What all do I need for pet rat? (Rat owners please answer)?

[Armani]

I have never owned a rat before and I have been researching rats and I have decided that I would like one as a pet. I read that rats need to have a companion also. This kind of bothers me. I am not sure if I will be able to handle 2 rats with me being a beginner when it comes to owning rats. Would it be ok to buy 1 rat at first..and as I get used to it buy another 1? or should I just buy 2 at the same time? Also is it ok to use a dog crate for a rat cage? I've been looking at different rat cages and I have noticed that they look similar to my dog's crate. I have a small-medium crate and a large crate that my dog used to use and the dog crate is much larger than the rat cages that I've seen and would give the rat(s) plenty of room. I have been looking for videos and sites that help with first time rat owners but I am having a hard time finding any good information on owning a rat and how to take care of them. I know they need food/toys/water bottle/litter, but I am a novice when it comes to cleaning a cage and other basic requirements. Please any other helpful information for a first time rat owner would be great.

[Sheena]

seriously, it's actually MORE difficult to care for a single rat, because they are more likely to get sick (being alone supresses their immune system) and more likely to have behavioural, social or psychological problems. lone rats are more likely to be timid and fearful, and more likely to bite. they are also more likely to over or under eat, or even self mutilate.

two rats are more calm, confident and happy, they're healthier, and actually much easier to care for, because they play together, reassure each other, and look after each other.

if you can't have two, rats are not the right pet for you. simple as that. they are highly social animals that do not thrive alone. some rats COPE, but merely coping isn't what you want for someone you love. you want them to be happy and fulfilled, rather than just getting through each day and surviving it.
and some rats don't cope.

as a beginner, it would be MUCH easier for you to get two littermate rats together than to get the second rat further down the line. to introduce a new rat, you need to quarantine them (this means needing two cages) for three weeks, then start introducing them on neutral territory. it takes experience to understand their body language and know when to intervene and when to let them scuffle it out. intros aren't always difficult, but they can be stressful, and they can be complicated, and leave you scanning everything you know about rat heirarchy, behaviour and body language to try and figure out how to get them to get along.
if you get two rats together from the same litter, it's very rare for them not to get on well for the rest of their lives.

if the dog crate is over four cubic feet, that's a start. but most dog crates have wider bar spacing than is suitable for rats. however I used to be a dog groomer, and I know some of the crates we had for dogs would actually have converted very well for rat cages. you would need to have shelves added, but this is easy to do. there would need to be a plastic base, rather than the wire underneath.

this could scatter litter a bit, as the tray would be shallow. but it could be done.

these cages are excellent for a pair of rats

http://www.petco.com/product/119061/Hage...esHabitats

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.js...lInUS%2FNo
(the wheel is not suitable for rats, so would need to be removed)

http://www.petco.com/product/116401/Midw...SiteSearch

for litter, you must never use pine, cedar or other softwoods. these release aromatic oils called phenols, which actually corrode the mucous lining of the respiratory tract, causing scarring and greater likelihood of infections.
aspen lacks these phenols, but is still usually too dusty. likewise, most rats find carefresh dusty.
good litters include paper pellet cat litters, or even some horse beddings, made out of card. some of these can be dusty, and some excellent.

rats are easily litter trained, so it's well worth having a litter tray. it's possible to use litter ONLY in the tray, and fleece liners for the rest of the cage. if you decide to modify a dog crate, this will be a very good idea due to the shallow trays.

cleaning out is once a week, and you take the cage apart, remove the dirty litter and give the trays a good scrub down, and wipe down the bars. remove and replace fabric and rope furniture for washing and drying.
daily you can spot clean. this means wiping down shelves and removing any soiled substrate and poos outside of the litter tray. the litter tray can be changed every few days. doing this TOO often may cause rats to mark.

shop bought food mixes are poor quality. either use a good quality lab block like Oxbow, or look into a well balanced home made diet, like the Shunamite diet, and accompany the dry food with plenty of fresh food. veg. some fruit, grains. sprouted seeds, cooked pulses. occasional meat, fish or eggs.

rats love variety in their diet.

[Emily]

No never leave a rat without a buddy it is extremely stressful for them, it is harder to buy another rat later and do intros than just buying two at the same time. You can use a dog crate but it will take a lot of modifications. You are better off buying a cage like a martins or critter nation. I cant put all the info you need in a yahoo answers but you can go to the link below, create an account, and ask any question you have.

[Gabrielle]

They need to be kept in pairs no dont get a single one two aren't any harder dont use wood bedding kaytee is the cheapest and safest less dusty then carefresh i prefer food dishes that attach to the side of the cage so they won't tip and water bottle that attach to the outside incase they desire to chew pellets are better then seed mix that way they can't pick and choose they get everything they need