| Being a dedicated rat owner can be very
| |
| | will be looking forward to the bonding
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| rewarding. All it takes is a little
| |
| | time as well!
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| research and a lot of preparation.
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| | 6. Deciding to breed for the wrong
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| If you're getting ready to adopt a rat
| |
| | reasons. Breeding responsibly is not a
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| as a cherished pet, there are some
| |
| | lucrative or easy hobby to get into,
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| pitfalls that you should be aware of
| |
| | especially at the beginning. Don't get
|
| beforehand. Here are 10 of the most
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| | stuck with a litter of rats that wind up
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| common mistakes that first-time rat
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| | becoming snake-food at a pet store.
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| owners make:
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| | Instead, try investing some time
|
|
| |
| | volunteering for or starting an
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| 1. Getting only one rat. A person might
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| | apprenticeship with a breeder.
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| think that getting two rats is too much
| |
| |
|
| extra work...or that a pet rat will bond
| |
| | 7. Not giving them enough toys. If you
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| with a human owner more readily if there
| |
| | bore your rats, they will become boring.
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| is no other rat around to become friends
| |
| | Rats not only love to play, explore and
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| with. The truth is that rats are highly
| |
| | solve problems, but they actually need to
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| social creatures. They need to have
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| | be constantly stimulated by a challenging
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| other rat-friends to play with and to
| |
| | learning environment. Provide them with
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| "talk" to. Furthermore, taking care of
| |
| | a variety of toys and games and switch
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| two rats is not much more work than
| |
| | things around constantly. They'll love
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| caring for one.
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| | you for it!
|
|
| |
| |
|
| 2. Getting the wrong kind of bedding.
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| | 8. Entering them into a fancy rat show
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| Sometimes a rat owner will want to cut
| |
| | before researching it. You may love your
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| corners and use newspaper or cheap
| |
| | rats and think they are just the most
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| bedding. Rats are very sensitive to the
| |
| | perfect rats you have ever seen, but the
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| chemicals in the ink and cheap bedding
| |
| | American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association
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| can often have dusty particles that will
| |
| | (AFRMA) has very strict standards and
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| irritate their lungs. If you see a red
| |
| | those judges have seen hundreds--if not
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| discharge coming from their noses,
| |
| | thousands--of rats in their day. Before
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| chances are, there is an irritant present
| |
| | deciding to enter your rats into a show,
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| in the air. Pine wood chips are not
| |
| | visit one first. Interview a handful of
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| safe!
| |
| | judges and learn exactly what makes a rat
|
|
| |
| | top in its class. Then decide.
|
| 3. Feeding the rats an imbalanced diet.
| |
| |
|
| No, it's not cute how your furry friends
| |
| | 9. Procrastinating on researching a
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| can eat almost as much pizza as you.
| |
| | qualified vet for small animals. The
|
| Look, there's no excuse. Fruits and
| |
| | moment one of your rats becomes ill, you
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| veggies are not expensive items to buy;
| |
| | will want to have the phone number of a
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| also, be sure they get their share of lab
| |
| | good vet handy. Not all vets will treat
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| blocks, seeds, and a daily dab of a
| |
| | small animals or rats. Do the searching
|
| vitamin supplement.
| |
| | beforehand and spare yourself the
|
|
| |
| | frustration and desperation an emergency
|
| 4. Not cleaning the cage often or
| |
| | situation can sometimes bring about.
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| thoroughly enough. Their urine will
| |
| |
|
| decompose and produce ammonia. This,
| |
| | 10. Underestimating the importance of
|
| along with the decomposing bedding can
| |
| | belonging to a rat club or rat society.
|
| irritate their lungs. Yes, it's a pain
| |
| | Belonging to a rat club or rat society
|
| to do. But putting up with the unpleasant
| |
| | such as AFRMA will go a long way in
|
| aspects will only help you to appreciate
| |
| | getting your key rat questions answered.
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| them more. Clean and disinfect with
| |
| | Moreover, doing so will connect you with
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| bleach-water once a week, or up to two
| |
| | a community of rat lovers who are likely
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| weeks, maximum.
| |
| | to want to share what they know for the
|
|
| |
| | sake of advancing the hobby as a
|
| 5. Not taking them out to play often
| |
| | whole.Colin Patterson is author of a
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| enough. Rats will eventually get
| |
| | guide to pet rat care that will explain
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| depressed if they remain cooped up inside
| |
| | all you need to know if you're thinking
|
| their limited cage environment. If you
| |
| | about getting pet rats.
|
| make play time fun and challenging, you
| |
| |
|
