Rat Care Basics

The minimum that is usually given for a rat cage in the UK is 80cm by 50cm. This is the size of the smaller cages like the Freddy 2 Max or the Ferplast Furat. These are fine for a small group of 3 or 4 rats but I think there are better options out there; like the Mamble 100 or the Coco Large. Personally though, I prefer the double metal style cages as they are usually sturdier and allow you to reconfigure the space should you need to duirng introductions etc. I use the the Little Zoo Venturer but there is also the Critter Nation, SRS 95 and SRS XL and others.

Rats are fossorial animals which means that they live in burrows in the wild. because of this they need to be given a deep layer of diggable substrate, preferably something that will hold burrows.You can use any wood shaving as long as it is kiln dried to remove the harmful phenols and dust extracted for their sensitive respiratory systems.You can also use chopped/shredded card, hemp shavings and even bioactive soil.

Rats are very smart and energetic animals and so need to be provided with a lot of enrichment. Focusing on these behaviours is a very helpful way to think about it. Burrowing/nesting, foraging, running, climbng/jumping/balancing, digging, gnawing. Give them spaces to sleep and nesting materials like hay and shredded paper so that they can nest. Scatter feeding and foraging toys will aloow them to forage for their food. A cage with the appropirate floor space and a wheel with satisfy their need to run, along with time outside of the cage. By ensuring that your cage has an active layout with branches, ropes, nets etc, you will be allowing your rats to be able to stay fit and agile. A good substrate will allow rats to both dig and burrow. Safe woods an dother natural materials in the cage are necessary so that they can chew, this helps keep their teeth in hceck and is a calming behaviour for them.

Rats should not be fed nuggets as their main diet. They need a mix because of their ancestral lifestyle. Nuggets also are not adaptable to the needs of the rats you are feeding and they often have very low quality ingredients. Some people worry about selective feeding but ensuring that you are feeding an appropriate amount daily and scatter and forage feeding then thi is not a worry.

The main proportion of a rat's diet should be made up with a high quality and balanced dry mix, balanced wet food is a great addition, and then small amounts of extras and treats.

The easiest way to prepare a balanced dry mix for rats is to follow the principles of the Shunamite Diet which was formulated by Alison Campbell. You can make this yourself but there are also some places you can buy it here in the UK; Rat Rations, Ratcessories, Ratatat Toys and Critter Happy Homes. Your breeder may also sell you their mix sometimes too.

When being fed a mix rats require a multivitamin; either CaCuD3 from rat Rations 1 to 2 times a week or Dr Squiggles Daily Essentials and Calcivet 1 to 2 times a week. The frequency necassry depends on how many fortified ingredients, like fortified cereals and dog food, that you use. Oils such a salmon, omega and flax can help towards healthy skin and coat also.

Rats can be fed pretty much everything that we can eat, as they are omnivores. Protein should be given in moderation to adult rats. Vegetables are always a good addition to their diet. I recommend reading The Scuttling Gourmet to find out more about feeding a balanced wet meal like I do. I also have a video on my channel about this.

There is very little that is actually harmful to rats, and most is bad for us too (think avocado skin and apple pips). Often unsafe food lists transpose from other species and warn off chocolate, or onions or grapes; these are all safe in moderation of course. There are also myths like citrus foods causing cancer in male rats, this is true but only in very very high dosages; so a little bit of lemon juice or a nibble of orange is not harmful to them.

Making your own mix is simple once you understand the principles. It is mixed using volume rather than weight. Using any scoop you have available (which equals 5% of the mix) you will choose appropirate ingreadients for each of these categories. For a total of 20 scoops:

10-12 scoops of base mix (horse conditioning mix, rabbit museli, pigeon seed or straights grains)

5 scoops of processed grains (cereal, puff grains, crackers, pasta)

1-2 scoops of protein (high quality dog kibble, a small ammount of dried fish/insects)

2 scoops of herbs and veg

1 scoop of seeds and fats (pumpkin, linseed, millet, coconut)