The RMCA's Rat and Mouse Gazette Q&A This mini-faq is taken from questions answered in the regular Q&A column of the Rat and Mouse Gazette, a publication of the Rat and Mouse Club of America. The RMCA is a non-profit club for rat and mouse enthusiasts. For more information on the RMCA, see the web page at http://www.rmca.org/ or contact us at: RMCA1@aol.com This document is Copyright 1996 by the RMCA. It may be redistributed as long as the content is not modified. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ************************** * CARING FOR RATS & MICE * ************************** RAT CAGES Q: What kind of cage is best for rats? A: Both wire cages and aquariums are suitable for rats. Each type has advantages and disadvantages. However, any type of cage must be large enough for the number of animals being housed in it. When purchasing a cage for a baby rat, be sure to allow plenty of room for the rat to grow. Most cages manufactured for hamsters do not allow this necessary room and are therefore unsuitable for rats. Aquariums are easy to clean, keep bedding inside and off of your floor, but provide less airflow than wire. Also, they do not provide space for the rats natural desire to climb. They can also make it difficult for the owner to interact with their pets. Rats housed in aquariums need daily "out time" to provide necessary exercise unless the rat happens to be a wheel runner. Wire cages provide better ventilation, allow room for climbing, and make it very easy to interact with your pet. Certain criteria must be met when housing your rats in wire cages. The most important feature is that the cage bottom should be solid. Wire cage bottoms are uncomfortable for rats to walk on and are very difficult to keep clean. Bumblefoot (Ulcerative dermatitis) is a fairly common problem with rats forced to walk on wire. A very important problem to note is that flat surfaces such as a floor or shelves in multi-level cages made from half inch by one inch wire are extremely dangerous for rats feet and legs. They will quite often fall asleep, relax and drop a foot or leg through, get stuck and upon wakening, panic and break the limb trying to free itself. Uncoated wire cages also have a tendency to absorb urine and begin to smell quite bad very quickly. For excellent cages that meets all the necessary criteria contact Fern Manufacturing at (818) 365-2615 or write 12501 Gladstone #B3, Sylmar, CA 91342. RAT AND MOUSE FOOD Q: What kind of food should I feed my rats and mice? Is it okay to feed table scraps? A: Laboratory pellets or Lab blocks as they are referred to, should be considered to be your pets basic diet. These blocks are nutritionally balanced for rats and mice and are used exclusively by many laboratories and breeders as the animals entire diet. Most pet owners prefer to add variety to their pet's diet and suitable additions are a good rat and mouse mix (grain and seed mix) a few times a week, along with fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy table scraps. Most rats love chicken and the bones will not harm them. Treats may be added sparingly. BEDDING Q: I've heard that Cedar shavings are bad for rats and mice; is this true? A: YES! Both Cedar and Pine shavings contain phenols, the oils in the wood that give them their fresh and woodsy smell which are toxic to small animals and should not be used at any cost. Problems from using these beddings include lung, liver, and kidney damage which sometimes isn't apparent until it is too late. Appropriate beddings are shavings made from hardwood such as Aspen, paper product beddings, corncob, and even rabbit pellets. The most highly recommended are Sani-Chips (800-631-1926), which are a heat-treated Aspen wood chip, Shredded Aspen, and Aspen shavings. There are also several excellent paper products available that are equally recommended; CareFRESH (800-242-2287), Gentle Touch (402-371-3311), Bio Flush (800-482-3130), Yesterday's News (800-267-5287), and Eco-Bedding (800-726-7257). WATERING Q: How much water should I give my rat each day? A: Rats and mice should always have fresh water available in a demand-type water bottle. Bowls can be tipped over, leaving the rat with no water for long periods of time, depending on how often you check on your pets. They can also be contaminated with all kinds of bacteria due to contact with bedding and feces. The average rat will drink about one ounce of water per day, but some large males may drink up to two ounces per day. Flavoring the water will sometimes make them drink more, and feeding lots of fresh fruits and vegetables containing a lot of moisture will make them drink less. CLEANING Q: What should I use to clean my cages? A: Parvosol is a germicidal, virucidal, veterinary cleaner-disinfectant that we use to clean our rat and mouse cages. It was recommended to me by my vet years ago (when we were using Windex with Ammonia D--a no-no), and has caught on as the cleaner to use in the rat fancy. It has a fresh wintergreen scent that also makes it nice to use. Roccal D or any other veterinary cleaner/disinfectant will do just fine. CAGE TOYS Q: What kind of toys can I put in my rats cage? A: Wheels are a favorite of most rat owners and can be introduced at any age, but best results are achieved by acquainting the rat with one while it is very young. A rat that is a runner most often remains a runner for life and will spend a great deal of time doing so. Females are more inclined to be runners than males. If you would like to try introducing a wheel to an older rat, I recommend leaving it in the cage for at least two weeks. If the rat does not begin to run in that time period it is unlikely that he/she will ever become a runner. In this case, you might as well remove the wheel and allow the rat to have more room to move about in the cage. Other ideas for rat toys can be found in the bird section of your pet store. Ladders, ropes, perches, etc. make excellent toys for your pets, but be aware that unless they are metal, they will likely be chewed up in a short period of time. WOOD HOUSES Q: Is it okay to have a wood 'house' in my rat's cage? A: Wood houses are fine as long as they are cleaned and disinfected often. Urine easily soaks into wood and this buildup can cause or worsen respiratory disease if they are not cleaned often enough. Offering nesting material such as clean white paper towels (which should be changed daily) can help lengthen the amount of time needed between cleanings. Clean wooden houses with a mild bleach solution, rinse very well, and dry them in the sun. Anything wood will most likely be chewed up by your rats, so don't be disappointed when you have to replace it! MALE OR FEMALE Q: Is there any difference in disposition between male and female rats? A: Both sexes make wonderful pets. Females have a tendency to be much more curious and active. Males, on the otherhand, are normally happier sitting on your lap and having you scratch their head. QUANTITY Q: How many rats or mice should I get? A: Rats and mice are very social animals and should always be housed with others of their kind. Male mice must be introduced when very young if they are to be housed together, but with care, most male rats can be introduced when older. We recommend that you do not house rats or mice of the opposite sex together or you will continuously have babies. We also recommend that you do not breed unless you can find good pet homes for each and every baby. INTRODUCTIONS Q: What is the best procedure for introducing strange rats together? Is it possible to introduce two males without them getting in a big fight? A: The first step in introducing strange rats together is to allow them to spend a little time together in a neutral area. Start with a few minutes on the couch or on your bed. If they begin to fight, place them back in their own cages. Do this every night for a couple of weeks if you can. When you feel they are comfortable with each other, clean and completely disinfect the cage you intend to keep them in and be sure to do the same with all of the cage accessories. You need to make sure that it is neutral territory. Dab some vanilla extract on the bridge of the nose (between the nose and the eyes), on the back, and on the genitals of each rat. Place them both in the cage and give them a really tasty treat. Hopefully, if all goes right, they will be too busy eating their treat and licking the vanilla off to be concerned with fighting. This does not always work, but is frequently successful. This procedure can be done with both males and females. PLAYTIME Q: Is it okay to play with my rat outside? A: It is a good idea to wait until your rat knows you very well before you decide to take it outside for playtime. While outside, make sure it is not too hot and he can get into the shade and get to fresh water when he needs to. Rats are nocturnal (active during the night and resting during the day) and don't do very well in the heat or in the sun. Pink-eyed rats should always be kept out of the sun as it causes their eyes to swell and prolonged exposure can result in permanent eye damage, including blindness. Keep a close eye on your pet while outside as they can quickly get into places that could be unsafe (i.e., under the house, in the garden, etc.). Remember to constantly watch out for other animals, such as your neighbors' dogs and cats, and even predatory birds overhead. LIFESPAN Q: How long will my pet rats and mice live? A: The average lifespan of a pet rat is currently two to three years, while the pet mouse normally lives one to two years, but genetics, husbandry, and love will ultimately determine how long your pets live. Animals bred from healthy parents will live longer than those bred from weak and sickly animals, and animals fed a healthy diet that are kept in clean cages using the proper beddings will live longer than those fed junk food who live in dirty cages on pine or cedar. Love and attention can sometimes also play a big role in how long your pet will live. A neglected animal will be depressed and sometimes just wither away, while an animal given lots of attention and love will live months beyond life expectancy because they are happy and have a much stronger will to live. SICKNESS Q: What are some of the signs I can look out for to be able to tell if my rat is sick? A: Red discharge around the eyes and nose is sometimes a common sign, but can also be present simply due to stress or an irritant such as dust. The harderian gland, which lies behind the rats eyeball, secretes a red porphyrin-rich secretion that lubricates the eye and eyelids. This secretion sometimes gives the appearance of blood, but it contains little or no blood. Excessive sneezing is probably the most common sign of illness. Lethargy, loss of appetite, dull coat, puffy appearance of coat, loud or raspy breathing, and labored breathing are all signs of respiratory illness and are a very good indication that your rat needs to see a vet immediately. SCABS, AKA SPOTS Q: My rat is scratching and has scabs on his face and shoulders. Does he have mites? A: It is possible that it is mites, but most often scabs are caused by too much protein in the diet which causes hot spots that the rats scratch, creating scabs (this condition can also affect mice). Try eliminating or cutting back on the amount of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and dog food in your rat's diet first and see if the scabs disappear. If the scabs are still present after two weeks, then chances are it is mites. The horse-wormer product "Zimecterin" or Rotectin 1" can be used very easily to rid your pet of mites (or lice, which appear as little red bugs on the skin with tiny eggs on the hair shaft). Give your rat a small amount of the paste (about the size of an uncooked grain of white rice on the end of a toothpick) orally, and repeat again in three weeks. SPAY AND NEUTER Q: Is it better to have a rat fixed, as far as health and longevity? A: There are both benefits and risks involved with spaying a female rat and neutering a male rat. The obvious benefit for both sexes is that they no longer have reproductive organs that can sometimes cause health problems later in life. With female rats, removing the reproductive organs will lessen their chances for developing mammary and pituitary tumors, and definitely makes it impossible for them to get cancer of the uterus or genital mycoplasma. The risks, on the other hand, are great, as this is a major surgical procedure which should be done while the rat is quite young (for the most benefit), and the vet must go into the body cavity to perform the operation. General anesthesia must be used and can be considered a risk in itself, as any animal could die while under its effects (including humans). Neutering male rats is most often done to allow the male to live with female rats or to stop aggressive behavior, since testicular cancer is not common in rats. While this procedure is not as invasive as spaying a female rat, it should still be considered dangerous, as general anesthesia is required and post operative infection resulting in abscesses is quite common. After any surgical procedure, you should always be sure that your vet sends your rat home with a course of antibiotics. QUARANTINE Q: I want to buy some new rats, but how can I be sure I don't bring home a deadly virus to my existing pet rats? A: This is one of the most scary situations we, as pet owners, have to think about. Unfortunately, most of us who have large numbers of pets have experienced the loss of some of our pets because we did not quarantine new animals coming into the colony. New animals must be quarantined for two weeks to a full month. They must be housed in a completely separate section of your home. Always handle the "newcomers" last, wash your hand with a germicidal soap after handling them, and be sure to change your clothes if they come in contact with them as some viruses can be passed through fomites. Make sure the new and old rats cannot come in contact with each other at all. Watch the new rats carefully for any signs of illness and medicate appropriately if any symptoms appear. After two weeks to a month, if no signs of illness appear, it will be safe to introduce the newcomers into your existing colony. BREEDING Q: How can you tell when a female rat is in season? A: It happens every four to five days, mostly in the evening hours, for 12 hours at a time. You will quite often see the other female(s) in the cage trying to mount the female in season. If you look at her vaginal opening it will be open, moist, and kind of purplish in color. If you touch her hind quarters she will stretch out, putting her nose and rear end in the air, arch her back downwards, and will vibrate her ears. SEPARATING BABIES Q: At what age do male and female baby rats need to be separated in order to prevent early breeding? A: The general rule is to separate the babies from mom by the time they are five weeks old to avoid a male offspring possibly impregnating his mother, and separate the males from the females by six weeks of age. BREEDING AGES Q: What are the recommended breeding ages (upper and lower) for female rats? A: Female rats can get pregnant as early as five to six weeks of age, but they really should not be bred until they are three and a half to four months of age. If they are not bred at that time, they should be bred (if you plan to breed them at all) before they are eight months old. If they have a litter between these ages, you can breed them up until about one year, but I do not recommend breeding them beyond that. Something to consider as well is that any time you breed a female you risk losing her in childbirth. It isn't common, but it is a possibility, so when considering breeding your pet you should always seriously think about that aspect. If they have not been bred by eight months of age, their chances of conceiving go down as well. Being overweight will also reduce their chances of getting pregnant. IMPOTENCE Q: Do male rats become impotent or infertile with age? A: Some males who have been used for breeding while they are somewhat young will breed almost until the day they die, and some have been known to continue to breed but lose their ability to impregnate the female (become infertile). If a male has not been used for breeding while young, he will sometimes not be interested in breeding at all. This has been experienced with some Jumbo males who seem to be interested enough to sniff the female, but either don't know what to do, or are just too lazy to care. RAT BATHS Q: How do you give a rat a bath? A: Have a towel ready before you begin. Fill both sides of your kitchen sink with lukewarm water. Dip your rat in one side of the sink in the water, but only up to the neck. Using a soap made for cats or kittens, or sometimes even dish washing liquid (I use Dawn on my males since they tend to have an oily buildup on their skin) apply several drops on the rats back. Begin working the soap into a good lather and scrub well with your fingertips. (It is best not to use a brush as you can apply too much pressure without realizing it.) Be careful not to get any water or soap into your rat's eyes or ears. when you feel the rat is clean, lower him/her into the other side of the sink and rinse. Again, be careful not to get any water in the rat's eyes or ears. If you don't feel you can rinse the rat well enough this way you can hold him/her under a stream of running water, but be sure the water is not too hot. HAIRLESS RATS Q: Is it true that you have to keep Hairless rats warmer than rats that have fur? A: I recommend housing Hairless rats with furred rats. Their skin is a little thicker, but I'm sure they do get colder not having any fur to keep them warm. If you choose to keep a Hairless rat alone, or with other Hairless rats, I would recommend that you give it, or them a box of some sort to sleep in, small enough to hold in their body heat. You might also like to give them an old T-shirt or something equivalent to help them stay warm as well. Be sure to launder any fabric frequently. TEETH GRINDING Q: When my rat is sitting with me, sometimes her head shivers slightly and she makes funny noises with her teeth as if chewing on something, but she's not eating. Is this "teeth grinding"? Is it similar to cat purring? A: Yes, this is teeth grinding and they always seem to do this while they are very content. They also grind their teeth to keep them at the proper length (as food really has nothing to do with keeping them short) and this could simply be what they are doing, but I choose to believe that it is the equivalent of purring.