Choosing a Pet Rat

After considering these points and deciding that the rat is the pet for you, it is time to choose your pet. Rats can be obtained from a variety of places, pet shops, private advertising, private breeders, and re-homing centres. If you are concerned about qualities such as the pattern, colour or coat type, and wish to know about the health and temperament of a rat's family, it is best to contact a breeder. Many of these now advertise on the Internet and at rat shows. The advantages of buying a rat from a breeder are that you can see at least one of the parents and the condition the rats are kept in, ask about the dietary requirements of the rat you choose and the history of it's family, and the rat is more likely to enjoy human contact.

If you are not concerned about how the rat looks and its history and would like to give a good home to rat needing it, then private advertising and re-homing centres are the best choice. Usually the rats have landed in this situation through no fault of their own (i.e. their owners grew bored of them or moved to a place that does not allow pets). Although they are usually adults, they can often make just as good pets as those you buy as babies.

Pet shops should really be avoided when buying any animal. They are bred only with making money in mind; they are not bred with any thought to their ongoing health, their temperament, or their life expectancy. They don't receive the extra nutrition that rat kittens need to become big strong adults and, as a rule, they are rarely handled. The worst thing is that every animal bought from a pet shop makes room for more to bred and sold.

When you buy a rat from anywhere, always ask to handle her. A healthy rat should be alert and inquisitive, have bright, and clear eyes, nostrils free of any colour discharge, a clean bottom, and a good coat with no bald patches or scabs. Also, check the condition of the littermates and the state of the cage. If none of these come up to standard then look elsewhere. You may want help the rats, but if these breeders aren’t making any money, they’ll stop. Never buy a rat that is less than six weeks old. Before this age the baby rat (or kitten) is too immature for life on her own and needs the companionship of her littermates and protection of her mother.

There are many arguments as to what you do once you get the new arrival home. Some rat experts say to put the rat in the centre of activity in the house to get her used to the rhythms of her new world. Others disagree. Personally I feel that the stress of moving, leaving her littermates, and being plunged into a completely new environment is massive. Then to have on top of this the added stress of noise and unwanted (at least for the first day) attention must be frightening indeed for the poor animal. Therefore, I would recommend that the cage be placed somewhere quiet and out of the way for the first couple of days, even if it is not to stay here.

If you plan to introduce your new rat to another, please see the behaviour section for more details.

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