Before buying a pet you must make sure that you can care for it properly as it can live for up to 2 years.

You MUST be able to:

• provide the right housing
• have room for it to exercise
• feed and water it daily
• handle it daily
• exercise it daily
• groom it regularly
• clean out the cage daily to control germs
• check for signs of illness or disease
• take your pet to the vet for regular health checks and other procedures
• know someone who will look after it for you when you are away

Once you are happy that you can provide everything that your new pet will need you can then choose the perfect rat for yourself. Make sure that you have everything ready for him before you pick him up, so that you can pop him into his new home as soon as you arrive and he can spend the first 24 hrs getting used to his new environment. Dont forget that he will be missing his brothers and sisters and will like you to talk to him. Allow him to settle in peacefully and quietly overnight without pestering him this way he can familiarize himself with his new surroundings. You will soon know when he has settled in as he will begin to eat, drink and groom himself.

Which rat is the best for you?

The domesticated rats ancestor is the Brown Rat. Rats were bred in captivity from the 1800s for scientific research until the scientists discovered how intelligent and tame they proved to be. They started to become popular as pets from that time and, nowadays, there are many different varieties, and many Rat Clubs who help to dispel the myths about rats and educate owners.

There are many different colored rats, with varying markings and coat types. The most common colors include Black, Mink, Champagne and Albino. The hooded pattern is quite common, ie: the coat is white and the face and head are colored. Other patterns include Irish, Berkshire, Capped and Variegated.

There are 3 different coat types that can be combined with any pattern or color smooth haired, Rex (which has curly hair and whiskers) and the Hairless Rat.

Rats are sociable and enjoy the company of their own kind, so if you decide to have a pair of rats make sure they are of a similar age and size. Remember to separate the sexes if you are not planning to breed them.