Pet Rat Information, Please. (Edited and Revised in SWH Section)

Rats are great!! My husband & I got 2 rats a number of years ago, Daisy & Ella.

While they are in the same rodent family as mice, hamsters, gerbils, etc., rats tend to have a natural bite inhibition, making them easy to handle. And they love to be handled! Expect them to snuggle into your clothing (hoodies with the double-open front pocket make great traveling "slings" for them!)

Keep in mind, rats are very social creatures. Since you only have one, she will not only enjoy, but -need- to be handled daily. They are extremely smart, so training tricks for treats can be a great interaction.

We were advised against getting the clear exercise ball - rats have longer bodies & don't always feel comfortable in them. Instead, "rat proof" an area of your home that they can have loose turn-out in for exercise. To rat-proof cords, use the plastic tubing for aquarium hoses, slit it lengthwise & then tuck the cord inside.

We have large dogs, so this was not an option, but I know quite a few people who trained their rats to relieve themselves in the cage, & allowed them run of the house. Rats are naturally clean, & can be litter-box trained.

Be aware, not all bedding is safe for rats. No cedar - despite the great smell, the aromatic compounds it releases are actually toxic. Pine shavings are also coming under scrutiny. Aspen wood shavings are recommended. We actually used a recycled newspaper litter for cats, called Yesterday's News, worked great, & then made an area in the cage that was softer for snuggling into with a towel.

Chewing - rats will need to chew! Give them options - toilet & paper towel rolls are a good resource, also harder tubes from wrapping paper & oatmeal containers. Safe blocks of wood work well too.

Here's a link to some great resources of info for pet rats:
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/careofrats/a/ratscare.htm

Have fun with your new family member! T. =-)

http://thepetwiki.com/wiki/Rats

http://www.nfrs.org/shortinfo.html

Rats make great pets.
Our 7th grade science class had a few animals that we could hold during class.
There was a rat that was my favorite and I always had him sit on my shoulders.

The bathroom can be a great place to hang out with a rat. I had two in college and they are wonderful pets. As others have said they need daily handling so they won't become wild and unsocialized. I would take mine into the bathroom in the evenings, roll a towel up to cover the crack under the door and sit on the floor doing homework while mine roamed around. There is typically little they can be harmed by in a bathroom and clean up from any potty accidents was simple on the bathroom floors. Also mine enjoyed water so I could draw a very small puddle in the bathtub and let them play in that. Tubs tend to slope toward the drain so a cup or two of water would remain around the drain, creating a birdbath of sorts for them. They could play in the water and then wander off to play in the rest of the tub. I kept all manner of cardboard boxes for mine to shred which they love doing. Other than rat food and bedding I didn't buy much for them. It was more a matter of repurposing items for their use.

I didn’t use any type of wood chip bedding because the dust can be an irritant to their lungs. Instead I would use the cat litter alternative (shredded paper type material). Also don’t use any cage with a wire mesh floor. They can develop sores on their feet. A solid glass aquarium or plastic rat house is best; the plastic houses with wire for most of the walls is best for ventilation purposes. They are escape artists so keep them safe by closing their cage door every time. They don’t live long and tend to have tumorous growths toward the end of their lives but are a joy to own. Good luck.

hm. first off, i have issues with parents being 'softies' about pets. i'm sure orchid will be fine, but i wish wish wish that no one would impulse-buy living creatures. it rarely works out well for anyone, but especially the animals involved. be a softie about letting her go the movies or buy a sparkly hair thingamabob. when it comes to living beings, make her research and spend time learning what it entails.
no exercise wheels for rats. their long tails are very much at risk. you need to take your rattie out every day, handle and love on her, and let her run around in a safe, rat-proofed area. rats are amazingly wonderful pets, but they can't just be stuck in a cage.
she will chew her way out of a cardboard box in no time.
we used to set up elaborate mazes for our rat using big blocks (books will work) and we all loved it.
even though we had well-socialized dogs and cats, we were very careful not to risk them being around our rattie. don't assume that a 'sweet' dog won't go after a rat.
the 'briefness' of the bunny episode concerns me. i hope orchid works out and lives a long and happy life with you. but please, no more impulse pets.
ETA, per your SWH, glad to hear it! sounds like orchid will be happy with you.
khairete
S.

We had pet rats when I was very young. I loved them but that's all I remember about them. LOL I would check with the pet store on what you need for her. Good luck and have fun!