Nervous pet rat owners (or people who want a rat) --
If you'd like your ratties to be happy and healthy, and stop them from chewing everything, going to the bathroom on you, biting you, and more... then this could be the most important info you'll ever read...

My complete system will have your ratties trusting you as their close friend, doing neat tricks that impress your friends, and living as long as possible. Even if you're almost never home, you're a total beginner, and you don't have time to read through volumes of time consuming material!

Ever since my first acquaintance to rats, I've owned over 1,000 of these amazing animals. They have been great companions to me.

I learned everything I could about them, went into breeding, and compared notes with other respected rat breeders through the years.

For the past couple decades, I've been proud to do my part to help spread the popularity of pet rats. You might have heard me on the radio. (I've been a guest on many local interview shows on AM stations.)

I've even taken my trained rats onto local news shows in major markets such as Boston to show what my ratties can do.

And, as a breeder, I helped a lot of new owners of rats who'd just brought their ratties home. Because I've been in contact with rat experts and new owners, I've been a little saddened to discover that...

There Are A Lot Of Misconceptions
About How To Properly Care For A Rat

Pet Rat Care!

You see, while rats make remarkable pets and bring so much happiness to the people around them, they need the right kind of home. They need the right kind of care.

You need to do certain things to make sure they're as healthy as can be.

You need to do certain things to make sure they've got the perfect living environment, that both challenges their curiosity and keeps them entertained.

You can easily prevent any behavior problems... if you know what to do.

You see, ratties also need the right kind of training. Train them correctly, and you will have so much fun (as will they!). That's because, as you probably know, rats are very intelligent animals. That means they have the potential to not only be well behaved, but to do some tricks that will dazzle your friends and family.

And the problem is that there's not a whole lot of information out there about pet rats. You go to the pet store, and you'll find plenty of books on gerbils, hamsters, and even mice. But not rats.

So I decided to write the book myself.

Because you know what the best part about rats is?

There's An Easy Way To Take Care Of
Your Rats And Have A Happy Life Together.
You can have a great relationship with your ratties.

You just need to know how.

Pet Rat Care!

So you've decided to get a pet rat. There are many things you will need to decide on to prepare for your new pet. We'll go over each of these items in this article.

The first decision you have to make is whether you want a male or female. There are a number of differences between male and female rats.

Males tend to mark their territory with drops of their urine. Because of this habit their cage will require slightly more frequent cleaning than a cage of females. Males are usually larger than females which make them easier for children to handle. Generally males are lazier and more relaxed than females. Most of the time males are content to just lay around most of the day. This makes them great lap pets.

Females will usually be smaller than males. They are also more active and will require a little more interaction and toys to keep them from being bored. Females tend to be more curious and inquisitive than males, so you will have to keep a closer eye on them when they're outside of their cage. If you purchase a female make sure the pet store has the males and females separated or you could end up bringing home a pregnant rat.

The next thing you will have to decide on is how many rats you should get. Why not just one? The answer is that rats are very social animals. In the wild rats live together in large communities. Human companionship just can't replace that of another rat, especially since you can't be with your rat 24 hours a day. Rats tend to get depressed if they are alone. Together rats will groom one another, play together, and keep each other warm at night. It's important that rats have companions and you will want to have a minimum of two rats.

You will need a place to put your new pet. Cages and aquariums are the two main options for housing. Most recommend a cage over an aquarium for several reasons.

Aquariums provide very poor ventilation. You would have to have quite a large aquarium to provide adequate ventilation for a pair of rats. If you must use an aquarium make sure you use a screen cover and not a plastic lid. A screen cover will allow better air flow.

Cages have great ventilation and air flow which results in less ammonia build up. You will find there is a large variety of cages to choose from both online and in pet stores. It's recommended that you get a cage with a pan bottom. Constantly walking on wire flooring can cause a condition in rats called bumblefoot. For multi-level cages or cages with shelves you will want to make sure the floors are made of 1/2" x 1/2" wire mesh. Rats can get their legs caught in larger sizes such as 1" x 1/2" which can result in serious injury.

You will need to pick up some bedding to put in the cage bottom. Your choice of bedding is more important than you might think. Pine and cedar, which are extremely common in pet stores, are very dangerous for rats. There have been many studies done showing the toxicity of pine and cedar.

It's very common for rats to get respiratory infections, so it's important to provide a dust free environment. Consider this when choosing your bedding. If the bedding looks dusty, don't get it! Some recommended brands include Critter Litter, CareFRESH, or paper based litters such as Yesterday's News.

What else do we need? Your rats will need a water bottle. Most water bottles are made for cages, so if you have an aquarium make sure the water bottle you choose can attach to the aquarium side.

Your rats will also need a food bowl. Rats will chew whatever you put in their cage so a metal or ceramic bowl is recommended over plastic. They also like perching themselves on the side of the bowl. That will cause the bowl to tip over unless its heavy or attached to the side of the cage.

Last your rats will need toys! You will find plenty of things to choose from. Most pet stores have an isle dedicated to small animal toys. Rats love having things to chew on and climb on.

You now have all the basics covered and you are ready to get your new pets. The only thing you have left to decide is what to name them!

About the Author

Scott McHenry and his wife have had a large number of pets of many different species. They have several years experience with rats and together run an informational web site about pet rats, www.ratanswers.com.

For many years, rats remained a hated and feared species that caused plagues and ate into stores of food. During medieval times, people used to employ specialized rat catchers to get rid of these rodents. However, today many rats, rodents and similar species have been domesticated and are kept as pets. The most popular rat species kept as pet is Rattus norvegicus.

Pet rats have an average life span of ranging from two to three years. They are nocturnal creatures and therefore, usually most active at night. Males rats are called bucks, and females are called does, while babies are referred to as pups or kittens. Rats reach puberty at a very young age, usually between six to eight weeks. However, they should not be bred at this early age.

Rats are considered as intelligent, social animals and can make wonderful pets and companions. They are especially popular with children and are easily tamed. They are social and behave best when kept in groups or pairs. For this purpose, same sex pairs or groups are usually ideal. Males usually get along fine with other males, especially if they are kept together from an early age or if they are littermates. It is a misconception that keeping rats in groups will make them more difficult to tame. If the training process begins early, then they learn quickly and generally pose no trouble.

Rats are omnivores and can be fed on fresh foods like rice, vegetables and animal protein. The males are larger and quite a bit lazier than the females and have a coarser coat. Females are smaller and tend to be more active and playful. They are especially known to be friendly with children and are emotional creatures. Rats make good pets and can be treated like any other pet.

Rats provides detailed information on Rats, Rat Terrier, Pet Rats, Rat Snake and more. Rats is affiliated with Electronic Pest Control.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva