House rats are highly intelligent creatures and are truly underrated as pets; they have a distinct personality and can socialize to form a strong bond with people. Make sure you provide your little friend with proper basic care, know his behavior and spend a lot of time with him; with a little patience you can have a unique pet that loves spending time with you.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Providing Basic Care
Step 1. Provide a spacious cage
You need to get one that offers the rat at least 0.05m3 of space. While this is a good rule of thumb for most specimens, there are some circumstances where you need to get them a larger home. For example, if your rodent friend is large or you have multiple birds that cannot share the same living space - as is the case with many non-neutered males - the cage needs to be larger.
Remember that the rat spends most of its life in the cage, so you should ensure a spacious environment to keep it happy when you don't have the ability to keep it outside to play
Step 2. Keep the cage clean
You should wash it at least once a day. During your daily routine, collect any visible excrement and clean the plastic or metal parts with a baby cleaning wipe or damp kitchen paper.
- Use a rat-specific substrate or wood shavings to coat the base of the cage and replace it completely at least once a week.
- You should also carry out a thorough cleaning at least monthly, which should include washing all metal or plastic parts, the water bottle and replacing the fabrics for the kennel.
- Empty the water containers and refill them with fresh fresh water at least every other day, as well as removing any leftover food that would otherwise rot and attract bacteria.
- Keep the small rodent in a travel crate when cleaning the cage.
Step 3. Feed him regularly
Water should always be available, as rats tend to become dehydrated easily. The most common staple foods for these animals are millet pellets, seeds and peanuts, which you can find at pet stores.
Start giving him a spoonful of these foods twice a day. Once he gets used to having food easily, he learns he shouldn't overdo it and you can leave him a small bowl always full
Step 4. Vary your diet
Rats can eat a wide variety of meats, fruits and vegetables; try adding some healthier foods to her typical food that you can buy at pet stores. You can supplement her diet as often as you like, as well as add fiber-rich vegetables at least once a week.
- Strawberries, grapes, apples, blueberries, leafy greens, pumpkins, cucumbers, potatoes and Brussels sprouts are all great alternatives to offer your little friend a varied diet.
- Meat like chicken, beef, tuna and liver is also perfect for this animal; be sure to break it into small pieces before offering it to him so that he can digest it easily.
Step 5. Avoid certain foods
Despite the stereotype, rats don't eat cheese and most of them are lactose intolerant. You should also avoid dried corn, oranges, licorice, red cabbage, rhubarb and the "junk food" consumed by people, such as potato chips and candy, as they are all toxic foods for this animal.
Part 2 of 3: Socializing with the Rat
Step 1. Get a young specimen
As with cats and dogs, it is easier to socialize with rats when they are still young. When you decide to get this pet, choose one that is not yet six months old; after this age he begins to develop his own social behavior and if he still lives in nature or in contact with humans, this is the environment he gets used to.
Adult dogs can socialize in the same way, but more patience is needed as they take longer to trust people
Step 2. Offer him some treats from your hands
The rat begins to trust your hands if it associates them with food; start by holding some food with your fingers.
After feeding him in this way on a few occasions, hold the food in the palm of your hand and let the rat climb on it to eat; eventually, she will be able to instinctively walk on your hand every time you extend it
Step 3. Speak gently
Rats, like many dogs, are able to recognize different tones of voice. Try saying his name over and over in a quiet tone on multiple occasions; that way, he can learn to remember it and get closer to you when you say it.
Since he has very small eardrums, he is unable to distinguish too loud sounds; try whispering to him with your mouth close to his ear
Step 4. Grasp it correctly
You must never squeeze it and don't hold it for more than a few seconds at a time. Keep your hands open and let the rat move freely; by spending time on your hands, the pet gets used to your scent and develops a bond with you.
- Grab him by placing a hand under his abdomen; try to use both when you hold it.
- When he gets used to being grabbed, you can just keep your hands open and let him come closer.
Part 3 of 3: Playing with the Rat
Step 1. Build mazes
These small rodents are known to be able to approach logically to solve such mazes; this is a great way to train your pet's mental skills. You can make an intricate obstacle course using cardboard boxes or toilet paper rolls assembled with masking tape.
- Rats are also skilled climbers, so you can set up boxes vertically; However, be sure to make structures that are sufficiently solid that they do not collapse under the weight of the animal.
- If you are feeling particularly ambitious, try creating some interesting obstacles, such as rings, a swing with tilting movement, ramps, slalom poles and tunnels.
- Place treats or moving objects along the way.
- The rat instinctively chases objects that move quickly, you can then put a string or roll a rubber ball to further stimulate it.
Step 2. Tear off some paper
Turn it into strips and offer one piece at a time to your rodent friend. You will be able to see that he grabs it, hides it somewhere and comes back for more; this game creates a relationship of trust and teaches him that you have treasures you want and can share with him.
Step 3. Play hide and seek
If you hide behind some object, the rat may come looking for you and get excited when it finds you. This game is best suited once you have trained him to step on your hand, so that he recognizes your scent and can follow it.
Make sure you don't stray too far, otherwise he might get lost
Step 4. Play "pea fishing"
Prepare a shallow container and fill it with no more than 5 cm of water in which to put some sweet peas; you can use many or just a few, as long as they have enough room to float. The rat instinctively begins to "fish" them with its mouth, a bit like a human game of grabbing an apple with its teeth from a bowl of water.
If the peas are frozen, wait for them to thaw before putting them in the water; if you put them in the microwave, make sure they have time to cool before placing them in the container
Step 5. Allow your little friend to play in the land
Rats love this pastime and may burrow into plant soil if they find them. Make a box for this purpose by filling it with sterilized soil, allowing the rodent to dig and rummage without damaging the plants or eating poisonous fertilizer.
- Place a large outdoor towel or tablecloth on a flat surface under the container.
- You can use a shoe box or some other similar container; add some earth and hide some treats or toys under it.
