Rats were first kept as pets in Europe about 200 years ago when the cruel event of rat bating was a popular form of entertainment.While rats were being bred and and caught for this,many colors were discovered.A famous rat catcher of the Queen named Jack Black discovered many color mutations and even actually discovered the PEW mutation in a graveyard.Ever since then,rats have been kept as popular pets throughout the world.They have proven themselves as loving intelligent animals who are in fact very social to humans,fellow rats,and other pets in the households.For this reason,these animals have been widely popular in the pet trade,but have been improperly cared for by many uneducated owners.By reading this before buying or adopting a rat,you will have happier,healthier pets that will be attached to you with constant handling.

  Many people want healthy,reasonable pet rats,but since rats are thought of as insignificant,they are often badly neglected or even abused.The most easily obtainable rats are found in pet shops.I think buying a rat from a petshop is a bit of a gamble because they have been inbred,passing on hereditary health problems(most are descended from vivisection labs were they were purposely bred to have these complications to see the effects).Your other choice is a shelter.I do not recommend them since most rescues were pet shop rats,but if you can tackle the problem of vet bills to pay of surgeries for tumors,check ups for cancer,and other medical procedures,go ahead and make the poor thing happy.Some shelters also have no knowledge of rats and just go ahead and euthanize them without knowing  if anyone would want them as pets.The best choice would be breeders and by breeders I don't mean BYBs.I was talking about responsible breeders that breed with good intentions and care.To find one just go type in  your local rat association and the words breeders list next to it.Example:AFRMA breeders list

   Before buying a rat,you should always inspect it for health,friendliness,and looks(heathiness and friendliness should come first).A healthy rat is active,prominant bellied,no balding,not pregnant(unless you are prepared for up to around 16 babies),red,not pale gums,clean teeth,no discharge of the nose and eyes,clear vent,straight,clean,scaled tail,and no cuts or bruises.A friendly rat will interact with you,be interested in you,and wont bite(NIPPING MAY OCCUR IN YOUNGER RATS AND SHOULD BE ALLOWED).A beautiful female rat should appear sleek and have soft,smooth fur.A handsome male rat should appear stocky and masculine.

   If you currently have an existing colony of rats you MUST quarantine your rats to make sure they do not spread anything to your colony.Many people quarantine without even knowing why.If you notice the new rats are sick and have contagious viruses,do not mix them with your colony or the virus will spread.If you have no other rats,go ahead and skip this proccess as there are no risks if you do not have any rats the virus will spread to.

A rat will recognize its home as an actual home and a source of food and water so you might as well buy a good home for your buddy.It must be a two or more story cage in which a rat cannot fit its head through or else it will be able to leave,but if this does happen,just leave the cage open and it will come home...hopefully(which is why my rats are free range).A good cage should be 5 cubic feet at the least.A vertical cage for females to allow for climbing and a horizontal cage for males to allow for walking and more resting space.The cage should be placed in one of the busiest,but least boisterous rooms.Avoid placing it near windows,directly in the Sun.Also avoid places where drafts occur often.Avoid habitats made for hamsters as they are too small.A good alternative to these are guinea pig cages(for adults only unless you are confident that young rats will not escape).You may also use glass aquariums,but they do not provide climbing opurtunities and amonia build up will occur causing your rats to die of respiratory infections.Let your rats have happy lives and buy the best cages possible.

  Your rats will benefit from having the right kind of bedding.Many people use pine and other related plant shavings,but they contain toxic oils and phenols that may poison or cause your rat to have respiratory problems and eventually die a painful death.Corn cob beddings should not be used because they can mold,cause rats to choke,or cause intestinal blockage.Saw dust is very fine and dusty and will also cause respiratory problems.Cat litter again causes respiratory problems.A good bedding would be Carefresh because it is soft,often dustless,and inkless.You may also use aspen shavings,but do occasionally harbor mites.Just freeze it for about a day and it will be fine.Also,do not use paper as it contains toxic ink and holds amonia.Resist the temptation of buying the dangerous stuff just because it is cheaper.Use the softest,least dangerous kind of  bedding possible to keep your rats  happy..

When feeding you rats,choose foods that are balanced.Regular,unpregnated rats need a low fat/low protein diet to live long,enjoyable lives.A good main source of nutrients and vitamins are lab blocks.They must be occasionally supplemented by fruits and vegetables to be a true balanced diet.It is okay to occasionally give treats such as chocalate(yes,they can can handle the cocoa liquor),cookies,and fries.A balanced diet may also be made by mixing cereals,dried fruits,a few nuts,and good quality/brand dog/cat food(Iams).A rat's diet will affect its life span and enjoyment.

   Although a nest box is not required if you have a large amount of bedding,a rat would feel happier if it had one.They have a greater sense of security because they are enclosed and snugged.A nest box can be home made or store bought.Just cut a hole in a boox and there you go,a nest box.

   Your buddy will be distressed if it does not have a buddy.Rats are very social animals that thrive on each others' company.If you don't have a buddy for your buddy,get a same gendered rat and quarantine it for a week or more.After that process wash each rat to reduce territorial scents,cover them in peanut oil or vanilla extract,and introduce them in unscented cages.

Rats are intelligent animals that crave fun and toys provide just that.Rats bore easily and can suffer from emotional break downs from being overly bored and have been known to bite their limbs off especially in labratories where they are kept in crammed conditions usually alone.The best toy are the ones that that give food rewards.Cat toys could be used for this.Wheels are also a must as rats(esp. males)can become obese very quickly.Wheels also have been known to calm down the hyperest of rats.Avoid hamster balls as they usually make most rats feel confined and stress them out.An alternative to toys are rat proofed rooms with things such as piles of clothing,paper bags,and cabinets to explore.Rats with toys are happy,heaalth rats.

   Many pet rats were descended from vivisection labs since many mutations occurred there.They were bred to have medical problems because since rats are similar to humans the effects of the medical conditions are similar to humans.A really common problem is cancer since many scientist produced strains that had cancer so they could be studied.Scientist also produced many strains that had obesity that was hereditary and not caused by overeating.Sadly one of my rats has hereditary obesity.Many rats sadly grow tumours(esp. pet shop rats)which is again, a problem passed from the labratory rats: (Get occasional vet check ups to be sure your rat is problemless.

                                         WARNING:DON'T DO UNLESS READY

  Please do not breed your rats for fun,but if you do be prepared.You will need two more cages:one for the ladies and one for the gentle men.Put your female in with your stud buck once her vagina starts to open.This is how you know she is in heat.If you are not sure leave her with your buck for five to ten days.Choose nicely colored rats to breed as bad colored rats are usually not wanted as pets because sadly many people think agouti based colors are the wild things and are usually sold as reptile food.After twenty-one or so days,your doe will give birth to her kittens.If she doesn't seem worried you may handle her babies.If something goes wrong with mom you can either do the hard,less reliable way or the easier,more reliable way.The harder,less reliable way is to foster them yourself.The easier,better way is to mix them with any rat that is still lactating or started lactating(contact breeders).After 4 1/2 weeks,seperate the sexes as they may become pregnant as early as 5 weeks.

Please help me.I have GGMR syndrome.It is incurable and contagious.Help me by sending unwanted pet rats to 2225 Montana Street(90026),L.A,CA.THANK YOU.