Critters Collection: Rat



	DEPARTMENTS
	SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
	CRITTER COLLECTION
	CRITTER CLUBS
	CRITTER LIBRARY
	CRITTERS ON THE WEB

Critters Home Page: Critter Collection: Rat

Choosing a Rat

Before you select an individual rat, make sure the rats you are considering are healthy. The most common disease of rats is an incurable respiratory infection caused by mycoplasma[ital] bacteria. Mycoplasma is contagious to all rodents (not people), and once a rat is infected, it will have the disease until it dies from it. Periodic treatment with antibiotics can help control the disease and minimize damage to the lungs, but the bacteria cannot be eliminated. This disease is extremely common; therefore, you must take all precautions to choose a rat that has not been exposed.

Mycoplasma is particularly insidious because rats can have the disease for some time and not show any symptoms. However, common early symptoms in rats are sneezing and wheezing. Listen carefully to any rats you're considering for sneezing. Healthy rats rarely sneeze, so frequent sneezing is a sure sign of mycoplasma infection. The best way to detect wheezing is to get the rats to run around the cage to stimulate respiration, then hold them up to your ear and listen for any noises. Healthy rats do not make any noise when breathing. Because mycoplasma is so contagious, if even one animal in the group is sneezing or wheezing, you should reject them all.

Once you've determined that the rats are healthy, the next thing to examine is personality. Like all intelligent animals, rats each have their own personality--some are cuddly, some shy, some independent. The best choice for a pet is an outgoing, friendly rat that isn't afraid to nibble your fingers or climb onto your hand. Although it's best to get a rat at 4 weeks old, when it is weaned from its mother, any friendly rat will make a good pet regardless of age. Many humane societies have homeless rats available for adoption, so consider checking there first.

Both male and female rats make good pets, although females tend to be more active and rarely enjoy holding still for long petting sessions before the age of 1 1/2 years. Male rats get bigger and heavier than females do and tend to make better lap pets. If you have a sex preference, be sure to examine the rats you are considering. To tell the sexes apart, compare several rats until you find two that look different.

Because rats are so social, they enjoy living in pairs or groups. As long as each rat gets human attention, they will bond to you as well as to each other. A single rat will get lonely unless it receives lots of human attention, so in general, keeping at least two rats is best. However, because a fertile male and female living together will produce a litter of babies every four weeks, cagemates should be the same sex or neutered. Same sex rats can live together peaceably as long as they grow up together or are introduced gradually.

Author(s): Debbie Ducommun

Critters Home Page: Critter Collection: Rat

For comments, suggestions or additional information, contact: critters@fancypubs.com.