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