Rat Pet Blog

You have a rat as a pet?!

I have to admit that the concept sounded just as crazy to me when my wife first suggested it. Sarah had decided that she wanted a pet.

Having dismissed cats (allergies), dogs (we both work), elephants (too big) and unicorns (not real) as options, Sarah suggested a pet rat.

A few months later we were the proud owner of two baby girl rats!

Rat History

Specially bred rat pets originate back to the time of Queen Victoria. Rats had become such an issue that professional rat catchers were employed by town governments to help control the problem. Rats with unusual markings or coloration were kept, and bred together to produce the big variety that we have today.

Rats are extremely inquisitive, social and intelligent (and cute! -Sarah) animals that can be trained to do many things, usually through bribery!

A common misconception is that rats are dirty, disease carrying vermin - this could not be further from the truth for rat pets!

Introducing our rats!

We currently have four female rats named Ruby, Perl, Sequel, and Delphi.

Each of our rats has a very distinct personality, they are fascinating pets!

Rat pets typically live to about two years old, so we only have a short time with them. It is extremely important that they are fed a well balanced diet, as too much protein is reputed to cause problems.

Obesity can significantly reduce their life span.

A pet for you!

If you are interested in keeping a rat pet, ensure that you get at least two.

Please, please, please contact a breeder rather than buying from a pet shop, who tend to treat them as a cheap, disposable commodity.

You should learn as much as possible before getting a rat pet. Training should begin as early as possible; correct handling, feeding and training are a must!

The best guide that we have found is the fantastic “Pet Rats”, an e-book by Colin Patterson. This fantastic book is jam-packed with information and is very easy to read.

It covers everything: choosing a gender, diet, environment, playtime, training, tricks, health care, finding a capable vet, and much more.

We think it is an absolutely indispensable guide for anyone who wants to get the most out of their new rat pets!