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Anonymous
Hey /an/

When I was younger I used to have two pet hamsters and I loved them to death, Greatest pets I ever owned actually.
Its been about 7 years since then and now I wish to get another small pet.
I was thinking about getting a rat though because I heard they lived longer and are a little bit more active during the day.

What should I expect out of getting a rat? Are they any differences between a hamster and a rat I should know about?

I would love to know every little thing.
>> Flisan
Rats are generally BIGGER then hammies. They are also smarter, and can learn tricks and stuff. Rats are omnivores, so you'll have to give them all kinds of food. I usually give them a little of what I eat for dinner. And ofcourse they need a mix of seeds, nuts, dried fruit and such too. And a mineral stone. (I'm pretty sure you know about waterbottles since you've had a hammie). The hard part is to not overfeed the rat. A fat rat is not neccesarily unhappy, but it gets harder to climb.
Rats are pack-animals, so you should get atleast two. They will still (perhaps even more) become very tame. Be careful not to get a male and a femaile unless you want to be flooded though.
Rats mature sexually at age five weeks. It doesn't carry for very long, and gets about 10 baby rats at each go. Count on getting ten new ones per female every ten weeks...
IMPORTANT: Male rats needs a companion too!!! Another male, that is.

Female rats are more active while male rats are more mellow. But male rats have HUGE balls, so it's also an estaetic question.
I have three male rats, and they are all sweet and adorable!
>> Anonymous
I always wondered if there is neutering for only certain animals.
>> Anonymous
>>87722

Rats can be neutered, but it is tricky. The surgery itself isn't the issue. It's not difficult at all. The tricky part is the anesthesia. Anestheisa is difficult for small animals becasue the difference in an effective dose and a lethal dose is very small....so it is not commonly done.
>> Anonymous
>>87725
I've heard a lot of rats dying while in surgery for neutering.

also.
go here for some facts about rat surgery. since they are small animals, it can be very difficult and a lot of vets aren't used to working with such small animals(as people don't think they are worth the cost)

http://www.ratfanclub.org/surgery.html
>> Anonymous
Reiterating big balls. Not enjoyable. Consider female rats my friend.
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
>>87708
>Rats are generally BIGGER then hammies.

Rats are not only generally bigger, a rat that is as small as or smaller than a hamster is either a runt/dwarf or is extremely underfed. Most rats will weigh about 1/2lb to 1lb when adults, and have 6-10 inch bodies. Biggest male rat i've met was a foot from nose to base of tail.

>Rats are omnivores, so you'll have to give them all kinds of food. I usually give them a little of what I eat for dinner. And ofcourse they need a mix of seeds, nuts, dried fruit and such too.

Rats are indeed omnivores, but it is NOT a good idea to give them a "mix of seeds, nuts, dried fruit". It is best to give them lab blocks, which can cost about 4usd for 1lb. For two rats, the minimum number you should get, that one pound would last a month or so. You should make said lab blocks available at all times, though keep in mind that just because their food dish is empty, it doesnt mean they don't have blocks stashed away. You should also give them treats like the "fruit puffs" for babies and cheerios. Baby food, fresh veggies, and food scraps are great. Fruits should never be given in large quantities, and you should never give them corn. The "Rat and Mouse" mixes you can get at a pet store are not good for the basis of a rat's diet, but can be used as treats or special meals. Ferret treats are also great for them.


>And a mineral stone. (I'm pretty sure you know about waterbottles since you've had a hammie).

They do not need a mineral stone. Best case scenerio, they pee on it and ruin it. Worst case, they get sick from it. To keep their teeth short, give them wood blocks (they actually make special flavoured wood things, look by the rabbit treats)

>The hard part is to not overfeed the rat. A fat rat is not neccesarily unhappy, but it gets harder to climb.

They also are more likely to develop tumours if you give them a high fat or high protein diet.
>> Bitter Anon !!WJLRQ1cwCyZ
(Cont.)
>Rats are pack-animals, so you should get atleast two. They will still (perhaps even more) become very tame. Be careful not to get a male and a femaile unless you want to be flooded though.

Rats are not pack animals. They are *social* animals. There is a difference. A rat must have emotional contact with another being, and unless your rat will be with you 24 hours a day, you should have a companion for it. Two rats of the same gender, of roughly the same age, is a perfect beginning set.

>Rats mature sexually at age five weeks. It doesn't carry for very long, and gets about 10 baby rats at each go. Count on getting ten new ones per female every ten weeks...

Rat litters range from 5 to 24 babies, usually closer to 15-20 for standard "feeder" rats, well bred rats from breeders generally aren't bred for huge litters, so they tend to have less. If you get a female from a cage with both genders in it, assume you will soon have 24 babies. I HIGHLY RECCOMEND male rats for first time owners, and to never adopt a female if you even suspect she is going to pop out a herd, unless you are trained in the care of orphans and know a lot about raising them from birth and can handle it. If you have any doubts that you can, then you can't.

>Female rats are more active while male rats are more mellow. But male rats have HUGE balls, so it's also an estaetic question.

Aesthetic is the word you are looking for. Yes they have huge balls, but it isn't mutch of an issue past the first impression. The issue with neutering them is, as a previous poster mentioned,sedation, but also complications from the surgeon leaving fat in their scrotum.
>> Anonymous
Don't worry about boy rat parts. Girls and boys are equally beautiful. It's more important to get a rat based on what kind of pet you want. Babies start out similar in the way of personality and activity. Boys become laid back, lazy squishy lumps. They're cuddle buddies. Yes, they're active, but they are more likely to sit on you and let you pet them as long as they can. Girls are always hyper. We had a girl who was about 3 and a half and she was still all over bouncy explorer girl.

Rats diets are simple, really. I would suggest going to http://www.ratfanclub.org/helpinfo.html It really is the best place to start. I have been part of a breeding facility that breeds rats for shows. Our best rat and his daughter made Champion and best kitten (yes, they're called kittens in some circles.) in the same year, and she made Champion the next year.

Our rats were always fed on ~2T of Nutro Light Dog food. It's a very well balanced diet, and safe. Along with that, the laziest route is to give them 2T of canned mixed vegetables a night. You can give them 1T of fruit 2-3 times a week. We put them on Carefresh, but if someone you know can get Harlan TekFresh, it's a very good thing. NO CEDAR chips. That will give your babies cancer.
>> Anonymous
What else... they need love and attention. They're SMART. They can get sick easily if drafty, or too hot... and their cage needs to be cleaned well. They're sensitive to that. They need space. A 10 gallon aquarium is NOT good for an adult rat. Big cages with lots of toys (look at yard sales and thrift stores for hard plastic baby toys. Those plastic balls with the plastic bells that you can get cats are good. And they absolutely LOVE those crinkly, bright coloured toys, sometimes ball shaped, sometimes rat shaped... NO stuffed animals, they eat the stuffing and get compacted. BAD death results.

Hmmm... well... check out the Rat Fan Club site. It will have the best beginning information. Constant attention, research and experience will teach you the rest.
>> Anonymous
They're also very susceptible to tumors late in life, albinos and those bred for feeders/labs in particular.
>> Anonymous
Rats are susceptible to tumors in much the same way that wood is susceptible to fire. Every rat I've had in the past few years has died from either cancer or an aneurysm. Now poor Toejam is lonely without Earl. He's chewing on his cage, completely ignoring the wood blocks I give him, and it's driving me crazy.
>> Anonymous
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>>87910
I think it's driving him crazy too. Anyway, rat balls are huge.