It is important to ensure our rats have everything they need to thrive and stay happy. We check things off on our checklist (either mental or physical) as we go: substrate, toys, litter… pee rock? What is a pee rock? Do rats need one? In this article, we’ll take a look at exactly what rat…
Rats are very clean creatures. They spend so much of their time grooming that it not only keeps them physically clean, but also serves as a social bonding activity and as a way of communicating. It’s a fact that because they groom so frequently, rats are inherently fastidious about their cleanliness. However, sometimes an older…
Rats and mice are similar creatures, both being rodents and both being popular pets. Pet (fancy) rats are of the classification Rattus Norvegicus – the brown rat while pet mice are Mus Musculus. While they look similar in physical terms (apart from their size), which might make people think that they can live together in…
After researching, trawling information pages and taking in all the advice you can get hold of, you’ve decided to adopt some intelligent rodent friends into your home. But how many rats should you adopt? Can a rat be housed on its own? And what is needed to ensure your new friends have the best lives…
Cleaning is a job we must do regularly to eliminate germs, bugs and bad smells, and make sure our pets stay healthy. The practical basics of how to clean a rat cage are pretty straight forward (and we have a guide here to help!), but there are some less obvious things that are helpful to…
Rats are adorable creatures, so it isn’t surprising that many owners wonder about breeding their pets. Some people want to make “more” of a loved animal, while others wonder if it could be a side-income. However, breeding rats well, in a way that is healthy for the animals, is not as simple as putting a…
One of the first things prospective rat owners want to know is “do rats smell?”. After all, these are animals that have an (undeserved) reputation for being dirty, vermin, or living in sewers. If you’re asking that question then fear not – I have good news. Not only are rats not particularly smelly animals, there…
Summer is upon us in the northern hemisphere – time to get out our lightweight clothes and enjoy the sun! However, while we might enjoy the warmer temperatures, they can cause difficulties for our furry friends, who sometimes need a helping hand to deal with the heat. Our pet rats belong to a species called…
If you’ve owned dogs or cats, you’ll have spent some time grooming them, keeping their fur neat and free of knots, their claws trimmed, and washing out the stink of the interesting dead thing they just rolled in down the park. How does keeping rats compare? Here are some of the key need-to-knows about grooming…