One of the longest of these is the gambian pouched rat, which can measure nearly 3 feet 90cm from nose to tail end and weigh 3 lb 1. This guide in whole or part, exists solely for the purpose of recognizing and understanding the care and illnesses in the pet rat. This book advises on virtually all aspects of caging, feeding, rat management, and training. It is important to remember that rats reach puberty at 68 weeks of age, though its advisable to prevent them from breeding at. Most of the challenges in rat care are caused by the animals remarkable intelligence. Rats live for about two to three years, and are 911 inches in length, and their tails are about 79 inches long. Unfortunately, they have roach droppings along the edges of the pages. Dont forget to check out the fun rat photos and videos if you would like to ask about something not. Rat urine creates ammonia fumes, so a dirty cage leads to an unhealthy build up of ammonia. This brochure has been designed as an educational resource to be handed out to rat owners by vets, pet shops, breeders and animal rescues. The african giantpouched rat cricetomys gambianus it. My rat this book was written by gerd ludwig of germany, in german, and translated to english and published by barrons educational series, inc. This is the new 3 rd edition of debbies rat care book, published in 2011. Please establish a relationship with a rat knowledgeable vet before a medical emergency arises.
A good source for more indepth information about rat health is her book, rat health care. Buy squeaks guide to caring for your pet rats or mice by isabel thomas from waterstones today. Complete care guide by debbie ducommun 20020402 on. There is a steep learning curve for new rat owners, and this book has been a godsend. A beginners guide so you have your rat, but heshe is very shy. Once you find a good breeder and get your rat, the breeder should supply you with your rats history in the form of a pedigree and should offer support as long as you have the rat.
You will needsteps to clean and sanitize the bookadditional tips and advice advertisement michelle asked. As a minimum, a cage with 12 by 24 inches 2 square feet of floor space is okay for two smaller rats as long as the cage is tall and you provide shelves andor hammocks for extra space. It is a guide that tells you when your rat is sick and how to avoid expensive medical treatments by preventive measures. When your rat is out of his cage make sure that the area is secure, free of other pets and safe.
It is mostly the same as the 2 nd edition, but does have a few updates and corrections, and some new photos, including those of hairless and dumbo rats, some new health photos, and debbies husband larry on page 125. For every rat, there should be a minimum of 2 square feet of cage space, but 2. I will teach you how to bond with your pet rats and show you some great activities you can do with them. Natal rat basic care sheet praomys natalensis introduction natal rats, also known as african soft fur rats or multimammate mice, are a small, rat like rodent from south africa. Squeaks guide to caring for your pet rats or mice by. Rat care everything you need to know about caring for. Oct 30, 2009 john mullans ten of the best rats in literature. Rat care tips caring for rats how to care for pet rat health. Blue cross occasionally takes in pet rats for rehoming please contact your local centre for details. A large wire cage is best, especially one with horizontal bars that allow the rat to climb on the sides. Ten of the best rats in literature books the guardian. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. For todays pet owner from the publishers of critters usa magazine debbie ducommun.
Care of the pet rat domesticated rats can be lowmaintenance, entertaining pets. Though cages can be cleaned with a care fresh reclaimed paper pulp product 800. There is no one perfect way to care for all rats, because every rat and every situation is different. Natal rat basic care sheet praomys natalensis introduction natal rats, also known as african soft fur rats or multimammate mice, are a small, ratlike rodent from south africa. Although rats are hardy little critters, they can fall ill and can do so quite quickly so any indication that your rat could be ill should be taken very seriously. In turn, the scratches will become inflamed and itchy, causing subsequent injury.
Amazingly intelligent and surprisingly clean, rats are an ideal indoor pet and can provide years of happy companionship. When your rat has your trust and he is comfortable, pick him up using your two cupped hands and make sure that he is not going to slip out. More information about this valuable resource is listed in the suggested reading section. Books by debbie the rat lady ducommun rat fan club. Click on the below titles to read more about these rat books, which are currently available in the uk. To properly care for a pet rat, choose a large cage with solid flooring, levels, powder coated bars, and ramps. I have read the book the proper care of fancy rats t. Before buying your new pets, be sure you can give them enough time. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Lewis, flowers for algernon by daniel keyes, of mice and men by john steinbeck, the li.
Cage mates are best introduced between 5 and 9 weeks of age, before they reach maturity. Rat owners will agree that our lovable choice of pet is often discriminated against. Through selective breeding, many different color and coat pattern mutations have been developed. After weaning, they require good nutrition, socialization, proper housing. When you cant be with him, your social rat is happiest with a rat buddy. Overall, this is a pretty good rat care book, but someone who buys it thinking that its a book on rat training will be sorely disappointed. A large wire cage is generally suitable for a rat and the horizontal bars are good for it to climb along on. They need to stay with their mother, who will nurse and care for them, for 45 weeks. Feel free to download it and print it out yourself, and hand it out to local pet shops and rescues in your area. Rats deserve as much care and responsibility as any other pet and that includes vet care. Supplement your rats diet with small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables daily. Youll also learn about the proper nutrition and care to keep your rats healthy in the long term, and how to identify and fix problems if they do come up. Print this handy rat guide checklist to make shopping a breeze. If the cage smells,it is because it is overdue for a cleaning.
Rats have complex needs and are not easy to look after well. More so, it is even less lucky to be born a male rat. Rats are clean, friendly, playful, and quiet, and of all the pocket pets, they are considered uniquely responsive to their owners. The essential guide to ownership, care, training for your pet rat care book 1 kate h. At birth, baby rats, also called kittens, are only about long and are hairless, blind and. From basic care to fun games, this book shows rat owners the way out of a maze of questions. The complete beginner guide to rat care rat facts rat care pet rat guide rodents book 1 kindle edition by yee, sarah. The care and maintenance of rats is important as it could affect the outcome of a study. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. As always, consult a veterinarian in all medical matters when it comes to your pets. The hairless rat a complete guide by squeaks and nibbles. Nineteen eightyfour by george orwell no book has more effectively demonised our rodent neighbours. It also includes a lot of beautiful full color photos.
Its size is one of the characteristics that has made it. Feed your rats with high quality lab blocks that dont contain corn, or seeds as the first ingredients, like oxbow regal rat food. How to care for a hairless rat hairless rat, pet rats. Apr 03, 2020 to properly care for a pet rat, choose a large cage with solid flooring, levels, powder coated bars, and ramps. Pet owners and animal hobbyists are discovering rats as fascinating and intelligent creatures that can be bred selectively and kept as pets. Caring for rats basic rat care rats average in length from 1418 inches including the 7 inch tail.
I give this book out to new rat owners as it is the most complete and accurate guide to the care, feeding, medicating, and training of rats. To create the best environment for your rats, be sure that, on top of cleaning the cage weekly, you do a spot clean. Likewise, if your rat is being barbered over groomed by a cagemate or fighting often, he may end up with scratches. Founder of the australian mouse and rat information service. Please seek advice and treatment from a qualified veterinarian if your rat is ill. Perhaps youve had rat pets previously or you simply have a soft spot for helpless animals. Taking care of a pet rat is important if youve decided to get one for yourself. This completely revised edition of the rat brain in stereotaxic coordinates, the second most cited book in science, represents a dramatic update from the previous edition. Basically as long as they have a furry rat friend they should be fine keeping warm and what not. In their native habitat, they are considered pests.
The essential guide to ownership, care, training for your pet rat care book 1. This is the definitive article in taking care of baby rodents. It includes information collected from the latest research and advice from current rat owners. Squeaks guide to caring for your pet rats or mice pets guides. First of all, you need to provide your pet rat with a home. Learn how to be a responsible owner from our best advice on rat care. Squeaks guide to caring for your pet rats or mice by isabel. Visit a veterinarian and consult a broad range of literature to ensure that your pet receives adequate care. Rats are social, so its best to have at least 2 rats together. A little medievalsounding, sure, but they probably dont make sticky traps that big. As we mentioned earlier, since hairless rats arent protected by a nice layer of fur, youll. Whether you already care for pet rats, or are considering getting some keeping a single rat is a bad idea rats as pets, the resources on this website will help you to find out everything you need to know about rats and rat care.
The information in this book will teach you how to properly house these notorious escape artists. The rat guide is an ongoing project which began in 2000, with a collection of medical images to help rat owners become familiar with medical issues that affect. It does not seem fortunate to be born a rat in a human plagued world. Rat facts rats are sexually mature at only 5 weeks of age. This makes me miss my hairless rat tony naked mole rat using a drinking straw 60 hilarious animals pictures funnyfoto page 11 open a pub and call it the naked rat lol time for another round of drinks, then its off to the pool. Jul 15, 2017 so you have found a small, lonely rat baby left alone. Read on your pc, mac, smart phone, tablet or kindle device. Rat care everything you need to know about caring for pet rats. Someone killed a threefootlong rat with a pitchfork at. If your rat wakes very late it can be encouraged to wake earlier by feeding earlier in the evening. Jul 15, 2012 feed your rats with high quality lab blocks that dont contain corn, or seeds as the first ingredients, like oxbow regal rat food. Take a look at our pet search to see all the rats available for rehoming. The rat health care booklet, 17 th edition the rat fan club publishes rat health care, a 48page booklet written by club founder debbie the rat lady ducommun here is what some vets and rat owners have said about this booklet. Practical, accurate advice from the expert complete.
Supplement your rat s diet with small amounts of raw fruits and vegetables daily. How to care for pet rats rats are intelligent and social creatures that generally make good pets. Rats are social animals who need to have at least one rat companion. Any book on pet care will have both good and bad points. If your rat wakes very late it can be encouraged to wake earlier by feeding earlier in the evening and tapping on the side of the cage to wake the rat. From basic care to fun games, this book shows rat owners the way out of. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Dont forget to check out the fun rat photos and videos. Rat parents should avoid purchasing cages with wire bottoms as they may injure their rats feet and create an unsanitary environment. As their alias entails, they have extra soft fur as compared to most other rodent species. Rat care 101 what prospective rat parents need to know. The complete guide to caring for and keeping rats as pets tabitha jones. In this pet rat care guide, well share tips to help you groom and care for your pet rat. Extra care should also be taken to make a rats playroom outside the cage as escape proof as possible.
The complete beginner guide to rat care rat facts rat care pet rat guide rodents book 1 ebook. The rat guide is one of the information sources that deal with all aspects of rats. A tall cage with ramps and platforms is ideal for providing room for multiple rats. The rat should be fed a basic rat mix each evening as it wakes and can also be fed additional supplements.
Use the links on the left for information on specific topics. It covers basic care, illnesses, varieties and standards, breeding and some of the basics of rat genetics. Two males are fine if they were introduced at a very early age. In this book, squeak the mouse reveals how readers should go about choosing pet rats or mice, what supplies they will need, how to make a new pet rat or mouse feel at home, and how to properly care for pet rats or mice, including feeding, exercising, and keeping cages clean.
The essential guide to ownership, care, training for. Rats need at least an hours exercise outside the cage every day and, while they make great family pets, should not be looked after or handled by unsupervised children. Rats are lively and intelligent creatures that can grow into great pets with the proper care and handling. The material below is a general guideline, and is not intended to serve as your sole sources of pet care information. Handle with care like all pets rats need to be handled with care. At birth, baby rats, also called kittens, are only about 1 1. Cages with solid bottoms are best and should be lined with recycled pellets or aspenbased bedding. Based on a single rat brain, this edition features an entirely new coronal set of tissue cut in regular 120 micron intervals with accompanying photographs and drawings of coronal, horizontal and sagittal sections of this new. I have all the exotic animal references and have been to numerous exotic animal seminars, and ive never seen another collection of information about rats as. How to care for a hairless rat hairless rat, pet rats, rat care. Little babies fur babies rat care rat toys fancy rat love doodles cute rats pet day the life. Because of their small size, unique appearance and easy care schedule, rats make a popular pet among kids as well as adults. How do i clean the edges of books that have gotten roach droppings on them.
Read on and you will discover all there is to know in taking care of small rats. This 64page softbound book was written by susan fox and published by t. The rat guide and its affiliates accept no responsibility for misuse or misunderstanding of its information. A rat cage should never smell,as they are very clean animals. Barrons training your pet rat book for sale shop online. Additionally, all rat babies need extra warmth, so it may be in your hairless babies best interest to give them extra baby blankies, bedding, hairless rat sweaters, andor furry baby friends to snuggle up with. Rats like a cage with plenty of hideyholes and levels that they can climb up onto. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading rats. If your rat has long, sharp claws, they can cause cuts and scratches to their skin during normal grooming.