Things You Will Need (Updated 27 June 2020)
1. Rat wheel, at least 11 inches.
2. Food Dish and Water bottle. Try for BPA free. Heavy crocks are best for food dishes or they will chew and knock over plastic ones. Allow rats to free feed any time they want. Feed cooked mix 2-3x a week. Feed veggies 2-3x a week and fruits 2x a week.
3. Proper rat cage. Bar spacing has to be no bigger than 1/2 inch. (See my cage page for appropriate cages to use.)
4. High quality rat food like Oxbow Regal Rat, Envigo 2016 Lab blocks or the grain mix. (Not from a grocery store or large pet store. It tends to be stale from sitting in a warehouse for a while before hitting the shelves and has less food value. See my Diet Page to make your own. ) Also know the grain mix on my site was set by a certified nutritionist. For proper nutrition keep all parts as shown on my diet page.
5. Healthy treats. (No Yogi's as they are pure sugar.)
6. Litter box. To train your babies you will need to keep the cage clean while making sure poops are put in the litter box. Allow the litter box to get a little dirty, like every other time you clean the cage so it smells like the toilet are and the rest of the cage does not.
7. Litter. Must be different than the bedding if you want them litter box trained. I currently use Marshals Ferret Litter. You can also use corn cob. All of my adult rats are litter trained. The babies you take home are not litter trained.
8. Bedding. Fleece (must be cleaned most often), Aspen (sani-chips), Shredded Phone Books, or Soy Ink Paper Bedding. (DO NOT USE CAREFRESH! It is to dusty and cause upper respiratory issues. My adopters are contracted to not use this. If you would like to use Pine, make sure it is Kiln Dried. If you do not see Kiln Dried on the back do not use it.)
9. Home temp should be between 65-80 for best health.
10. Hammocks.
11. Hiding houses.
12. Cuttlebone. to help maintain teeth.
13. Lava Ledge or a Large Rock to help maintain nails and teeth.
14. Toys. There are websites out there that have rat safe toys or ideas on how to make your own toys.
15. Small pet carrier. NO DOG OR CAT CARRIERS AS RATS ARE TO SMALL FOR THEM AND WILL GET OUT!
Once you get your babies home put them in their cage and leave them for 48hrs before messing with them so they can settle in. After that pull them out and walk away from the cage. Keep a routine with your babies for the best bond.
DO NOT FEED OR STICK YOUR FINGERS THROUGH THE BARS OR FEED THEM THROUGH THE BARS!
You run the risk of being bitten if the rat thinks food is coming through the bars.
These are some of the basic needs for pet rats. I will update as needed.