Rat Care Hints and Tips

How Many Rats Should I Keep?

Rats Like Socialising

Rats are by nature social animals, living in colonies in the wild. Though it is a common mistake, particularly of first time rat owners, myself included, getting a solitary rat isn’t a good thing to do if you want a happy, healthy and well adjusted animal.

Things have changed so much over the years that most reputable pet shops will not sell lone rats. There are some people who still say that lone rats are more affectionate and bond with humans better, and while it may seem like this in some cases its not the full story. Anyone who has seen two or more rats interacting, grooming, or tussling with each other will see behavior that no amount of human interaction can replicate. On top of that there are those long lonely hours when the rat is left alone; school, work, social activities and of course every human needs to sleep.

Multiple Rat Interactions

As a rat owner it is far more rewarding to interact with multiple rats than a lone rat, if only for the simple fact that they are choosing to play with you rather than having no choice. Watching them play fight, cuddle up and just their general interactions is not only fun and rewarding, but it gives you a glimpse into rattie behavior and teaches you many wonderful ways to play with your rats.

Even Cleaning Out is Play Time

Regardless of how many rats you have, their cage will still need cleaning out at least once a week. So it is as much work to have two or three rats as it is with just one. Often having two or more rats will actually reduce your load because your rats are not completely dependent on you for entertainment. You should still aim get your rats out to play for at least one hour a day, whether in one solid session or throughout the day. As you bond with your rats you’ll probably find both you and them will want to be together whenever possible.

Rats of All Shapes and Sizes

The only limiting factor on how many rats you get, within reason, is cage size. There are many rat cage calculators on the Internet to help you work out how many rats will fit in your cage. It is worth remembering that rats, just like humans, come in all shapes and sizes. The size they are as babies does not reflect the size they will be as adults. And while females are usually smaller than males, this is not a fixed rule. Don’t try and and put as many rats as you can into a cage, your rats will always appreciate a little extra space.

If you do find a solitary rat at the pet shop don’t think that this means they must stay on their own. With a little patience you can introduce rats to each other and give them the social rat interaction to keep them fulfilled.