Caring for Your New BB Rat Pups
**Updated 30.09.19**
So, you are soon to be or already are the new owner of some beautiful little BB Rat Pups, YAY! Congratulations!
Here is where you should be able to find all you need to know about my rat pups and the care they require. Of course, as they grow you will find your own way for caring for your precious ratties and this is meant as a guide based solely on what I do here in my home for the Rats. If your rats are from elsewhere or you are a breeder, it is not possible to use this information as each breeder raises their rat pups in massively different ways. Please consult your rats own breeder for help (however, I will always try to help anyone with ratty problems).
So, you are soon to be or already are the new owner of some beautiful little BB Rat Pups, YAY! Congratulations!
Here is where you should be able to find all you need to know about my rat pups and the care they require. Of course, as they grow you will find your own way for caring for your precious ratties and this is meant as a guide based solely on what I do here in my home for the Rats. If your rats are from elsewhere or you are a breeder, it is not possible to use this information as each breeder raises their rat pups in massively different ways. Please consult your rats own breeder for help (however, I will always try to help anyone with ratty problems).
Getting Ratties Home
**Settling in - most commonly rats settle very quickly and are curious and confident from the start, however, this is a "just in case" note as all ratties have their own personalities***
Rats will need time to settle into their new home. Fear not, they will adjust and they will be very happy with you, it just takes a bit of patience. Remember, they have known me from birth, they need to get used to you.
Always remember, you only get what you put in. This applies to all pets. The advantage of having a ratty from me is that they are used to being handled/annoyed on a daily basis and very importantly, they are very very young! This is the huge difference to pet shops where they are often selling fully grown rats who don’t have a primary care giver to form an attachment with (trust is very important). It doesn't matter how the breeder was, if a relationship isn’t continued, ratties can regress, esp those who are more reserved and moved from pillar to post before they are even 10 weeks of age. Please remember this, for the first day let them be, cover cage with a blanket if you need to (unlikely), but after this time, you need to spend time with them, be gentle and try to tempt them with yummy and interesting foods. Honestly, rats are absolute pigs and you really can gain their trust and love in this way. Make sure they have plenty of hides in their home too at first, somewhere they can retreat for security. Males (esp as they mature) will appreciate this human contact more in the evenings, females will love your contact at any time, especially when you're all in a routine. My females are waiting for our healthy breakfast scraps in the mornings, my males are fast asleep, haha. You will learn your own rats routines just as they will learn yours.
None of my rats are painfully shy. I do not sell a painfully shy rat and will cancel sales if I find one like this (I never have). I would rather bring them around myself and then rehome them when they are older (if needed). However, there are bound to be those who are running all over me no problems and those who take a little bit of encouragement. It's natural.
I move baby rats from one cage to another regularly from when they move into their rat baby creche cage away from their adults. This is the only way I can keep them clean and tidy. But this allows me to identify ratties who are confident and doesn't let the others get away with not being held. You should not let your rats get away with not being held and picked up daily either.
It is common for the dumbo rats to waggle their ears while they eat (at times when they are very happy). Please do not be concerned by it, its extremely cute but worth a mention in case the behaviour surprises you. Rats also wag their tails 😍😂
*A Word of Warning* (esp to my younger readers/owners)
I allow my baby rats to leave for their new homes in pairs or groups from 6 weeks old (minimum). Baby rats are fully weaned (independent of mum) by 4 weeks and are capable of making babies at 5 weeks 😬. Because of this, I feel a rat matures a lot quicker than a cat/dog/rabbit etc so I allow rehoming of healthy chunky rats from 6 weeks. This is perfectly acceptable according to the National Fancy Rat Society (whose breeding and rehoming advice I follow to the letter). I feel it gives the new owner an even stronger bonding experience with their very young rats. However, go on to a Facebook rat group of any kind and you’ll be told by “Barbara” that she keeps her rats until they’re ten weeks etc. A word of warning... be careful of Facebook pet groups especially the keyboard warrior types dishing out advice having never bred a rat in their life! Many of these people spend all their days on Facebook and love nothing more than making someone seeking a bit of advice feel two inches tall. Seek help in the right places from people who genuinely love rats and rat owners alike. If you’re a NFRS member there are friendly groups on the website and I myself am always here to help. I don’t have Facebook. These are your rats and you’ll know best.
Rats will need time to settle into their new home. Fear not, they will adjust and they will be very happy with you, it just takes a bit of patience. Remember, they have known me from birth, they need to get used to you.
Always remember, you only get what you put in. This applies to all pets. The advantage of having a ratty from me is that they are used to being handled/annoyed on a daily basis and very importantly, they are very very young! This is the huge difference to pet shops where they are often selling fully grown rats who don’t have a primary care giver to form an attachment with (trust is very important). It doesn't matter how the breeder was, if a relationship isn’t continued, ratties can regress, esp those who are more reserved and moved from pillar to post before they are even 10 weeks of age. Please remember this, for the first day let them be, cover cage with a blanket if you need to (unlikely), but after this time, you need to spend time with them, be gentle and try to tempt them with yummy and interesting foods. Honestly, rats are absolute pigs and you really can gain their trust and love in this way. Make sure they have plenty of hides in their home too at first, somewhere they can retreat for security. Males (esp as they mature) will appreciate this human contact more in the evenings, females will love your contact at any time, especially when you're all in a routine. My females are waiting for our healthy breakfast scraps in the mornings, my males are fast asleep, haha. You will learn your own rats routines just as they will learn yours.
None of my rats are painfully shy. I do not sell a painfully shy rat and will cancel sales if I find one like this (I never have). I would rather bring them around myself and then rehome them when they are older (if needed). However, there are bound to be those who are running all over me no problems and those who take a little bit of encouragement. It's natural.
I move baby rats from one cage to another regularly from when they move into their rat baby creche cage away from their adults. This is the only way I can keep them clean and tidy. But this allows me to identify ratties who are confident and doesn't let the others get away with not being held. You should not let your rats get away with not being held and picked up daily either.
It is common for the dumbo rats to waggle their ears while they eat (at times when they are very happy). Please do not be concerned by it, its extremely cute but worth a mention in case the behaviour surprises you. Rats also wag their tails 😍😂
*A Word of Warning* (esp to my younger readers/owners)
I allow my baby rats to leave for their new homes in pairs or groups from 6 weeks old (minimum). Baby rats are fully weaned (independent of mum) by 4 weeks and are capable of making babies at 5 weeks 😬. Because of this, I feel a rat matures a lot quicker than a cat/dog/rabbit etc so I allow rehoming of healthy chunky rats from 6 weeks. This is perfectly acceptable according to the National Fancy Rat Society (whose breeding and rehoming advice I follow to the letter). I feel it gives the new owner an even stronger bonding experience with their very young rats. However, go on to a Facebook rat group of any kind and you’ll be told by “Barbara” that she keeps her rats until they’re ten weeks etc. A word of warning... be careful of Facebook pet groups especially the keyboard warrior types dishing out advice having never bred a rat in their life! Many of these people spend all their days on Facebook and love nothing more than making someone seeking a bit of advice feel two inches tall. Seek help in the right places from people who genuinely love rats and rat owners alike. If you’re a NFRS member there are friendly groups on the website and I myself am always here to help. I don’t have Facebook. These are your rats and you’ll know best.
Quarantine
It is very important to have 30 days quarantine of new and old rats, which requires that neither rat group meets the other in this time period. This is to ensure that only healthy rats are introduced to each other. Remember, cross contamination can occur so in this time, please use aseptic procedures to reduce contamination and spread of communicable diseases between rat groups in this time. BB rats who are introduced to their new rat friends straight away will void the 48 hour guarantee. I can not have rats in my rattery who have mixed with other rats. I work very hard for my rats and they are extremely important to me, I take their health very seriously. I no longer rescue rats because of the risk outside rats pose to my mischief 😞
If you need any help with introductions I can advise you very well on this (see the menu for a detailed method). Introducing rats is very easy you'll be pleased to note as long as you follow simple rules and a method, all will go well. I introduce rats all the time and have never had any problems. Be aware lone OAP rats may be a different matter altogether tho 😬😂
If you need any help with introductions I can advise you very well on this (see the menu for a detailed method). Introducing rats is very easy you'll be pleased to note as long as you follow simple rules and a method, all will go well. I introduce rats all the time and have never had any problems. Be aware lone OAP rats may be a different matter altogether tho 😬😂
Bedding
This is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, please read.
I can not stress enough how important the bedding you use for these tiny rats is. Rats are highly susceptible to irritation of their respiratory system, its very common and can lead to respiratory infections. The pathogens causing these infections are the normal fauna and flora of the rat which, due to stresses (like moving home, irritating bedding, incorrect food stuffs like dairy etc), can become over populated in the rats systems. Using the wrong type of bedding for such tiny rodents is a massively common cause of irritation leading to over population of pathogens and then infection.
There are important and very effective things you can do to prevent very common respiratory problem in rats causing disease and illness in your new pets, which includes;
They need to be kept very clean and they also need the correct bedding. If I were you, I would totally avoid all wood based beddings made from cedar, pine and spruce (woodshavings, sawdust, wood chips etc) even if they are "dust extracted". This includes avoiding timeberflakes, BedMax etc. Beware that not all shop assistants are aware of this and even some rat breeders use cedar and pine based bedding. I do not recommend this due to my extensive experience of ratties, I do not care what the research does or doesn't prove, I have experienced what these cedar and pine substrates do to rats with my own eyes.
Do not have any hides which are fully enclosed plastic beds or hideys (they get stuffy with lots of rats inside and not enough ventilation). Sputniks are ideal beds, rats love these and although plastic they are well ventilated. Do not use glass or plastic tanks to keep your rats in (poor ventilation mixed with ammonia from wee is lethal). Bared cages should be used so that air can flow freely. Carefresh is great. However, it still has "dust" and is quite pricey.
I use "Aubiose" which is made from natural hemp. It looks identical to "easibed" or "easichick" and has a weird consistency which the rats LOVE!! They play in it, especially the babies love tunnelling in it (see my Instagram for a video of this!). Aubiose is also value for money (a huge 20kg bale for just £12 from Pingles in stapleton, but you have to order it in). Also, I use fleece on the rats levels and in their beds which just gets thrown out when it reaches the end of its life. I do not wash the rats bedding in my families washing machine. Try to toilet train your ratties with litter trays as this could make your job of keeping them clean much easier. Wipe down sides with antibacterial wipes between cage cleans.
Once a month I jet wash and bleach/detol all my cages (rinse bleach away properly) in the garden. This ensures that even the cage bars are cleaned and free of germs building up. The cleaner you keep the rats cage, the tidier the rat will be too. Once they get older, they are much cleaner animals.
To reiterate, respiratory infections are most commonly caused by;
I can not stress enough how important the bedding you use for these tiny rats is. Rats are highly susceptible to irritation of their respiratory system, its very common and can lead to respiratory infections. The pathogens causing these infections are the normal fauna and flora of the rat which, due to stresses (like moving home, irritating bedding, incorrect food stuffs like dairy etc), can become over populated in the rats systems. Using the wrong type of bedding for such tiny rodents is a massively common cause of irritation leading to over population of pathogens and then infection.
There are important and very effective things you can do to prevent very common respiratory problem in rats causing disease and illness in your new pets, which includes;
- Keeping them clean and tidy
- Using the correct bedding
- good nutrition
They need to be kept very clean and they also need the correct bedding. If I were you, I would totally avoid all wood based beddings made from cedar, pine and spruce (woodshavings, sawdust, wood chips etc) even if they are "dust extracted". This includes avoiding timeberflakes, BedMax etc. Beware that not all shop assistants are aware of this and even some rat breeders use cedar and pine based bedding. I do not recommend this due to my extensive experience of ratties, I do not care what the research does or doesn't prove, I have experienced what these cedar and pine substrates do to rats with my own eyes.
Do not have any hides which are fully enclosed plastic beds or hideys (they get stuffy with lots of rats inside and not enough ventilation). Sputniks are ideal beds, rats love these and although plastic they are well ventilated. Do not use glass or plastic tanks to keep your rats in (poor ventilation mixed with ammonia from wee is lethal). Bared cages should be used so that air can flow freely. Carefresh is great. However, it still has "dust" and is quite pricey.
I use "Aubiose" which is made from natural hemp. It looks identical to "easibed" or "easichick" and has a weird consistency which the rats LOVE!! They play in it, especially the babies love tunnelling in it (see my Instagram for a video of this!). Aubiose is also value for money (a huge 20kg bale for just £12 from Pingles in stapleton, but you have to order it in). Also, I use fleece on the rats levels and in their beds which just gets thrown out when it reaches the end of its life. I do not wash the rats bedding in my families washing machine. Try to toilet train your ratties with litter trays as this could make your job of keeping them clean much easier. Wipe down sides with antibacterial wipes between cage cleans.
Once a month I jet wash and bleach/detol all my cages (rinse bleach away properly) in the garden. This ensures that even the cage bars are cleaned and free of germs building up. The cleaner you keep the rats cage, the tidier the rat will be too. Once they get older, they are much cleaner animals.
To reiterate, respiratory infections are most commonly caused by;
- A build up of ammonia (from urine) which irritates the delicate respiratory system
- unhealthy/incomplete/high sugar diet/lack of veggies or quality protein sources - an inadequate diet severely affects the rats immune system leaving them open to infection (just like humans!)
- incorrect bedding
- Perfumes (e.g. plug ins, air fresheners, they are strong smelling for little noses).
- Smoke (from cigarettes or vapes etc)
Food
So, most commercially bought rat foods will be fine for the rats. Your rats will appreciate you adding to their diet, as most mixes are complimentary (not complete). Of course they can not be complimentary as a rat must have fresh food stuff and without this their immune system is compromised and they will suffer from illness at some point (including cancers which are very common in older rats). Here is what I feed my adults and rat babies, this is meant as a guide. You will soon learn how much to feed your own babies. The most important thing is to feed them healthy, low sugar, healthy fats food stuffs in addition to their species specific base food. This way it is impossible for them to get fat. A fat rat is a very unhealthy rat who will not live a long life. A treat for us, is not a treat for rats. Fed over a period of time, unhealthy tit bits are not a treat as they could be culminating into a death sentence (remember how tiny they are compared to us). The first signs of which will be weight gain and the usual respiratory problems. Similarly, rats fed an inappropriate/incomplete/inadequate diet (for example, one which is based solely on commercial rat foods) will inevitably become ill due to a weakened immune system. If the rats body is struggling for vital nutrients they won’t be able to maintain their immune system and this will leave them susceptible to infections which will lead to disease (e.g. cancer, respiratory diseases, heart disease etc).
I aim to give my rats a very varied diet which doesn’t rely solely on commercial foods and is heavily supplemented with daily fresh green veg. Rats love vegetables (almost as much as chicken 😏😂).
So, here is a list of what I feed my rats;
Daily
I feed: my own homemade Rat Mix (details coming soon).
You can feed: Rat nuggets are fine, the best is science selective but pets at home will be fine too.
These bases are supplemented DAILY with fresh green vegetables such as Kale (fave), broccoli, green beans, seasonal weeds (e.g. dandelions), cauliflower, carrots, peas, cucumber, rocket lettuce (dark leaf lettuce not iceberg), sweetcorn,
Other healthy extras in the day...
Shreddies (no sugar added!!!)
Cooked Porridge (personally, I don’t give cows milk to rats)
seed mix (from aldi meant for humans as a snack, includes pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
Wholemeal Bread & cooked wholewheat pasta (leftovers, not much each as I have a lot of rats)
Weekly;
Cooked wholegrain rice (they dont eat much rice)
Meal worms (you can give live but I give dried)
Cooked Eggs (scrambled or soft boiled)
Chicken or any left over meats and the bones (no added sugars!)
Salad vegetables (apart from the afore mentioned, the rats just don’t seem as keen on other salad veggies).
Treats;
Rice cakes (plain)
Dog biscuits (note how small rats are and feed small portions as this is a “treat”. Often these bones are full of rubbish not even good for dogs)
Fruit. this is NOT a daily treat. It does not need to be included in the daily diet of a rat it carries a lot of sugar, rats are very small. Their fave fruits are blue berries ❤️. Zoo's do not feed fruit to the majority of their animals as it rots teeth and usually leads to other illnesses.
Commercially bought treats: rats love them but be careful of sugar, fat and salt content.
Note: a lot of products that are marketed as “healthy” and “natural” more often than not contain added sugars! If a treat is an almost illuminous bright colour then beware! Be careful of these fraudulent products tricking consumers 🙄😂 feed them as treats.
Never Feed:
chocolate, avocados, onions, garlic, apple seeds, mouldy or out of date foods, uncooked sweet potato (I dont feed rats potato at all), never raw legumes or beans, dairy products (this is my own advice, I just do not think rats need cow products as they will not have the right enzymes to digest it so why bother).
Sweets, cakes, donuts (I.e. human treats).
Processed foods and meats. (e.g. bacon, ham, supernoodles). Any highly processed foods like this will contain awful cell killing/DNA mutating products which lead to cancer among other nasties. This is my own advice. You don’t know what are in super processed foods. Rats are so tiny, feed these products on a daily basis and you could be giving your rat a shorter life. Stick to healthy treats for the ratties they love them.
(I often hear, "wild rats eat anything, just feed them whatever!". Yes this is true. Wild rats are scavengers. But remember... Wild rats only live for a maximum of a year! Our pet rats are capable of living for longer than 3 years!
Changing rats base mix:
ratties will be fine with this (as long as the base mix is intended for rats, you cant mix and match between species. The foods must be for rats not hamsters or dogs etc).
If you can, chose a quality rat mix like science selective. I may be selling bags of my own pre mixed base, please ask if you would like some, I sell it in 500g bags only to those who have pups xxx
N.B. in some areas rat food is hard to obtain! Be prepared as it can catch you out trust me 😬
I aim to give my rats a very varied diet which doesn’t rely solely on commercial foods and is heavily supplemented with daily fresh green veg. Rats love vegetables (almost as much as chicken 😏😂).
So, here is a list of what I feed my rats;
Daily
I feed: my own homemade Rat Mix (details coming soon).
You can feed: Rat nuggets are fine, the best is science selective but pets at home will be fine too.
These bases are supplemented DAILY with fresh green vegetables such as Kale (fave), broccoli, green beans, seasonal weeds (e.g. dandelions), cauliflower, carrots, peas, cucumber, rocket lettuce (dark leaf lettuce not iceberg), sweetcorn,
Other healthy extras in the day...
Shreddies (no sugar added!!!)
Cooked Porridge (personally, I don’t give cows milk to rats)
seed mix (from aldi meant for humans as a snack, includes pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
Wholemeal Bread & cooked wholewheat pasta (leftovers, not much each as I have a lot of rats)
Weekly;
Cooked wholegrain rice (they dont eat much rice)
Meal worms (you can give live but I give dried)
Cooked Eggs (scrambled or soft boiled)
Chicken or any left over meats and the bones (no added sugars!)
Salad vegetables (apart from the afore mentioned, the rats just don’t seem as keen on other salad veggies).
Treats;
Rice cakes (plain)
Dog biscuits (note how small rats are and feed small portions as this is a “treat”. Often these bones are full of rubbish not even good for dogs)
Fruit. this is NOT a daily treat. It does not need to be included in the daily diet of a rat it carries a lot of sugar, rats are very small. Their fave fruits are blue berries ❤️. Zoo's do not feed fruit to the majority of their animals as it rots teeth and usually leads to other illnesses.
Commercially bought treats: rats love them but be careful of sugar, fat and salt content.
Note: a lot of products that are marketed as “healthy” and “natural” more often than not contain added sugars! If a treat is an almost illuminous bright colour then beware! Be careful of these fraudulent products tricking consumers 🙄😂 feed them as treats.
Never Feed:
chocolate, avocados, onions, garlic, apple seeds, mouldy or out of date foods, uncooked sweet potato (I dont feed rats potato at all), never raw legumes or beans, dairy products (this is my own advice, I just do not think rats need cow products as they will not have the right enzymes to digest it so why bother).
Sweets, cakes, donuts (I.e. human treats).
Processed foods and meats. (e.g. bacon, ham, supernoodles). Any highly processed foods like this will contain awful cell killing/DNA mutating products which lead to cancer among other nasties. This is my own advice. You don’t know what are in super processed foods. Rats are so tiny, feed these products on a daily basis and you could be giving your rat a shorter life. Stick to healthy treats for the ratties they love them.
(I often hear, "wild rats eat anything, just feed them whatever!". Yes this is true. Wild rats are scavengers. But remember... Wild rats only live for a maximum of a year! Our pet rats are capable of living for longer than 3 years!
Changing rats base mix:
ratties will be fine with this (as long as the base mix is intended for rats, you cant mix and match between species. The foods must be for rats not hamsters or dogs etc).
If you can, chose a quality rat mix like science selective. I may be selling bags of my own pre mixed base, please ask if you would like some, I sell it in 500g bags only to those who have pups xxx
N.B. in some areas rat food is hard to obtain! Be prepared as it can catch you out trust me 😬
Enrichment
Rats are very intelligent and social creatures. They not only need rat company but they also require attention and enrichment from you. A rat who has a large living area, lots of toys, a healthy varied diet and plenty of interaction with their owner and free roaming time is a happy ratty.
My personal favourite for rat toy ideas is pinterest and youtube! absolutely brilliant and I will include some of it here eventually.
I also love Instagram for ideas of what ratties are capable of doing/learning. I am determined to teach one of my rats to walk round the garden with me as I have seen on Instagram 😍😂 I would have to trust rat very much! Sometimes an unrealistic view of certain pets can be portrayed by social media through “perfect” pet accounts. However, I do think the majority of the rat based Instagram is realistic so this is why I like following the rat blogs. They just miss out ratty poops and messy cages 😂
My personal favourite for rat toy ideas is pinterest and youtube! absolutely brilliant and I will include some of it here eventually.
I also love Instagram for ideas of what ratties are capable of doing/learning. I am determined to teach one of my rats to walk round the garden with me as I have seen on Instagram 😍😂 I would have to trust rat very much! Sometimes an unrealistic view of certain pets can be portrayed by social media through “perfect” pet accounts. However, I do think the majority of the rat based Instagram is realistic so this is why I like following the rat blogs. They just miss out ratty poops and messy cages 😂
Recommended Cages and Sizes
I am asked often if there is a cage I recommend (naturally) so thought I’d include this information here.
If you have two/three rattos, I totally recommend the following type of cages;
If you have two/three rattos, I totally recommend the following type of cages;
Rat cage dimensions; 70cm x 48cm x 78cm
I would not go any smaller than these dimensions otherwise you are creeping into a hamster sized cage.
I would not go any smaller than these dimensions otherwise you are creeping into a hamster sized cage.
I have lots of these types of cages (at least four), I buy more all the time and they are my favourite out of all my ratto cages. They are easy to move around (for an adult), easy to clean, easy to access. They are popular so are relatively easy to pick up second hand for anywhere between £25-40 in good condition. Importantly, I think the cage has enough room without completely overwhelming the new rattos or taking up your whole house. I find if I have a new ratto myself, it’s much easier taming them in a smaller cage. Whereas if I have a new ratto in one of my huge cages then I have two hopes of taming that ratto; Bob Hope and no hope 😬😂.
Another similar cheaper alternative is the following cage...
BUT... the Savic cages (I have plenty and different models) while they are value for money... they are sooooo awkward!!!! Lol. Honestly, they fall apart. You need to glue them into place but understand you won’t be able to take them down again. But you do get a lot of cage for your money, they are just awkward when it comes to a thorough clean. (You have to build all the sides up but they come apart very easily).
I have the following cages for my very large ratto groups. I can totally recommend it, it’s fantastic. But a word of warning... it’s MASSIVE!!! 😅😂 *NOTE: the below cage is currently on sale on ebay for £120 (04.07.19)!! but it is advertised as a Ferret cage. Too big for new baby rats but perfect for your young adults plus!***
It might be worth mentioning that if you do buy/have a very large cage and put the new rattos in that huge cage you could well overwhelm the ratties. Don’t forget, they are used to being in a large group in the "Furrat Rat cage" sized cage.
There is no need to buy a massive cage for just two/three rats. For example, the huge cage I have for my girls would be massively excessive for two rats (and a terrible idea for new baby rats). However, if you did want to provide your small group with this amount of room in the future when they are fully grown that is totally commendable and would be absolutely fine once the rats are bonded with you and comfortable/confident. Lots of people, like myself, really enjoy decorating and building up the cages with toys, sticks, homemade hammocks and quirky little bits and bobs we make for the rats, so these huge cages are perfect for us as we can fit anything in them, including huge wheels and messy dig boxes.
You will see (good) breeders like myself or those who rescue rats often have huge cages but we have huge groups of rattos. The larger the ratto group the more hilarious rats become so it is lovely to see them all living together in these large groups.
Just for your reference, the size of my rat baby crèche (when rat pup boys leave mommy) is as follows; 70cm x 48cm x 29cm (it seems basically a rat sized cage but with just one storey). This is the smallest cage I will use for upto 6 baby rats.
Mommy brings her rat babies up in a rat sized cage minimum, often larger in terms of its length for babies to run around while they can’t climb. I never ever keep any of my adult rats in hamster cages! That is cruel. (Unless I’m bonding!!!!).
These “crèche” dimensions could be useful for you if you want to buy a cage similar in size while the rat babies are so small ☺️ The exact cage I use for the male rats once they leave mom is as follows; (this is NOT suitable for adult rats!!!)
There is no need to buy a massive cage for just two/three rats. For example, the huge cage I have for my girls would be massively excessive for two rats (and a terrible idea for new baby rats). However, if you did want to provide your small group with this amount of room in the future when they are fully grown that is totally commendable and would be absolutely fine once the rats are bonded with you and comfortable/confident. Lots of people, like myself, really enjoy decorating and building up the cages with toys, sticks, homemade hammocks and quirky little bits and bobs we make for the rats, so these huge cages are perfect for us as we can fit anything in them, including huge wheels and messy dig boxes.
You will see (good) breeders like myself or those who rescue rats often have huge cages but we have huge groups of rattos. The larger the ratto group the more hilarious rats become so it is lovely to see them all living together in these large groups.
Just for your reference, the size of my rat baby crèche (when rat pup boys leave mommy) is as follows; 70cm x 48cm x 29cm (it seems basically a rat sized cage but with just one storey). This is the smallest cage I will use for upto 6 baby rats.
Mommy brings her rat babies up in a rat sized cage minimum, often larger in terms of its length for babies to run around while they can’t climb. I never ever keep any of my adult rats in hamster cages! That is cruel. (Unless I’m bonding!!!!).
These “crèche” dimensions could be useful for you if you want to buy a cage similar in size while the rat babies are so small ☺️ The exact cage I use for the male rats once they leave mom is as follows; (this is NOT suitable for adult rats!!!)
If you buy a different kind of cage to these here or cages that you think are the same becasue of what they look like, please check the dimensions (esp when from Ebay or Amazon!). I hope this insight into cages has been useful. I have had rats for years and years and basically own every single rat cage type out there 😊
Treatments
As a pet owner there are on-going treatments you will need to give your pet, just like you would give to your cat or dog, rats are no different and may need the following treatments from time to time. Below is a list of the items I use as I find they are easily accessible and work well.
Mite/fleas/parasite treatments
Rats may need parasite treatments. Whereas with cats and dogs, you constantly treat them to prevent parasite infections (e.g. fleas and worms are given to my cat and dogs every three months), you would not routinely treat rats for these things. This is because the medicines are very harsh on their little bodies and its best to only treat if you suspect a problem. You could suspect a parasite problem if your rattie is overly scratching. In this case treat with a shop bought product (below). You can assume there is a definite parasite/skin infection if your rat has obvious lesions on its skin. I have never personally witnessed this but I have seen it online and I think you'll agree with me that this may need vet attention. You could first of all bath ratty in antiparasite solution and treat with usual spot on solutions and see if the condition improves. It would be your call. Tea tree oil has natural antisceptic properties (it’s true Iv tested this myself in the lab), you could pick some up from a pharmacy and try this if you suspect mild mite/flea infections. Remember, if you have to treat parasites, your home, the cage, everything in the room will also need treating (e.g. a flea home spray or bed covers being boiled etc).
The anti-parasite spot on I use is from rat rations, called Harka-Mectin and found here... https://ratrations.co.uk/harka-mectin-ivermectin-spot-on?search=harka%20mectin%20 . or click here. The beaphar stuff found in pet shops isn't strong enough. Read the instructions fully before application. I can not treat babies with this stuff, it is too strong and the babies are too small. Remember, it is pointless treating the rats without fully cleaning out their cage and bleaching (rinsing well) often to rid the environment of the bugs.
Just like us humans, most rats carry parasites and they normally are not pathogenic for the rat but in times of stress etc the parasite can become over populated and the rat starts to display symptoms of being uncomfortable (e.g. excessive scratching). So, dont be surprised if your rats does need a treatment from time to time. Parasites in no way suggest that you are not caring for the babies properly! Treating parasites is part of being a pet owner and it is the owners responsibility to meet our pets wellbeing needs. (pls note you will need to weigh the babies before treatment).
Is my Rat Poorly?
If a rat stops eating, is lethargic and doesn't move much then you can assume your rat is very poorly. I always say with any pet, if your child was displaying these symptoms, would you take them to A&E? If not then you probably dont need to take your pet to the vet. For example, sudden weight loss is definitely a cause for concern warranting a vet visit. Sniffles from a rat at times of high stress or not is not a cause for concern as such (you would thoroughly clean cage and investigate the causes). Wheezing in a pet rat, together with noticeable weightloss and struggling to breath is a serious condition which is rarely treated successfully so would warrant a vet visit to see your options for rat. A rat with slight runny poos would really not warrant a vet visit. Cut back on the rats veggies feeding only their regular high quality rat mix for a few days to see if symptoms improve. If runny poos continue for longer than a few days, you might consider the vets as ratty will be losing vital metabolites and salts putting them at risk of heart and organ failure.
Eye scabs/red linning around eyes, red discharge... this is tricky as it very much depends on what is accompanied with this symptom. If there is serious wheezing and weightloss, of course this is serious. If this discharge is not accompanied with sniffles at all then I would clean the rats eyes with salt water and make sure his/her cage is kept very clean, ensure you're not using cedar/pine based substrate and they have plenty of places to stand or sleep which is away from the area they poo.
I only say this to give you some kind of idea of what is serious and what you can treat easily at home. A panic rush to the vets could cost you a small fortune. I see my mum doing this with her dogs spending a fortune and the vet just says they have constipation and prescribes rice and chicken!!! hahaha. honestly, she never learns, does it all the time! lol.
Please note, I am not a vet and this info is meant as a guide only and not to substitute professional medical advice.
I will add more treatments to this as I think of them.
Mite/fleas/parasite treatments
Rats may need parasite treatments. Whereas with cats and dogs, you constantly treat them to prevent parasite infections (e.g. fleas and worms are given to my cat and dogs every three months), you would not routinely treat rats for these things. This is because the medicines are very harsh on their little bodies and its best to only treat if you suspect a problem. You could suspect a parasite problem if your rattie is overly scratching. In this case treat with a shop bought product (below). You can assume there is a definite parasite/skin infection if your rat has obvious lesions on its skin. I have never personally witnessed this but I have seen it online and I think you'll agree with me that this may need vet attention. You could first of all bath ratty in antiparasite solution and treat with usual spot on solutions and see if the condition improves. It would be your call. Tea tree oil has natural antisceptic properties (it’s true Iv tested this myself in the lab), you could pick some up from a pharmacy and try this if you suspect mild mite/flea infections. Remember, if you have to treat parasites, your home, the cage, everything in the room will also need treating (e.g. a flea home spray or bed covers being boiled etc).
The anti-parasite spot on I use is from rat rations, called Harka-Mectin and found here... https://ratrations.co.uk/harka-mectin-ivermectin-spot-on?search=harka%20mectin%20 . or click here. The beaphar stuff found in pet shops isn't strong enough. Read the instructions fully before application. I can not treat babies with this stuff, it is too strong and the babies are too small. Remember, it is pointless treating the rats without fully cleaning out their cage and bleaching (rinsing well) often to rid the environment of the bugs.
Just like us humans, most rats carry parasites and they normally are not pathogenic for the rat but in times of stress etc the parasite can become over populated and the rat starts to display symptoms of being uncomfortable (e.g. excessive scratching). So, dont be surprised if your rats does need a treatment from time to time. Parasites in no way suggest that you are not caring for the babies properly! Treating parasites is part of being a pet owner and it is the owners responsibility to meet our pets wellbeing needs. (pls note you will need to weigh the babies before treatment).
Is my Rat Poorly?
If a rat stops eating, is lethargic and doesn't move much then you can assume your rat is very poorly. I always say with any pet, if your child was displaying these symptoms, would you take them to A&E? If not then you probably dont need to take your pet to the vet. For example, sudden weight loss is definitely a cause for concern warranting a vet visit. Sniffles from a rat at times of high stress or not is not a cause for concern as such (you would thoroughly clean cage and investigate the causes). Wheezing in a pet rat, together with noticeable weightloss and struggling to breath is a serious condition which is rarely treated successfully so would warrant a vet visit to see your options for rat. A rat with slight runny poos would really not warrant a vet visit. Cut back on the rats veggies feeding only their regular high quality rat mix for a few days to see if symptoms improve. If runny poos continue for longer than a few days, you might consider the vets as ratty will be losing vital metabolites and salts putting them at risk of heart and organ failure.
Eye scabs/red linning around eyes, red discharge... this is tricky as it very much depends on what is accompanied with this symptom. If there is serious wheezing and weightloss, of course this is serious. If this discharge is not accompanied with sniffles at all then I would clean the rats eyes with salt water and make sure his/her cage is kept very clean, ensure you're not using cedar/pine based substrate and they have plenty of places to stand or sleep which is away from the area they poo.
I only say this to give you some kind of idea of what is serious and what you can treat easily at home. A panic rush to the vets could cost you a small fortune. I see my mum doing this with her dogs spending a fortune and the vet just says they have constipation and prescribes rice and chicken!!! hahaha. honestly, she never learns, does it all the time! lol.
Please note, I am not a vet and this info is meant as a guide only and not to substitute professional medical advice.
I will add more treatments to this as I think of them.
Things you need to know
I reserve the right to refuse or stop a sale of a ratty at any point. The only reason I can think that this could happen is if a rat is not 100% fit to move house. I will not take this decision lightly but under no circumstances will I ever sell a poorly rat to someone.
Please note... rats sneeze when they are stressed. This can and probably will happen when rats go to their new homes. As long as rat isn’t wheezing or losing weight I wouldn’t worry if you are using a suitable bedding for the rats and they are kept clean and tidy. Respiratory problems will also be exasperated by smelly things such as air diffusers, potpourri, strong perfumes, smoke/smoking, e-cig type things, plug ins, air fresheners, etc (I think you get the message). For the first few days, if needed, you may want to put the rats in a quiet room in the house. But as the rats settle, they will most enjoy being in the busiest room of the house, this will help bonding massively. Sometimes, some rats just struggle with the stress of moving home, esp when they are only in a group of two (the most ideal is three or more). However, that said, I always receive positive amazing feedback on how easily my rats settled in and how confident they are being handled.
Also, rats can make a chattering sound or grind their teeth. This is referred to as bruxing, something the rat may do when it is stressed or very happy. I used to have a rat do it every morning when I would share my porridge with her, however, none of my adults currently do this. I did have one rat in a litter of 12 do it too and held him back because of it oooops haha. It is important not to get teeth grinding and bruxing confused with respiratory problems such as wheezing (like I did!).
Rats can 'boggle' their eyes when happy. Its very weird and can be concerning but it is normal (and apparently quite common). I have never seen it with any of mine, please look it up on youtube for an example. Again, you just need to be aware of it so you don't get concerned if your rat does it hehe.
I say this time and time again... while my rats have never ever bitten me (never drew blood or bitten to defend themselves when frightened, not even my hormonal mums etc), all rats feel with their teeth. Ask any rat owner. This is what they do. It is not the same as biting at all. Some of the baby rats do it to me when I am hand feeding them their meal worm treats etc. (the most confident rats do it the most, some dont do it all, dumbos very rarely do it). It's not a bite, its a feel with their teeth. As I have previously made clear on my adverts, if this is something that would bother you or your child, then rats are not for you. Rats have huge, sharp teeth. If they felt they needed to bite you to defend themselves or hurt you, they would bite hard and draw a lot of blood! I witnessed a rat biting the staff at pets at home recently and there was blood everywhere. That's biting. My rats have never ever done this to me. It is not normal. That whole litter should have been taken off the shop floor and never sold and neither of the parents ever bred again either. That is not normal behaviour. But this wouldn't have happened, they would have been sold regardless. Those rats have regressed and have become frightened of humans (but likely have bad genes because biting is unusual). My children have a hamster which I am frightened to pick up and put on gloves!!! I am never frightened of rats (any!) because, unlike hamsters, it is very rare for them to bite (and is down to very bad breeding!). I hope I have made the difference of biting and a feel clear for you. That said, dont let children put fingers through bars (of any pet) and dont get chicken or meat grease on you around the rats, just put messy things like that in a bowl for them. The rats must learn what is you and what is food and having that stuff on you will just confuse them while they are young possibly. They will learn and you can teach them to come out of their cages to you where they wont "feel" you anymore. Inside their cage they associate with food. As your rat gets older, more used to you, they wont do it. I hope this helps.
I provide a no quibble 48 hour return policy. Any problems/issues at all you can bring a rat/rats back and I will give you a full refund within those 48 hours without question if you suspect a poorly rattie. After this time, I will not. However, I am always here for help and advice with your ratties. Of course, I am a mum of three and university student so if I don't reply immediately please give me chance to do so (ensure you text or call me, not WhatsApp or social media if its urgent).
Returning a rat could be a problem if you have travelled a long distance to come to me. Please bear this in mind when thinking of travelling. I will not be held liable for vets bills under any circumstances. If a rat cant be returned I cant refund the rat. I will not travel to meet you either. It is your decision to travel so far to me. This is standard practise in relation to pet sales, so please be assured I do care and will always try to help (I can not stress this enough).
Viewings & collections are by appointment only. If you can not make a Saturday or a weekday evening, you must contact me before putting down your deposit. I will not hold rats for longer than 6 weeks. If you can not collect your rats on the weekend given on advert or litter details, then you must speak to me about a later collection prior to reserving your baby rats. If you do not turn up as arranged to collect baby rats, I will assume you have changed your mind and you will forfeit your deposit. Please be honest with me if you have changed your mind about ratties. I have lots of people waiting for baby rats and if you leave it too long to tell me you no longer want the rats, you could be preventing them from finding their forever home when it wasn't necessary to do so.
I can not sell a live animal to someone under 18 years old. If someone turns up and they look to me to be under 18 and can not prove their age and they don't have their parent or bill payer with them, I can not sell you your rat and your deposit could be forfeited. Please let me know from the beginning if you are below 18. There is no way for me to tell. If you are over 18 and someone else pays the bills, please be courteous and gain permission from the bill payer before you think about having ratties. Otherwise you could need to rehome the rats and it could have been avoided. Please contact me if any of my rats need rehoming.
When visiting to collect your ratties, please be considerate of my wonderful neighbours and do not block in drive ways in order to park right outside my house (sorry to say this but people do this every time). There is plenty of parking, you may just have to walk a little bit, sorry.
Remember, a rat is like any pet in that in the future it might be the case that the rat needs flea or mite treatment, worming/parasite treatment, nails clipping or other vet treatment etc. This is your responsibility as an owner and you should consider these possibilities when working out if rats are affordable for you. Unlike cats and dogs, fleas and mites infestation are rare in rats (not something I have come across with my rats to be honest) but it’s definitely possible and it is my duty as the breeder to make you aware of this.
Please note... rats sneeze when they are stressed. This can and probably will happen when rats go to their new homes. As long as rat isn’t wheezing or losing weight I wouldn’t worry if you are using a suitable bedding for the rats and they are kept clean and tidy. Respiratory problems will also be exasperated by smelly things such as air diffusers, potpourri, strong perfumes, smoke/smoking, e-cig type things, plug ins, air fresheners, etc (I think you get the message). For the first few days, if needed, you may want to put the rats in a quiet room in the house. But as the rats settle, they will most enjoy being in the busiest room of the house, this will help bonding massively. Sometimes, some rats just struggle with the stress of moving home, esp when they are only in a group of two (the most ideal is three or more). However, that said, I always receive positive amazing feedback on how easily my rats settled in and how confident they are being handled.
Also, rats can make a chattering sound or grind their teeth. This is referred to as bruxing, something the rat may do when it is stressed or very happy. I used to have a rat do it every morning when I would share my porridge with her, however, none of my adults currently do this. I did have one rat in a litter of 12 do it too and held him back because of it oooops haha. It is important not to get teeth grinding and bruxing confused with respiratory problems such as wheezing (like I did!).
Rats can 'boggle' their eyes when happy. Its very weird and can be concerning but it is normal (and apparently quite common). I have never seen it with any of mine, please look it up on youtube for an example. Again, you just need to be aware of it so you don't get concerned if your rat does it hehe.
I say this time and time again... while my rats have never ever bitten me (never drew blood or bitten to defend themselves when frightened, not even my hormonal mums etc), all rats feel with their teeth. Ask any rat owner. This is what they do. It is not the same as biting at all. Some of the baby rats do it to me when I am hand feeding them their meal worm treats etc. (the most confident rats do it the most, some dont do it all, dumbos very rarely do it). It's not a bite, its a feel with their teeth. As I have previously made clear on my adverts, if this is something that would bother you or your child, then rats are not for you. Rats have huge, sharp teeth. If they felt they needed to bite you to defend themselves or hurt you, they would bite hard and draw a lot of blood! I witnessed a rat biting the staff at pets at home recently and there was blood everywhere. That's biting. My rats have never ever done this to me. It is not normal. That whole litter should have been taken off the shop floor and never sold and neither of the parents ever bred again either. That is not normal behaviour. But this wouldn't have happened, they would have been sold regardless. Those rats have regressed and have become frightened of humans (but likely have bad genes because biting is unusual). My children have a hamster which I am frightened to pick up and put on gloves!!! I am never frightened of rats (any!) because, unlike hamsters, it is very rare for them to bite (and is down to very bad breeding!). I hope I have made the difference of biting and a feel clear for you. That said, dont let children put fingers through bars (of any pet) and dont get chicken or meat grease on you around the rats, just put messy things like that in a bowl for them. The rats must learn what is you and what is food and having that stuff on you will just confuse them while they are young possibly. They will learn and you can teach them to come out of their cages to you where they wont "feel" you anymore. Inside their cage they associate with food. As your rat gets older, more used to you, they wont do it. I hope this helps.
I provide a no quibble 48 hour return policy. Any problems/issues at all you can bring a rat/rats back and I will give you a full refund within those 48 hours without question if you suspect a poorly rattie. After this time, I will not. However, I am always here for help and advice with your ratties. Of course, I am a mum of three and university student so if I don't reply immediately please give me chance to do so (ensure you text or call me, not WhatsApp or social media if its urgent).
Returning a rat could be a problem if you have travelled a long distance to come to me. Please bear this in mind when thinking of travelling. I will not be held liable for vets bills under any circumstances. If a rat cant be returned I cant refund the rat. I will not travel to meet you either. It is your decision to travel so far to me. This is standard practise in relation to pet sales, so please be assured I do care and will always try to help (I can not stress this enough).
Viewings & collections are by appointment only. If you can not make a Saturday or a weekday evening, you must contact me before putting down your deposit. I will not hold rats for longer than 6 weeks. If you can not collect your rats on the weekend given on advert or litter details, then you must speak to me about a later collection prior to reserving your baby rats. If you do not turn up as arranged to collect baby rats, I will assume you have changed your mind and you will forfeit your deposit. Please be honest with me if you have changed your mind about ratties. I have lots of people waiting for baby rats and if you leave it too long to tell me you no longer want the rats, you could be preventing them from finding their forever home when it wasn't necessary to do so.
I can not sell a live animal to someone under 18 years old. If someone turns up and they look to me to be under 18 and can not prove their age and they don't have their parent or bill payer with them, I can not sell you your rat and your deposit could be forfeited. Please let me know from the beginning if you are below 18. There is no way for me to tell. If you are over 18 and someone else pays the bills, please be courteous and gain permission from the bill payer before you think about having ratties. Otherwise you could need to rehome the rats and it could have been avoided. Please contact me if any of my rats need rehoming.
When visiting to collect your ratties, please be considerate of my wonderful neighbours and do not block in drive ways in order to park right outside my house (sorry to say this but people do this every time). There is plenty of parking, you may just have to walk a little bit, sorry.
Remember, a rat is like any pet in that in the future it might be the case that the rat needs flea or mite treatment, worming/parasite treatment, nails clipping or other vet treatment etc. This is your responsibility as an owner and you should consider these possibilities when working out if rats are affordable for you. Unlike cats and dogs, fleas and mites infestation are rare in rats (not something I have come across with my rats to be honest) but it’s definitely possible and it is my duty as the breeder to make you aware of this.
Collecting Your Ratties
Don't forget you will need a suitable rat carrier! This is what I use to carry my rats in, it is extremely handy and I use it all the time. Pound stretcher have these large carriers for sale for £5 at the moment!!!
Ensure it is big enough for rats as the carriers come in different sizes. If you get one appropriate for rats then you will be able to use it for their whole life.
Please do not turn up with a cardboard box to carry rats home in as they will chew right out of it in no time at all. Please do not leave your new pets in the car for any unnecessary amount of time. A small wired secure hamster cage may also be fine to be used as a carrier. Remember, the rats are very small! Even us rat owners forget how small rat babies are. If in doubt, just ask.
Unfortunately, if you don't bring something suitable to carry your ratties home in then you wont be able to take them home as I don't have anything here for you.
Please ensure you are happy with rats you are collecting on the day. I do my absolute best to match up rats with their owners and study their pictures and get them ready before you arrive. If you do not think I have the right rat PLEASE PLEASE tell me!! This is really important, don't be shy. Although its much easier for me to tell them apart than perhaps it is for you, the thought of someone not being happy with their rat babies scares me lol and I dont ever want to make this mistake (I know it happens to other breeders and I dont want to make the same mistake). Please do not leave my property until you are 100% happy. I will refund any rat for any reason within 48 hours with no quibble at all but if the problem could have been solved before you left then that makes much more sense for all involved. If you go home with the wrong rat and do not tell me then it is likely your rat will go home with someone else, then there is nothing I can do about that.
Please do not turn up with a cardboard box to carry rats home in as they will chew right out of it in no time at all. Please do not leave your new pets in the car for any unnecessary amount of time. A small wired secure hamster cage may also be fine to be used as a carrier. Remember, the rats are very small! Even us rat owners forget how small rat babies are. If in doubt, just ask.
Unfortunately, if you don't bring something suitable to carry your ratties home in then you wont be able to take them home as I don't have anything here for you.
Please ensure you are happy with rats you are collecting on the day. I do my absolute best to match up rats with their owners and study their pictures and get them ready before you arrive. If you do not think I have the right rat PLEASE PLEASE tell me!! This is really important, don't be shy. Although its much easier for me to tell them apart than perhaps it is for you, the thought of someone not being happy with their rat babies scares me lol and I dont ever want to make this mistake (I know it happens to other breeders and I dont want to make the same mistake). Please do not leave my property until you are 100% happy. I will refund any rat for any reason within 48 hours with no quibble at all but if the problem could have been solved before you left then that makes much more sense for all involved. If you go home with the wrong rat and do not tell me then it is likely your rat will go home with someone else, then there is nothing I can do about that.
Anything Else?
If there is anything whatsoever that you can think of or you need to know or would like included somewhere here or on the website, please do not hesitate to contact me. Remember, I am only human and although us mums are super human (haha), I may one time get something wrong but I do all I can not to and will always try to put it right. It's very important for me to get things right so feedback is greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much (I cant believe you read this far in all honestly ha).
Thanks so much (I cant believe you read this far in all honestly ha).