Rat Rodents - Pictures

Rat Rodents

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Rat Rodents - Rats as Pets

Domestically raised rats and mice are very popular today in the USA and abroad. They are very smart animals, easy to care for and to enjoy human company. You can buy a rat in any pet shop and they are rather inexpensive. There are also breeders who raise rats of special colors.

Domestic rats tolerate gentle handling, but may bite if handled roughly or startled. If kept alone, they may become aggressive, so rats are better housed in groups of several males and females. Rats should be kept in enclosure large enough to allow the animals to pursue normal movements. Rats like hiding under things, so they should have a place within the enclosure that they can retreat for visual security.

Rats like their enclosure to be clean, so it needs to be cleaned and disinfected weekly. It is better to clean the food containers daily. As for food, rats do better if fed with special laboratory rodent chows available from pet shops. Domestic rats are prone to obesity, so they should not be fed with seeds, nuts and food rich in fat and oil. Fresh water should be always available for rats and kept in bottles equipped with sipper tubes.

Rat Rodents - Breeding

Several male and female rats can be kept together in the same cage without being aggressive. Sexes are rather easy to discriminate in rats: sexually mature females have two prominent rows of nipples. Beginning at the age of 65 days female rats come into heat every 4-5 days throughout the entire year until they are bred. The breeding male rat should be removed from the enclosure before delivery, because he may injure the pups. Females should be left alone for the first few days after the delivery, because stressed rats can be aggressive both to intruders and the litter. Loud noises, bright light, excessive handling can lead to destructive behavior in rats.

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