Q: "My rat sneezes a lot, breathes funny, and has some blood around his nose and/ or eyes. What’s
wrong?"
A: This is a very common question for new rat owners. Rats have fairly delicate respiratory
tracts and can come down with Upper Respiratory Infections (URI’s) for several reasons, including the use of pine/cedar
bedding, allowing ammonia to build up in the cage, a weakened immune system from old age of as a secondary infection from
another illness. Symptoms include: sneezing/wheezing/labored breathing/porphyrin staining around the eyes and/or nose (often
mistaken for blood/) lethargy/loss of appetite. Depending on the severity of the infection the rat may experience some or
all of the symptoms. URI’s can be treated/controlled with appropriate antibiotics, but you must get the rat to a vet.
The longer the infection is allowed to continue untreated the more like there will be permanent damage to the rat’s
lungs and eventually it will turn into pneumonia.
Q: "My rat scratches himself a lot and has scabs all over his body, but I don’t think he has any fleas."
A: This seems to likely be mites or possibly lice. The difference between the two is that mites cannot be seen with the
naked eye, and are usually species-specific (as in you won’t get them.) Lice can be seen if you ruffle up the rat’s
fur, usually attached to the hair shaft. The scabs you see, usually around the head and shoulders, are from the rat scratching
itself. The best form of treatment for both is kitten Revolution, which must be prescribed by a vet. You will also need to
thoroughly clean in and around your rat’s cage to help break the life cycle of the pests.
Q: "My rat has a lump, what is it?"
A: Unfortunately another thing rats are prone to is tumors. Lumps and bumps should always be checked out by a vet. Often
the tumor can be removed and greatly increase the rats' quality of life, especially if it is a fast growing, benign, fatty
type tumor. These can grow surreally large and complications can make your rat ill.
On another note, it may also be an abscess, which again should receive veterinary attention.
Q: "My rat has very long nails, can I trim them?"
A: Yes! Nail trimming is very important! When trimming nails be sure to only trim the tip, don’t cut too far back,
or you will hit the "live" part of the nail called the quick and will cause it to bleed. Nail trimming often goes best
if one person holds the rat wrapped in a towel while a second person trims the nails. If you are afraid to cut the nails
yourself your vet will be able to trim them for a small fee.
Q: "What bedding should I use? Why are pine and cedar bad? What would happen if I tried to use pine or cedar?"
A: Three popular and safe commercial beddings are Care Fresh, Aspen, and Yesterday’s News (or any unscented,
paper-based cat litter [avoid clay.]) Pine and cedar are bad because they contain dust and oils (pine and cedar are actually
used as a natural pest deterrent!) that irritate a rats delicate respiratory tract. Short term it can cause sniffling and
sneezing, longer term exposure can cause URI’s and even serious lung damage.
Q: "Can I give my rat a bath? He smells and has orange-y dandruff!"
A: Sound like ‘buck grease!’ Male rats tend to have more oily coats than females. Although rats
are fastidious groomers and generally very clean, every now and then they can use a good old-fashioned bath. This can be accomplished
with a mild kitten shampoo (no flea shampoos) or no-tears baby shampoo and warm water. Most rats don’t appreciate being
bathed, so prepare to get scratched! (Note: if your rats smell unusually bad try to keep their cage cleaner and examine their
diet.)
Q: "Would a rat be a good pet for my child?"
A: Rats can make great pets for people of all ages! Rats are excellent pets for kids as they are friendlier
and more tolerant (less likely to bite) than other pocket pets, like hamsters and mice. However, parents should remember that
ultimately they are responsible for their children’s pets, and need to ensure the animals are receiving proper care
throughout their lives. Children should be taught how to appropriately care for and handle their pet rats, and small children
should be supervised when interacting with them.
Q: "How long should I quarantine my new rat/s?"
A: Three weeks to a month. Keep the resident rats and the new rats completely separate, preferably in separate
buildings, or at very least in separate rooms. Remember that most viruses can live on your hands/clothing of about
three hours. (More info added on the Rat Care page.)
Q: "How do I breed my rats? Why is there no breeding info on this site?"
A: Some people have noticed there is no breeding section on this site, this is because I am not a breeder. I have no knowledge
of genetics and do not feel qualified to put up any information relating to the breeding of rats. If you are interested in
breeding I suggest you locate a responsible breeder to mentor you…with so many rats ending up in rescues, breeding is
not something to be taken lightly or done 'for the fun of it.'
Q: "Do males or females make better pets?"
A: Both males and females make great pets! All rats are individuals, but males tend to be more lazy and laid
back while females tend to be more curious and active. Baby rats of both sexes tend to be hyper, sometimes up until they are
nearing a year old. If you have a specific personality type in mind look into adopting some adult rats!