Another common mistake that wasn't mentioned is that people purchase rats and then try rehome them when they realise how much of a commitment they can be! Some people don't realise they're like any other pet, such as a dog or a cat, that can bond with their owners! It can be really upsetting to jumping from home to home, person to person, in their short lifetime :( You need to make sure you can commit and your living situation is stable.
True! Also I would say that in general, getting rats should be given as much consideration as getting a dog - they're smart, sociable, lovely little animals, a cut above hamsters and other rodents if you ask me 😎 and they really do remind me of little dogs with all their different personalitiesa
Yeah i got my two rats from an owner that couldnt care for them as her nine year old daughter couldnt properly take care of them ,the sad thing is that she got the rats of a person that didnt want them either . i really didnt like the fact that people were just passing oj like they weren't animals,so glad i have them now (so i can properly care for them and form a strong bond with them ) their names aare Tabasco and Marvin if you were wondering
I have two houses so when I'm not home they are used to me and my dad at this point to where my dad will take them out to play in my room feed them ECT. And yes I agree they are a handful 😂 but best decision I have made ❤️
I'm 13 and I look after 3 rats and they are happy and healthy, I get them out of the cage each day for at least 45 mins. Even though the responsibility and cost of them for a child may not be suitable but I can get around fine and I manage to do an ok job so in some cases it can be ok for a child my age to care for a rat. Thank you, this video was really helpful.💗💗
I’m also 13 and I’m getting two male rats soon! A lot of my classmates think it’s weird (I’m not bullied or anything, it’s the tails) but it’s their loss😋
I'm 14 and I'm getting 2 males in 4 months (My birthday) I'm autistic and know EVERYTHING about rats, I just watch these videos for enjoyment. I've been making rat nesting blankets, hideaways, cube hideaways, tunnels, hammocks etc. out of fleece. I'm so excited!!
@@agay8360 i'm in a very similar situation! i got my rats about a month ago (also for my 15th bday), and i've also been diagnosed with asd. my mom did lots of research but i wish she wouldve told me earlier so i could look things up and learn on my own before actually bringing my two liddol bois home. theyre doing alright but i'm sure you can understand me wanting to be as prepared as possible beforehand haha (hope youve had a great two months being a rat owner! i trust your boys are in great hands. uvu ~andniceusernamebtwhehe~)
I like to watch these to make sure I’m doing things right, I’ve owned rats before but I like to make sure. Have three boys rn that I got from a bad situation, empty cage and no interaction from the previous owner. They’re currently fishing for peas and strawberry slices, previous owner said that they were mean but they’re so sweet.
Aww good on you both for doing more research! They sound so cute Big Tiddy Goth Gf!! And i hope they are settling in well four days has never felt so long!!
Bumble foot is caused by dirty surfaces, not wire alone. Of course a full wire bottom isn’t going to be the most comfortable and I wouldn’t suggest it, but it won’t cause bumble foot.
Rats are phenomenal. I fell in love when I saved Ruby from becoming snake food. I wound up with 2 others that needed new homes. All 3 of my babies have since passed but my sister in law and niece came home with 2 boys one day. I honestly cannot imagine life without rats, and they get along with the cats so well. Rats are truly loving animals. Most animals are though if treated and raised properly, lovingly, affectionately.
I have 23 rats currently 😋 I’ve raised and bred them since I was a teenager. My favorite part of this video is about getting your children rats as pets. I have a 5 year old who is “responsible” for his own rat. Lol I laugh because it’s true, children although they have the greatest intentions, forget A LOT. I use his rat to teach him about caring for animals. Everyday when I feed all the ratties he feeds his rattie too, but if I weren’t up his tush about it I can’t imagine how many times he’d forget. And even though a big cage is wonderful, they all need to come out and have play time out of their cages daily as well. My husband laughs about how much time I spend taking care of them and the meals I prepare for them every day, but it’s so important to keep them socialized (even with people!!) and keep them well fed. My monthly bills for rat care are about $300 (bedding, cleaning supplies, dry food, fresh foods, treats, hides, toys, things to chew on) The thing I hate the most is when people don’t want to care for their rats they think “oh, rats are in the wild so I can just let them lose outside!!” NOOOOOOOO!!!! They will NOT survive, if you can’t handle them PLEASE find a rescue or a proper new home! Wonderful video ❤️
Hello - we have had our girls (2 lovely rat girls) for a little over a month now and they are so fascinating! Ours have been nipping, even drew blood, and are increasingly leaping at our daughters' heads during play time. Do you have any advice for us as we try to discourage biting and face-leaping?
As a kid who got 4 rats less then a month ago, I try to be very responsible with them and take any advice given to me, I also do lots of research and watch videos. I am fully aware that my rats won’t live forever but want to make their lives worth living and love them all so much 💕
As an experienced rat owner and affiliate of a rat shelter, I can't but say that this video lays out the ground rules very, very well. Hats off to you!
got my boys from a pet shop and i’ve been lucky to have very healthy rats who just celebrated their 1st birthday! I’ve considered breedings rats so people in my country wont have to buy from pet shops! (we have 3 breeders all hours away)
@@laurenelloise i would love to do breeding but again it’s very costly bc well extra mouths to feed and all that, but also knowing how to help your pregnant rat when she is having birth troubles. My only problem is finances.
When I was 7y.o I received my first female rat, she's for now the only one who died because she was old, she died when she was 5, 5 years old and traveled to France, to Poland and back with me. I loved her so much
I would have a cage that I could fit in the car. When I was in the car I'd have it on my lap. I would never fly anywhere or make my rats travel without me because its too hard and stressful for them. These were just weekend away family camping trips.
Unbelievable she lived to 5 years old. That's amazing. My first 2 girls had tumors, and my first boy started dragging his lower half unable to use his back legs, which is apparently more common than you'd think in male rats. And I just lost my 2nd boy a couple of months ago. I font know what happened but he was fine when I went to bed and when I woke. But I went to store and came back and he was at the bottom of the ramp upside down, gone. He was a fat thing, so cute, but not sure if that had anything to do with it.
you are SO CUTE and genuine. the way you talk to your younger audience is so respectful and that you're aware that you have one and that you make sure to give them the proper information is so different from most youtubers who like to pretend they don't have a younger audience. you deserve so many more subscribers!
ahhhh💞 thank you!! majority of my audience is 18 - 34 but i see so many comments on my rat video from so many young people so i want to be able to give them good advice! thanks so much!!
Aw good on you for doing research, that’ll help ALOT! If you’re interested I made a video on how to convince your parents, maybe it’ll help you! :) How To Convince Your Parents To Let You Have Rats th-cam.com/video/47yiI1mYecY/w-d-xo.html
A way to help with convincing is taking full responsibility of everything about the rats ..like buying everything for them instead of your parents using their money to buy the rats for you . I’d say save up some money or find a way to earn money . This is how i convinced my parents . I make my own money by reselling my clothes & I make a lot from it . I also pay for everything myself whenever my rats need something . I also tell them a lot of good facts about rats to ease their minds about them . :))
A few warnings... They are expensive at first to get all the supplies and sometimes they get sick despite your efforts so have a vet in mind that treats rats ahead of time. Also they always seem to smell at least a little lol
Neutering for male rats lengthen their lives (they often die from testicular cancer) as well as helps with hormonal aggression, and hormonal health issues. My rat that I got neutered lived 4 years and the recovery was very quick and easy.
Fun tip for keeping rats (and many other small animals cool (including rabbits)) is to buy CERAMIC BATHROOM FLOOR TILES Rinse them with water and put a stack in the freezer (even 15min is good enough) . Place one tile in a cage and watch them lay on it to cool off (especially boys with their torpedoes lol). And then take out the dirty one, clean it and start all over (it's nice to have extras so there is always at least one for each cage frozen, and one being used)
omg haha that’s so smart- My rats love to play with ice cubes! Sometimes i just put some ice on a plate and let them run around through them. They love it!
Very well done! I've had many rats, but was curious when this came up in my recommend videos. 2 points we differ on slightly-1 rats do cost more than someone may initially think, but once you have a cage set up, day to day, they are quite cheap. Depending on your diet, most of they're food can be stuff you share with them(as you said, people must do they're research first). Things like toys, and bedding, it depends on what the owner wants to spend. With a bit more work, and creativity, you can spend pretty much nothing on them. 2 I do think they can be great pets for kids, obviously they can't usually afford vet bills and such(paying for those should count as care for the child). But depending on the age, and individual personality, I think a child can be the owner of rats, as long as a parent makes sure to teach the kid about rat care, tells them to talk about any problems/questions they have, and checks up on them often. You know a lot more about caring for your pets than many owners do. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others, and helping out the animals that don't get a say!
I got my rats last week on Thursday, I got them from a local pet rat breeder and they're very amazing already. Junko is a black Berkshire top ear and Mae is a black silvermane dumbo! I love them both so much already and am trying to provide the best I can for my beautiful baby girls ❤️
this is a great informative video!! I made the mistake with my first rat and only got one rat, and eventually he did get depressed and sad and his health rapidly dropped i felt so bad when i found out i caused that cause he was lonely. But now i have two healthy happy girls! :)
oh my goodness I’ve had rats before but it’s been YEARS since I’ve had them, but on Saturday I’ll be finally breaking my rat hiatus and getting two little ladies!!! they are so beautiful and I’m in love with them already!!
Although, I had a pet rat who (I think) the happiest days of his life was after his brothers died; of course, he was really old by that point. For the first 3.5 years of his life he pretty much hid away from his brothers only playing with them briefly and infrequently, and rarely slept with them until they were all above the age of three. He really opened up and became far less shy and far more affectionate to people (even though he was very slow at nearly 4 years). He managed to live until he was above 4 and a half, but by this time we were having to clean him every day as he had bad arthritis and couldn't even move his back legs - yet, despite being crippled, he was very happy in his twilight months.
I’m late but.. for my rats I always do half fleece with their hiding logs/tunnels/ladders with a climb up to a 1 foot layer of low dust bedding ( I like Care Fresh bedding) so they can dig and play. ( I ALWAYS make sure there is air holes and an emergency escape if a rat happens to get stuck in the bedding which has only happened once to me before.
Yesterday I bought a big big cage and I was sooo happy until i found out they were able to go through the bars T__T Its the kind of cage I see everyone has for their rats, but I think mine are a bit smaller so i´m putting some wire thingy around... Love all your videos but the rat ones are extra helpful in my case hehehe I´ve had my girls for like 6 months now so i´m quite a beginner ^_^
Oh no! For anyone else who may read this, aim to get 1/2 inch bar spacing or less 💛 It sounds like you got a ferret nation type cage? I know they're pretty much the same as a critter nation, the critter nation just has the smaller bar spacing. But still, they're great cages! I hope the wire works out well for you. Thanks so so much! Aw give them hug from me! 💗
I had to put metal chicken wire around a ferret cage I bought after I added it onto their smaller cage and one of my adults just slipped right through like it was fun! Ugh, so much work to fix.
The best places to get rats are from animal shelters, recusing (from people who can't keep their anymore) or good pet rat breeders near you. Buying from a breeder is fine as long as they know what they are doing and don't have a dodgy setup. I got my girls form breeders.
All 6 of my rats are Craigslist rescues and they come to me in pet store hamster cages scared shitless to be picked up not knowing what a treat is. It’s really rewarding to see their personalities show through and become happy little ratties.
I don’t know where you live, but I got my rats through a college veterinarian program. My friend is studying to be a vet, and her program socializes rats for adoption. They play and take care of them so that the rats are used to human interaction. My rats are sweety-pies, and are very gentil thanks to them. This year there wasn’t a lot of people who wanted to adopt unfortunately, so I decided to adopt two adult rats that have been in the program since last September.
Craigslist really does help when searching! But always be wary of the “breeders” - ask to see the cage set up, what’s the diet they’re giving their rats, the parents, and if they’re handled or taken to the vet prior to adoption.
Very helpful video! I got rats about a month ago from the pet store since there aren't any trusted breeders in my area (I think there's one? But they have like, a year of waiting and I couldn't wait that long since I got my boys as home zootherapy to keep me busy after work) and they're little sweethearts, but man sometimes I wish I had gotten them from a trusted place! One of them got sick after bringing him home, he wasn't really eating, he was barely drinking, didn't climb, didn't play, and when his cagemate force-groomed him he just squeaked without fighting back. He was also sneezing a lot. My maternal instincts (that I didn't know I had) kicked in full force and I went to the vet with him two days after getting him (luckily there's a specialized one in my area!), and now he's feeling much better! Anyway, thanks for the video! :)
I got my girls from a pet shop, cause my mum got me one by surprise. I had researched lots, but I thought we were gonna get one from a breeder, like my siblings did. One of them was over weight and bit me lots, and one was really skinny and wasn't toilet trained at all. Luckily, they're a lot better now!
I watched this with baited breath at first but this is all very accurate advice, unlike some rat advice videos I've seen People give. Important to add that the reason towels are bad is that there are tiny loops in towels which have been commonly known to wrap around the delicate toes & feet of all small rodents & cut off the circulation or to cause respiratory hazards such as choking. Rats have lost toes & even feet or limbs because towel fibres which also cause infection as fragments of fibre can work their way under the rats nails or skin bed. And the infection is very severe & noticeable with puss & blood & swelling or limbs turning purple. It can also cost the rat their life by cutting off circulation at a lethal point or being left untreated. With fleece it is very important to buy anti-pill fleece, sometimes known as hedgehog fleece which has been specially designed not to shed fibres or form loops which can cause choking or the other above hazards seen with towels. When You buy the fleece machine wash it at 50 degrees a couple of times with sensitive non bio liquid & no fabric softener to make it fully anti pill & safe for Your rat. Fleece is by far the best bedding or the newspaper pellets. The only wood shaving that is remotely safe (applies more to hamsters than rats) is aspen & it must be fully dust extracted aspen bedding & even then it's not good for rats as their respiratory systems are extremely fragile & delicate. Rats are born with Mycopasma bacteria on their lungs & respiratory systems which can be aggravated easily into a flare up which if left untreated & the rat left living with the bedding or substrate that caused the flare up in the first place can be fatal to Your rat & will certainly cause infections. This is why tanks are a BIG NO-NO! Your Rats needs extremely good ventilation & the fumes of their own urine can be the biggest killer in rats if They are exposed to them & trapped in a confined space with no ventilation. Rats need a large, high cage that They climb with hammocks & high places to sleep as well as hideouts on the ground & it's also important to place lots of fall breakers for them as They're prone to falling out of bed can end up with permanent injuries. My Ronnie ended up with a bad slipped disc & has been metecam for His whole life as s result & that was from a small fall. It's surprising how fragile They are in lots of ways. xx I find They love to have climbing ledges & high places to sit & chill. They also need plenty of safe chew toys. Remember that They are actually allergic to pine & cedar products too. Be careful not to buy cheap unbranded chews from China or Korea as You don't know what paints or wood products They've used or tiny parts which can cause choking hazards. Great Channel. xx
+Lauren Elloise I'm ever so sorry about how long the comment was! I didn't mean to write a book! lol I agreed with everything You said in Your video. I was half writing it in case any new rat owners were watching & happened to read the comments looking for tips. It would have looked less ridiculous if it had separated into paragraphs as I'd intended! :/ Note to oneself : write in bullet points only or just keep it short! lol Thanks for being so nice about it! :)
aw You're such a sweetheart! I love rats so much & always want the best for rats everywhere! I literally worry about everyone's rats in case People use wood shavings & They can't breathe or if People don't know They can't eat certain things! TH-cam is in dire need of a good new rat Channel since RatGirl44 isn't doing videos anymore. There's still the Rat Guru but it's nice to have more than one Channel. That's why it's good that someone else is putting legit info out there. Good Luck with Your Channel & hope it keeps growing! xx
I have three boys, they're turning 7 months old on July 8th. We know they aren't cheap for sure! We weren't going to have them neutered but then one started to become a little brat to his brothers! We had all three neutered as well as doubled their already double critter nation(Two wide as well as two tall) so they had a BUNCH of space. Its been about 2 months since they were neutered and now they're all buddies again. ^-^ (Their names are Oliver(Grey capped/Hooded with a little moon shape on his forehead in white) Sebastian(Black capped/hooded with dots down his back) and Felix(Albino)
My oldest rat which is over three years old got 3 tumors last year, I was so scared she wouldn't make it through the surgery. She had a 50% chance of dying cus my vet didn't have all the types of correct equipment to remove them but she was in such bad shape I took the risk, she is now happy and healthy and I take her and her four sisters to the park as much as possible while keeping a close eye on them, they couldn't be happier
I have two female rats. Both are grey, and one is a dumbo rat. She is so amazing, always sleeping on my shoulder on my couch, or running towards me. She says hi every morning by climbing on the cage. Amazing. The other is a bit shier but cool too.
Me and my family kinda screwed up some of the rat genders (some females were thought to be male for some time). We paid the price. In the end my two original rats turned into 28 rats in about 5 months (some babies had babies). Make sure you have the genders 100% identified, don't be like me. (For those that are curious, most of the rats were giving to local pet stores and breeders, I only kept 6 rats).
I had a breeder let me foster a mom that wasn’t supposed to be giving birth for another week but did first night… moms foot is super injured and i got her that way… im meant to give them back but i feel like from all iv seen it may not be a good home for her now i have 8 rats that idk if i should rehome or give to a pet store or back to the breeder who gave me a first time mom….
I hope this is helpful! I feel like I've left heaps of stuff out. If there's anything you want me to include in my future rat videos, please let me know! 💕
Lauren Elloise I am 14.5 me and my brother got pet rats when we were 12 and 14. My mom and dad pay for vet bills and food but we must clean their cage and play with them😊
Aw see and that's fine! 💛 that's exactly what I meant in the video I was afraid that it would come off the wrong way, but you described exactly what I meant !!
i’m 3 years late lol but i’ve had my pet rat from Pet Smart for 5 years. She has been perfectly fine and healthy till 2 months ago when she got cancer. you said that rats from the pet store live 12-18 months but each rat is different, so you never really know!
12-18 months is an average life span. I know one person whose rat lived 3 or 4 months. But the oldest I've had, ( 4 years ) also came from a pet shop. I'm glad yours had lived that happy healthy long life 👍
And to the young viewers who want but don't have a pair, or have and take good care of their pets. What she is trying to say is: They are phenomenal pets. Even for younger kids, as long as there is adult supervision (until they are confident enough in the child's ability to safely handle and/or care for the rats). Families that have a house full of pets is different than a family getting their first pet. It's all about experience. And the willingness to admit that you make mistakes and learn from them. I worked at an amazing animal shelter near chicago that i learned that rats are good pets but not for a novice pet owner. In my opinion, in regards to young children and pets as their "responsibility" (food/water/clean cage); The best first ever pet is a pair of guinea pigs.
I’m a child but I have a lot of experience with pets I’ve had many fishes,4 Guinea pigs,1 chinchilla,1 snake,1 bird and a dog and I took care of them pretty well I think I have enough experience also with my father who has owned many mice and rats in his life I think I can do this!!!
Yeah dried corn is bad. Yeah there are food mixes that have different bits of food in it, sometimes the rats won't eat everything if they're picky. so its safer to get food that isn't a mix (nutrients are all included in every bit of food).
this is hard, just educate your parents why its a bad idea. if you show that you do not want rats at all if they come from a pet shop, that will show them that you are invested in these animals and their welfare x
I bought everything for a little over 50$ including my rat, I definitely need a bigger cage ASAP. My little friend, Marty, isn’t so much of a little baby anymore, but is becoming a fat bundle of joy that she always has been....
Aww, I wanted to learn something I already didn't know..Actually, I did! I didn't know Rats couldn't have cabbage? I know they can't have raw onions, raw garlic, raw beans, uncooked rice, iceberg lettuce, and how males can't have citrus, but I didn't know cabbage? I do everything else right, as I have over 6 years of experience and have had almost 50 Rats total! I have a large cage that can house up to 8 adult Rats, and is completed with hammocks, hanging baskets, a ceramic food bowl, two large 34 oz water bottles, one large 16 oz glass water bottle, two large litter pans, three large wooden hanging chew toys, one small hanging toy with a bell (they love playing with this!), a rolling cat ball toy with a smaller ball inside then a bell inside of that (they love this as well!), and so much more! One day I played with one of my Rats for over 12 hours! I also run a small Rat rescue where I take in unwanted pet or feeder Rats and provide them with a great home! Of course a lot of these don't work out, but some do! I'm also an experienced Rat breeder and have been breeding Quality Fancy Rats for over 2.5 years! Okay, enough Rat rambling lol 8>
The prisoners' best friend for ages! Like it is showed in "The Count of Monte Cristo " or "The green mile". Ok, it was a mouse, but you get the point 😁
There are a lot of things one can do to offset the cost of owning rats, but even still, it's not a cheap endeavor. They are living beings with specific needs that can't be postponed when you are strapped for cash. Thanks, Lauren for helping to educate folks about these affectionate, clever little creatures!
I'm a child with rats, I researched rats for AGES to provide the best care possible.My parents were allowing me to get a pet,and after researching different small animals, I decided to get rats.I knew I had enough money for them after watching multiple videos on rat costs,and i was fully prepared for the care and costs of them.I am responsible for my rats,and know that it's my job to care for them. (I'm 11) This isn't a hate comment, I just wanted to share my opinion on rats for kids. Loved the video! 😄😄😄
Yeah Kyra is right, not a lot of kids are like this. Good on you for doing lots of research and making sure that you'd be able to look after them. Unfortunately a lot of kids don't understand my comment about kids and rats. I simply just mean that as long as they have some adult help with vet bills for example, they'll be ok.
I've noticed some people say those similar things, specially from south america. I really think they are a different breed of rat, because an ordinary pet rat in Europe would not live that long or it would be a really unique case. I don't know about the breeds that are common in the US.
I adopted 2 rats for Christmas last year and they love each other so much. I know why you need to buy multiple, it’s because they are soooooooo social and they want to play with eachother
Love your videos! I have 2 neutered 7 month males (they both went through hormonal aggression), and i just got a 5 week old female today, she's so small compared to my boys x
For me, I used this type of soft straw stuff, I forget the name but it was because they chewed their little houses and made a bed with it. I used a ferret cage for my two rats, it was huge and had 3 stories to it. (Huge as in long not tall) they absolutely loved it and the hiding places I put from each level. It didn't have a cage bottom it had a big plastic bottom that was about 4 inches tall then went to wire going up. That way the shavings and stuff didn't flick out. And about the shavings too, I have a tarantula and it's the same thing. You shouldn't use it because if they climb the cage and fall, they can literally get skewered. So soil is the best option. I also gave my rats a bit of lettuce so they don't get the runs, fruits and veggies and sunflower seeds. They loved those. I never gave them a pellet diet ironically.
I bought my first ever rat from a snake store, she was a liver hooded dumbo, and i bought a false agouti point named Sebastian to be her company, at least five generations later, I breed my only living decendent of hers, a hooded Dumbo manx by the name of Manx, with a hooded rat named Ronald, he was quite the gentleman, they had nine beautiful little rat kittens, and he passed a few weeks later, he had been purchased from the same snake store, he was a real sweet boy but only lived a year of his adult life with me, and his only son I kept reflects his timid and sweet nature, Manx is nearly three now, so she's no longer going to be bred, her daughters wont either. Also her mother wasn't to kind, nipped her tail right off as a baby.
I got custom fleece covers with absorbant under layer for my DOUBLE Midwest Critter Nation cage. NOT Ferret Nation. My rats were expensive because I bought from top breeders who breed OUT most common health issues. TEKLAD Lab blocks. 14% protein for adults. My adult male was already neutered. The female is spayed. Saved a TON of money there. Their young fluffy Rex rat adopted children are intact (for now) males. Adorable. One very happy family.
So just a few pointers from someone that has about 30 years experience (off and on) raising rats. (Today is actually my 40th birthday. I got my first rat when i was 10 lol) We have 2 dumbo rats in a 55 gallon tank (plenty of space) with a cage area add-on for additional space, on one side of the top of the tank, that they can walk up into via stairs. For bedding we use recycled shredded paper (paper is washed during the recycling process so there aren't any particles from the paper that can cause the breathing issues you spoke of. We put a litter box with recycled paper pellets in the tank, on the opposite end from the cage topper, along with a flat "pee stone" inside it (yes... You can litter train your rats. They're that smart 😊). Don't really know why stones work in rat litter boxes, but they do. It makes them more likely to pee on the stones but they prefer it. So having a flat stone in the litter box makes them likely to pee in the litter box. When you clean out the litter just boil the stone for a few minutes to sterilize it. Rats are omnivorous so a combination of veggies as well as meat chunks (usually boiled chicken) works great. Food pellets usually have a high vitamin content so the pellets make for good snacks throughout the day. Hope this helps a bit 😁👍
@@annieb9311 they can absolutely be in tanks. Just make sure the top is ventilated. And use recycled paper as bedding. Recycled paper bedding is washed and doesn't break into fine particles, nor does it contain powder that can be breathed in. If placed in cages rats can get their legs caught between the wire bars on the flooring, which can lead to serious injuries. So inside the cage topper area, that we have on top of one side of the tank for extra room (and the ramp that leads up to it), we lined the wire flooring with astroturf. It's better for their feet, isn't something they tend to chew on (cause it's plastic) and prevents them from slipping between the bars and getting the legs/feet injured. And because it sits on top of the tank it allows them to have more room by traveling above the tank. We have found that they like to sleep in the cage topper sometimes to we hung a hammock for them up there. That's also where we feed them prepared food such as raw veggies and boiled chicken etc. Their pellet multivitamin food and things like mixed seeds are in their dishes down in the tank area.
@@annieb9311 also, as a means of detering them from chewing on cables, wires and the bars on cages, take some mild hot sauce (we just use Tabasco sauce) and rub it on the wires and cage sides. It doesn't hurt them and teaches them not to chew on certain things. They're extremely smart and after a while they just learn to only chew on the chew toys you give them. So it's more of a training method (at least for pets smart enough to get the point). Even while they get to run around the house during their play time, they know to stay away from wires and cables because they remember the smell and taste of the sauce. This also works for other small animal pets such as Guinea pigs, rabits, hamsters, gerbils, etc... We use Tabasco because the vinegar smell of it tends to deter them most of the time. But if they get brave enough to ignore the smell and try and chew on the item anyways... The taste of the sauce makes them stop right away.
Awesome vid Lauren. Some foods to avoid: Chocolate Onion dried corn can be OK in smaller quantities (my girls have been getting it for years). PS did Natalie do your makeup? It's *on point* and really good!
Aw thank you! Actually dark chocolate helps with respiratory issues (in small amounts only). Aw thank! I did it. I've been doing it for the past couple of months 🙊 I must be improving
Like Lauren said...dark chocolate is ok for them. A little as a treat helps with their lungs....Great for humans with bronchitis too.(seriously it does work) ..just make sure it has no added sugar and is the darkest percentage you can get. The baking aisle is good for this. Dried corn is usually considered bad because of possibllity of mold in the corn. It gets it very easily. Mold is bad for rats. That is why you should NEVER EVER give them blue cheese or other types of cheeses like it. You will kill your pet. Blunt but true. Onions are ok in small quantities IF COOKED WELL ONLY. Same goes for other root veges. Any type of pit from a fruit like Peaches, avacadoes, etc. along with apple seeds are very bad (not good for humans either) as they contain cyanide i believe that is the chemical. Meat should be avoided as rats do not have a gall bladder and it is very difficult for them to digest like a human without one. . Cooked beans (never dry ones) are a favorite treat even tho they are considered a protein (which they need to an extent just like humans) since they can digest them easier. We just use low sodium canned ones and rinse them well . Salt should not be part of their diet if at all possible ..think of their little tiny hearts and how a human with heart condition has to avoid it.
YOUR RATS ARE SO CUTE AND CALM!!! mine on the other hand zoom around their cage jumping from floor to floor... also im still trying to get that wire cage and throw out my terrarium
oh btw i use dust free sawdust and i have tried looking for carefresh or kaytee stuff but there is none of them where i live. i might buy some off amazon. could someone please link me any recommendations from amazon i should buy? dont worry about the price as long as its not suuuuper expensive. and i did try fleece but within a day it STINKED. like REALLY BAD! so bad that i couldnt bear to feed them (i did but i just wore a gasmask) and i immediately scrubbed the cage with soap and stuff
Yeah they are because they're old ahhah! Mine used to run around so fast! Oh yeah, might be better to get something else than fleece if it doesn't work for your ratties!
oh lol mine are still young and i bought some CareFresh paper bedding of amazon! it costed 60 aus including shipping so we got ripped off but at least my ratties are happy
I just bought two rats from a lady nearby, yesterday. They're rather young I believe (not even 4 months old yet), and they were given to her by a friend who couldn't take care of them anymore. I sort of felt like I needed to help them out, and I was on the search to adopt a pair of male rats. When I adopted them, I found out they were in a rather small cage with very few toys in there, plus they were being fed hamster/gerbil food which has lots of alfalfa in the pellets and not a heck of a lot of seeds. So, I got them some rat food and got some seeds from the mix (going to try some apple later today), and I'm now looking around for DIY stuff that won't cost too much that will still be perfect for their needs. I'm thinking of making them a big cage so they'll have more room, as no one is selling a proper cage around here within my budget. I'm going to make them lots of toys as well, but I'm also letting them warm up to being in a new environment. They already enjoy tearing up toilet paper tubes. :) I actually had two dumbo rats I bought from a shop, and one of them had a chronic cough. The vet said it was benign, as there weren't any other problems he could see. They were kept in a tank that had wood shavings in it, so it would make sense. My healthiest one was actually a feeder rat I rescued. He was so sweet and a bit smaller than my two dumbos. But, they welcomed him quickly and became a big family. They would cuddle together inside (yes, inside the fabric pieces) the hammock I had in that cage. Wish I still had that cage to use with these two. It was the perfect size for two or three. Oh well. Your video was very informative. I'm going out and learning everything I can to make sure I can care for these babies.
oh wow, good on you for deciding to give the two babies a new home. And for researching as much as you can to give them a good life. 🐭And your past ones sound so cuteee.
My rat was ordered to be alone by a veterinarian.. She gets tons of out of cage time in my room and I pretty much let her roam or go wherever she wants. Whenever shes tired she uaually just goes back to her cage. I had the 5 rats in the same cage, and she started tearing out their fur and biting off ears. Which is what caused the vet to say she needs to be alone. I moved out an ended up having to take her with me. Ive dealt with one of the other rata being depressed before. I know shes not showing the signs of being depressed. And shes almost always showing the body language of positivity, excitement, or relaxation. But I was hoping for more opinions on what I can do to help her be more happy.
aw thats tough. yeah you as their owner know whats best sometimes! When I had my last rat by herself, I would make sure I played little games with her for treats, extra play time hours, i even got her a sand pit (kids-safe sand), more cuddles. We actually used to read a book togther and she would sit in my shirt and clean her self and loved been tickled. She was very old but it was so cute.
My baby girls died last weekend, both old but one died naturally and so we got the second put down so she didn't have to die alone Edit: to clarify, the second rat was also old and dying. She would only have a few weeks left and they would be painful and lonely
Aw i am so sorry to hear. Its never an easy choice to put them to sleep. But you as the owner know whats best for them.. may they rest in peace together 💗
I hate that I bought my two boys from a pet store but they seem really healthy and I am trying to be the best mom I can be for them since this is my first having rats.
aww no. Have you tried asking on the facebook groups Rats And Mice Are Awesome and also The Rat Fan Club? There's about 50k members on each so if you ask there with your area, someone is bound to have some near you. x
I read they can have cabbage but not raw. So what I did was boil two leaves of cabbage along side peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and a couple leaves of cilantro, and blended it all together to make a soft meal for them, alongside the oxbow pellet meal. It came recommended. I also give them yogurt drop treats, which they're nuts about. I keep looking for different foods to give them. A bit of unseasoned ground beef. A small piece of boiled chicken. It's fun cooking for them. I got mine (two brothers) for $22. They aren't cheap but they are fun to shop for. The mistake I've made so far is their bedding. They do use wood shavings. Although in my defense, my mom bought the cheapest one. Now that I'm working, I'm hoping to buy softer bedding. However, they don't usually sleep on the wood shavings. They pull out the paper from under the shavings and tear it apart to make a little bed for themselves in the corner lol
What lucky rats. Im not sure about the cooked part, but if you researched it then yea should be ok. Aw yeah, it's okay to make mistakes, as long as we are always trying to learn and do better!
Yeah it is really hard sometimes to be very honest. These will be my last rats, mainly because Im severely allergic, but also because its heartbreaking.
I have a rat! Her name is Ginger (I’m so creative haha 😂) and she is 6 months old! I still remember when I first wanted a rat. My best friend got a rat and her name is Rose. I took one look and knew I wanted one too. So my younger sister and I begged our mum and stepdad, and two months later, our parents said we could have one! We bought them from a rat breeder. I saw one amongst the others that was sleeping, well, trying to sleep, while her sisters were jumping all over her. I said, “that one” and the lady got her out and gave her to me! I love my baby girl so much ❤️ Edit: My best friend’s rat Rose died yesterday, and I can’t stop crying..
Aww haha that's cute, i think my sister and I did a similar thing with our first rats. I picked the extremely active one and she picked the sleepy one !
2: Most rats are sold as food animals for other, more exotic pets and some store owners will breed them as fast as possible. This is the main reason why they get diseases and illnesses associated with inbreeding, my personal experience is that they also have a much higher change of getting cancer as they get older. 3: Wood shavings can have small parts that a rat can breath in, causing throat and lung problems, please don't use it. 7: People food contains way too much salt for a rat, be very careful with salty foods as well. 8: Female rats also fight more then male rats, exactly because they are more active then male rats. 9: Rats are also VERY good with finding out how the locks and slides on their cage door work, specially if you buy a cheap cage. Sorry for rambling, but this are the things I've noticed over the years that I had rats as pets. :)
Hey there. I have a situation where I've been fostering very young babies due to their mothers early death. They were about 2-3weeks old when she died. How old should they be before I try to keep them out longer? There is actually very little on youtube about baby rats sadly. I had 11, and I just fed the 4 sweet little dears that remain. Also.. I still cannot sex them for certain. :(
I don't have any experience with baby rats and very little knowledge. If you are having trouble to find info on TH-cam, I'd suggest posting in the Facebook group Rats And Mice Are Awesome. There's 50k members who will be able to help. I always go there when I can't find something online 💛 wishing you and all the little babies the best. (Even uploading photos to the group for sexing people will help you as well!)
Lauren Elloise Thanks Lauren! I keep forgetting to add that group. I found a breeder that made a group and it has rat lovers/breeders from all over the US. Thanks again. Have to go find that one too. :)
My 4 little babies are all doing great, and definitely have their own little personalities already. :) So happy with my little angels. Speaking of respiratory issues, is chocolate really good for that in moderation of course.
I agree 100% on everything you said but you forgot to mention wood chips also contain lice and other annoying insects! You are very knowledgeable and right on the money!
I have a rat, his name is oh no, I usually get him out every day to get some exercise, my sister also has one named anchow, (may be spelled differently) they are both kept in my sister's room, so I just go in there everyday to play with him! Good vid btw.
Yes! I realised after I uploaded and I'm like oh damn. Like mentioned by jillian, towels have lots of threads that when they come undone, they get stuck around rats. They can choke or have their circulation cut off 😭
Theyre toenails can get caught too. When i had rats i just used to use paper towel or tissue paper, cheap and no cleaning. I used to like poking it through the cage and they would come and drag it away to make a nest
Jillian Brook, I have 3 girls and use mats to line the bottom of the cage. They do chew the corners, but eventually they'll stop chewing on them. It's easier to do a daily tidy up. Also, because it's quite hot in the summer, I bought a kitchen stone chopping board and a, not too deep, heavy flower pot filled with water which they use quite a bit. If I had used recycled paper litter pellets, I'd come home to a big mess.
Nice one gal, that was a cool video very informative. It fills me with horror that pet shops sell these poor blighters to people who haven’t a clue how to care for ratties. We got ours from a couple who argued and took drugs plus were always skint. The poor things were in a filthy cage with a bag of rice crispiest stuffed in there. My blood boiled I can tell you. They’re happy now but a lot of damage was done to them over those 3 months
I had hamsters and mice as a kid, didn't have my first rat until I was 19. Anyway hamsters were always trying to escape, mice really stink bad (and yes, I took good care of them) and both bite. I've had rats off and on during my adult life (bred them for awhile, but most everyone wanted them for snake food so I gave it up) but my wife developed an allergy to them; when she gets a scratch it turns into a large itchy welt so I'm ratless now. I love them as pets, and you gave some great advice. I scored an 80% ( I kept my rats in a 25 gallon aquarium and at times only had one) so I feel pretty good.
Aww yeah im every allergic too. It's hard, after these guys I won't get any more due to allergies. But thats cool, thanks for sharing this I like hearing about others experiences. 😋
I've got to be honest I've been to " breeders" who keep rats in far poorer conditions then the rats in pet shops !! The UK pet shop keeps them on suitable bedding and is actually very knowlegable - personally I think try to adopt but if not sometimes pet shops are good options
I had 3 rats, they were sisters. 'Vodka' died last week after tumour removal (got 2years old). Now I dont know what to do if another one dies.. should I buy plushies if there's only one left? Also 'Fynn' is very protective now and is trying to bite me, since Vodka died. What can I do to make them feel better? :/
im so sorry to hear about vodka, i hope you're doing okay 🖤 it really depends on your circumstances about what to do when you have 1 left. I just have Clove left and she's 2 years old, im so allergic that i can't get anymore. I am trying to find some that i can foster while clove lives out the rest of her days though. As for the biting, im not sure, he might be grieving. try gaining his trust back with treats from your hands, then he will associate your hands with food and hopefully will stop biting
@@howie4556 I put a stone in there by their ladder to their feeding platform so they climb on it and it trims their nails. I read that this is a way to naturally trim their nails on a rat care website. This is how wild rats would keep their nails filed down. I just got a rough stone from the local park and scrubbed it clean and dried it then put it in the cage.
the important thing is also to start buying one (your rat need frends' so anyway 3/4. Buying rats is important to do in rat shelters, there you find one that is already tamer than the one you buy in a pet store. It is difficult to tame them, you need a lot of patience for that also because they younger in pet store. to eventually buy one from a pet store, is important that you put it with your tame rats so that he also becomes tame very quickly. they give you so much love if you treat them well. They will show you the love they have for you (mine do). Old boxes with entrance in climbing areas so not make it al so crazy, they will only appreciate it. peace guys 🤙♥️
Lauren Elloise Bella she is black. Rose she is white with red eyes. Dote she is a gry rat. Wednesday(she is named from the adams famliy) is my hairless rat.
sadly, hairless rats are really not recommended. The genetic mutations required to produce a hairless rat, generally mean a tonne of medical issues and shorter lives...
My rat had an infection that went to her brain. She is handicapped now, with walking. Please if your rat doesnt walk properly go to a vet! I was too late
I got my rats from a local pet store, they told me they only go through one breeder and that they only get a small amount of rats in one shipment. They don't let people who don't know what they are doing to take them home. I had to take a "test" before I took them home. I think it's ok to buy from a pet store, just not from PetSmart or any huge company like that. Just local ones seem to be fine.
I have a baby rat named Bambi and my sister has a rat named Skittles. Yes, they are in the same cage and no the bars aren't big enough for them to go through even as a baby. Everything is perfect with my babies :)
RAT CAGE TOUR!! 🐀Here's my cage and play pen setup: th-cam.com/video/1WthZGdu47g/w-d-xo.html
Hellooooooooo I’m new and I already love you and your vids
Another common mistake that wasn't mentioned is that people purchase rats and then try rehome them when they realise how much of a commitment they can be! Some people don't realise they're like any other pet, such as a dog or a cat, that can bond with their owners! It can be really upsetting to jumping from home to home, person to person, in their short lifetime :( You need to make sure you can commit and your living situation is stable.
Yeah very true and sad :((
True! Also I would say that in general, getting rats should be given as much consideration as getting a dog - they're smart, sociable, lovely little animals, a cut above hamsters and other rodents if you ask me 😎 and they really do remind me of little dogs with all their different personalitiesa
Yeah i got my two rats from an owner that couldnt care for them as her nine year old daughter couldnt properly take care of them ,the sad thing is that she got the rats of a person that didnt want them either . i really didnt like the fact that people were just passing oj like they weren't animals,so glad i have them now (so i can properly care for them and form a strong bond with them ) their names aare Tabasco and Marvin if you were wondering
Aw cute. Yeah it’s sad that they’ve had to be passed around but it sounds like you’re gonna take really good care of them and that makes me happy
I have two houses so when I'm not home they are used to me and my dad at this point to where my dad will take them out to play in my room feed them ECT. And yes I agree they are a handful 😂 but best decision I have made ❤️
I'm 13 and I look after 3 rats and they are happy and healthy, I get them out of the cage each day for at least 45 mins. Even though the responsibility and cost of them for a child may not be suitable but I can get around fine and I manage to do an ok job so in some cases it can be ok for a child my age to care for a rat. Thank you, this video was really helpful.💗💗
That’s awesome! 💕 and thank you so much.
Sofia Bartholomew I want rats and I would get three named _ peanut , waffles. Bean. It's from a dream I had lol. I'm also 13 lel
I’m also 13 and I’m getting two male rats soon! A lot of my classmates think it’s weird (I’m not bullied or anything, it’s the tails) but it’s their loss😋
I'm 14 and I'm getting 2 males in 4 months (My birthday) I'm autistic and know EVERYTHING about rats, I just watch these videos for enjoyment. I've been making rat nesting blankets, hideaways, cube hideaways, tunnels, hammocks etc. out of fleece. I'm so excited!!
@@agay8360
i'm in a very similar situation! i got my rats about a month ago (also for my 15th bday), and i've also been diagnosed with asd. my mom did lots of research but i wish she wouldve told me earlier so i could look things up and learn on my own before actually bringing my two liddol bois home. theyre doing alright but i'm sure you can understand me wanting to be as prepared as possible beforehand haha
(hope youve had a great two months being a rat owner! i trust your boys are in great hands. uvu ~andniceusernamebtwhehe~)
I like to watch these to make sure I’m doing things right, I’ve owned rats before but I like to make sure.
Have three boys rn that I got from a bad situation, empty cage and no interaction from the previous owner. They’re currently fishing for peas and strawberry slices, previous owner said that they were mean but they’re so sweet.
yeah i do too!! i'm watching a bunch of rat videos caus i'm getting mine tomorrow and i'm so excited!! your rats sound so adorable❤❤❤
four days has never felt so long
Ahhh I was like that when I first got into keeping rats like 9 years ago, it’s so exciting
Aww good on you both for doing more research! They sound so cute Big Tiddy Goth Gf!! And i hope they are settling in well
four days has never felt so long!!
@@laurenelloise you saying the name made me laugh so much
@@dowowowowowow7878 hahaha 👀
Wire stairs and wire bottoms can make bumble foot. So if have a cage with that cover it fleece or take it out.
Yes that can happen. Best to have cages with flat bottoms/ramps
Bumble foot is caused by dirty surfaces, not wire alone. Of course a full wire bottom isn’t going to be the most comfortable and I wouldn’t suggest it, but it won’t cause bumble foot.
you lost me after "a can"
my mothers old rat broke her leg on wire stairs
@@meathead9725 just remove the a. problem solved.
Rats are phenomenal. I fell in love when I saved Ruby from becoming snake food. I wound up with 2 others that needed new homes. All 3 of my babies have since passed but my sister in law and niece came home with 2 boys one day. I honestly cannot imagine life without rats, and they get along with the cats so well. Rats are truly loving animals. Most animals are though if treated and raised properly, lovingly, affectionately.
Aww I agree, amazing little creatures. 🐭
I have 23 rats currently 😋 I’ve raised and bred them since I was a teenager. My favorite part of this video is about getting your children rats as pets. I have a 5 year old who is “responsible” for his own rat. Lol I laugh because it’s true, children although they have the greatest intentions, forget A LOT. I use his rat to teach him about caring for animals. Everyday when I feed all the ratties he feeds his rattie too, but if I weren’t up his tush about it I can’t imagine how many times he’d forget. And even though a big cage is wonderful, they all need to come out and have play time out of their cages daily as well. My husband laughs about how much time I spend taking care of them and the meals I prepare for them every day, but it’s so important to keep them socialized (even with people!!) and keep them well fed. My monthly bills for rat care are about $300 (bedding, cleaning supplies, dry food, fresh foods, treats, hides, toys, things to chew on) The thing I hate the most is when people don’t want to care for their rats they think “oh, rats are in the wild so I can just let them lose outside!!” NOOOOOOOO!!!! They will NOT survive, if you can’t handle them PLEASE find a rescue or a proper new home! Wonderful video ❤️
Wow 23! Yeah its important to remember that about kids, they have sweet hearts but they do need adults to help. Thank you!
Kirsten Gonzalez
Thank you, I’m very interested in rats and this is very helpful
I can only imaging how much of your house is filled with cages 😂
Hello - we have had our girls (2 lovely rat girls) for a little over a month now and they are so fascinating! Ours have been nipping, even drew blood, and are increasingly leaping at our daughters' heads during play time. Do you have any advice for us as we try to discourage biting and face-leaping?
Yeah the rats outside aren't the same kind of rats. Although maybe theres some colonies of lost pet rats somewhere. Most of them are not anyway.
As a kid who got 4 rats less then a month ago, I try to be very responsible with them and take any advice given to me, I also do lots of research and watch videos. I am fully aware that my rats won’t live forever but want to make their lives worth living and love them all so much 💕
As an experienced rat owner and affiliate of a rat shelter, I can't but say that this video lays out the ground rules very, very well. Hats off to you!
Thank you very much. I appreciate this!
got my boys from a pet shop and i’ve been lucky to have very healthy rats who just celebrated their 1st birthday!
I’ve considered breedings rats so people in my country wont have to buy from pet shops! (we have 3 breeders all hours away)
Aww. Yeah breeding is hard and takes a lot of time so I'd research a lot before making that step x
@@laurenelloise i would love to do breeding but again it’s very costly bc well extra mouths to feed and all that, but also knowing how to help your pregnant rat when she is having birth troubles. My only problem is finances.
When I was 7y.o I received my first female rat, she's for now the only one who died because she was old, she died when she was 5, 5 years old and traveled to France, to Poland and back with me. I loved her so much
Wow that;s so old. Aw she was so lucky to travel! Aw sorry to hear about that. And thanks so much 😇
how did you travel with your rats? I live in Denmark and cant find out how to leave the country w my rat unless it were by car!! (which I dont own)
I would have a cage that I could fit in the car. When I was in the car I'd have it on my lap. I would never fly anywhere or make my rats travel without me because its too hard and stressful for them. These were just weekend away family camping trips.
Izu Ikaoto i would be very proud to have a rat that was so healthy than it lived for five whole years!
Unbelievable she lived to 5 years old. That's amazing. My first 2 girls had tumors, and my first boy started dragging his lower half unable to use his back legs, which is apparently more common than you'd think in male rats. And I just lost my 2nd boy a couple of months ago. I font know what happened but he was fine when I went to bed and when I woke. But I went to store and came back and he was at the bottom of the ramp upside down, gone. He was a fat thing, so cute, but not sure if that had anything to do with it.
you are SO CUTE and genuine. the way you talk to your younger audience is so respectful and that you're aware that you have one and that you make sure to give them the proper information is so different from most youtubers who like to pretend they don't have a younger audience. you deserve so many more subscribers!
ahhhh💞 thank you!! majority of my audience is 18 - 34 but i see so many comments on my rat video from so many young people so i want to be able to give them good advice! thanks so much!!
I want a rat so bad! I’m trying to convince my parents to get me a rat so I’m learning EVERYTHING about rats
Aw good on you for doing research, that’ll help ALOT! If you’re interested I made a video on how to convince your parents, maybe it’ll help you! :)
How To Convince Your Parents To Let You Have Rats th-cam.com/video/47yiI1mYecY/w-d-xo.html
You should really get rats in pairs, fyi!
Word of advice, keep your room clean, help with house chores, prove you can be responsible! :) That might help!
A way to help with convincing is taking full responsibility of everything about the rats ..like buying everything for them instead of your parents using their money to buy the rats for you . I’d say save up some money or find a way to earn money .
This is how i convinced my parents . I make my own money by reselling my clothes & I make a lot from it . I also pay for everything myself whenever my rats need something . I also tell them a lot of good facts about rats to ease their minds about them . :))
A few warnings... They are expensive at first to get all the supplies and sometimes they get sick despite your efforts so have a vet in mind that treats rats ahead of time. Also they always seem to smell at least a little lol
Neutering for male rats lengthen their lives (they often die from testicular cancer) as well as helps with hormonal aggression, and hormonal health issues. My rat that I got neutered lived 4 years and the recovery was very quick and easy.
That's true! 🐁
That's a myth
@@robinnicolson6522 you are wrong
Fun tip for keeping rats (and many other small animals cool (including rabbits)) is to buy
CERAMIC BATHROOM FLOOR TILES
Rinse them with water and put a stack in the freezer (even 15min is good enough) . Place one tile in a cage and watch them lay on it to cool off (especially boys with their torpedoes lol). And then take out the dirty one, clean it and start all over (it's nice to have extras so there is always at least one for each cage frozen, and one being used)
That's such a good idea! 🐭 thanks for sharing this!!
If you had sweaty balls you would want to cool em off too
omg haha that’s so smart- My rats love to play with ice cubes! Sometimes i just put some ice on a plate and let them run around through them. They love it!
@@kayleelynn9920 Give them frozen peas. They love their green "ice cream" ,🤣🤣
I'm actually really happy I've only made one of these mistakes.
That's so good 💗
Very well done! I've had many rats, but was curious when this came up in my recommend videos.
2 points we differ on slightly-1 rats do cost more than someone may initially think, but once you have a cage set up, day to day, they are quite cheap. Depending on your diet, most of they're food can be stuff you share with them(as you said, people must do they're research first). Things like toys, and bedding, it depends on what the owner wants to spend. With a bit more work, and creativity, you can spend pretty much nothing on them.
2 I do think they can be great pets for kids, obviously they can't usually afford vet bills and such(paying for those should count as care for the child). But depending on the age, and individual personality, I think a child can be the owner of rats, as long as a parent makes sure to teach the kid about rat care, tells them to talk about any problems/questions they have, and checks up on them often.
You know a lot more about caring for your pets than many owners do. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others, and helping out the animals that don't get a say!
I got my rats last week on Thursday, I got them from a local pet rat breeder and they're very amazing already. Junko is a black Berkshire top ear and Mae is a black silvermane dumbo!
I love them both so much already and am trying to provide the best I can for my beautiful baby girls ❤️
Congrats on becoming a rat parent! They sound cuteeee.
Very glad I didn't make the mistake of only getting one rat
The boys are very happy together currently
this is a great informative video!! I made the mistake with my first rat and only got one rat, and eventually he did get depressed and sad and his health rapidly dropped i felt so bad when i found out i caused that cause he was lonely. But now i have two healthy happy girls! :)
aww 💛💛 also thank you!
oh my goodness I’ve had rats before but it’s been YEARS since I’ve had them, but on Saturday I’ll be finally breaking my rat hiatus and getting two little ladies!!! they are so beautiful and I’m in love with them already!!
Excited for you!! Hope they settle in well 🐭
Feed them.
Give them their freedom
Kiss them
They love u. ❤️
Yessss
Although, I had a pet rat who (I think) the happiest days of his life was after his brothers died; of course, he was really old by that point. For the first 3.5 years of his life he pretty much hid away from his brothers only playing with them briefly and infrequently, and rarely slept with them until they were all above the age of three. He really opened up and became far less shy and far more affectionate to people (even though he was very slow at nearly 4 years). He managed to live until he was above 4 and a half, but by this time we were having to clean him every day as he had bad arthritis and couldn't even move his back legs - yet, despite being crippled, he was very happy in his twilight months.
I’m late but.. for my rats
I always do half fleece with their hiding logs/tunnels/ladders with a climb up to a 1 foot layer of low dust bedding ( I like Care Fresh bedding) so they can dig and play. ( I ALWAYS make sure there is air holes and an emergency escape if a rat happens to get stuck in the bedding which has only happened once to me before.
aw nice!
Yesterday I bought a big big cage and I was sooo happy until i found out they were able to go through the bars T__T
Its the kind of cage I see everyone has for their rats, but I think mine are a bit smaller so i´m putting some wire thingy around...
Love all your videos but the rat ones are extra helpful in my case hehehe
I´ve had my girls for like 6 months now so i´m quite a beginner ^_^
Oh no! For anyone else who may read this, aim to get 1/2 inch bar spacing or less 💛
It sounds like you got a ferret nation type cage? I know they're pretty much the same as a critter nation, the critter nation just has the smaller bar spacing. But still, they're great cages! I hope the wire works out well for you.
Thanks so so much! Aw give them hug from me! 💗
Lauren Elloise oooopps yep, i think thats what happenned...ill hug them extra today for you hehehe
Awww
Thats easy to fix until they grow a little. Wrap some chicken wire around the outside of the cage :)
I had to put metal chicken wire around a ferret cage I bought after I added it onto their smaller cage and one of my adults just slipped right through like it was fun! Ugh, so much work to fix.
ok but how tf do you adopt a rat. i seriously don't know where i could get a rat other than buying one :(
The best places to get rats are from animal shelters, recusing (from people who can't keep their anymore) or good pet rat breeders near you. Buying from a breeder is fine as long as they know what they are doing and don't have a dodgy setup. I got my girls form breeders.
All 6 of my rats are Craigslist rescues and they come to me in pet store hamster cages scared shitless to be picked up not knowing what a treat is. It’s really rewarding to see their personalities show through and become happy little ratties.
Lucien Payton I got mine from craigslist and from a feed store.
I don’t know where you live, but I got my rats through a college veterinarian program. My friend is studying to be a vet, and her program socializes rats for adoption. They play and take care of them so that the rats are used to human interaction. My rats are sweety-pies, and are very gentil thanks to them. This year there wasn’t a lot of people who wanted to adopt unfortunately, so I decided to adopt two adult rats that have been in the program since last September.
Craigslist really does help when searching! But always be wary of the “breeders” - ask to see the cage set up, what’s the diet they’re giving their rats, the parents, and if they’re handled or taken to the vet prior to adoption.
Very helpful video! I got rats about a month ago from the pet store since there aren't any trusted breeders in my area (I think there's one? But they have like, a year of waiting and I couldn't wait that long since I got my boys as home zootherapy to keep me busy after work) and they're little sweethearts, but man sometimes I wish I had gotten them from a trusted place! One of them got sick after bringing him home, he wasn't really eating, he was barely drinking, didn't climb, didn't play, and when his cagemate force-groomed him he just squeaked without fighting back. He was also sneezing a lot. My maternal instincts (that I didn't know I had) kicked in full force and I went to the vet with him two days after getting him (luckily there's a specialized one in my area!), and now he's feeling much better! Anyway, thanks for the video! :)
aww 💜so glad to hear he's okay!!
I got my girls from a pet shop, cause my mum got me one by surprise. I had researched lots, but I thought we were gonna get one from a breeder, like my siblings did. One of them was over weight and bit me lots, and one was really skinny and wasn't toilet trained at all. Luckily, they're a lot better now!
aww no :( but lucky you are giving them a good life now x
I watched this with baited breath at first but this is all very accurate advice, unlike some rat advice videos I've seen People give. Important to add that the reason towels are bad is that there are tiny loops in towels which have been commonly known to wrap around the delicate toes & feet of all small rodents & cut off the circulation or to cause respiratory hazards such as choking. Rats have lost toes & even feet or limbs because towel fibres which also cause infection as fragments of fibre can work their way under the rats nails or skin bed. And the infection is very severe & noticeable with puss & blood & swelling or limbs turning purple. It can also cost the rat their life by cutting off circulation at a lethal point or being left untreated. With fleece it is very important to buy anti-pill fleece, sometimes known as hedgehog fleece which has been specially designed not to shed fibres or form loops which can cause choking or the other above hazards seen with towels. When You buy the fleece machine wash it at 50 degrees a couple of times with sensitive non bio liquid & no fabric softener to make it fully anti pill & safe for Your rat. Fleece is by far the best bedding or the newspaper pellets. The only wood shaving that is remotely safe (applies more to hamsters than rats) is aspen & it must be fully dust extracted aspen bedding & even then it's not good for rats as their respiratory systems are extremely fragile & delicate. Rats are born with Mycopasma bacteria on their lungs & respiratory systems which can be aggravated easily into a flare up which if left untreated & the rat left living with the bedding or substrate that caused the flare up in the first place can be fatal to Your rat & will certainly cause infections. This is why tanks are a BIG NO-NO! Your Rats needs extremely good ventilation & the fumes of their own urine can be the biggest killer in rats if They are exposed to them & trapped in a confined space with no ventilation. Rats need a large, high cage that They climb with hammocks & high places to sleep as well as hideouts on the ground & it's also important to place lots of fall breakers for them as They're prone to falling out of bed can end up with permanent injuries. My Ronnie ended up with a bad slipped disc & has been metecam for His whole life as s result & that was from a small fall. It's surprising how fragile They are in lots of ways. xx I find They love to have climbing ledges & high places to sit & chill. They also need plenty of safe chew toys. Remember that They are actually allergic to pine & cedar products too. Be careful not to buy cheap unbranded chews from China or Korea as You don't know what paints or wood products They've used or tiny parts which can cause choking hazards. Great Channel. xx
this is very good advice and also thanks for the support!
+Lauren Elloise I'm ever so sorry about how long the comment was! I didn't mean to write a book! lol I agreed with everything You said in Your video. I was half writing it in case any new rat owners were watching & happened to read the comments looking for tips. It would have looked less ridiculous if it had separated into paragraphs as I'd intended! :/ Note to oneself : write in bullet points only or just keep it short! lol Thanks for being so nice about it! :)
aw don't be so hard on yourself xx
aw You're such a sweetheart! I love rats so much & always want the best for rats everywhere! I literally worry about everyone's rats in case People use wood shavings & They can't breathe or if People don't know They can't eat certain things! TH-cam is in dire need of a good new rat Channel since RatGirl44 isn't doing videos anymore. There's still the Rat Guru but it's nice to have more than one Channel. That's why it's good that someone else is putting legit info out there. Good Luck with Your Channel & hope it keeps growing! xx
Yeah! There's also Imee's World, she makes great videos too! x aw thank you!!
I have three boys, they're turning 7 months old on July 8th.
We know they aren't cheap for sure! We weren't going to have them neutered but then one started to become a little brat to his brothers! We had all three neutered as well as doubled their already double critter nation(Two wide as well as two tall) so they had a BUNCH of space.
Its been about 2 months since they were neutered and now they're all buddies again. ^-^
(Their names are Oliver(Grey capped/Hooded with a little moon shape on his forehead in white) Sebastian(Black capped/hooded with dots down his back) and Felix(Albino)
Wow that living space is huge aww. I like their names!
So helpful, thank you!!!
Glad it was helpful!
My oldest rat which is over three years old got 3 tumors last year, I was so scared she wouldn't make it through the surgery. She had a 50% chance of dying cus my vet didn't have all the types of correct equipment to remove them but she was in such bad shape I took the risk, she is now happy and healthy and I take her and her four sisters to the park as much as possible while keeping a close eye on them, they couldn't be happier
aw im glad you were able to prolong her life! xx
Wow, that is so great that your rat got an op and is now well x
You can take rats to the park?did not know that
Yeah you can, you can make little leashes for them too. You just have to be careful they can't run away or get swooped by birds
@@laurenelloise that sounds adorable,I wonder if my parents would let me do that when I get rats
I have two female rats. Both are grey, and one is a dumbo rat. She is so amazing, always sleeping on my shoulder on my couch, or running towards me. She says hi every morning by climbing on the cage. Amazing. The other is a bit shier but cool too.
Aw that's so cute!
Me and my family kinda screwed up some of the rat genders (some females were thought to be male for some time). We paid the price. In the end my two original rats turned into 28 rats in about 5 months (some babies had babies). Make sure you have the genders 100% identified, don't be like me. (For those that are curious, most of the rats were giving to local pet stores and breeders, I only kept 6 rats).
oh wow! yes very good advice.
I had a breeder let me foster a mom that wasn’t supposed to be giving birth for another week but did first night… moms foot is super injured and i got her that way… im meant to give them back but i feel like from all iv seen it may not be a good home for her now i have 8 rats that idk if i should rehome or give to a pet store or back to the breeder who gave me a first time mom….
I've been keeping rats for a decade; thank you for this informative post. Your rats are adorable!
I hope this is helpful! I feel like I've left heaps of stuff out. If there's anything you want me to include in my future rat videos, please let me know! 💕
Lauren Elloise I have a cage with wire bottoms but I use fleece at the bottom
Lauren Elloise I am 14.5 me and my brother got pet rats when we were 12 and 14. My mom and dad pay for vet bills and food but we must clean their cage and play with them😊
That's a good idea!
Aw see and that's fine! 💛 that's exactly what I meant in the video I was afraid that it would come off the wrong way, but you described exactly what I meant !!
Lauren Elloise and if I have some money I will send it on toys and hamocks for them!😊😆
i’m 3 years late lol but i’ve had my pet rat from Pet Smart for 5 years. She has been perfectly fine and healthy till 2 months ago when she got cancer. you said that rats from the pet store live 12-18 months but each rat is different, so you never really know!
12-18 months is an average life span. I know one person whose rat lived 3 or 4 months. But the oldest I've had, ( 4 years ) also came from a pet shop. I'm glad yours had lived that happy healthy long life 👍
And to the young viewers who want but don't have a pair, or have and take good care of their pets.
What she is trying to say is:
They are phenomenal pets. Even for younger kids, as long as there is adult supervision (until they are confident enough in the child's ability to safely handle and/or care for the rats).
Families that have a house full of pets is different than a family getting their first pet. It's all about experience. And the willingness to admit that you make mistakes and learn from them.
I worked at an amazing animal shelter near chicago that i learned that rats are good pets but not for a novice pet owner. In my opinion, in regards to young children and pets as their "responsibility" (food/water/clean cage); The best first ever pet is a pair of guinea pigs.
Well said. They make awesome pets 🐭 it just takes time and responsibility!
I’m a child but I have a lot of experience with pets I’ve had many fishes,4 Guinea pigs,1 chinchilla,1 snake,1 bird and a dog and I took care of them pretty well I think I have enough experience also with my father who has owned many mice and rats in his life I think I can do this!!!
Dried corn? Pellet mix? I have sunflower seeds and this various nutrition thing and little treats to give mine.
Yeah dried corn is bad. Yeah there are food mixes that have different bits of food in it, sometimes the rats won't eat everything if they're picky. so its safer to get food that isn't a mix (nutrients are all included in every bit of food).
I really want to buy from a breeder, but my parents are set on getting one from a pet store, because they are "cheeper" and "because I said so".
this is hard, just educate your parents why its a bad idea. if you show that you do not want rats at all if they come from a pet shop, that will show them that you are invested in these animals and their welfare x
I was lucky, my little man lived for over 4 years, and what a joy he was in my life
what a lucky lil guy! 4 years is such a long time x
I bought everything for a little over 50$ including my rat, I definitely need a bigger cage ASAP. My little friend, Marty, isn’t so much of a little baby anymore, but is becoming a fat bundle of joy that she always has been....
Wow that's pretty cheap, make sure you get a friend or two as rats need to live in pairs or more :)
Aww, I wanted to learn something I already didn't know..Actually, I did! I didn't know Rats couldn't have cabbage? I know they can't have raw onions, raw garlic, raw beans, uncooked rice, iceberg lettuce, and how males can't have citrus, but I didn't know cabbage? I do everything else right, as I have over 6 years of experience and have had almost 50 Rats total! I have a large cage that can house up to 8 adult Rats, and is completed with hammocks, hanging baskets, a ceramic food bowl, two large 34 oz water bottles, one large 16 oz glass water bottle, two large litter pans, three large wooden hanging chew toys, one small hanging toy with a bell (they love playing with this!), a rolling cat ball toy with a smaller ball inside then a bell inside of that (they love this as well!), and so much more! One day I played with one of my Rats for over 12 hours! I also run a small Rat rescue where I take in unwanted pet or feeder Rats and provide them with a great home! Of course a lot of these don't work out, but some do! I'm also an experienced Rat breeder and have been breeding Quality Fancy Rats for over 2.5 years! Okay, enough Rat rambling lol 8>
Oh wow 50! Aw you sound like a very good rat parent. And good on you for running a rat rescue, thats amazing 💗
Rats have always been my favorite animals I feel a kindred spirit with rat owners 💓 thanks for this video beautiful
me too! they are such great little creatures! thank you!
The prisoners' best friend for ages! Like it is showed in "The Count of Monte Cristo " or "The green mile". Ok, it was a mouse, but you get the point 😁
There are a lot of things one can do to offset the cost of owning rats, but even still, it's not a cheap endeavor. They are living beings with specific needs that can't be postponed when you are strapped for cash.
Thanks, Lauren for helping to educate folks about these affectionate, clever little creatures!
Yeah honestly I've spent thousands without a doubt. Thanks so much! 😇
I'm a child with rats, I researched rats for AGES to provide the best care possible.My parents were allowing me to get a pet,and after researching different small animals, I decided to get rats.I knew I had enough money for them after watching multiple videos on rat costs,and i was fully prepared for the care and costs of them.I am responsible for my rats,and know that it's my job to care for them. (I'm 11) This isn't a hate comment, I just wanted to share my opinion on rats for kids.
Loved the video! 😄😄😄
You are an extremely responsible, good pet owner. Unfortunately a lot of kids aren’t like that.
Yeah Kyra is right, not a lot of kids are like this. Good on you for doing lots of research and making sure that you'd be able to look after them. Unfortunately a lot of kids don't understand my comment about kids and rats. I simply just mean that as long as they have some adult help with vet bills for example, they'll be ok.
I am 13 and I bought 2 Rats and my own Cage I know that there are a lot of Responsibilits are but I can handle it thnx for the feed back
❤️
Your rats seem so calm! My rats just zoom around my room lol. They don't like toys or anything; they just love running around.
Yeah mine used to be like that when hey were younger hahaha 🐭
Ah my first rat lives for just about 5 years😬
oh wow thats amazing!
Wow for real!? That’s really long
I've noticed some people say those similar things, specially from south america. I really think they are a different breed of rat, because an ordinary pet rat in Europe would not live that long or it would be a really unique case. I don't know about the breeds that are common in the US.
I adopted 2 rats for Christmas last year and they love each other so much. I know why you need to buy multiple, it’s because they are soooooooo social and they want to play with eachother
Good on you for adopting! Yeah exactly, its so good for them to have friends 💗
You now have a new subscriber... Great video! :)
Thansk so much. Welcome to the fam 🐁
Love your videos! I have 2 neutered 7 month males (they both went through hormonal aggression), and i just got a 5 week old female today, she's so small compared to my boys x
yeah haha girls are so much smaller, but there is the odd one that is a tubby little thing.
Great video :)
I’m getting a few rats when I move out and when I’m financially stable enough for them. This helped tonnes !
Thank you! I'm happy this helped. Aww I bet you can't wait 💗
For me, I used this type of soft straw stuff, I forget the name but it was because they chewed their little houses and made a bed with it. I used a ferret cage for my two rats, it was huge and had 3 stories to it. (Huge as in long not tall) they absolutely loved it and the hiding places I put from each level. It didn't have a cage bottom it had a big plastic bottom that was about 4 inches tall then went to wire going up. That way the shavings and stuff didn't flick out. And about the shavings too, I have a tarantula and it's the same thing. You shouldn't use it because if they climb the cage and fall, they can literally get skewered. So soil is the best option. I also gave my rats a bit of lettuce so they don't get the runs, fruits and veggies and sunflower seeds. They loved those. I never gave them a pellet diet ironically.
yes omg sunflower seeds, mine loved them!
I bought my first ever rat from a snake store, she was a liver hooded dumbo, and i bought a false agouti point named Sebastian to be her company, at least five generations later, I breed my only living decendent of hers, a hooded Dumbo manx by the name of Manx, with a hooded rat named Ronald, he was quite the gentleman, they had nine beautiful little rat kittens, and he passed a few weeks later, he had been purchased from the same snake store, he was a real sweet boy but only lived a year of his adult life with me, and his only son I kept reflects his timid and sweet nature, Manx is nearly three now, so she's no longer going to be bred, her daughters wont either. Also her mother wasn't to kind, nipped her tail right off as a baby.
awww thats cute💛oh no!
RIP Ronald. He sounded adorable and I love the name. x
You are so kind! Almost 20 seconds into the video, I subscribed and liked. Amazing channel!!! 😊
Aww thank you so much! Welcome 🌞
great video Lauren..,very helpful..!! thanks.!! take care...
Thanks! Aw happy you found it helpful x
I'm getting 2 male rats and your tips for rats really help me. Thankyou!!!
I'm gonna be getting rats soon and I'm getting a job and in gonna get 500$ and I'm gonna get a really nice set up and I'm really excited!😆
im excited for you!! wishing you the best of luck for your new ratties 🐭
thank u! ;)
I got custom fleece covers with absorbant under layer for my DOUBLE Midwest Critter Nation cage. NOT Ferret Nation.
My rats were expensive because I bought from top breeders who breed OUT most common health issues.
TEKLAD Lab blocks. 14% protein for adults.
My adult male was already neutered. The female is spayed. Saved a TON of money there.
Their young fluffy Rex rat adopted children are intact (for now) males. Adorable. One very happy family.
cute!! thanks for sharing some tips
When she said," Don't leave! I see you about to leave." I was literally scrolling through the other videos.😲
MIND READER!😵😵😵
Hahahaha love this x
So just a few pointers from someone that has about 30 years experience (off and on) raising rats. (Today is actually my 40th birthday. I got my first rat when i was 10 lol)
We have 2 dumbo rats in a 55 gallon tank (plenty of space) with a cage area add-on for additional space, on one side of the top of the tank, that they can walk up into via stairs. For bedding we use recycled shredded paper (paper is washed during the recycling process so there aren't any particles from the paper that can cause the breathing issues you spoke of.
We put a litter box with recycled paper pellets in the tank, on the opposite end from the cage topper, along with a flat "pee stone" inside it (yes... You can litter train your rats. They're that smart 😊). Don't really know why stones work in rat litter boxes, but they do. It makes them more likely to pee on the stones but they prefer it. So having a flat stone in the litter box makes them likely to pee in the litter box. When you clean out the litter just boil the stone for a few minutes to sterilize it.
Rats are omnivorous so a combination of veggies as well as meat chunks (usually boiled chicken) works great. Food pellets usually have a high vitamin content so the pellets make for good snacks throughout the day.
Hope this helps a bit 😁👍
Rats aren’t supposed to be in tanks😬
@@annieb9311 they can absolutely be in tanks. Just make sure the top is ventilated. And use recycled paper as bedding. Recycled paper bedding is washed and doesn't break into fine particles, nor does it contain powder that can be breathed in. If placed in cages rats can get their legs caught between the wire bars on the flooring, which can lead to serious injuries. So inside the cage topper area, that we have on top of one side of the tank for extra room (and the ramp that leads up to it), we lined the wire flooring with astroturf. It's better for their feet, isn't something they tend to chew on (cause it's plastic) and prevents them from slipping between the bars and getting the legs/feet injured. And because it sits on top of the tank it allows them to have more room by traveling above the tank. We have found that they like to sleep in the cage topper sometimes to we hung a hammock for them up there. That's also where we feed them prepared food such as raw veggies and boiled chicken etc. Their pellet multivitamin food and things like mixed seeds are in their dishes down in the tank area.
@@annieb9311 also, as a means of detering them from chewing on cables, wires and the bars on cages, take some mild hot sauce (we just use Tabasco sauce) and rub it on the wires and cage sides. It doesn't hurt them and teaches them not to chew on certain things. They're extremely smart and after a while they just learn to only chew on the chew toys you give them. So it's more of a training method (at least for pets smart enough to get the point). Even while they get to run around the house during their play time, they know to stay away from wires and cables because they remember the smell and taste of the sauce.
This also works for other small animal pets such as Guinea pigs, rabits, hamsters, gerbils, etc... We use Tabasco because the vinegar smell of it tends to deter them most of the time. But if they get brave enough to ignore the smell and try and chew on the item anyways... The taste of the sauce makes them stop right away.
Awesome vid Lauren.
Some foods to avoid:
Chocolate
Onion
dried corn can be OK in smaller quantities (my girls have been getting it for years).
PS did Natalie do your makeup? It's *on point* and really good!
Aw thank you! Actually dark chocolate helps with respiratory issues (in small amounts only).
Aw thank! I did it. I've been doing it for the past couple of months 🙊 I must be improving
Lol.....I knew it helped with something. A yummy treat with benefits!
Haha you were close! 🙊
Lauren Elloise Mine are little vegan ratties so vegan chocolate is good in moderation if it's vegan! :D
Like Lauren said...dark chocolate is ok for them. A little as a treat helps with their lungs....Great for humans with bronchitis too.(seriously it does work) ..just make sure it has no added sugar and is the darkest percentage you can get. The baking aisle is good for this. Dried corn is usually considered bad because of possibllity of mold in the corn. It gets it very easily. Mold is bad for rats. That is why you should NEVER EVER give them blue cheese or other types of cheeses like it. You will kill your pet. Blunt but true. Onions are ok in small quantities IF COOKED WELL ONLY. Same goes for other root veges. Any type of pit from a fruit like Peaches, avacadoes, etc. along with apple seeds are very bad (not good for humans either) as they contain cyanide i believe that is the chemical. Meat should be avoided as rats do not have a gall bladder and it is very difficult for them to digest like a human without one. . Cooked beans (never dry ones) are a favorite treat even tho they are considered a protein (which they need to an extent just like humans) since they can digest them easier. We just use low sodium canned ones and rinse them well . Salt should not be part of their diet if at all possible ..think of their little tiny hearts and how a human with heart condition has to avoid it.
YOUR RATS ARE SO CUTE AND CALM!!!
mine on the other hand zoom around their cage jumping from floor to floor...
also im still trying to get that wire cage and throw out my terrarium
oh btw i use dust free sawdust and i have tried looking for carefresh or kaytee stuff but there is none of them where i live. i might buy some off amazon. could someone please link me any recommendations from amazon i should buy? dont worry about the price as long as its not suuuuper expensive.
and i did try fleece but within a day it STINKED. like REALLY BAD! so bad that i couldnt bear to feed them (i did but i just wore a gasmask) and i immediately scrubbed the cage with soap and stuff
Yeah they are because they're old ahhah! Mine used to run around so fast!
Oh yeah, might be better to get something else than fleece if it doesn't work for your ratties!
oh lol mine are still young
and i bought some CareFresh paper bedding of amazon! it costed 60 aus including shipping so we got ripped off but at least my ratties are happy
I just bought two rats from a lady nearby, yesterday. They're rather young I believe (not even 4 months old yet), and they were given to her by a friend who couldn't take care of them anymore. I sort of felt like I needed to help them out, and I was on the search to adopt a pair of male rats. When I adopted them, I found out they were in a rather small cage with very few toys in there, plus they were being fed hamster/gerbil food which has lots of alfalfa in the pellets and not a heck of a lot of seeds. So, I got them some rat food and got some seeds from the mix (going to try some apple later today), and I'm now looking around for DIY stuff that won't cost too much that will still be perfect for their needs. I'm thinking of making them a big cage so they'll have more room, as no one is selling a proper cage around here within my budget. I'm going to make them lots of toys as well, but I'm also letting them warm up to being in a new environment. They already enjoy tearing up toilet paper tubes. :)
I actually had two dumbo rats I bought from a shop, and one of them had a chronic cough. The vet said it was benign, as there weren't any other problems he could see. They were kept in a tank that had wood shavings in it, so it would make sense. My healthiest one was actually a feeder rat I rescued. He was so sweet and a bit smaller than my two dumbos. But, they welcomed him quickly and became a big family. They would cuddle together inside (yes, inside the fabric pieces) the hammock I had in that cage. Wish I still had that cage to use with these two. It was the perfect size for two or three. Oh well.
Your video was very informative. I'm going out and learning everything I can to make sure I can care for these babies.
oh wow, good on you for deciding to give the two babies a new home. And for researching as much as you can to give them a good life. 🐭And your past ones sound so cuteee.
How sweet the rats welcomed another one!
My rat was ordered to be alone by a veterinarian.. She gets tons of out of cage time in my room and I pretty much let her roam or go wherever she wants. Whenever shes tired she uaually just goes back to her cage. I had the 5 rats in the same cage, and she started tearing out their fur and biting off ears. Which is what caused the vet to say she needs to be alone. I moved out an ended up having to take her with me. Ive dealt with one of the other rata being depressed before. I know shes not showing the signs of being depressed. And shes almost always showing the body language of positivity, excitement, or relaxation. But I was hoping for more opinions on what I can do to help her be more happy.
aw thats tough. yeah you as their owner know whats best sometimes! When I had my last rat by herself, I would make sure I played little games with her for treats, extra play time hours, i even got her a sand pit (kids-safe sand), more cuddles. We actually used to read a book togther and she would sit in my shirt and clean her self and loved been tickled. She was very old but it was so cute.
My baby girls died last weekend, both old but one died naturally and so we got the second put down so she didn't have to die alone
Edit: to clarify, the second rat was also old and dying. She would only have a few weeks left and they would be painful and lonely
Aw i am so sorry to hear. Its never an easy choice to put them to sleep. But you as the owner know whats best for them.. may they rest in peace together 💗
I hate that I bought my two boys from a pet store but they seem really healthy and I am trying to be the best mom I can be for them since this is my first having rats.
Where I live it is almost impossible to adopt rats. :(
aww no. Have you tried asking on the facebook groups Rats And Mice Are Awesome and also The Rat Fan Club? There's about 50k members on each so if you ask there with your area, someone is bound to have some near you. x
I read they can have cabbage but not raw. So what I did was boil two leaves of cabbage along side peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and a couple leaves of cilantro, and blended it all together to make a soft meal for them, alongside the oxbow pellet meal. It came recommended. I also give them yogurt drop treats, which they're nuts about. I keep looking for different foods to give them. A bit of unseasoned ground beef. A small piece of boiled chicken. It's fun cooking for them. I got mine (two brothers) for $22. They aren't cheap but they are fun to shop for. The mistake I've made so far is their bedding. They do use wood shavings. Although in my defense, my mom bought the cheapest one. Now that I'm working, I'm hoping to buy softer bedding. However, they don't usually sleep on the wood shavings. They pull out the paper from under the shavings and tear it apart to make a little bed for themselves in the corner lol
What lucky rats. Im not sure about the cooked part, but if you researched it then yea should be ok. Aw yeah, it's okay to make mistakes, as long as we are always trying to learn and do better!
The only reason I don't have rats anymore is because I would get attached then they'd die and it just wasn't good for me emotionally 😥
Yeah it is really hard sometimes to be very honest. These will be my last rats, mainly because Im severely allergic, but also because its heartbreaking.
I have a rat! Her name is Ginger (I’m so creative haha 😂) and she is 6 months old! I still remember when I first wanted a rat. My best friend got a rat and her name is Rose. I took one look and knew I wanted one too. So my younger sister and I begged our mum and stepdad, and two months later, our parents said we could have one! We bought them from a rat breeder. I saw one amongst the others that was sleeping, well, trying to sleep, while her sisters were jumping all over her. I said, “that one” and the lady got her out and gave her to me! I love my baby girl so much ❤️
Edit: My best friend’s rat Rose died yesterday, and I can’t stop crying..
Aww haha that's cute, i think my sister and I did a similar thing with our first rats. I picked the extremely active one and she picked the sleepy one !
I got also two rat girls and thet sneeze i clean theyr gage over days idk how to help them or is it common to them?🐀
2: Most rats are sold as food animals for other, more exotic pets and some store owners will breed them as fast as possible.
This is the main reason why they get diseases and illnesses associated with inbreeding, my personal experience is that they also have a much higher change of getting cancer as they get older.
3: Wood shavings can have small parts that a rat can breath in, causing throat and lung problems, please don't use it.
7: People food contains way too much salt for a rat, be very careful with salty foods as well.
8: Female rats also fight more then male rats, exactly because they are more active then male rats.
9: Rats are also VERY good with finding out how the locks and slides on their cage door work, specially if you buy a cheap cage.
Sorry for rambling, but this are the things I've noticed over the years that I had rats as pets. :)
All very good points! thank you for sharing. 🐭
Hey there. I have a situation where I've been fostering very young babies due to their mothers early death. They were about 2-3weeks old when she died. How old should they be before I try to keep them out longer? There is actually very little on youtube about baby rats sadly. I had 11, and I just fed the 4 sweet little dears that remain. Also.. I still cannot sex them for certain. :(
I don't have any experience with baby rats and very little knowledge. If you are having trouble to find info on TH-cam, I'd suggest posting in the Facebook group Rats And Mice Are Awesome. There's 50k members who will be able to help. I always go there when I can't find something online 💛 wishing you and all the little babies the best. (Even uploading photos to the group for sexing people will help you as well!)
Lauren Elloise Thanks Lauren! I keep forgetting to add that group. I found a breeder that made a group and it has rat lovers/breeders from all over the US. Thanks again. Have to go find that one too. :)
Oh awesome! No worries x
My 4 little babies are all doing great, and definitely have their own little personalities already. :) So happy with my little angels. Speaking of respiratory issues, is chocolate really good for that in moderation of course.
Lauren Jordan I decided to sorta "baby proof" tje bottom half of my dcn. Sexing them on the bars is tje easiest thing ever. All girls. ;)
I agree 100% on everything you said but you forgot to mention wood chips also contain lice and other annoying insects! You are very knowledgeable and right on the money!
Ooh yes good to know. Also thank you!
I have a rat, his name is oh no, I usually get him out every day to get some exercise, my sister also has one named anchow, (may be spelled differently) they are both kept in my sister's room, so I just go in there everyday to play with him! Good vid btw.
aw cute ahah. also thank you!
You didn’t explain why towels are bad :(
jillian Brook towels can unravel and the threads can get around them and injure them.
Yes! I realised after I uploaded and I'm like oh damn. Like mentioned by jillian, towels have lots of threads that when they come undone, they get stuck around rats. They can choke or have their circulation cut off 😭
They also pee quite a lot causeing respatory issues. Best to buy a happy hut that has ventilation and is easily cleaned.
Theyre toenails can get caught too. When i had rats i just used to use paper towel or tissue paper, cheap and no cleaning. I used to like poking it through the cage and they would come and drag it away to make a nest
Jillian Brook, I have 3 girls and use mats to line the bottom of the cage. They do chew the corners, but eventually they'll stop chewing on them. It's easier to do a daily tidy up. Also, because it's quite hot in the summer, I bought a kitchen stone chopping board and a, not too deep, heavy flower pot filled with water which they use quite a bit. If I had used recycled paper litter pellets, I'd come home to a big mess.
I work with rats and they've made me realise how amazing they are. Really want rats when i move to a bigger place
YES! they're such interesting animals.
Thank you for spreading awareness on proper rat care!
You're so welcome thank you for watching 💗
Nice one gal, that was a cool video very informative. It fills me with horror that pet shops sell these poor blighters to people who haven’t a clue how to care for ratties. We got ours from a couple who argued and took drugs plus were always skint. The poor things were in a filthy cage with a bag of rice crispiest stuffed in there. My blood boiled I can tell you. They’re happy now but a lot of damage was done to them over those 3 months
im 16 and i have to say she looks so pretty
aw thankuuu
I think it's right information about the rats i should try this nice information thanks sister☺️☺️
You’re welcome anytime 😇
😊😊😇😇
I subscribed!!
Welcome to the fam!! 🐁
Lauren Elloise thank you so much! I have 5 little fuzz butt boys!
Aw cut!!
I had hamsters and mice as a kid, didn't have my first rat until I was 19. Anyway hamsters were always trying to escape, mice really stink bad (and yes, I took good care of them) and both bite. I've had rats off and on during my adult life (bred them for awhile, but most everyone wanted them for snake food so I gave it up) but my wife developed an allergy to them; when she gets a scratch it turns into a large itchy welt so I'm ratless now. I love them as pets, and you gave some great advice. I scored an 80% ( I kept my rats in a 25 gallon aquarium and at times only had one) so I feel pretty good.
Aww yeah im every allergic too. It's hard, after these guys I won't get any more due to allergies. But thats cool, thanks for sharing this I like hearing about others experiences. 😋
if u do the math rats are able to have approximately 270 babies in a year
lmao ty for doing the math, my brain says nOPE at numbers
Holy crap that’s a lot of babies once I saw a rat giving birth and it was only like 28 they were probably not done yet
Good quality aspen bedding is actually one of the best on the market!
I regret getting my rats from a pet shop to, one of the 3 died after a week rip pinkie (it is not possible to get them from breeders for me)
bujo Esmee i had that too!
Omg. You named it pinkie? Mine was from a pet shot and I named her pinkie and she died after about 2 weeks or so
Adrionna Eichler jup I was Lucky I decided last minute I got 3
my very very first rat only lived 1 month 💛 im sorry to hear though!
I've got to be honest I've been to " breeders" who keep rats in far poorer conditions then the rats in pet shops !! The UK pet shop keeps them on suitable bedding and is actually very knowlegable - personally I think try to adopt but if not sometimes pet shops are good options
I recently got 3 male rats and this video helped so much thank you 😊
Aw yay! Wishing you the best with your new boys 🐁
@@laurenelloise thank you 😊
I had 3 rats, they were sisters. 'Vodka' died last week after tumour removal (got 2years old). Now I dont know what to do if another one dies.. should I buy plushies if there's only one left? Also 'Fynn' is very protective now and is trying to bite me, since Vodka died. What can I do to make them feel better? :/
im so sorry to hear about vodka, i hope you're doing okay 🖤 it really depends on your circumstances about what to do when you have 1 left. I just have Clove left and she's 2 years old, im so allergic that i can't get anymore. I am trying to find some that i can foster while clove lives out the rest of her days though. As for the biting, im not sure, he might be grieving. try gaining his trust back with treats from your hands, then he will associate your hands with food and hopefully will stop biting
I got two new rat babies and I'm obsessed all of a sudden
Yeeeesss 🐭
Rats are the best pets ever I have for males and they are the best... I have coco, mocha, Templeton and squeakers..They are brothers...
Ahh how cute! 🐭
What do you do about the nails...my neck is all tore up from them?
@@howie4556 I put a stone in there by their ladder to their feeding platform so they climb on it and it trims their nails. I read that this is a way to naturally trim their nails on a rat care website. This is how wild rats would keep their nails filed down. I just got a rough stone from the local park and scrubbed it clean and dried it then put it in the cage.
NightOwl thanks I'll try that
...
Ive just got two male rats, only young so still trying to tame them 😂 I prefer my guinea pigs tbh haha
the important thing is also to start buying one (your rat need frends' so anyway 3/4. Buying rats is important to do in rat shelters, there you find one that is already tamer than the one you buy in a pet store. It is difficult to tame them, you need a lot of patience for that also because they younger in pet store. to eventually buy one from a pet store, is important that you put it with your tame rats so that he also becomes tame very quickly. they give you so much love if you treat them well. They will show you the love they have for you (mine do). Old boxes with entrance in climbing areas so not make it al so crazy, they will only appreciate it. peace guys 🤙♥️
I got a hair less rat
Aww 💗 hairless are cuties. Does he/she have a friend?
Lauren Elloise yes☺ I have 3 girls with her! They are so cute!🐀
Lauren Elloise Bella she is black. Rose she is white with red eyes. Dote she is a gry rat. Wednesday(she is named from the adams famliy) is my hairless rat.
Omg such cute namesssss
sadly, hairless rats are really not recommended. The genetic mutations required to produce a hairless rat, generally mean a tonne of medical issues and shorter lives...
This honestly made me miss my pet hamster that passed away... but I deffo made some of these mistakes too.
naww
Watching this before I get rats
Yaaaay 🐭
I didn’t know about the wire cage bottom. Should I put down cloth? How would I go about doing that?
a plastic tray would be better but you can also use fleece on top of cardboard (as long as you change it regularly) xx
My rat had an infection that went to her brain. She is handicapped now, with walking. Please if your rat doesnt walk properly go to a vet! I was too late
Aw I'm so sorry to hear. It's always important to go to the vet when you think something is wrong 💛
18plus Account same my rat got an infection when young and we treated him, but he became brain damaged. He's a sweet dude tho.
I got my rats from a local pet store, they told me they only go through one breeder and that they only get a small amount of rats in one shipment. They don't let people who don't know what they are doing to take them home. I had to take a "test" before I took them home. I think it's ok to buy from a pet store, just not from PetSmart or any huge company like that. Just local ones seem to be fine.
That’s really good of them! Nice!! Yeah not every pet store is horrible but you’ve just got to look into things a little deeper,
I have a baby rat named Bambi and my sister has a rat named Skittles. Yes, they are in the same cage and no the bars aren't big enough for them to go through even as a baby. Everything is perfect with my babies :)
Aw good to hear! 💜 cute names !