.: Pet Rats

Training four mice of two different species (spiny mice and fancy mice) at once. Visit them on facebook: facebook.com music: Dancing Willow – The Wind that shakes the Barley

Virtually all pet rats in the United States are affected by a bacteria known as mycoplasma. This can cause a number of health problems, including breathing difficulties, pneumonia and a red discharge from the eyes, known … Read More

Fabric is an economical, clean option for pet rat bedding, especially if you own “sphinx” or hairless rats. Fabric bedding has a number of benefits over traditional bedding materials such as woodchips and recycled paper bedding … Read More

It’s not uncommon for a small pet to get lost inside your home. Finding a lost hamster, gerbil, rat or another small animal can be rather difficult, especially if you have other animals inside the home. … Read More

When bathing your rat or another small animal, including rabbits, gerbils, hamsters and guinea pigs, it’s important to avoid sticking the pet under running water of a faucet or shower spigot. There are several dangers associated … Read More

Many animal lovers have different types of pets, but there are inherent risks if you own small pets like hamsters, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits, along with larger predatory animals like cats and dogs. I literally … Read More

Many pets — from dogs, to cats and even rats — are prone to developing sebaceous cysts. These cysts are filled with a white toothpaste-like paste known as sebum. Sebum is a natural oil that’s produced … Read More

Hairless rats, also known as Sphinx rats, are very unique in appearance. They are virtually hairless (virtually, as most have varying degrees of hair on their nose, tail and so forth,) with extremely soft, sensitive skin. … Read More

Rats are very cat-like in that they’re meticulous self-groomers. Rats are extremely clean animals, but every once in a while, a bath is in order! Bathing will remove some of the oily, yellow build-up that accumulates … Read More

Hind limb paralysis is fairly commonplace in elderly rats, particularly males. There are a few areas where your aged pet will require some special care. The Rat’s Cage and Bedding It’s important to keep a paralyzed … Read More

Hind limb paralysis is a fairly common problem in older rats, particularly males. Fortunately, the paralysis process is a gradual one and this allows the rat to compensate to his disability. As a result, most paralyzed … Read More

As a rat owner of over three years now, I’ve spent a lot of time and energy searching for the perfect bedding. It doesn’t seem to exist just yet, but I’ve found some bedding products that … Read More

Have you ever struggled to get your rat to take his or her medicine? Pre-mixed medications for rats are often flavored to be appealing to cats or dogs or birds or hamsters, but leave rats wholly unimpressed. … Read More

Pet rat cages are sold in most pet stores and online. Unfortunately, many cages marketed for pet rats are wholly inadequate for the needs of even one rat. Take into account the fact that one should … Read More

As any rat owner knows, rats are prone to obesity, particularly older male rats. However, being omnivores and foragers, they seem most content with free access to as much food as they like. It’s hard to … Read More

Hairless rats are among the most unique pets a person can have. They look like little alien lifeforms, feel like warm raw chicken when held, and are certain to start a conversation with any houseguest brave … Read More

If you’ve never been fortunate enough to interact with a large group of domestic rats over an extended period of time, you may not know that rats are very similar to humans in terms of social … Read More

As rats age, they may become either obese or thin. If your rat has a health problem, please consult your veterinarian about feeding and nutrition. However, if your rat is aging normally, you may be able … Read More

Many people who wish to keep small pets narrow things down to mice and rats for their intelligence, friendly personalities, and general appearance, but then have trouble deciding between the two. If you’re currently wondering if … Read More

Most rat owners will, at some point, own a pet rat with chronic respiratory disease. Rats are prone to infections caused by Mycoplasma pulmonis, a naturally occurring bacterium found in the lungs of nearly all rats. The only … Read More

Once upon a time, including pets in a wedding would have been a massive social blunder frowned upon by the majority of guests. Now, many pet lovers can’t imagine marrying without their pets present. It makes … Read More

It’s not easy to look at a litter of puppies, kittens, rats, or any other animal and pick just one baby to take home. Should you really choose just one? Wouldn’t those two littermates be happier together? … Read More

A friend wrote to me a few days ago asking for advice. She owns several female rats, and no males. Inexplicably, one of her females is pregnant. The only possible exposure to a male occurred when … Read More

There are as many ways to set up a cage for a rat to deliver a litter as there are rat breeders. Everyone has a personal preference. I’ve incorporated advice from several breeders in creating my current … Read More

I’m hoping that my TEK Artemis is currently pregnant by SGR Fortissimo, so I’ve been feeding her some extra high-fat, high-protein, nutrition-packed snacks to help her grow a batch of healthy pups. This will be my … Read More

So maybe your rat escaped and went canoodling in the bucks’ cage, or maybe you picked a suspiciously round female out from a feeder tank, or perhaps you’re breeding rats intentionally (if so, I hope you’re … Read More

Rats, like most small wiggly animals, are notoriously difficult to photograph well. Many a rat owner has snapped what should have been the perfect shot– until the rat moved at the last second, and it ended … Read More

In my first blog about flying with rats, we discussed choosing an airline and making a reservation. However, once your ticket is booked, there’s still much more to be done before embarking on your flight. Today, … Read More

Yes, it’s possible to fly with rats, but it takes a little more planning and finesse than traveling with rats by car, and it’s not feasible at all times. Some airlines won’t carry rats. During very cold … Read More

Responsible, reputable rat breeders don’t exist in every area. Plus, families sometimes must move long distances with pets, or take lengthy vacations while bringing rats along. Traveling with rats is often necessary, but in some ways trickier … Read More

New rat owners often purchase exercise balls and wheels and are disappointed when their rats will not use them. Sometimes, rats are even brought to veterinarians by well-meaning owners concerned about their health because they don’t … Read More

Most pet rats don’t bite. I’ll say that again for emphasis: Most pet rats do not bite. The vast majority of domestic Norwegian rats are far less likely to bite than hamsters, mice, or gerbils. Rats are … Read More

I love my many pets, and they all get along fairly well, even the cat and rats. Interactions between pets of different species can be fascinating and humorous. However, there are certain common pets that simply … Read More