Excited to be here!

[Rat sx]

I've been wanting a rat for so long. So im excited that I may be getting a rat! The only thing is that I have to persuade my mum to let me get one, as she hates their tails. (Sadly I have to wait 1 or 2 more years until I have the independence of my own house ) But I have been wanting a rat for a while and wanted to introduce myself to this fourm. Does anyone have any tips for a newbie like me, who has never had a rat? (My only experience is the rats in my shed lol, but I'll sort that one out later). I have had a rodent (degu) before but it's different to a rat.

 

[AYA]

Hi and welcome.

Both, rats and degus shouldn't live alone. You should get at least two rats, a proper cage and a budget for the vet, bedding, toys and food. All of this can be pretty expensive.

I never understood what's the deal with rat's tails and people not liking them, though.

 

[Rat sx]

Yeah, I dont mind them either. Also I was thinking of 2-3 rats. Would 2 or 3 be better? I'll probably just get them in the groups they are in already. I'm 100% going to aviod groups of mixed genders, though. Another thing is that I'm not buying them from a pet store, of course I'll get supplies there but my last pets, degus, were bought from a pet store and turned out to be poorly bred, so I've found a good breeder nearby me.

 

[Rat sx]

Also the cage I currently was thinking is 20 inches height and 90 inches width. Is this an ok size?

 

[ViciousCurse]

I'm not attacking you, just informing you, but this site is a rat rescue forum. Members here will always push for rescues before breeders, but we'll understand if you have to get babies due to no known rescues near you or said rescues have no rats available.
I always get rats in trios, but that's just my preference.
Also, female and male rats do behave slightly differently. Female rats are a lot more likely to explore, go on an adventure and always want to play. Male rats are more likely to cuddle up with you after a little bit. My heart rat would fall asleep on my chest, content to rest and be adorable. Needless to say, there are always exceptions to this "rule." You could have an active, playful male or a relaxed, cuddly female.

If you go to a breeder, let the rat choose you. Funny enough, when I got my newest rats, the littlest one chose me. I was concerned my adults would accidentally hurt him due to his size, but he was licking my fingers, grooming on my hand, cuddling in my sweatshirt. He had chosen me (Long story short, I waited a little bit longer than normal to introduce him, just to make sure he'd be big enough to meet them)
However, earning the trust of a rescue rat is perhaps one of the most humbling experiences. Watching them because more extroverted and excited to greet you is an absolute wonder.

Here is a rat cage calculator that'll help you figure out if the cage you're looking for is an appropriate size. https://www.ratcentral.com/rat-cage-calculator/

Also, you can have a mixed gender group of rats, but only if they're spayed or neutered. I've seen a bunch of females have a neutered male rat as a companion. Everyone on here, including myself, would recommend spaying female rats for health reasons.