Am I too young?!

 

A Little Introduction

One issue I have run into is the fact that I am not an expert. It’s true that I’m not a vet or that I haven’t owned rats my whole life, but I have done lots of research. I have owned my rats for the last 8 months and they are living happy healthy lives. There have been ups and downs in those 8 months though. One of the best moments was when they let me walk around with them on my shoulder. One of the worst moments was when I got home from a trip and found half of my curtain demolished. All this to say it’s been a learning curve. Trial and error has been my friend. I have learned so much along the way about being a rat owner. I’m here so you can learn from my mistakes and successes. 

In the Beginning

When I first got my rats it took awhile to figure out how I wanted their cage to be set up. The first thing I ended up changing was my rats bedding. I started my cage off with some paper rat bedding. It became increasingly difficult to clean their cage. I did some research and then bought fleece pet bedding. As I researched I learned that the fleece bedding is more sustainable and healthier for the rats. You can wash it and the rats won’t be inhaling any dust from the typical bedding so it works well for the respiratory problems rats sometimes have.

Improvements

I also learned that rats like hammocks. I hung a small animal hammock in their cage and they loved it. Since then I have made a hammock and bought a few more. Going back to the curtain incident I have pet more chewable toys in my rats cage to keep them occupied. I also read that it is good to switch around the layout of your rats cage once in a while to keep them stimulated. When I was at the pet store buying them food I saw a small wooden bird ladder. I bought it and set it up where a small ramp had been before. I figured if it was safe for birds- who also chew up a lot of stuff- it would also be safe for rats. It is also good for rats to have little puzzles with treats as a stimulus. I hada toilet paper roll and I watched a video on how to make a variety of at home rat toys. I even noticed that after I gave the puzzles to my rats the 3rd time they already knew a more efficient way to open it. I also recently decided that it would be a good idea to take out the plastic shelves in my rat cage and replace them with multiple hammocks. My rats have been loving it. This is one of the many skills you gain as a pet owner you learn and figure out what you think your pets will enjoy. In my case I knew my rats would enjoy the hammocks because I had two hammocks in their cage before and that is the only place they really wanted to be. Now they have two large hammocks, one small hammock, food, water, chew toys, and little hutches. This also gives my rats space from each other because before they wanted to be in a hammock that had to be together but now they can be in a hammock all by themselves. They have definitely taken the opportunity for space too as I recently checked up on them and found them in different hammocks relaxing. The overall point of this blog post is to say that I may not be a vet, an adult, or a rat expert but that doesn’t mean that I will be a bad owner or that I won’t give good advice. 

Too Young?

I know I am just a highschool student who is writing a blog for a class, but that doesn’t mean I am unqualified to take care of my pets. It also doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t give advice. I got my rats for my 15th birthday. I spent so much time trying to convince my parents I was responsible enough and that rats were a good easy pet. I made a PowerPoint with many pages of facts. Rat cost, care, and hygiene. In the beginning I wanted a hedgehog but with some research I learned that they really aren’t meant to be pets. In terms of research I have learned a lot about Fancy Rats which are the kind of rat sold as a pet. They are specifically bred to live in a home environment too. All of this to say I’m not an expert but I am working to give my rats the best life possible, and if I can help your rats have a better life by giving you advice I will.

So Far

So far I have covered the reasons rats are good pets, how to figure out what food to buy, how to bond with your rat, what you can train your rat to do, and how to learn about your rat. While writing these posts I have also learned more about being a good rat owner. I have tested some of these new activities with my rats and I have trained my rats to do a few tricks. I haven’t even owned my rats for a year but I know my rats are enjoying their lives because whenever they see me they run over, they love to walk around and roam, and they like to play.

Important Advice

 My most important piece of advice would probably be to take your time. Let your rats take their time too. Can all benefit from a little extra time, research, or in our rats case relaxation. With all that said I would tell you to do what you feel is right and safe in terms of your rats care and play.