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When most people think about cute and furry low-maintenance “pocket pets”, they tend to think of hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, and guinea pigs. But there’s another pet in this category that is often highly underrated – one who is gentle, sociable, affectionate, clean, highly intelligent, and even enjoys napping in your lap.
Meet the modern day Fancy Rat.
The domesticated pet rat is a descendent of the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), and has been bred as a pet for about a hundred years. These sweet and inquisitive creatures average around 14-18 inches long (including their tails), and have a lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. They come in a wide variety of colors and coat types, including smooth, curly, and even hairless. Similar to purebred dogs and cats, fancy rats conform to written standards established by rat clubs and associations, and can exhibit exotic coloration and marking types such as Siamese, Himalayan, Cinnamon, Blue, Silver, Fawn, and Chocolate.
But there’s more to them than just their pedigrees – fancy rats make wonderful companions for both adults and children. Here’s why!
Why Rats Make Great Pets
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Rats are highly intelligent.
This is precisely why rats are used so often in maze studies. They love to play, and will entertain themselves and make up games with simple items like ping pong balls and toilet paper rolls. They also love to solve problems, and enjoy puzzles and obstacle courses.
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Rats are extremely clean.
Rats actually groom themselves more frequently and diligently than cats do. They have rough tongues like cats that help keep their coats clean of dirt and dust. Rats in the same household will also groom each other.
Additionally, rats can be trained to use litter boxes, which keeps their cage cleaner.

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Rats have great personalities.
Rats are entertaining, loyal, affectionate, interactive, and inquisitive. Once a rat has acclimated to his surroundings and gotten to know and interact with you, his own unique personality will begin to emerge.
Every rat is different – some are high-energy, while others are quieter and more laid back. Some rats will even give you kisses in the form of licks on your arm or fingers.
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Rats are easy to care for.
Rats are hardier than hamsters, mice or gerbils. They are also very easy to feed. Rats eat commercial diets in the form of “rat blocks”, which are nutritionally complete pellets that are available at pet stores. You can supplement these foods with almost any fruits and vegetables straight from your kitchen, such as peas, bananas, apples, and broccoli.
Cage cleaning for rats is easy to do – once or twice a week, you just scoop out the old bedding, wash out the cage with a solution of bleach diluted with water, let it air dry, and add new bedding.
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Rats make great pets for children.
Unlike some other pocket pets, rats rarely ever bite, making them perfect pets for children. They are also easier to hold and carry than smaller rodents since they are calmer and don’t tend to make sudden, fast movements.
Rats sleep for 13-15 hours per day, so they don’t need constant attention during the daytime hours that kids are usually in school. These little guys are nocturnal, but they will wake up to play during the day because they are so social. Any handling of rats by younger children should always be supervised.
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Rats are highly social.
Rats will seek out your company, and many love to perch on their caregiver’s shoulders or sit on their laps. Rats often get along well with other pets in the household such as dogs (with supervised interactions, of course). They love to be out of their cages and enjoy exploring around the house. They can even be trained to walk outside on a leash with a harness.
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Rats can be easily trained.
Rats are one of the most trainable of all small pets.They are quick learners and love to perform for treats. Clicker-training works very well with rats, who can be taught to come to you when you call them. They can also learn fun tricks like dunking tiny basketballs through hoops, playing on swings, and shaking hands, all on spoken request.

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Rats are low-maintenance pets.
Rats don’t bark, don’t need to go outside to do their business, and don’t require daily walks, making them them ideal for apartment and urban living. They are less expensive to keep than cats or dogs, and take up very little space.
And unlike cats and dogs, rats don’t require vaccination. They also don’t get hairballs or throw up (rats don’t possess the neural connections in their brains needed to coordinate all the muscles used for vomiting), so no worries about ever having to clean up rat vomit!
Other Fun Rat Facts
- A happy and contented rat will make a noise by chipping his teeth together. This is called “bruxing” and is similar to a cat purring.
- Rats can jump incredible distances by elongating their bodies. They can also fit through tiny openings – as long as the rat’s head fits, he can contort his body to fit through too.
- A rat’s teeth grow continuously, so they need to be provided with an unstained block of wood to chew on in order to wear down their teeth.
- Since rats are so social, it’s highly recommended to get 2 rats together so they can keep each other company. A pair of females is often recommended for first-time rat caretakers.
- Female rats tend to be more active, while male rats tend to be more like lap cats.
- Rats have a sweet tooth. However, just like in people, sugar will cause weight gain and tooth decay in rats, so it’s best to avoid it.
- Rats are prone to colds, so their cages need to be kept out of drafts. They are also highly susceptible to heatstroke.
- Just like dogs and cats, rats can be spayed and neutered. Spaying and neutering is recommended because it not only reduces the risk of the rat developing tumors, but also leads to a longer lifespan.
Where To Get Fancy Rats
Purchasing from a Breeder

The best place to buy a rat is directly from a responsible rat breeder. A good breeder not only ensures the quality and health of the rats being bred, but is also able to start handling the babies at a very young age so they are well-socialized.
Baby rats obtained from a breeder have been spared the trauma of being shipped off to a pet store, so they are less stressed. They are also less likely to be exposed to illnesses and disease.
Rat breeders are excellent sources of information, and often make themselves available for questions or advice long after you bring your new rat home. They can provide education about some of the special needs of rats (such as using the proper bedding), and what health issues to watch for. You can locate a good rat breeder through your local or national rat club.
Rat Rescue/Adoption
Just like for dogs and cats, there are organizations that rescue and rehome pet rats. Rescued rats are often surrendered by owners who are moving, or by people who bought a pair of rats from a pet store and didn’t realize they had a male and a female until the rats began having babies. Sometimes rats are seized by animal welfare organizations from pet stores or individuals who were not caring for them properly.
To find a rat who needs a home, you can check out Rathelp.org or Adoptapet.com. You can also search online for rat rescue organizations in your state, or check with your local humane society. Many local shelters have pet rats available for adoption.
A Word About Pet Stores and Rats
Although many pet stores sell rats, please don’t purchase your rat from a pet store. Most of these rats are from “rat mills” that are frighteningly similar to puppy mills – they are bred in very poor conditions in huge numbers, taken away from their mothers way too early, and sent to pet wholesalers who then sell them to stores. During the process, these baby rats suffer great stress and can be exposed to a number of diseases and parasites.
Additionally, the more rats that are purchased from pet stores, the more rats that will continue to be bred in these conditions. There are many caring and responsible rat breeders, so please consider not supporting the rat mill industry with your dollars.
You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
Fancy rats are a far cry from their city sewer-dwelling cousins. Not only do they sport beautifully-colored coats and markings, they are also delightful and noble companions for any pet parent who is looking for a smart, entertaining, easy to care for, and loyal addition to their family.
Do you have (or have you ever had) a pet rat? What do you like best about them? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Yay! Rats! They are so awesome 🙂 You did a wonderful job of highlighting them as great pets. After keeping a female rat for 2 years, I decided to adopt my two boys. They are quite different from each other. The girl was not super cuddly, until she got older. Then, she was the most cuddly thing ever. And in about 3 years now of keeping rats as pets, we’ve only had one bite incident, but I suspect that was because my daughter’s hand was thought to be food when she stuck her finger in their cage.
I totally agree, rats ARE awesome! 🙂 I just love how smart and fun they are.
My younger brother had a white rat (named Templeton after the rat in “Charlotte’s Web”) when he was a kid, and Templeton had loads of personality. The mistake we made back then was not giving him another rat companion for company. I think Templeton eventually got frustrated because he got bored. We didn’t realize then how social these little guys are and that they need lots of love and interaction, both from people and other rats!
Rats are great!. They will eat anything you eat, except broccoli… Just don’t forget they only live for a short time and most of them will get cancer. Or longueproblems. Vets are expensive and taking care of a pet means you have to pay the bills as well. If you really love your rats, they will cost you. I couldn’t miss them. Started with two, now we have ten. All different caracters, funny, loving, cute, anoying, great. Smarter then I am. I’m a proud slave to my rats!
I love it! 🙂 They really are so full of personality, and every one is different. I wish they lived longer too!!
I can’t wait to share this post with a few of my coworkers. They’ve asked numerous times about small pets for their children and I always say rats and they look at me like I’m nuts. My rat was the friendliest, smartest, most social small pet I’ve ever owned. She was awesome and I can’t think of another critter that compares. I do regret not having a friend for her though – at the time (I was probably 12) I had no idea how social they were.
No, you are definitely not nuts! 🙂 When I was a kid, I had a gerbil, and was also the designated class “pet sitter” for our 6th grade class during breaks from school, so I took care of several hamsters. Although they were adorable, none of them had the personality of my brother’s rat!
This was a fascinating article. Rats are actually very cute but I had no idea that they could be trained or how social they are. It was interesting to read about their bruxing, that probably would make me a little nervous if I didn’t know that it was a sign of being happy or content, lol!
Their eyes also tend to bug out a little while they’re bruxing, so if you’re not familiar with that behavior, it can seem a bit freaky! 🙂
I have two rats and they are like little cat-dogs! I love them!
I do too… they are so fun and entertaining! 🙂
Camille, how can I convince my parents into getting me one? They both are okay with me getting a rat, but I don’t know if they are lying. This happened when I wanted a gecko, and I never got one
Hi!
Do they understand you are serious about this? You never got a gecko… Maybe because you didn’t try hard enough? If you are serious about rats, you should start reading about them. You said you want a rat. No you don’t! You want at least two rats. You cannot have one. That would make the rat very lonely. And we want to see our rats happy! Can you afford a large cage? (Ferplast Jenny is good, can also be found secondhand) Do you have room for it? Will you clean it? Can you afford the stuff rats need? What are you putting in the cage, what will you feed them? Who’s paying the vet? Make a list of my questions, add responsible answers and give it to your parents. That might help! And don’t buy rats in a petshop, go find a decent rattery…
Good luck!
Alexandra
Well said! !
Hi Kalina! Personally, I think you should make a list of all the questions or objections you think your parents might ask you. Make sure you have the answers ahead of time before you talk to them. Then I would read and learn as much as I could about rats: how to take care of them, everything they need to be healthy, etc. Show them that you’re serious and you know how much of a responsibility it is to take care of a creature who depends on you! Let them know that you will take the responsibility very seriously, then follow through. You might even start a special “rat savings account” to be able to help with buying food or toys for your rat.
You can also talk with them about rescuing a rat from the Humane Society or a local rat rescue. Try never to buy anything from a pet shop, because just like with dogs and cats, there are lots of rats out there looking for a forever home! That way you can let your parents know that by allowing you to adopt a rat, you would be giving a homeless rat a great home. 🙂
It might be pushing it a bit, but you can also mention to your parents that rats do best when they have another rat to live with, so if you got 2 at the same time, they would keep each other company and be much happier and healthier. Good luck, Kalina…please let me know what happens! 🙂
I read this very helpful and educational page, and I thought it was great!????But I already loved rats and everything about them! My parents…not so much. So I made a slideshow about rats.
They weren’t sold.☹️ They think it is cruel to keep an animal caged up. If anyone has any ideas
about how to convince my parents PLEASE share your thoughts! Thank you!????
As stated in the article, rats sleep long hours, so having them in the cage most of the time is fine. I also let my rats out for supervised play in a closed off room an hour or more most days. They cruise around, play, and come visit for pets or treats. (They will also chew things they should not and relieve themselves outside the cage, so plan ahead!) They love it and so do my family members. My rats (I have had about 15 over the years) typically go back to the cage on their own to sleep or get treats.
Some rats, more likely males, enjoy hanging out with their people inside clothing such as large sweatshirt pockets, sleeves and hoods. These rats can spend hour sleeping or just hanging out like this. I have had a few rats who like this, but not all will tolerate it.
Create a plan how you would manage their out or cage time and present this to your parents.
Good Luck!
Great advice, thanks Gretchen! 🙂
After fostering a mom and her 14 babies from work I fell in love. I researched and contacted local teachers telling them about the benefits of classroom pets and intelligence of rats. They all were adopted and I missed having them. A few months later a white rat was surrendered to us. I immediately took her home and for 2 years she visited schools and other groups being a fantastic ambassador for her kind. She developed a tumor, as most do, and eventually had to cross rainbow bridge. I’m not good with empty cages so when 6 young rats were surrendered I decided to take the hairless (Thelma) and her best friend (Louise) home.
What a great story! I’m not surprised your little girl did so well visiting schools, since rats also make excellent therapy pets. And I love the names – Thelma and Louise!! 🙂
My son had a male rat named Phoenix. He was simply adorable. He never got lonely because when my son was at school I’d have Phoenix on my shoulder or he’d be running around playing in whichever room I was in. He tragically developed a huge tummy tumour in less than 24 hours which I knew was an instant death sentence. I had to take my boy cradling his beloved pet to the vet knowing he had to be put to sleep. Does neutering really help stop the cancer? I’d love another rat but selfishly only want one so he’d love me, I’d be his world. I’m bedbound and have endless time to devout to him, or her. I have a toy poodle who will love it and a killer Siamese cat who would think he was lunch. They could never meet! What do you think? Is it too mean to get only one. My son went on to get two girls but they never bonded with him because they had each other.
Hi Kathy, sorry to hear about your sweet boy Phoenix, it sounds like he was a wonderful little guy! Regarding neutering, it can definitely lower the risk of cancer since hormones tend to “feed” cancers, causing them to grow. And in your case I don’t think it would be cruel to have only one rat, since you have so much time (and love) to give! It’s the rats who are left alone for most of the day, or are in homes where people just don’t have the time for them, who seem to be the loneliest. I say go for it…as long as he and the Siamese follow the “never the twain shall meet” scenario! 🙂
I owned three rats in the past and I currently own a dumbo male rat. He is so amazing I am so in love with him. Every time I hold him my mood improves. He is super cute with a soft shiny coat. I want to show him off to everyone and have to refrain from posting too many pics of him on Facebook because i don’t want to be obnoxious lol. He loves sleeping in his hammock. I hope he will live a long healthy life
I am a therapeut , listen what I have to say. It’ not ok for a sensitive child to have his pet dead in just 2 years . A parent should consider a pet that lives longer then a rat if the child is overly sensitive. Get a chihuahua or a parrot, she’ll be with your kid for at least 15 years.
Hi Georgiana, thank you for your insight. Sadly, with any of our pets, we’re never sure how much time we will have with them, and there are no guarantees. A cat or dog could die within a year, while some smaller pets may live longer than an average lifespan. Hopefully it’s the quality of their lives that matters, more than the quantity. I know if it were up to us, they would all live forever. <3
I kind of agree with Georgiana on this one because I saw what happened to my 13 yr-old when her pet hamster died, she was sooooo devastated, and it lasted a while. She also started lashing out for a bit which made me think she was still hurting from the loss of the hamster. Now her older sister got 2 baby rats and as much as they are adorable and interactive, I am already thinking what will happen to my youngest when they die…. Unfortunately because of severe allergies, longer-living pets are not an option for us. So do think about other options, if possible, for the kids who have very sensitive hearts and get attached deeply to their pets….
We did a lot of research on rats before we decided to get them. We live in Alaska, and they don’t allow pet rats in port cities such as Anchorage but they do allow only albino rats where we live, in Wasilla. We unfortunately couldn’t find a breeder so we ended up rescuing 3 feeder rats from our local pet store. It took about a week or so for them to adjust to their new home (a huge cage we spent a lot of money on, has four levels and a lot of toys and hideaways). It was worth it though. Each of them are showing their personalities and love when we come to get them for play and cuddling. They are even patient with my well intended five year old daughter. We take them out for exploring and play as often as possible, at least 2-3 times a day. I read that albino rats do have poorer vision and maybe less of a sense of smell and we do have to keep them out of direct light but all of this is manageable. So far we are very happy with them and are glad we made the decision to have rats over hamsters or guinea pigs. We do have two dogs, so we have to be careful, but so far their only interest in our rats has been to sniff them and walk away. I still recommend strict supervision when around other pets. I wish we could have gone through a breeder or rescue but there simply aren’t any where we are that I’ve seen. Anyway, TOTALLY worth it.
Hi Sam! I think it’s great that you rescued your rats, it sounds like you’re giving them a fantastic home and a wonderful life that they certainly wouldn’t have had without you! And your rat habitat sounds amazing…those have to be 3 very happy ratties. 🙂
Thanks Camille! 🙂
You’re very welcome! 🙂
My rats died
They were good rats though.
I’m so sorry to hear about your rats, Nalia. 🙁 But I’m glad they were good, loving companions for you!
My rat just died i have never hurt so bad he died on my lap but he was the best thing that ever happened to me
I have had two boys for a year now and they’re amazing. Now that they’re all grown up their personalities really shine through. One is a total lap rat and is forever bouncing around asking to be picked up. His favourite activity is sleeping on my tummy while I am in bed watching TV. The other an albino is much friskier and loves to run around. He’s always grooming me and even my cat (who freaks out and runs away when he tries that lol). At first the rats were wary of the cat but one day they just spontaneously reached out to him and seemed to have lost any reticence. People constantly freak out when I put my rats next to the cat and they nuzzle and greet each other. They are so intelligent. I’m still constantly amazed how these tiny little creatures totally trust and have totally bonded with me.
Aren’t rats the best?! I just love that your little albino guy likes to groom the cat! 🙂
I really wish I could get a rat! We went to PetLand (Which is a bad pet store because kids weren’t holding the miniature hamsters right and they kept dropping them and they squeezed the hamsters to tightly) but the rats were so friendly and adorable, baby rats had just been sent to the store (They we’re a bit timid when I started handling them) and now that I think of it they did seem very young. If anything I would get a rat from a breeder but my parents would probably get one from a pet store no matter what (Which is a big shame) Ever since my trip to PetLand though I’ve been LONGING for a beautiful, friendly rat
I am a first time rat owner. I purchased 2 females for a pet store (so sorry. I really didn’t know. I confess I should have done more research. ) I am so impressed with them. Love love play time when I take them out and they love to crawl all over and play with my dogs. We have cats too but they stay put up for play time.
I adore my baby girls I’m just not sure I’m doing things right. I want them to be happy but I’m don’t know how to tell.
Also they love to lick me and my family on the lips. They often try to pry open our mouths. I assume looking for food. I love the kisses but am concerned about the salvia from them “kissing” us like that. Any suggestions?
Hi Danielle! I’m so glad to hear you love your rats and that they’re so interactive with you. 🙂 Many rats do love to try to kiss their humans on the mouth (and many people also believe the theory you have about them looking for food), but rats also like to mutually groom each other, so the “kisses” could also be them trying to groom you. Either way, it’s my understanding that letting them kiss you on the mouth is no worse then letting your dog or cat kiss your lips (I had one cat who loved to give lip kisses!) If you have a strong immune system, it shouldn’t be a problem, but just to be safe if you have children you may want to discourage them from letting the rats lick them on the mouth until they are older and their immune systems are better developed.
One side note regarding ferrets…if in the future you ever decide to adopt a ferret, you should never let your ferret lick your mouth, since many common colds that humans get can be transmitted to ferrets and make them very sick. So in that case, we are more dangerous to them than they are to us!
Hope things are going well with your new ratties, and you and your family are having lots of fun with them! 🙂
my parents wont let me get rats! i am so sad! i have been wanting some for so long. arg! they are sooooo cute!!!
Hi Kait! Unfortunately, I’ve heard from many young people that their parents aren’t too excited about having a pet rat in the household. Do you have any friends that you know who have rats? If so, maybe you could “borrow” one to introduce to your parents so they feel more comfortable around them. Your parents might also be concerned about the responsibility of you having a rat, so if you show them that you are responsible and can take good care of one, maybe that would help? Either way, I would ask them what their biggest reason is for not wanting you to have a rat, and take it from there. And you’re right, they are very cute! 🙂
The rat is a clean animal, so it is great for an apartment. In addition, domestic rodents love affection, they like to be stroked and scratched, but at the same time they are very independent and can be left to themselves for a long time. It’s interesting to watch them. They love to climb the cage, like rock climbers, running on a wheel; when they play, they jump high. When a rat eats something, it takes a piece of food in its paws and chews while sitting. They wash very nicely, wiping their muzzles with their paws. The rat knows his man and gets used to him, he can walk with him, sitting on his shoulder and looking with interest in all directions, learn new commands, and flatter. The main thing is to make the choice to buy or not buy a rat for yourself, and do not give living beings to those people who, perhaps, do not need them.
Rats are animals that can develop a close friendship with the caretaker. If the rats gave you their heart, then it really does belong to you until the end of your life. https://petreader.net/rat-training-tips-for-tricky-rats/