Pet Rat Care Sheet

Rats are very intelligent and inquisitive. They love to explore their environment and are easily intrigued by anything not familiar to them. They are also fun loving creatures who are full of laughter; and as very social creatures, they love being tickled and pet by their owners.

GENERAL INFORMATION 

Scientific name:

Rattus norvegicus (Brown Rat) 

Average lifespan: 

up to 4 years with proper care 

Longest living rat: 

Rodney, 7 years and 4 months (Guinness World Record) 

Average size: 

14-18 inches, including tail 

Average weight: 

400-800g (female rats commonly weigh 250-450g) 



DIET

Omnivorous; but consists mostly of 

grains and cereals (e.g. rice, barley, oats, pasta).

Supplement their diet with small amounts of 

fruits and vegetables.

Avoid high protein in the diet; 

meat and protein should be scarcely fed to rats.

Avoid citrus fruits, carbonated / alcoholic beverage, 

raw legumes, spinach, etc. 



COMMON OBSERVED BEHAVIOR 

Kissing or licking, wrestling, grooming, bruxing, scent marking, sidling (crab walk), boggling, etc.



BREEDING 

Keep rats of the same sex in one cage

or there will be unwanted pregnancy.

Female rats can become pregnant as early as 6 weeks old.

They can get in heat every 5 days.

The ideal mating period for females is from 4 to 10 months old; 

while males can breed throughout their life.

Pregnancy lasts for 21 days; 

one litter can yield from 6 to 12 pups.



COMMON AILMENTS 

Respiratory infections – 

treatment with antibiotic or visit to the vet;

External parasites (lice, mites, fleas, ticks) – 

remedied with sprays or powder;

Porphyrin (blood-like discharge from eyes) – 

caused by stress or eye irritation;

Mycoplasma & pneumonia; 

abscess & tumors (benign and malignant); 

bumble foot; wounds; etc.

WITH PROPER CARE & DIET,

PET RATS CAN LIVE 

A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE