Fancy rats are excellent pets for older children (over 5 years old) and adults. They are highly intelligent, clean, and sociable animals, but they require proper care and setup to thrive. Often, I get the question “Should I get males or females?” Here’s a basic guide to help you get started.
1. Finding a Good Source
The first step is to get your rats from a reliable source—either a rescue or an ethical breeder. Avoid pet stores, as their rats may not be bred for good health or temperament. Look for breeders who prioritize health and temperament over profit or appearance. In the U.S., the AFRMA breeder list is a good starting point, while in the UK, check out the NFRS breeder list. Not all breeders on these lists are perfect, so do your research!
2. Setting Up Your Rat’s Home
Rats need a proper setup to stay healthy and happy. Key requirements include:
• Cage: Use a cage, not an aquarium, with ½” or less bar spacing. Wood and plastic will be chewed quickly, secondhand metal cages may have rust.
• Bedding: NO paper bedding like CareFresh as you want something that neutralizes ammonia. Use soft, absorbent materials such as hemp, Kiln-Dried aspen, or bioactive. Kiln-dried pine is suitable but not preferred.
• Enrichment: Provide chews (wood, lava ledges), hides, hammocks, and boxes for nesting. Each rat should have its own sleeping space plus an extra.
• Water: Use two water bottles in case one malfunctions. Avoid bowls unless it will be disinfected daily and is a secondary water source.
• Food: Feed lab blocks like Oxbow or Mazuri in the U.S. Avoid mixes unless you follow the Shunamite diet in other countries.
Check a rat cage calculator to ensure your cage size is appropriate for the number of rats you wish to adopt. Keep in mind that the more rats you have, the more frequently you’ll need to clean the cage. Potty training is a good way to help keep things tidy.
3. Choosing the Right Rats
Gender and Personality
Deciding between males and females is mostly a matter of preference. Generally, males tend to be more laid-back and cuddly, while females are active and playful. However, genetics often play a larger role than gender, so it’s important to choose rats from a good source. Poorly bred rats may be fearful of humans or develop hormonal aggression, typically between 5-12 months old.
Contrary to popular belief, males do not “smell.” They have a natural, mild odor similar to sandalwood. If your rats or their cage smell bad, it’s likely due to poor cleaning habits, improper bedding use, overcrowding, or a low-quality diet. Males do scent mark more than females, but it’s only a few dribbles every so often. It does not smell until it’s accumulated for over a week if you have proper bedding. I’d say my males’ cage gets stinky 1-2 days before my females do since they scent mark slightly more than females. It’s hardly noticeable and in my opinion, and is not something to turn away from males for. I still deep clean both genders every 7 days with aspen bedding and litter training.
{Check out my bedding blog and scent marking blog for more info.}
Major disadvantages to consider:
Males:
• More likely to have aggression as they age, and are more likely to bite humans or rats (temperament is genetic, adopt from a good source with no history of aggression. Neutering also helps).
• Harder to introduce to other males when it’s time to add to your mischief, which you will, as you can’t keep solo rats. —This is often if they come from a bad source, a new line, or from an inexperienced breeder.
Females:
• If not spayed, are more prone to mammary tumors and need big surgeries more often than males do, which is also genetic (get from a good source!!)
• They can be pretty quick and if not trained to come, are harder to retrieve if they escape. They also are less likely to be cuddly and may need an oversized wheel or larger cage with a lot of enrichment to help burn their high energy.
Time Requirement
Either gender you decide on, make sure you have the time to care for them. Both genders need an hour outside of the cage daily to play and interact with you. This is how you conduct daily health checks and bond with them. Daily spot cleaning ensures good husbandry and weekly deep-cleaning keeps the cage from smelling. This is the time commitment you must be willing to meet.
Health and Temperament
Always check the health of your rats before adopting:
• Health Signs: Avoid rats with red discharge (porphyrin) around the eyes or nose, look thin, sneezing, dull coats, open wounds, or low energy.
• Temperament: Look for rats that are curious, friendly, and not afraid of being handled. A healthy rat should approach you without hiding or squeaking. Energetic baby rats are fine, but they shouldn’t prefer jumping to the floor over being held.
• Other considerations: Do not adopt rats younger than 6 weeks. They are easy to misgender before this and you may end up with both males and females- and have up to 20 babies you need to find homes for only a couple weeks after adopting them. Pet stores and feeder rats are often misgendered and you do not know how old they are. Breeders should not be adopting out 5 week old rats either, they are still weaning and learning how to “rat”.
If you’re adopting from a breeder who doesn’t allow visits, ask for photos and videos of the rats being handled. Rescues will typically provide a detailed description of each rat’s personality and health.
4. Introducing New Rats
If you’re planning to add new rats to an existing group, research introduction methods thoroughly. Make sure you have a spare cage for a 14 day quarantine and to separate the groups if necessary. It can take months to successfully integrate new rats, but with patience, it’s often possible. Check out my blog on rat introductions for detailed steps on how to do this safely.
If your rat shows extreme aggression, consult a vet about neutering or spaying. This can help regulate hormones and reduce aggression, making your rat calmer and happier. Older rats may not be candidates for surgery, but a hormonally aggressive rat is usually not content and could benefit greatly from the procedure.
Conclusion
Fancy rats are fantastic pets, but proper care starts with the right source, a good setup, and attention to their health and social needs. With the right care you’ll have happy, healthy rats that bring you joy!
Find a local breeder:
US: AFRMA breeder list*
UK: NFRS breeder list*
*note: not all breeders are good. Research for an ethical breeder and make sure health and temperament are their # 1 goals. Breeding for profit or looks first is a red flag.
Find a local rescue: (USA & Canada)
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