New pet rat...Advice needed?

I just bought a rat (yesterday) and I'm unsure of how to make sure she's happy, healthy, AND friendly.


She's sweet as can be and doesn't bite, luckily, so there's no worries there..


but can she be in a wire sided/topped cage?


It's large and i'd have locks on the cage doors so she doesn't open them.


Secondly, what foods are best as foods and what are best as treats?


What do rats LOVE?





How much should I handle her a day and what should I do to keep her friendly and happy?


What toys to rats enjoy?





And if you'd like to add more info, i'd be greatful. Thanks!New pet rat...Advice needed?
Aw, congRATulations! Give your rat as much attention as you can, as you know they're very social. Please adopt another girl rat as a companion too. They'll love you just as much %26amp; will be so much happier. Also, it's lots of fun watching how they interact. We have 2 boys %26amp; 4 girls, each with a unique personality.


Wire cages are fine, but if there are wire shelves or foor cover these to protect those sensitive ratty feet. We've used cardboard, which obviously needs to be replaced, stick-on vinyl tiles cut to fit, or fleece. Hang hammocks %26amp; cardboard boxes in the cage to offer more living space %26amp; climbing opportunities. We sometimes suspend toys or chew treats from the tops of our rats' cages too. Cedar %26amp; pine bedding isn't good for small animals, but there are many alternatives. We use Carefresh Ultra %26amp; offer paper towels as nesting material.


It's not hard to tell that your rat is happy. She may do quick jumps called popcorning, grind her teeth together (called bruxing) or give you lots of ratty kisses. Some rats enjoy wrestling with your hand %26amp; most love being tickled.


As for toys, different rats have different preferences but anything they can climb into or onto, chew on or carry around is usually appreciated. Some of ours like balls with bells inside, like you'd give cats. A nut in the shell is a fun treat once in a while. Sturdy bird toys are good too. When they're riding your shoulder, they often enjoy playing with your earrings.


We feed ours a mixture of vegetarian dog kibble, whole grains (unsweetened cereals, cooked rice, multigrain bread) and a small amount of seeds. They get a small amount of fresh vegetables about every other day %26amp; fruit a couple times weekly. Treats include veggie dog biscuits, tiny crackers %26amp; a bit of whatever we're eating. Everything is organic whenever possible. Don't give rats oranges or peanut butter although products made with peanut butter are fine. Ours love p. b. flavored dog biscuits.New pet rat...Advice needed?
why did u buy a rat?


oh well too late now .


i think they like cheese, peanut butter, and just about anything i guess because when there are rats infesting ur house they bite onto anything.
RATS RULE
Ok, interesting. First off, your rat is perfectly fine in a wire cage, # Rats love eating dried or cooked pasta (especially with tomato sauce), frozen or cooked vegetables, Lettuce, Cheese, cooked Mashed Potato's %26amp; lots of other foods.


# Cereal is a good snack to give to your rats, especially healthy ones like Rice Krispies, Cheerios and Corn flakes.


# Rats also like seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds %26amp; peanuts (non salted).(Feed seeds in moderation.)


As a general rule, seeds contain a lot of fat and to many of them in your rats diet could make them overweight.


Hamsters need more fat in their diets than rats do, so Hamster foods are not the best food mixes to feed your rats as they don't have the right amount of vitamins and health content a rat needs on it's own. Hamster foods are o.k. if mixed with other food mixes as long as the seed ratio is not to high.


# Black oil sunflower seeds (all black shells) contain less fat than the regular white %26amp; Black sunflower seeds.


# Rats will eat meat but they aren't particularly overly fond of it.


If the meat is covered in a type of sauce or flavoring sometimes they will just lick off the sauce and leave the meat uneaten.


I suggest feeding your rats only cooked meat -not raw.


Raw meat could cause bacteria build up by rotting in the cage if the rat/s don't eat it all, which could cause Salmonella poisoning.
let her get used to you by carrying her around with you wherever you go. when i get a new baby, i tend to let them sit in my pocket until they feel comfortable enough to come out, then they travel on my shoulder. your little girl will need at least an hour a day of cuddles.


wire cages are the best for rats as rats love to climb and play on the bars.


try your rat with lots of different foods for treats. i have 6 boys and they all love different things. i have one who refuses to eat meat, but loves cherry tomatoes. they love grapes but mine are picky and i have to peel the skin off for them first. try not to give them too peanuts as they are too high in fat, but monkey nuts are perfect as a treat.


provide tunnels for her to play in, and your old clothes make perfect bedding.


just spend some time with your rat and find out what she likes.


enjoy!
Well, the first thing I'd suggest is getting another female for her to live with. Rats are social and do MUCH better if they have a companion.





Wire cages are great because they have good ventilation and rats can climb the sides, which they love to do.





As for treats, that depends on the rats. :] My rats absolutely love bananas. They also go crazy for Rice Krispies. String beans, too! My boys love string beans. Most of the healthy things that you eat, your rats can eat, too. :] When it comes to their staple food, avoid seed mixes and stick with block-type food. Oxbow is the best, but Mazuri is also good if you can't get hold of any. Here's a great thread on a GREAT rat forum about what your rat can and cannot eat. :]


http://www.ratforum.com/index.php/topic,鈥?/a>





(You should consider joining, the members have got a ton of information)





They love hammocks in their cage, and anything they can rip apart or climb inside. PVC pipe makes a great little tunneling system.





Handle her as much as possible! But at least for an hour or so a day. :P Good luck with your new furry friend. Rats are the best rodents by a mile. ;]
Rats are social animals. If you don't have tons of time to spend with her, get her another female buddy. Otherwise, keep her out of the cage on your shoulder or in a hood of your hoodie. Get her totally used to sitting on you as much as possible.


Favorite treat are yogert drops, all flavors. They will eat just about any table food, they love a nice corn on the cob.


Tempt her out of the cage with yogert drops and call her name at the same time. She will eventually learn her name. She wont let you pet her at first, but keep trying. Eventually she will be coming to you for a scratch on the head.





Feed her standard rat food, the seeds aren't as good as the pellets as they will always pick out their favorites and leave the rest. I'd feed just the pellets and keep everything else back to be used as a special treat like sunflowers, dried fruit, etc. They also love yogert.





Oh, and very important, use a completely dust free littler. Those kinds made of recycled paper are best. Even carefree is dusty though it claims not to be. Rats are prone to respiratory diseases and by not irritating their respiratory tract from dust, they will have less chance of getting sick.
Ok, the best thing you can do to make her happy is get her a cage mate. Rats love human companionship, however nothing compares to another ratty friend to cuddle up to, groom and wrestle with. You will have overall more confident, happy rats :)





Wire cages are probably the best you can get them, but any wire levels or ledges must be covered with lino or fleece to avoid bumblefoot (look it up on google images... not pretty)





All rats are different with the food and treats you give them. Mine LOVE sweetcorn, I put frozen stuff in a bowl of boiling water, leave it to cool and let them go fishing :D You'll probably find you'll end up trying loads of different fruits and veggies, and when they've found their favourite, you'll know!





You should get them out for a minimum of one hour per day. I let mine run around the bedroom for a few hours.





As for toys, try tunnels. And boxes of shredded paper for them to dig in. Even put them in your laundry basket and they'll have fun digging to the bottom! Basically, anything that keeps their attention.