a special gland behind the rat’s eyes. Overproduction of this discharge can be caused by stress or illness. In short, rat snot.
4. Rats regulate temperature through their tails and ears and can develop heatstroke at temperatures over 80 degrees F. A very hot rat will lie on its back to release excess heat through the soles of his/her feet.
5. A very stressed or very happy rat may chatter or grind its teeth together. This is properly called ‘bruxing,’ and may also cause the eyes to slightly bulge or vibrate for a moment. Do not panic - bruxing is perfectly normal, (although it looks pretty strange).
6. A female rat in heat, (approximately every five days), may act skittish, not wish to be touched on her rump, and may ‘vibrate’ her ears very quickly. Once again, this behavior looks strange, but is perfectly normal.
7. Rats with dark-colored eyes see extremely poorly, rats with ruby or pink eyes are essentially blind. Keep out of direct sunlight/bright lighting to protect their sensitive eyes. Rats may ‘weave’ their heads from side to side in order to better focus their vision, and ‘see’ with their whiskers, nose, and ears.
8. Rats are predators, and will eat smaller animals, including mice, gerbils, hamsters, and small birds. A good rule of thumb would be to never place a rat in a situation that you would not trust a ferret.

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Rat Health
Find a veterinarian specializing in exotic animals and experienced in treating rats before you have an emergency. Rats can sometimes become infested with mites and other parasites. If your pet is constantly scratching, or develops sores on its body consult your veterinarian. If your rat is not eating or drinking, has diarrhea, is sniffling or sneezing, has lumps anywhere on the body, is breathing laboriously, is lethargic, has a noticeable head tilt, or your pet’s coat seems rough, see a veterinarian immediately. I recommend freezing bedding twenty four hours before use, to ensure that it is parasite free. Females are prone to getting tumors and may eventually require a veterinarian to remove them.

All rats carry mycoplasma which is an upper respiratory disease. Watch for sniffling, excessive porphyrin discharge from the eyes and nose. Porphyrin looks similar to blood, and can easily be confused for blood, however excessive amounts is usually an indication of illness. Please see your vet.

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Breeding
How old is your female? She shouldn't be bred before she is four months old. It takes two seconds for rats to mate-even through cage bars! Rats have a 21 - 23 day gestation period and females can in fact be re-impregnated immediately after giving birth!

You can house your male with your female during the pregnancy, but remove him the week before she is due to deliver- because though he won't eat the babies-(it's rare in rats who are the biological father) Your male can re-impregnate the female immediately after she delivers. This is physically difficult on mother and babies. Do you have an extra cage to house the male babies at five weeks of age, to prevent them from impregnating their mother or their female siblings? Are you prepared to lose your female and all her babies if something should go drastically wrong? It does happen occasionally. Are you prepared to keep all or some of the babies should people decide they no longer wish to adopt them? (possibly 20?)

Are you financially able to pay for a c-section if your female has a difficult birth? Is your male more than six months old, so you can gauge his true temperament? Some males can be over hormonal and become biters, and males younger than six months should never be bred to rule this out-as it is genetic. Do you have an awareness of rat genetics? Are you familiar with lethal genes? It's easy to put two rats together- and make babies, but you could wind up with a sickly, undersized or dead litter! Be aware that having some knowledge in genetics, and knowing what you are doing will produce better, healthier, longer living animals!

If you truly wish to breed, consult a breeder, who can select a quality female for you to breed, and a quality male- who will produce genetically healthier pets. As well the breeder you purchase your rats from can offer you guidance, and assistance, to help ensure the health of mom, and all the babies! Legitimate breeders put a great deal of time and energy into breeding. Plan matings that will improve the species, health, temperament and life expectancy of the offspring so that pet owners can have an all around better experience with their pets.

Avoid breeding animals with a history of illness, to produce offspring that are myco resistant. Legitimate breeders take the time to socialize all babies, and ensure that they are properly cared for from day one. Pet owners who allow their animals to randomly reproduce do it without concern for the offspring. These rats end up in pet stores, living in deplorable conditions, waiting for their horrible fate of becoming someone else's hungry reptiles food. Ensure that you have goals in mind, and the ability to house and care for all the offspring, in the event that you are unable to find them loving homes.

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Housing
Place your pet’s cage away from drafts and direct sunlight and out of reach of other household pets. Purchase the largest cage your budget will allow. I have found great deals by buying second hand! A solid bottom is best, as mesh can irritate your pet’s feet. Wire cages, aquariums and plastic cages are all available.

Plastic cages full of tubes and tunnels look like fun, but lack ventilation and a determined rodent can easily gnaw right through. Aquariums are easy to clean but require a top with adequate ventilation. Horizontal bars on a wire cage offer plenty of climbing fun. Rats will need a large cage, a minimum of 20 inches long x 14 inches wide x 24 inches high floor area will need to be increased by one square foot for each additional rat. Bars should be no more than one inch apart.

If your rats are very young, you may want to select a cage with narrower spacing. Line the bottom of the cage with any safe bedding. Avoid using cedar or pine bedding or cat litter as these are known to cause respiratory distress in rats. You can shred sheets of plain white paper or purchase shavings. Rats require a weekly cage cleaning. Remove all bedding, and discard. Wash the cage and all toys with a mild detergent. I use one part bleach to thirty parts water and then rinse the cage well.

Your rat will appreciate a hiding house such as an old cardboard box, which also doubles as a gnawing object. Shred white, unscented tissues or paper towel to provide nesting material. Offer food in a sturdy ceramic dish and water in a water bottle. I also offer my rats a bowl of water, as they use it to help in their grooming habits. Rats love to play, so provide plenty of toys, such as old tissue boxes, paper rolls- If you use a toilet paper roll supervise so your rat doesn't get it's head caught in it. Your rat will enjoy tunnels-plumbers pipes (PVC), ropes (knotted socks) and ladders. If you provide a wheel it must have a solid running surface; your pet’s foot or tail could get caught between rungs. Commercial gnaws or twigs from a pesticide-free beech, maple or fruit tree will help keep your pet’s teeth properly worn down. I have a large apple tree branch in my rats cage, and they love it! If you have a single rat consider getting a cage mate- rats need to be kept in groups of two or more to be happy. I know you intend to spend a lot of time with your pet rat-but if you spend four hours a day with it, it's still alone for twenty hours! It's needs a friend to cuddle with and play with when you can't be there.

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Diet
I feed my rats lab blocks specially formulated for rats. I also offer washed fruits and vegetables . It's important that all fruits and veggies are washed to remove pesticides. Better yet feed organic! I avoid seed mixes as they are not balanced unless the rats eat everything in the bowl. Like children, they will pick what they like most and eat only that, and the diet is therefore not complete.

Rats require fresh food and water every day. Grains are important in a rats diet- I offer oatmeal, low fat cereals, and whole grain pasta. Rats can eat almost everything people eat but there are a few exceptions.

Foods to Avoid

1. Dried Corn- Known to be carcinogenic in rats. May contain toxic molds.
2. Moldy Fruits and Veggies- Molds can be toxic- discard anything moldy.
3. Orange Juice- Fine for females, known to be carcinogenic in males.
4. Apple cores- Toxic! Avoid feeding apples that aren't cored first.
5. Avocado - Fine for rats, avoid the peel and area around it as well as the pit and area around it. Its' toxic!
6. Chocolate- Fine in small quantities.
7. Alfalfa- Rats cannot digest alfalfa and it commonly used as a filler in seed mixes.
8. Raw beans- Toxic!
9. Raw sweet potato-Toxic!
10. Cabbage, brussel sprouts-Toxic!
11. Green potatoes-Toxic!
12. Sweet sugary treats- Any other "junk food"
13. Caffeinated beverages-Various detrimental health effects.
14. Carbonated drinks-Your pet rat can't burp.
15. Raw peanuts-Toxic!
16. Green Bananas-Toxic!

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