appropriate housing
Contrary to popular belief our pet rats are not arboreal.
They are in fact fossorial; which means they prefer horizontal space to vertical space. If given the opportunity rats will climb, but they can be quite clumsy (especially as they get older); which leaves them at risk to injuries from falling.
two of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a cage is ammonia dissipation and floorspace.
glass aquariums are not ideal for rats as they lack proper ventilation so ammonia (being heavier than air) will sink to the bottom of a tank and irritate the rats’ respiratory tract. glass is also more conductive to temperature and humidity fluctuations making thermoregulation difficult in tanks.
The minimum space required per the Canadian council on animal care for laboratory rats is 1.5 square feet for the first rat; and 0.5 feet for each additional rat. the choice of cage should allow for social housing.
as pet owners; it is a good idea to offer more that just the minimUm; but please remember rats love clutter. so by giving rat’s a bunch of un-enriched open space, you are actually providing them a less adequate environment, rather than a more cluttered and therefore, enriching home.
bedding
when choosing a subsrate, you want something that allows for:
Natural Behaviours such as foraging, tunneling and digging
fEEDING YOUR RATS BY SCATTERING FOOD INTO THEIR BEDDING AND RUFFLING IT UP CAN BE A GREAT WAY TO PROVIDE ENRICHEMENT BY ALLOWING THE RATS TO EXPRESS NATURAL BEHAVIOURS; WHICH IN TURN INCREASES QUALITY OF LIFE, REDUCES STRESS AND CAN IMPROVE TEMPERMENT AS A RESULT.
AMMONIA NEUTRALIZATION AND ABSORPTION
bETWEEN A RAT’S SENSITIVE AIRWAYS AND THE RISK OF HAVING A MYCOPLASMA FLARe UP; AMMONIA CONTROL IS CRITICAL TO THEIR RESPIRATORY HEALTH. aMMONIA LEVELS BEING TOO HIGH CAN LEAD TO RESPIRATORY ISSUES AND PERMANENT RESPIRATORY DAMAGE. tHE THING IS, THIS DAMAGE COULD take SEVERAL MONTHS TO SHOW, AND BY THE TIME YOU HAVE NOTICED IT COULD BE TOO LATE.
it is importAnt to steer Clear of things with added scents as they will cause irritation and possibly react negatively to Ammonia fouNd in urine. AnythiNG Containing sodium BICARBONATE (baking soda) should be avOiDed as well as it produces carbon dioxide when Introduced into the stomach (which leadS to bloCkages And inTEstinal ruptureS.)
kILN dRIED PINE, ASPEN, HEMP, AND FLAX ARE ALL GREAT OPTIONS FOR CAGE SUBSTRATE. COMPRESSED WOOD PELLETS CAN BE USED IN THE LITTER BOX IF DESIRED. COCOPEAT, SHREDDED PAPER, AND HAY MAKE GREAT DIG BOX SUBSTRATE.
BEDDING OPTIONS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED ARE FLEECE/FABRIC, SHREDDED PAPER/YESTERDAY’S NEWs, CAREFRESH, AND CORN COB.
feeding
Eversong residents are fed proline Hog GrowEr And black sunflower seeds in q 4:1 ratio. aLternatively, mazuri or oxbow, or other similar rat blockS are excellent choices.
SUPPLEMENT Your Chosen Staple with seeds (not too much for rats,) freeze dried (or live) insects, (cooked) nuts, dehydrated or cooked pasta, dehydrated or cooked oatmeal, edible dehydrated or raW flowers, fruits, vegetables, small amounts of non seasoned/lightly seasoned meats (rats do not require high levels of protein.) Please remEmber the word “boggle” for yoUr appliCation.
disclaimer: male rats should not be fed high levels of d-limonene (such as mangos,) citrus fruits should be peeled and washed before given to rats.
it would take *gallons* of d-limonene to negatively inpact male rats.
a good rule of thumb is: if you will not eat it do not feed it to your pets! this means no avocado skin, no pits/stones of any kind, no seeds (from inside fruits.)
Other “no list” food:
no raw dry beans (they contain anti-nutrients that destroy vitamin a & enzymes needed to digest starches and cause red blood cells to clump)
no raw peanuts
no raw sweet potato/any potatoes with green on them (forms cyanide in the stomach of rats)
no unripe/green banana (inhibits starch digesting enzymes)
no wild insects (risk of internal parasites/disease)
no raw tofu (contains bacteria that is bad for rats)
no dried corn (contains high levels of nitrates and amines — these compounds combine in the stomach to form nitrosamines which are carcinogenic)
other foods high in nitrates: beets, celery, eggplant, lettuce, cucumber, radishes, spinach, collards/turnip greens
no mould based food (eG: blue cheese.)
link for full food list : (coming soon)
enrichment
Hanging Hardware
Shower Curtain Hooks (can be found at any dollar store)
C-links “Counting Links” (can be purchased online from Amazon or eBay)
Snap Carabiners (can be found at any dollar store or bought online in bulk)
Hides
Spacepods (can be purchased at pet stores but cheaper on Amazon) -
Cardboard boxes
Toddler Toys (such as doll houses, trucks, etc)
Plastic/Wicker Baskets (found at the dollar store)
Hammocks (made of polar/no pill fleece, quilting flannel or cotton) hammocks are to be made: fleece on fleece, fleece on flannel or fleece on cotton
Paper towel rolls (make sure to cut a slit if your rats are large so they do not get stucK)
Foraging
Cardboard tubes (such as paper towel, toilet paper, etc) stuffed with treats and folded on both ends to trap treats inside
Scattering treats in the bedding and ruffling it up
Hanging Bird Bath (can be bought off Amazon or pet stores) fill with water and add some peas, carrots, berries, etc for “pea fishing”
Mini Waffle Balls stuffed with treats and crinkle paper/hay
Whole hard boiled egg with shell left intact
Parrot Foraging Wheel filled with different high value treats
Treat Balls (meant for small dogs or cats) filled with high value treats
Steel Treat Cage can be filled with crinkle paper/hay and treats or fresh produce
Treat Ka-Bob used to skewer fruits or veggies
Toy Ideas
Wicker Balls (can be found at the dollar store)
Finger Traps (can be found at the dollar store/pet store)
Toddler Toys (sensory toys) Chew Toys
Whimzees
Apple wood sticks (or other pet safe wood)
Fall Breakers
Sisal Rope
KOMPLEMENT by IKEA (also called Scarf Hanger)
Dig Box
Tall Plastic bin(s) filled with coco fibre, potting soil, leaves, pet safe branches, pine cones , hay (can also scatter treats inside)
“dust baths” (for duprasi gerbils specifically)
wheel - we recommend an 8+ inch wheel FOR DUPRASI AND 14+ INCH WHEEL FOR RATS (no metal ones where their toes can get caught)