Age-Appropriate Rats?

Q: My little boy is interested in rats and thinks he would like one ( I know that means 2)as a pet. He is going to be 5 in April. He has been interested in them since Ratatouille first came out two years ago. (I know you love that.) So I am not rushing out to get two by any means.
I am thinking of waiting until he goes to kindergarten in the fall, and then maybe after Christmas. I realize I will ultimately be responsible for the cage cleaning, feeding and general well being of them. But in your opinion, what is an appropriate age for rats?

A: Good question! A lot of this decision depends upon the individual rat's demeanor and the maturity of the individual child. I would recommend adopting a pair of rats from a foster home that has children, so the rats have already been exposed to being handled by kids.

It sounds like you have a good idea of what would be needed from you as a parent, including that the child must be supervised with the pet at all times, which also drastically increases the chances that you'll be happy with the adoption. It sounds like you've got a good time plan for adoption (just be flexible enough to wait for the right pair of rats to come along and be willing to visit them before making any decisions.) so now would be a good time to begin preparing for a new pet.

• Begin by reading books on rats and rat care together.


• Teaching proper handling using a toy rat may be a good idea. Emphasize the importance of never grabbing or holding a rat by his or her tail. There's a natural urge to want to grab that little "handle" when they are scuttling away, and too many children are crushed when they have to take a trip to the vet to amputate a degloved tail when they've accidentally hurt their beloved pet. Degloving is a pretty nasty thing to witness, with all of the flesh slipping off of the bones of the tail. It's painful for the rat and can have lasting health effects since the rat's tail is his temperature control system. Without it, he is prone to heat stroke and hypothermia.


• Other handling lessons might be to teach your child not to squeeze the rat too tightly (hold them like a puppy), how to tell when a rat is happy (bruxing/boggling etc.) and when he is unhappy (trying to flee, squeaking loudly, etc.), and making sure you wash your hands thoroughly before handling your rat, especially after eating, since rats have terrible eyesight (especially ones with ruby eyes, though black eyes are pretty much vision impaired by human standards, too.) and may mistake little fingers for food if they smell yummy.


• Speaking of little fingers, they need to be taught never ever to go between the bars of the cage since they may, again, be mistaken for a snack and be bitten. Most rats bite anything poked between cage bars, so if they want to handle their friends, they need to go ahead and open the door. Also, teach your child that rats need their own private space just like people, so he should never reach into the rats' "house" (nest). Rats can be protective of their special space and though some don't really care, many may feel the need to defend their nest from perceived "intruders". When cleaning cages, for example, I wait to remove my rats from their cage until they've exited their nests, which they usually will pretty quickly once you open the door anyway, since they are such inquisitive, sociable creatures. They often line up at the door to greet you the moment they hear you come into the room anyway, but it's good to remind little hands to stay out of their private space anyway.

One more thing you may want to plan in advance is what the rules will be regarding where the rats can safely play and where they will not be allowed. Keep an eye out for potential dangers, keeping in mind that rats love to chew. Some people like to place a plastic mat over the top of a bed as a playspace or choose a play table or even buy small pet playpens for the child and their pets to sit inside together. Of course, the rats will still be able to climb, but it helps slow down any escapes and keeps everyone together in a safe, easily cleaned space. These pens are available pretty inexpensively online at most pet retailers. Choose one of the taller models (3' or so tall) since the small ones are just too easy to climb out of in a flash.

As a last note, consider the sex of your rats. While both make great pets, girls can be squirmier and more inquisitive than boys, while boys can be more territorial with each other and enjoy just kicking back with you to watch tv and stuff. So it really depends upon your preference. Another option is a neutered male pair, or a mixed pair of a neutered male and a female. Baby rats are nice, but we tend to have a better idea of the rats' personalities and preferences once they hit puberty, so you may want to consider an adult pair for your first rats.

Hopefully this gives you some ideas that will help prepare your son for a new pet, as well as helping you gauge when he will be ready for your family to bring a new little friend home.