eew rats! why would you keep them??? they carry diseases!
simple answer fancy rats do not carry diseases as they have been bred to make them completly safe. this rumor is only true for wild rats!
So why should you keep rats?
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They are arguably the most affectionate of all rodents.
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They are extremly intelligent and you can teach them many tricks including agility and coming when they here their name
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They are relatively cheap to keep especially with toys as they will have hours of fun with a toilet roll tube and will have dinner scraps for lunch
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They are easily tamed and rarely bite
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They are easily cared for.
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many owners prefer the company of a rat to a dog
What should you be prepared for:
rats have few downfalls but like everything they aren't perfect as they need a large cage and are high maintainance as they need at least an hour out of the cage everyday. However almost every rat owner will say the advantages balance out the disadvantages.
what to look for when choosing your rat
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everything should be clean and well - groomed including eyes, ears ,nose ,rear and coat
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whatch out for drooling which is a sign of dental problems, laboured breathing which is a sign of resiratory problems, red flaky skin and/or sores
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don't choose a very calm rat (more likely to be ill) or a panicky rat (badly tamed) instead choose a rat that is curious and confident enough to approach you and that it alert and active
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Younger rats are likely to be leaner but an abult rat should be well-rounded and firm
Male  | Female  notice how the female is much smaller and leaner and how its easy to tell the difference |
male or female
Male or female is a personal preferance. males are larger and quieter although are often smellier, females are smaller and more lively.
How many?
You should always get more than 1 rat as rats need company 24/7 and all important ratty contact, even if you do spend all day with your rat what about at night when your rat is all on his own thinking "why am i so lonely ... is something wrong with me???"
