Rat Care Hints and Tips

How to Care for Mature Rats

Following on from How to Care for Young Rats, here is a guide to caring for your rats as they mature.

As your pet rats grow they will begin to change, in both shape and temperament. Here are some simple things to be aware of as your rats’ age:

Slowing down

As your rats grow older they will start to slow down. There is no definite age for this, but you will probably realise one day that they are not climbing the curtains like they used to, no longer getting into as much trouble and have started disappearing for a nap in a quiet corner, or if your lucky popping home to bed. This is perfectly normal and it doesn’t mean your rats aren’t going to be any fun, just a little less chaotic. This is the time when the bond you have formed with your rats really starts to pay off. They will begin to sit still more and rather than trampling all over you they will be happier to sit and have a cuddle or some fuss.

Handling your rats

When rats age and grow they will change shape, often becoming more bottom heavy. You may find they start to be a bit more floppy – rather than wriggly little bundles - when you hold them. It is important you adapt the way you pick your rats up and hold them to make sure you are supporting their bodies securely. As babies, rats can seem indestructible and they certainly can behave like they are, but as they mature it is important to begin to take extra care to keep your rats safe.

Putting on weight

Some rats put on a bit of extra weight as they get older, but this often is a normal part of the ageing process, just like it is for us humans as we age. You may notice your rats feel a little less solid or muscular, a female rat may start to look a bit rounder. These changes are nothing to worry about and as long as your rats are getting about happily and have no strange lumps or bumps they are fine. If you have a tendency to spoil your rats with fattening treats you should cut back as your rats will be burning up less energy and may get fat, and fat rats are not happy rats.

Strange behaviour

If your rats have suddenly started doing something strange like tugging on your trouser legs, pushing things off your desk, or giving you a little nip, don’t automatically assume they are being naughty. Because rats can’t talk they have to find other ways of communicating with us and getting our attention. If your rat starts doing something a bit odd look at where they are; do they want picking up, can they get down, or do they want a cuddle? As your rats mature they will become more considered and not be so keen to climb up or drop off things to get where they want to go, and they may just expect you to do it for them.

Lazyness

As your rats pass into adulthood they may get a little lazy. If they have a high cage and they like to sleep high up and the toilet is on the ground floor, you may find they don’t bother to climb all the way down to the ground to use the toilet. You might want to attach something high up for them to use as toilet, otherwise you could find they develope some naughty habtis. If your rats do start tiddling in their beds, even if they have a high up toilet, make sure to change the bed or bedding every few days to keep it hygenic. This is a little like rewarding your rats for being naughty, but their welfare must always come first.

Red eye and nose discharges

You might notice that your rats get some red staining around their eyes or nose. It is usually something that becomes more noticeable as rats get older. It is most noticeable around their eyes if they’ve been asleep and just woken up. As soon as your rat has a wash it will usually go away. If you find your rat seems to be producing a lot, keep an eye out for signs of stress or illness, but on its own this discharge is fairly common and harmless.

Health problems

You should keep a constant eye out for any changes in your rats that are more than just slowing down. Noisy or wheezy breathing is best checked out by a vet immediately as respiratory infections in rats can be very serious and the sooner it is treated the better. If you follow your vets advice your rats should be fine.

If one of your rats should get sick you may be given medicine for your rats. These are usually given orally and of course your rat doesn’t understand the importance of taking medicine and won’t want it if it doesn’t taste nice. The easiest way to get medicine into rats is with food. My preferred method is feeding sick rats baby food mixed with medicine and it has other benefits as well as getting your rat to take its medicine.

Tumours

Tumours can be very scary to think about, but it is best to be aware that rats do get them. Most vets are happy to remove tumours from rats, especially while the lump is still small. If you find a lump on your rat get it checked out as soon as possible.

As a rat parent it is best to consider all your options and what is best for your rat when deciding on surgery. If your rat is still quite young then they should have no problems bouncing back from an operation. When it comes to older rats, or a second operation you should consider what is best for your rat.

If your pet rats are still young, find out about How to Care for Young Rats.