Locating a Suitable Place for Your Cage
Now that you have your rat home with you and all the "hardware" set up for it, you'll want to do more than just put it in its cage and watch it look pretty. You rat, like any other pet, will have special needs. These needs will vary with each rat based on the environment their personalities, their environment, and how you care for them.

You should make yourself aware of the veterinarians around you. Rats may be small, but there may be a time when yours needs medical attention from a professional. Call the veterinarians around you, and see who has handled rats and who hasn't. You may be lucky enough to find someone who has a specialty for small animals or vast experience with rats. Don't be afraid to ask them for recommendations! Maybe they know a vet who would be a better choice for you to take your rats to.



Even if you take your other animals to a vet that doesn't have much small animal experience, there is no harm in taking your rats to a different vet to ensure that they receive the right treatment. Veterinarians care for the welfare of animals, and should understand the interests of their clients and patients. Rats and other small animals are completely different from cats and dogs, and usually require more careful treatment if a need arises.

Don't wait until your rat is sick; seek these vets out before the time comes - if the time comes. I have been lucky enough to never have needed the care of a veterinarian for any of the rats I have owned over eight years. That does not mean I haven't taken them in for a check-up, though, or out of paranoia that turned out to be nothing at all.

Now, where to place their cage? A good place for your rats will be somewhere in the house where they can see and interact with you; a place where people are often at. If your children are caring for the rats (under your ultimate supervision), placing them in their rooms is fine as long as they know how to handle them. Children often play in their rooms, and the rats will see them and hear their voices. Rats may become part of their regular playtime. This is also fine, but should always be supervised by an adult. When I lived with my parents, my pets were always in my room because that's always where I was. I wouldn't recommend this, however, if your have kids who are super-hyper and loud. Most rats do not like loud noises or screaming children and it will stress them out[1]. Another thing to keep in mind is that the rats will be active in the night when the kids are sleeping, so if they are bothered by noises at night, then this isn't a good idea for you.

If there are no children in your household, or the rats are purchased with an adult in mind, living rooms make a great place for your rats. It is one of the most used rooms in your house, whether for entertainment or gathering, or just in passing. Your rats will get plenty of attention from people coming and going, and are not likely to become lonely. They can sit with you while you watch TV or host your guests. They can play with the children and explore. If you have an office or a study that you'd like to use, that is also fine. Rats would love to sit in your lap or explore while you are using your computer, studying, or reading, too! They really aren't picky, as long as they are getting the right amount of attention.



If you have cats, or dogs that like to bother rodents, then your cage should be placed where they cannot be threatened by your other pets. Dogs can usually be shut out of an area through use of a gate, but cats can obviously bypass this. Both cats and dogs can be trained, however, to leave your rats alone. But until they are taught to do so, the rats should not be left vulnerable if you cannot supervise. Even after being trained, it is a good idea to secure your rats from your other animals while you are at work or running errands, when you cannot be there to watch your other pets. (Like children, they won't always listen if they know you're not there!) Animals of different species will not always get along[2].

Be aware of the temperature in the room your rats are located in as well[3]. Rats cannot sweat. They regulate their body temperature through their tails by controlling bloodflow to it, and can handle cooler temperatures better than warmer temperatures. They handle temperatures between 65-79° F (18-26° C) well. Hairless rats should be kept in a warmer room, or provided plenty of warm places to snuggle in. If you happen to own a tailless rat, or one of your rats has an injury that causes them to lose a good portion (or all) of their tail, they should be kept in a cooler room. For most owners, the temperature that you keep your house as will be fine for your common rats (hair and tail present).

Handling Your Rats
Rats are small, and much more fragile if handled improperly. Small children should always be supervised when handling rats[4]. If a child is jumpy or scared of the rat, you should help them to hold it. Rats like to kiss and lick, and if a child jumps or scares easily by this, they can drop the rat. Not only can physical injury be obtained from an incident like this, but they can, over time, lose trust in being handled by children (and sometimes people in general). Make sure that children are ready to handle the animals on their own - they should never be forced.



The proper way to pick up your rat is to place your hand underneath their belly and firmly (not harshly) lifting them up. When they are off of the ground, place your other hand underneath their feet so that they feel secure and aren't dangling. Rats should never, under any circumstances, be picked up by their tails[5]! This can not only cause injury, but rats do not like it and you will not gain their trust by mishandling them.

If you have a rat that needs to be inspected for injury or other reasons, they may allow you to lay them on their backs in your lap if they trust you. You can scratch their bellies and inspect their underside and legs this way. To check their back and tail, put them on their feet again. Sometimes you can lift their front ends up by holding their "scruff," and leaving their feet planted. This is the way mothers carry around their babies, and it will not hurt them in any way if done right. Grab the loose skin on the neck right behind the skull (between the shoulders) firmly, but be careful not to pull on their legs or ears. Don't grab the skin on their back or head; just that loose section right between their shoulders.

Many rats are what we call "shoulder-rats," meaning they love to ride around with you on your shoulder while you are busy with chores or other things. They are curious about everything, and this gives them a chance to indulge that while spending time with you. You shouldn't jerk around too hard with a rat riding on you; you wouldn't want them to fall off! Some will nest in your hair or sit atop your head, or give you kisses in the ears or on the face. Don't worry - they're not dirty! Rat kisses are actually quite fun!

Cleaning the Cage
Depending on how many rats you have and how large or small your cage is, you should be cleaning it about 1-2 times a week. The exact steps involved will vary depending on what type of bedding you use, the size of your cage, and what type of cage you are using. Overall, however, the goal is ultimately the same no matter what your rats are living in: clean and disinfect[6].

Since your rats obviously need to be out of their cage for you to clean it properly, you'll need a place for them to go. If there are other people at home who can watch and play with them, great! But if you are alone (as I often am), you'll need to set up a place for them to go that will be safe for them. I have homemade travel cages that work well to keep them occupied but safe while I am playing in the chemicals. If you have an area of your house that has been completely rat-proofed (covered later), you can let them roam there. However you do it is up to you. I let
my boys free-range after I am done with the cage while it is drying, so I can watch them during their playtime.



Once your rats are secure, you should remove their toys and other accessories from their cage for cleaning as well. An effective way to remove anything dried-on is to let it soak in a sink or tub of water while you work on the cage itself. Your first step in cleaning is just that: cleaning. Remove any used bedding (a dustpan works great for this if you don't have a removable tray) and old food. Then work on cleaning the stains from the floors, corners, cage bars, etc. If something is stuck on pretty good, you can let it soak as well by spraying it with water or taking your cage apart and placing the pieces in a tub of water. Then you can play with your rats for awhile until your pieces are ready to cooperate. Please note, though, that if you have been handling any chemicals, you need to wash your hands thoroughly before handling your rats. Many of the cleaners used are extremely toxic to your rats!

Once your cage is cleaned of debris, you are ready to disinfect. You can use a mild (about 10%) mix of bleach and water, or other cleaners. A good list can be found at Ratguide.com. Disinfecting the cage is important, because it kills any bacteria and microorganisms that will be left behind after cleaning. It is important to rinse your cage down well after disinfecting, until you no longer feel or smell any remnants of the disinfectant that you used. Again, these cleaners are harmful to your rats.

Then your cage will need to dry before putting it all back together. You can let it air dry, or wipe it down with a clean towel. If you are letting it air dry, you will have some time to clean and disinfect your food bowls, water bottles, and toys.

If you are using towels in your cage, it is a good idea to replace them about every other day or every third day. I keep a fresh supply on hand so that I don't have to wait for the washer and dryer to finish cycling each time. They should be washed with a mild detergent and a little bleach. If they still smell like bleach after the wash, run them through another rinse cycle. If your rats are chewing on their towels, cut off any loose threads so that they cannot get caught in them and hurt themselves. Usually you can find sets of hand towels on sale - these are totally fine, and cheap.



Once the cage is dry and you have it put back together, your rats will be ready to explore it and mess it up again. Try arranging it differently after each cleaning to give them some change, which will stimulate them and make them less likely to become bored with it.

Bathing Your Rats[7]
Now this can be a challenge, especially if you don't have anyone to help you. Don't get me wrong - some rats love baths. Lucky you if yours does! But if they don't enjoy it, it can be a challenge. Bathing does not neccessarily have to become a routine operation; in fact, if you bathe your rat too often, it can dry their skin out. It shouldn't be done more than once a week; less often if your rat has skin problems. They shouldn't "need" to be bathed too often at all, since they clean themselves constantly.

But they can get dirty or musty at times, like any other pet. Hormonal boys can develop an orange-ish buildup of oil on their skin. If you let them play outside, they can get into mud or any number of things that will stick to them. Baths may be required for certain treatments, such as for lice or mites. Most rats won't need frequent baths, but for the ones who enjoy it, it lets them have a little fun.



I recommend getting towels ready, and if possible, having a helper. If you are afraid of getting scratched, you can clip the tips of their nails before the bath. (Just the tips! They have a quick, like cats and dogs, and can bleed profusely if their nails are cut too short!) You should have a mild soap ready (if it's safe for kittens, it should be safe for your rats). For males with excessive oily skin, a little bit of dish detergent is fine. Dawn works very, very well for males.

The water should be slightly lukewarm. Anything too hot will make your rat uncomfortable. As I said, they handle cooler temperatures better than warmer ones. Dip the rat gently in the water up to their neck (do not get the water in their eyes or ears), and get a few drops between their shoulders to scrub in. Scrub gently with your fingers - brushes can be harsh. Once they're lathered nicely, rinse them off gently and towel dry them. Simple enough! Make sure they have a warm place to dry off, whether it's in your lap with a towel, or in a nice warm house in their cage.

Can't get enough? Us, either! More beautiful rats to be found in ~beautifulwolf's gallery!


Citations:
[1] Ratcages: CavyRescue
[2] Rats and Other Animals
[3] Allexperts.com - Pet Rats: Weather and My Rat
[4] Rats: Rat Handling
[5] Rat & Mouse Gazette: Q & A
[6] Ratguide.com - Care Guide: Cage Cleaning
[7] The Dapper Rat