How long do domestic rats live: how to extend the life of a pet, rules of feeding and care

Peculiarities

The domestication of tailed animals began at the beginning of the last century. Decorative rats have a keen intelligence, have excellent memory and are highly trainable.
In this regard, the popularity of rodents as pets is increasing every year. Even those who do not have warm feelings for rats watch with interest the antics of the eared animals. The domestic rat is a compact pet. Adults weigh from 300 to 600 grams depending on gender. Boys grow up to be almost twice as big as girls. Most breeds have a slightly elongated muzzle, ears set high and with rounded tips. The body is covered with fur, its thickness and length depends on the specific breed. The tail is most often bare or covered with a small amount of hair. It is noteworthy that in some individuals it is warm to the touch, while in others it is cold.

What you need to know to properly keep rats at home.

Why do rats live short lives?

The lifespan of various animal species is determined genetically. It depends on the reproductive capacity of the animal. Rats can breed from 1.5 months. A rodent can have up to 14 individuals in a litter.

A lactating rat is ready to become pregnant and give birth to a newborn. For this reason, animals of different sexes should not be kept in the same cage, as this creates additional stress on the female.

Another reason for a short life is a fast metabolism. This can cause the rat to die without food within 2 days.

Lifespan

In the wild, the lifespan of a rodent depends on its habitat and rarely exceeds one year. They live as pets for 2-2.5 years.

There are also cases where domestic rats lived up to three years or more. And the Guinness Book of Records notes that the oldest rat lived to the age of 7 years.

The popularity of rodents as pets increased dramatically with the release of the third Harry Potter book. In The Prisoner of Azkaban, there was a certain wizard who lived in the guise of a rat for 12 years. Fans of the world of magic who believed in the long life of pets were in for a slight disappointment. Rats bought at the height of Pottermania lived, like ordinary ones, for 2-3 years .

How long rats live at home is influenced by quality of life, nutrition and genetics. To prolong a pet’s existence, you need to provide it with favorable living conditions. The common belief that rodents can live in any conditions is partly true. However, poor care will certainly affect life expectancy.

How many live in the wild?

Wild rodents, unlike laboratory ones, are very hardy, smart, easily adapt to new living conditions, and tolerate temperature changes. They can swim and, if necessary, stay in the water for a long time. They reproduce quickly and take care of their offspring.

Due to the fact that they are omnivores and often eat in garbage dumps, they often suffer from intestinal diseases and experience poisoning. In addition, they live in sewers and basements, where sanitary standards are out of the question, which is why skin diseases are common.

Of course, such difficult living conditions are reflected in life expectancy. Often, young representatives suffer, whose body is not yet strong and cannot cope with all the threats. Most often, wild street rats live no more than 1-1.5 years, very rarely they can reach the age of 2-3 years.

Genetics

The lifespan of a house mouse is influenced not only by lifestyle, but also by genetic predisposition.

The fact is that in pet stores, rats live in mixed-sex packs , which does not happen in the wild. Animals living in crowds mate uncontrollably, after which they live in cramped conditions unsuitable for normal existence. It is very difficult to trace the genetics of such an animal, so it is impossible to say how long such a rat will live and what life awaits it.

A completely different situation arises when animals are bred by a breeder. Matings in such cases are planned, and partners are selected depending on temperament. Rat pups from peaceful, sociable parents are prepared for sale as pets. Such babies are brought up in a favorable environment, which prevents the pet from displaying aggression in the future.

Females in nurseries give birth to cubs no more than twice a year . Frequent pregnancies exhaust the animal, as a result of which it produces weak, non-viable litters.

In order for a pet to be healthy, please its owners and live a long life, it must be purchased only in special institutions.

You will learn how to make the life of a pet rat comfortable in this video.

Varieties

The result of long-term selection work was the emergence of several subspecies of Dumbo rats, which differ in color and the presence of fur. Eared animals can be either shaggy or bald, and can also be black, white, gray and red. Depending on your taste preferences, you need to purchase the appropriate breed.

Rex

Representatives of the Rex breed have curly, dense hair that evenly covers the entire body, making the pet soft and plush. Newborn babies with protruding hair look comical and funny. Some individuals even have curly mustaches.

Sphinx

The Dumbo Sphynx breed is distinguished by its complete absence of hair. Small folds of skin can be seen on the soft, velvety body, which can be pink, white, blue or black. The length of the whiskers can be either large or small, and in some pets they are completely absent.

To preserve the genetic characteristics, experts do not recommend crossing the breed with other representatives of the Dumbo. To prevent aggression from rats with fur, it is necessary to place naked pets in a separate cage. This breed is chosen by people who are allergic to wool.

Siamese

Unique representatives of this subspecies have a soft cream coat color, against which the brown muzzle and paws look impressive.

Husky

At birth, Husky rats have a standard color range, against which white hairs may appear only after a few months.

Manx

Manx rats are tailless representatives of the species. This feature was caused by a gene mutation and caused negative reviews from specialists.

The absence of a tail has a negative effect on the skeleton and the life period of the animal, which does not exceed 12 months.

Blue mink

Blue mink is a unique subspecies that has gray wool with a blue tint. Amazing colors significantly increase the cost of baby rats on the market.

What to feed your pet rat?

It is not enough to know about the care and maintenance of a pet rat: feeding is an equally important aspect, because the pet constantly needs clean and fresh water and food. For liquids, a drinking bowl is placed so that the water does not spill and the cage does not become dirty and damp. The water needs to be changed every day.

The food should include grains (oats, wheat, millet, barley), fruits (apples, bananas, peaches, apricots, persimmons), berries (grapes, strawberries, raspberries), vegetables, herbs (dandelion and plantain leaves), dried fruits , nuts (except almonds) and chicken bones (necessary for grinding teeth). You can give meat, but in small portions and no more than once a week.

The normal feeding frequency is 2 times a day for adults, 3-4 times for children and adolescents.

Additionally, owners purchase a mineral stone that can provide the animal with the necessary amount of calcium.

List of prohibited products:

• roast,
• salty,
• smoked,
• fatty,
• spicy,
• cold,
• sweet.

So candy, chocolate, sausage, bread, soy are not an option. Vegetables such as cabbage, turnips, radishes, radishes, beets, legumes and raw potatoes should not be given. All permitted vegetables and fruits must be ripe (not green, but not overripe). Do not offer your rat leaves from indoor plants or fruit trees.

A properly selected diet is the key to animal health. It’s easy to put together if you know what pet rats eat and what you should absolutely not give.

Rodent squad: general characteristics and features

The closest relatives are rabbits and hares, forming the order Lagomorpha.

Features of the structure:

1. Teeth. Distinctive features are the long upper and lower pairs of incisors, which do not have roots and grow throughout the animal's life. Elongated incisors are needed for gnawing hard food.
2. Dimensions. Most representatives of mammals are small in size: from 5 cm to 50 cm. The exception is the largest representative of the species - the capybara, whose length reaches 130 cm, weight up to 91 kg.
3. Skeleton. Features of the skeleton are a stocky build, hind legs longer than the front, and a long tail. The tail of some individuals may be significantly longer than the body.
4. Digestion. Due to feeding on rough plant foods, rodents have long intestines. They have a cecum, where food is processed through fermentation.

This type of mammal is not whimsical and does not require special knowledge or skills in care, so rodents are often chosen as pets.

Features of care:

1. Housing. It must be remembered that most rodents are active animals. The cage should be spacious and kept clean. Removal of food debris and washing of the sippy cup is carried out daily. Cleaning the floor and cleaning the litter - once a week. Once a month you need to disinfect the cage.
2. Dental care. There should always be wooden sticks in the cage so that the pet can grind his teeth, which are constantly growing, on them.
3. The washing up. You need to place a container with fine sand in the cage so that the animal can clean its fur.
4. Situation. Rodents are shy and sensitive creatures, so housing, if possible, should be located in a secluded place, protected from the hustle and bustle.

The numerous species of rodents make their classification extensive. The rodent order has 5 suborders:

• protein-like;
• mouse-like;
• porcupines;
• spiny-tailed;
• beaver-like

Classification: more about suborders

1. Squirrel-like. Members of the suborder include squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, and flying squirrels. They live mainly in forests, have strong muscles of the lower jaw, this allows them to gnaw and break solid food. Most representatives of the suborder are omnivores.
2. Mouse-like. You can most often meet representatives of this family in everyday life. These include mice, rats, hamsters, voles, lemmings, jerboas, and muskrats. Most of them are nocturnal and feed on seeds and grains.
3. Porcupines. The group includes agouti, porcupines, mole rats, nutria, chinchillas, and capybaras. Most representatives of this class are large species with a heavy, rather awkward physique. They are characterized by modified hair into coarse bristles or needles.
4. Spiny-tailed. There are nine species, including spiny-tailed squirrels, Pela spinytails, long-eared spinytails, and Cape striders. These animals got their name because of their tail, which is partially devoid of fur and covered with pointed scales. Some members of this suborder, with the exception of the spiny-tailed squirrels, have flight membranes that allow them to glide.
5. Beavers. There are about 100 species from 3 families: beavers, gophers and pouchhoppers. Scientists identified it as a fairly young detachment only in 2005. This class includes large rodents with cheek pouches and strong limbs.

Breeds of domestic rats

Today there are 137 species of domestic rats, as well as 570 subspecies . And each of them is interesting in its own way. The most common:

• breed of decorative rat - standard,
• tailless rats,
• rexes and double rexes,
• satin types,
• hairless,
• decorative dumbo rats,
• downy

At the same time, the color of decorative rats can be uniform, ticked (with a pattern) or combined. White domestic rats, gray domestic rats, and black decorative rats are often found. Less often - with hearts, spots and stripes.

Rodent anatomy

The animals have a stocky build and an oval body shape. The size of an adult individual can be 8–30 cm in length. Body weight is 37–420 g. Some individuals weigh more than 500 g.

Many people wonder how many fingers rats have. The animals' front paws resemble human hands, but each has 4 fingers. The fifth (large) has a reduced shape, looks like a short stump with a blunt end. There are 5 toes on the hind legs.

How many teeth do rats have? There are a total of 4 incisors and 12 molars. The former are constantly growing, so animals have to regularly grind them down on various objects and materials.

If the rodent does not do this, the incisors will soon grow, preventing the mouth from closing normally. This causes severe discomfort, so when keeping pets at home, it is necessary to give wooden blocks and branches to your pets. Then the animal will be healthy and calm.

The structure of the rat has its own distinctive features:

• normal body temperature: +37.5ºС - +38.3ºС;
• heart rate per minute: 300 – 500;
• number of breaths per minute: 85 – 100;
• with a weight of 400 g, the animal’s brain is 2 g;
• puberty occurs after 8 weeks of age;
• pregnancy lasts up to 24 days.

Physiology is designed so that rats can survive in a variety of conditions:

1. eyes. They allow you to see well around you, but not those objects that are very close. Animals have difficulty viewing stationary objects.
2. Ears. Rodents have excellent hearing. The ears can move in different directions, independently of each other.
3. Nose. Compared to humans, rats perceive a wider range of aromas. This allows her to identify strangers by smell and recognize the marks of other animals.
4. Taste buds. They detect the quality of food even if there is a subtle aftertaste.
5. Vibrissae. Helps with orientation in the dark.

The animals have a well-developed sense of heights, so they can calmly rest even on tight ropes.

What determines the lifespan of a rodent?

How long domestic decorative rats live depends on many factors - breed, living conditions, genetics and much more.

Among other things, the size of an animal's home can have a significant impact on its lifespan. If the cage is small, it is difficult to place devices for games and activity of the animal in it, which, in turn, provokes little physical activity. Lack of activity can cause excess weight, muscle atrophy in the animal, and, as a result, heart and vascular disease.

In addition, it is unacceptable for your pet’s home to be located in a draft; this can provoke various respiratory diseases, and being located under the scorching sun can lead to overheating.

Another important factor is cleanliness. If you ignore cleaning, pathogenic bacteria can develop in the cage, and sooner or later the animal will get sick.

The influence of genetics on life expectancy

Heredity can also affect the lifespan of a rat. When purchasing an animal, even in a specialized store, you cannot be sure that the breeding rules have been followed.

Without following the rules for reproduction, it is impossible to raise offspring that are viable, healthy and without any mutations, so it is better to purchase an animal from experienced breeders.

In addition to incorrect matings, there is a danger in purchasing an animal from a genetic line of rats for research. Such animals can carry various dangerous genes - obesity, immunodeficiency, oncogenome, etc. Such animals have a high probability of being carriers of diseases, as well as being susceptible to various ailments. It is unknown how many years such a domestic rat will live.

It is also undesirable to purchase rats from a line of closely related crossings (inbreeding), such offspring tend to degenerate and have a short life span.

Any such animal has a very short life span.

In order not to make a mistake and purchase a healthy and viable animal, you should chat on forums and find people who professionally breed decorative rats.

How do the life spans of different breeds of rats differ?

Today, many breeds have been bred that have the parameters necessary for the breeder - color, coat, anatomical features, and even the location of the ears and the length of the tail (even a breed of tailless rats has been bred).

Look at the table and you will find out how the type/breed of a rodent affects its life expectancy:

It is worth noting once again how long the popular albino rats live. This species was also bred for laboratory research, which means it already has interventions at the genetic level, so the life expectancy of such rats is no more than 1 - 1.5 years.

Regarding another fairly common breed, many are also interested in the question of how long do Dumbo decorative rats live at home? Fortunately, this breed, beloved by many breeders, has a standard lifespan of 2-3 years, if properly cared for.

Based on this, we can conclude that nature is the best designer , and by interfering with the genome of an animal, you can have a great negative impact on its life and health.

So why do rats live so short?

The lifespan of every living creature is determined genetically. There is also a close connection between an animal's ability to reproduce and its lifespan. The female is ready to reproduce, starting from one and a half months of age, and during feeding she can become pregnant again.

Yes, a domestic rat can be limited from frequent births, but in the wild, a rat often constantly produces new offspring, which is why its body quickly wears out.

Rats have a fast metabolism, and this also affects their life expectancy. A rat, without getting food within two days, simply dies.

Rats born from “casual relationships” are prone to various kinds of diseases, so it is advisable to purchase pets only from trusted and experienced breeders. Conscientious rat breeders select not only the best breeding individuals, but, most importantly, the healthiest ones to produce offspring. In good nurseries, the female is not allowed to reproduce a lot, because the exhausted body of the expectant mother produces weak individuals that are not viable.

All these factors have a strong impact on life expectancy, so it is worth taking them into account.

Features of a specific breed

To breed breeds, external data is taken as a basis: the color and length of the coat, the size of individuals, the presence of a tail, the shape of the ears, eye color, etc. But such selection also leaves an imprint on the functioning of the animal’s body.

Relatively long-lived among the breeds of tame rodents are blue rats and dumbos. With proper care, animals can easily live up to 2.5-3 years. Long-livers are also common among them. Husky rodents imitate the popular dog breed with their color. Most often they are white with beige or gray spots. They can also be classified as long-livers. Most individuals live up to 3-3.5 years.

White albino rats have the shortest life expectancy. Neither have weak immunity. And genetics also endowed them with a tendency to cancer. Animals rarely live even to one and a half years.

Exotic sphinx rats do not have hair. Therefore, they require special conditions of detention. The slightest hypothermia or draft can undermine the pet’s health and lead to death. The average lifespan of albinos ranges from one and a half to two years.

The Standard and Rex breeds are average in life expectancy. Their average lifespan is about two years.

Nutrition

Due to their very fast metabolism, rodents quickly become exhausted in the absence of food. An absolutely healthy individual can die after just two days of starvation. Domestic rats are not influenced by negative natural factors such as cold. But their digestive system and metabolic processes are designed for a regular supply of food throughout the day.

Therefore, feeding frequency and feed composition play a very important role. You should pay special attention to them and adjust the rodent’s diet depending on its age, condition and special needs.

Dental health

Sharp, strong teeth are almost the main and important tool for a rat. With their help, she crushes and gnaws food. The diet of rodents consists of 80-90% of very solid foods and feed. Having lost its teeth, the animal will also lose the opportunity to fully eat the food it needs.

The owner should remember that the rodent's teeth require constant grinding. Also, during contact with solid food or objects, their natural cleaning occurs.

Housing arrangement and general living conditions

Rats definitely require periodic physical activity and the opportunity to be active. In a house or cage that is too small, the rodent will not be able to move around as much as it needs. The result will be gradual atrophy of the muscular system and obesity.

The cage or house with pet rats should be in a room with normal temperature.

To what age do they grow?

Rats grow and develop quickly. This process is most active from birth to 6 months:

1. On the 3-4th day the ears open.
2. Teeth begin to erupt at 9-10 days.
3. After 2 weeks, the eyes open.
4. By day 16, the fur already completely covers the body.
5. Molars erupt at 35-40 days.
6. At 3 weeks of age, the pups are already eating from the feeder.
7. On day 25, the young are separated from their mother.

Further, the growth of the baby rats does not stop, but becomes less noticeable. By the age of one year, animals become fully formed. During this period, their weight is 300-600 g: females grow half as much as males.

Adult

Diseases of domestic rats

The most common diseases of domestic rats that can cause death:

• mycoplasmosis;
• listeriosis;
• ectromelia;
• diseases of infectious etiology;
• salmonellosis;
• pasteurellosis;
• diseases of ENT organs.

All these diseases have a favorable outcome if promptly contacted by a veterinarian, but if ignored, they can cause the death of the animal. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the health of your pet.

Disease Prevention

As in people, it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later, so it is advisable to follow simple preventive tips regarding the care and maintenance of decorative rats:

1. Regularly clean the rodent's home using cleaning products.
2. Change the water in the drinking bowl.
3. Remove leftover food.
4. Do not use pine filler.
5. Avoid overheating and hypothermia.
6. Provide the rat with a balanced diet.

These simple rules will help you avoid many common diseases among these animals.

Health monitoring

If your pet lives with you for a long time, then it will not be difficult to notice any deviations in behavior; such observation is very important, because by paying attention in time, you can identify the disease at an early stage and prevent adverse consequences.

What you should be wary of:

• apathy;
• loss of appetite;
• the animal looks lethargic;
• refuses to play;
• itches;
• drags limbs/cannot stand on paws/falls over on side;
• shows no interest;
• there was discharge from the nose/eyes/ears;
• changes in fur cut.

All these signs should alert you and cause you to immediately visit a ratologist or veterinarian. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the nature of the animal’s excrement, this way you can detect helminthic infestations and take the necessary measures in time.

Do rats and mice live in the same cage?

You can feed him to the point where he can't look at the mouse as food. But overeating them, like people, has the same consequences. They are also smart and may simply refuse to eat, so don't overfeed them.

And also, don’t forget about competitions. This is another reason to destroy your opponent. Among mice there are quite active individuals, and the rat, as a smart animal, always attacks first.

These rodents should not be placed in the same cage at all - they are incompatible animals. They belong to the same class of rodents and even to the same family of mice, but they are in the same food chain and do not have the same developmental value. The result is catastrophic.

How to tell if a rat is dying of old age

The signs of aging and approaching death are unique to each pet. While in some rats they manifest themselves only as a slight decrease in activity, in others severe damage to the nervous, respiratory or musculoskeletal system is observed.

Conventionally, the symptoms of approaching death can be divided into 2 categories: changes in appearance and behavioral reactions.

Appearance

Signs of old age and imminent death in rats may include the following changes in the appearance of pets:

• increased hair loss, in which the skin is clearly visible;
• mustache loss;
• dullness of the eyes;
• blindness;
• weight loss due to decreased appetite (not always);
• seizures or paralysis of limbs;
• hard breath.

Note! In white rats, shortly before death, the fur acquires a yellowish tint, since the animal is no longer able to carefully care for itself.

Behavioral factors

In addition to changes in appearance, the imminent death of a rat can be guessed by the following behavioral factors:

• refusal of solid food;
• decreased appetite or complete absence of it;
• inactivity, apathy;
• loss of coordination of movements;
• indifference to games;
• desire for solitude or, conversely, excessive intrusiveness.

You may notice that aging rats no longer climb to the second tier of the cage or jump onto elevated objects.

Dangers of a tame rat

Sometimes pet rats do not live out their allotted time due to the carelessness of their owners. The most common causes of premature death of decorative rats: contact with other domestic animals (cats, dogs), chewing electrical wires, eating plants that are poisonous to them. The following plants are deadly for rats: milkweed, nightshade, ivy, laurel, rhododendron, kalanchoe, azalea, fern, aloe, amaryllis, geranium, hyacinth, cyclamen, myrtle, dieffenbachia, carnation, mistletoe, tulip, narcissus, lily of the valley.

Video

Caring for an elderly kitty rat

An elderly rat really needs your attention

It is morally difficult for a loving owner to accept the thought of the imminent death of a devoted animal; many owners do not know what to do if a rat dies of old age. It is impossible to calculate the time of death or prolong the life of a domestic rodent; immediately before the death of the animal, heavy breathing or convulsions may be observed, sometimes a beloved animal simply dies in its sleep. Elderly pets are in great need of increased care and attention from their adoring owner, so it is necessary to take care of the aging animal as often and intensively as possible. The owner of an elderly pet must:

• remove all floors from the cage, place the hammock, house, feeder and drinking bowl as low as possible;
• if necessary, independently place a weak rodent in a warm hammock;
• after each feeding, it is necessary to wipe the pet’s nose, mouth and eyes with a damp swab, once a day to wash the intimate parts with a solution of chlorhexedine and the ears with a cotton swab dipped in saline solution;
• due to age-related dental problems, it is recommended to feed an elderly pet with semi-solid and soft food: porridge, dried bread, cereal, baby food, yogurt;
• if the animal cannot drink from a nipple drinker, you can secure a cup of water in the cage and treat the rodent with juicy fruits and berries;
• Vitamins for rats must be included in the diet;
• Slatted floors and coarse litter are not used for elderly pets; it is recommended to lay soft fabrics, napkins, and toilet paper on the bottom of the cage as bedding;
• It is advisable to frequently communicate with the rat, stroke the animal, hold it on your lap; elderly rats need human affection and attention more than ever.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any pet, an ornamental pet has a number of advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspects include the following:

• receptivity to training;
• high intellectual level;
• unpretentiousness in food;
• response to nickname;
• presence of a good-natured and affectionate character;
• sociability;
• gullibility;
• no need for spacious living quarters;
• cleanliness;
• creating a minimum amount of noise;
• low maintenance costs;
• ease of care.

The animal has the unique ability to adapt to the mood of its owner, giving the person exactly the emotions that he needs. The main disadvantages of a funny animal are:

• failure to follow commands without a treat;
• falling into depression after being alone for a long time;
• incompatibility with predatory domestic animals;
• territory label;
• damage to all available interior items;
• high cost of medications for treatment;
• presence of a specific odor;
• need for daily walk;
• high price;
• short period of life;
• maintaining wildness in the absence of contact with people.

How to properly care and maintain?

You can’t argue with the genetics and characteristics of each specific breed. But owners of pet rodents are quite capable of at least slightly extending the lifespan of their pets. Who knows, perhaps, thanks to your care, a tame rodent will become another record holder for life expectancy among its relatives.

The appearance of a domestic rodent in an apartment begins with the arrangement of its home.

Regardless of whether it is a cage or a cardboard house, the main thing is that the animal has enough free space to move. For females, tall cages with several levels of hammocks or shelves are best suited.

You need to allocate an area in the house where the rat can hide and feel safe. This could be a small tunnel, a box with a hole for entry, or a corner curtained with fabric. Rats are quite shy by nature. Therefore, they need to periodically retire to a quiet, enclosed place. Over time, you will be able to notice that the animal most often chooses its own secluded corner for sleep.

Make sure that the rat is not frightened or disturbed. Consider a suitable location for the cage in the apartment. You should not place your pet's house in a room where loud noises are often heard. It is better not to place the cage in a room where they watch TV or listen to music.

Also, make sure that there are no drafts in your pet rat’s home. It is not allowed to place the cage on a windowsill or other place where the sun periodically shines directly. Both hypothermia and prolonged heat are harmful to rats.

A tame rat needs to be active

This helps keep muscles toned and is a good prevention of obesity and other health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to equip the house with 1-2 attractions where the animal could warm up.

Also, at least once a day, and preferably more often, if possible, the pet rat should be allowed to run around the apartment. Only such walks should be carried out only under your close supervision.

In their natural environment, rats live in flocks or at least in pairs.

Therefore, keeping one individual in complete isolation from its relatives does not have the best effect on its general condition. Like other animals, rodents need communication and play with their own kind. Don't deprive your pet of this. Place 1-2 friends with him.

If you do not plan to breed baby rats, then the individuals in the same cage should be of the same sex.

To prevent your pet from being afraid of you and not experiencing stress when you show it, interact with it more often

Rats are quite social animals, so contact is important for them, including with the person with whom they live side by side.

Pet rats love to sit on their owner's shoulder. They also love affection and conversation. There are often cases when these animals even learned commands and could perform various tricks according to a conventional sign from a person.

There is an opinion that rats, including domestic ones, are completely omnivorous, and they can be fed with anything

But that's not true. You should also pay attention to the nutrition of these animals if you want your pet to live as long as possible and not get sick.

The diet of rats should consist of at least 80% grains . This is the main source of microelements for them. In addition, rodents grind down their teeth on hard grains, which allows them to quickly grow new and strong ones. For the same purpose, a tree branch should be attached to the cage bars. Animals happily gnaw on it to keep their teeth in order.

It is recommended to regularly feed rats a combination food of several types of grains: wheat, rye, rice, buckwheat, barley, corn grains, oats.

Also, raw vegetables, fruits and herbs must be added daily to the pet rodent’s menu. You shouldn’t get carried away with feeding domestic rats, as they say, “from the table.” Many individuals really enjoy feasting on cheeses, pasta, boiled potatoes and other dishes from the human diet. But such products are neutral for rats, that is, they do not contain the substances and trace elements necessary for them. And their excess in the diet can disrupt the functioning of the rodent’s digestive system.

Rats can be given some boiled lean meat. Eating nuts is allowed, but infrequently and in small quantities.

Cleanliness and hygiene

In nature, rats are very clean. But since keeping rodents at home involves limiting their living space, the responsibility for maintaining the hygiene of their home falls mostly on the owner.

Untimely cleaning and food residues in the cage provoke the active development of pathogenic microorganisms. In other words, the poor sanitary condition of a tame rodent’s home greatly increases the chances of the pet developing any disease.

It is not recommended to use pine sawdust litter. They contain a large amount of essential oils, which are not very useful for rodents. The filler must be changed promptly as it becomes dirty.

Also, do not forget to regularly change the water in the drinking bowl, filling it with fresh water. Some owners limit themselves to only adding liquid. But in water that has been standing in a bowl for some time, bacteria often begin to develop, which the animal will be forced to consume along with drinking.

Periodically, the cage must be washed using cleaning agents and disinfectants.

Periodic bathing is also necessary for the animal itself. If the dimensions of the cage allow, you can install a kind of bath in the rat’s home. It can be made from a small plastic container filled with water. The animal will wash and clean itself in its bath, and you will get considerable pleasure watching it.

Once a month, your pet rat should be washed with a special shampoo for rodents. It can be found in veterinary pharmacies and pet stores. The use of human shampoo and soap for bathing rats is contraindicated. After washing the animal, you need to dry it a little, blotting it with napkins or a towel. While the fur is drying, you should prevent your pet from becoming hypothermic and protect it from drafts.

Veterinarians who specialize in providing medical care to rodents are called ratologists.

So far, such a specialist can not be found in every veterinary hospital. In any case, a regular veterinarian will be able to conduct an examination and advise you on the health status of your pet rodent.

Therefore, if you notice any signs of deterioration in your rat's health, or if obvious symptoms of a specific disease appear, seek medical help. Rodents are quite hardy, and in most cases, mild forms of the disease can be successfully treated in the same way as in other animals.

Remember, when you decide to place a pet next to you, you take care of it. The quality and life expectancy of the animal depends on your sensitive attention and proper care. Try to follow the simple rules for keeping pet rats so that your pet rodent can be healthy and please you for as long as possible.

How to extend the life of a pet? Recommendations for owners

It is very important to treat all diseases in a timely manner and prevent them from becoming chronic. Not everyone understands the anatomy of rats, and even fewer people know about possible diseases

In this case, you can contact a veterinary clinic; now almost all specialized clinics have a doctor who treats rodents directly - a ratologist. In small towns, it will most likely be difficult to find such a specialist, but even an ordinary veterinarian can easily diagnose the disease and prescribe therapy.

In addition to health, it is important to pay attention to the maintenance of your pet; for a comfortable life, rats require a spacious cage, which will be equipped with everything necessary

The litter you choose for your cage is also important. Many people are not aware that woody ones are not desirable for use in rat cages. This is due to the content of essential oils in the tree, which can cause allergic reactions or diseases of the ENT organs.

When buying a new pet, you should isolate it from other pets for a month so that the animal undergoes adaptation and adapts to foreign bacteria. To do this, it is worth placing the cage in a room where other animals will not have access.

Conditions for keeping rats and cage hygiene

Life expectancy is closely related to the hygiene and living conditions of decorative rats, for example:

size of the home - the more animals, the larger the area should be

Females require tall cages, while males, on the contrary, prefer a larger area; accessories - ladders and shelves are necessary to maintain physical activity; couple - it is important not to forget that in the wild these animals live in packs, and it is best to keep several individuals at once (of the same sex - unless you plan to become a breeder); walks - by purchasing a walking ball, you will provide the opportunity for even greater activity of the rodent, and besides, it is safe; care - rats are social animals, they become attached to household members and require attention and care. If you can provide the rodent with all the necessary conditions for a comfortable life, you will contribute to its long and happy life

If you can provide your rodent with all the necessary conditions for a comfortable life, you will contribute to his long and happy life.

Proper nutrition

Life expectancy in the wild directly depends on the nutrition of the rodent, often this is insufficient or poor nutrition:

1. Foraging for food in landfills.
2. Feeds on small animals and insects.
3. The predominance of plant foods.
4. Cannibalism - in conditions of hunger, rats often eat their relatives.

Settling in cities or near them, many rats die from the poison that people spread to fight animals.

For a long and healthy life, a rat should eat about 80% grains and about 20% vegetables/fruits/greens. There must be constant access to clean, usable water.

Young rats should be fed boiled meat and eggs at least once a week. Sometimes you can pamper them with nuts. Sprouted grains have a tonic effect and prevent many diseases, so they are also recommended to be added to the diet of decorative rats.