Small Pet Wellness

Remove droppings, uneaten food and soiled areas of bedding from your pets’ cage every day. Clean the cage completely once a week by replacing dirty bedding and scrubbing down the rest of the cage with warm, soapy water.

Like that of all rodents, a rat’s front teeth grow continuously. Provide unpainted, untreated pieces of wood, dog biscuits or safe cardboard or rawhide chew toys for your rats to gnaw on. This is crucial for keeping their teeth in tip-top condition and preventing dental problems.

Rats are friendly and curious by nature, but you’ll need to get your pets used to you and used to being handled. Start by feeding them small treats. When they’re comfortable with that, you can pick them up, one hand supporting the bottom, the other over the back. When you get to know each other better, don’t be surprised if your little friends want to snuggle and be petted.

Once your rats are hand-tamed, you should let them play outside of the cage in a safe, secure area for an hour or so every day. This out-of-cage playtime is mandatory and will keep your smart, active friends mentally stimulated and physically fit. Just be sure to supervise at all times, please.

You'll need to monitor their food and water intake. Even if they don't empty the bottle, change the water every few days. You wouldn't drink it, they feel the same way. You'll also need to make sure that they have enough food. And change the bedding once every week or so.

This is a common sense sort of thing. About the same time the environment becomes too dirty for the animals it will become too smelly for your nose. Some animals will choose an area as a toilet and you'll be able to scoop out wet litter from here on a more frequent basis.

You'll want to handle the rodents on a daily basis if you want them to be friendly. When you handle, make sure your hands are clean. When you first begin to tame animals, just put your hand in the cage and let them approach you. Don't make sudden moves or otherwise scare them. People are frequently advised to pick up rodents by the base of their tails. You can do this with most rodents and its convenient for a lab or pet shop, but they aren't going to appreciate it and this is not going to calm their fears of you. Scoop them up by their underside, supporting their feet.