Is it worth having an ornamental rat at home?

Rats are not as often chosen as cats, dogs, or fish as pets. Some, especially women, are afraid of these animals or consider them disgusting. Still, the rat is a popular enough pet that it doesn’t deserve to be treated with disgust.

What they’re really like

A rat should not be allowed to walk around unattended, otherwise it is fraught with injury and even death of the animal

In rats, males are calm sloths, while females are quite active. Since in nature these animals live in a flock, it is better to take several pets at once, breeding them at home. Rats have a rather remarkable intelligence that can cause them a lot of problems. For example, they can easily open the locks on the cage and get out. And if they succeed, they will cause a lot of trouble.

There was even a case when a rat managed to open the refrigerator. But being indoors freely is very dangerous for rats because due to their excessive curiosity, they can get into trouble and get injured, sometimes incompatible with life.

Pros and cons of keeping rats

The animal quickly learns to respond to the owner’s voice and perform various commands

Rats are easy to care for and almost never aggressive. There is no need to walk outside with them, and they are quite unpretentious about food. As mentioned above, rats are very intelligent, so they can be trained. The pet can learn to perform various tricks and respond to its name. When training the rat, like any animal, you need to give a treat.

Of the disadvantages of keeping such an animal can be called a possible allergy in someone from the family to rat hair, the possible death of the animal in the long absence of the owner, as well as poor domestication, if the owner rarely communicates with the pet.

Care and maintenance

As a house for the rat, it is better to choose a good cage right away, but not a jar or a box

First of all, the owner must remember that the rat, although small in size, is a pet like others that can count on his attention and love. Considering that rats are rodents, being let out for a walk around the house, they will definitely look for something to chew on. Therefore, all sorts of cords and wires should be put away. It is better to try to exclude draughts, because the rat cannot bear them. This should be taken into consideration when choosing where to place the cage. Rats feel best when the air temperature is 18 to 21 degrees Celsius.

The cage should be large, with different ladders, houses and other accessories for entertainment. The rat will certainly appreciate twigs set up in the cage so that it can climb on them. Since water is an essential part of a rat’s proper diet, it is worth buying a drinker. Cereals are the favorite foods of this animal, but the rat also eats fruits and vegetables, as well as plantain and dandelion leaves.

Breeding a rat, you must be prepared for its specific smell, in addition, the animal will tag its territory, that is, the owner’s house. And even if we are talking about hypoallergenic rats, which supposedly “do not smell”, then do not so trust this statement.