Rat Breed Guide

Rats Appearance

Rats are medium sized rodents, usually 12cm or more in length. They have pointed ears and a long hairless tail, with a short coat which comes in various colours, including black, brown, white and grey.

Rats Temperament

Rats are sociable and like to live in pairs or groups. Rats are intelligent animals and can learn tricks and even be litter trained. They are good with children but are most lively at dawn and dusk.

Rats Excercise Needs

Rats like to exercise and should have an exercise wheel in their house to allow for this as well as plenty of space to run about. Items that allow your rat to burrow and climb, as if in a warren, like boxes and tubes will also give your rat good exercise.

Rats Feeding

Rats need a diet of dry rat mix, supplemented by occasional fresh fruit and vegetables. Their food can be served in an earthenware bowl. Rats also need regular fresh water through a bottle feeder. Rats are only small creatures and therefore their food portions need only be small.

Rats House & Bedding Needs

For rats a basic rodent cage makes an ideal home. A glass or plastic aquarium or a cage is also suitable, bedded with wood shavings, shredded paper and hay or pellets. Rats need plenty of play toys in their house, like a wheel, ball and tubing. Their house should be cleaned weekly.

Rats Health

Rats often suffer from tumours (more common in females), abscesses, seizures/fits and respiratory infections most commonly mycoplasma . Mycoplasma is an incurable respiratory infection that is extremely common in rats and is very contagious between rats. Symptoms of mycoplasma include a wheezing and sneezing rat which at worst will be gasping for breath. Mycoplasma causes a blister effect on the surface of the rat’s lungs. It can also cause lung abscesses, emphysema, and infection of the uterus. Rats with mycoplasma usually act quite normal, besides the sneezing, and will eat well and be otherwise healthy, until the disease is quite advanced.

Rats Expectancy

2-3 years

Rats Origin

Worldwide