Pet Rats Guide

Stores/Buying

● The Pet Advantage (South Burlington

Prices

How Much Does a Pet Rat Cost? (Updated in 2022)

Keeping pet rats is becoming more and more popular nowadays – and for good reason! Despite
their dubious reputation as vermin, rats, or “fancy rats” as enthusiasts call them, make great little
pets and are actually highly affectionate, friendly, and easily trainable.

Rats are small, and so it’s not unreasonable to assume the cost of keeping one as a pet will be
small, too. While caring for a pet rat is fairly uncomplicated, there are some costs involved, of
course. This includes adequate housing, bedding, food, and accessories, plus the cost of
adoption.

Depending on how many rats you aim to keep, they can actually be a fairly expensive pet,
despite what you may have heard. There are many things to think about before bringing home
your first pet rat, and it can become overwhelming. In this article, we’ll take a look at everything
you need to own a pet rat, plus all the various costs involved.

Bringing Home a New Pet Rat: One-Time Costs

The initial cost of buying a rat is not great, but you need to consider the fact that your pet rat will
be a whole lot happier when kept with other rats. We recommend having at least a pair to keep
each other company, but the more the merrier! Of course, you’ll also need to purchase a cage,
bedding, feeding bowls, and accessories. These extras can be expensive, but you’ll only be
buying them once!

Free
The idea of a pet rat sounds great to a lot of pet enthusiasts, but often it doesn’t work out quite as
they planned. Maybe the responsibility is just too large, their rats have had babies they want to
give away, they moved into a new home, or their cat has caught on about the new meal hanging
around the home! In any case, there are often owners looking for new homes for their pet rats
and are happy to give them away for free. Check out your local SPCA or a pet adoption website.

One great aspect of adopting a pet rat from a shelter is that they usually have regular check-ups
and so are most likely in a healthy condition.

Breeder
 ● $10-$20

Depending on the breeder, you can expect the pet rat price to be no more than $20. As mentioned
earlier, rats are highly social creatures and so you’ll want to get a pair at least. Still, it’s a low
initial outlay, and many breeders may even offer a small discount if you buy more than one, so
you may get them for under $10 in these cases. We highly recommended going and visiting the
breeder and making sure the parents are living in a clean and healthy environment.

Supplies
● $100–$300

The total cost of supplies you’ll need before bringing home a pet rat will largely depend on how
many you plan to have. For the purposes of this article, we’ll keep estimates under the
assumption of a pair of rats, as this is the most common situation, and there is no real difference
in cost in owning one or two.

List of Pet Rat Care Supplies and Cost

Cage $80 – $100

Rat carrier $20 – $50

Food bowls $10 – $15

Water bottle $8 -$20

Food $10 – $30

Bedding $0 – $20

Toys $20

Running wheel $5 – $20

Enclosed House $5 – $10

Hammock $5
(optional)
 Salt licks (optional) $5 – $10

Treats $10

Annual Expenses
● $300–$400 per year

Once you’ve got your pet rat’s cage, toys, and other initial outlays covered, there aren’t many
other large expenses to be concerned with. Depending again on how many rats you own, your
main annual cost will be food, treats, and bedding. Bedding needs to be changed frequently to
avoid nasty smells and an unhealthy environment.

Health Care

● $100–$150 per year

Rats are fairly healthy pets, although they do have a tendency to form tumors. While many of
these tumors are benign, they will still need to be operated on and removed. This is usually found
in females as they are prone to mammary tumors, but males can get them too.

$100-$150 a year for health care may not seem like a lot, but you need to consider that this price
is for a single rat, and you’ll more than likely have multiple rats. Not only that, but rats only have
a maximum lifespan of 2-3 years, so you may need to visit the vet to put them down, at which
point you may purchase another rat, and thus the cycle continues. It is for these often-overlooked
reasons that keeping pet rats may not be as affordable as most people assume.

Luckily, rats and other small rodents do not require vaccinations, but a checkup with the vet will
cost around $30.

Treatments for Parasites

● $0–$50 per year

If your rat’s cage is kept clean and healthy, there is usually little concern about external parasites.
That being said, external parasites can still be introduced by new rats you bring home, by
commercial bedding, or any toys or equipment that may have come into contact with an infected
rat.
Mites are the most commonly found parasite and causes itching and scabbing in rats. If you
notice that all your rats have scabs and itchiness, it’s highly likely you have a mite infestation.

Emergencies

● $0–$150 per year

As mentioned earlier, female rats are fairly prone to mammary tumors and depending on how
serious the tumor is surgeries can be expensive. Males also tend to get abscesses which
sometimes require medical attention, plus rats of the same sex may fight and get injured.
Neutering males may help, and this procedure typically costs $50-$100. It’s a good idea to keep
$150 aside for any emergencies that may come up.

Insurance

● $150–$250 per year

Insurance is a great idea for pet rats, but not all insurers will cover them. The ones that do will
likely be fairly expensive, around $15-$20 a month, and so it may be a better idea to keep the
money aside yourself.

Food

● $60–$120 per year

The annual food cost for your pet rat can vary widely and depends on several factors, including
the food you give them and how many you own. For a single rat, you can expect to pay around
$5 per month on the cheaper side and up to $15 for more expensive food. It will significantly
lower your food costs to buy in bulk, especially if you own multiple rats.

Related Reads:

● What Do Rats Eat in the Wild & as Pets?

● Can Rats Eat Onions? What You Need to Know!
● Can Rats Eat Cat Food? What You Need to Know!

Environment Maintenance
● $120—$200 per year

The biggest maintenance cost for pet rats is their bedding, and natural paper bedding is best as it
is dust-free, unscented, and free from dyes. Paper bedding is also highly absorbent and only
needs to be cleaned once a week or so. Shredded paper is a great affordable option but be sure it
is blank paper; newspaper is a definite no-no due to the ink. Pellet bedding is also great but can
get highly expensive if you have more than two or three rats.

Lastly, Aspen bedding is a popular choice, but can get messy and is not as absorbent as other
bedding options. Depending on the type of bedding you use, you’ll need to change it every 5-7
days.

Total Annual Cost of Owning a Pet Rat

● $400-$500 per year

If you decide to go for things like pet insurance, high-quality food and bedding, and have regular
health checkups, the costs of owning a pet rat can quickly stack up to $500 per year or more.
Any medical emergencies will push these costs even higher, and so we recommend putting away
some money in case of any serious medical issues — unless you have insurance. However, you
can expect to pay around $400 per year on average for food, bedding, and general maintenance.

Owning a Pet Rat On a Budget

For more budget-minded pet rat owners, there are some things you can do to bring down the
costs a fair bit. Firstly, the most obvious step would be to only own 2 or 3 rats and make sure
they do not breed or fight, so purchase only males or females. Adoption is also a cheaper option
than buying rats from a breeder, and you may even be able to get some pet rats for free.

Your initial outlay can also be brought down by buying second-hand equipment. There are many
would-be rat owners who decide that these pets are not for them, and you can easily find second-
hand cages on eBay or dedicated Facebook groups. As mentioned earlier, insurance is not a
necessity, and it makes more sense to put a small chunk of money aside for any emergencies.

Lastly, you don’t necessarily need to purchase specialized bedding, especially if you only own
several rats. Shredded paper that is free from dyes and inks is a great free option for bedding,
although you’ll probably need to change it far more often than commercial options.

● Related Read: Fancy Rat: Care Guide, Varieties, Lifespan & More (With Pictures)

Conclusion
While owning a pet rat is nowhere near as expensive as other pets like dogs and cats, it is still
most certainly not cheap, and the costs can quickly add up. With the addition of cages, feeders,
toys, wheels, and medical expenses, the façade of a pet rat being a low-cost pet quickly
dissolves.
You can expect to outlay roughly $200-$300 initially for a cage, bedding, food, and accessories,
plus around $10-$20 for the cost of a rat. Annual expenses can often vary fairly widely, but you
can expect to outlay around $400-$500 per year, depending. With all this in mind, the first year
of owning a rat can easily cost you up to $800, but this will be significantly less after the initial
equipment outlays.

With all this in mind, rats cost comparatively far less than most other popular pets and are fairly
simple to look after. They make great pets that can be easily tamed and you’ll find yourself
quickly becoming attached to these little critters!

Related Reads:

● Albino Rats: 18 Amazing Facts About These White Rats

● Can Rats Eat Pickles? What You Need To Know!
● Where to Buy a Pet Rat? (Plus an Overview of the Best Places)
How Much Is a Rat? (Cost to Buy, Keep, and Supplies)

How Much Do Pet Rat Accessories Cost?

The price of the pet rat accessories varies depending on the number of pet rats and the quality of
the products you buy. In general, the price for a cage, toys, litter box, food, treats, etc., reaches
$300 or more.

If you decide to keep rats, you need to know the estimated costs of accessories.

Pet rats need the following accessories:

● Cage ● Treats
● Bowl of food and water ● Bedding
● Toys ● Litter box etc.
● Food

Pet rat supplies Price range

Cage $30 – $180

Rat carrier $10 – $50

Bedding $0 – $20

Enclosed wooden house/nesting box $10 – $30

Rat food (for 6 months) $20 – $30

Food bowls $0 – $15

Water bottle or bowls $0 – $15

Running wheel $10 – $20

Toys $15 – $40

Treats $10

Calcium block $1 – $10

Hammock $5

Total Initial Expenses $200 – $300

Monthly Cost of Owning a Pet Rat
Pet rats are cheap to keep. After the initial purchase of a cage and accessories, your only monthly
expenses are food and water. Food and treats can cost between $5 and $15 per rat monthly.

Keeping pet rats is cheap. Once you make your initial purchases, which can reach several
hundred dollars, the monthly maintenance of a rat is around 5-15 USD.

This amount depends on the type of food you choose to buy, and whether you buy new toys,
beddings, etc.

Some months you have to spend a little more, as you will have to rebuy bedding, calcium blocks,
toys, or other accessories.

Bedding needs to be changed frequently to avoid unpleasant odors and an unhealthy

environment.

Keeping pet rats costs $300-$400 a year, or $30-$34 a month, including food, toys, treats, and
bedding.

Monthly Cost of Owning a Pet Rat

How Much Does It Cost to Take Rats to the Vet?
Veterinary services are expensive. Expect to pay an estimated $100- $150 a year per rat. This
includes parasite treatments and routine check-ups.

Pet rats are generally healthy animals. They don’t need a lot of veterinary care.

If you choose female pet rats, keep in mind that they are prone to mammary tumors and will
require surgery at some point.

Rats bred from relatives are more sensitive and predisposed to respiratory infections. If your rat
develops respiratory symptoms, you need to go to the vet for an examination and treatment.

A visit to the vet can cost $30 or more.

These rodents, like others, do not need vaccinations but need external antiparasitic treatments
(for mites). These treatments can cost as much as $50.
Veterinary visits also include medical emergencies.

The most common medical emergencies in pet rats are as follows:

Wounds – same-sex rats tend to fight

Mammary tumors (especially in females, which are more prone)
Skin abscesses (males)
Medical emergencies cost around $150, depending on the problem.

The price of a rat cage varies between $30-180, depending on the size. Some cages can already
come with a few accessories, such as water and food bowls, stairs, or toys.

A rat cage can be up to $180 or more, depending on its size.

Rats are good at escaping, which is why it is ideal to buy a cage with a small space between the
bars.

Rats also like to chew anything, so the cage material should be hard (metal or plastic). Avoid the
following enclosures:
● Cages made of wood or soft metal
● Cardboard boxes
● Aquariums
● Terrariums

Tips for Building Your Pet Rat Enclosure

To make the perfect rat enclosure, you need a sturdy cage, recycled paper bedding, hiding places,
and chewing toys. The space between the cage bars must be small. Pet rats are known for their
ability to escape. The material of the cage must be hard so that it cannot be chewed.

Choose a cage as large as possible for the rat. The basic rule is at least 2 cubic feet of space per
rat. Most pet rats spend 22-23 hours a day in their cage, so it should be large enough for them to
explore.

Rodents tend to gnaw continuously on their cage, so stainless steel, hard plastic, or wire cages
are recommended. Avoid cages made of wood or soft metal.

Cages with hard plastic floors and closed metal bars are ideal in terms of pet insulation, as well
as in terms of ventilation.

Avoid terrariums as they do not provide adequate ventilation.

You also need to purchase several accessories for your rat’s cage:
● Bedding ● Calcium blocks
● Toys and exercise accessories ● Thermometer
● Wooden blocks

Bedding
Pet rat Bedding

Provide your new pet rat with enough material to build a nest. Use bedding that will be able to
retain, cover, and absorb urine. A clean, absorbent, non-toxic, and odorless substrate is the best
way to go.

Products based on recycled paper are the best substrates for bedding.

Toys & Chewing Instruments

You also have to provide tunnel toys, running wheels, and boxes to maintain your pet’s mental
health. Buy some cardboard rolls, wood blocks, and calcium blocks for chewing. Rats’ teeth
grow continuously, so they need something to gnaw on.

Temperature
The optimum ambient temperature for rodents is between 18-26°C (64-79°F), with a relative
humidity of 40-70%. Place a thermometer on the cage to keep track of the temperature.

Place your rat’s cage out of direct sunlight and away from other heat sources such as radiators.

Cleaning
Thoroughly clean your pet’s cage and its attachments once or twice a week. Change the bedding
and disinfect the entire surface of the cage. Clean the food and water containers regularly.

Tips for Keeping More Rats Together

Rats are sociable animals.

Adult males should be separated if they do not come from the same generation or if they did not
grow up together.

Females or pairs of different sexes get along well. If pairs of different sexes live together,
sterilize the males, as rats are a prolific species.
General Care Guides

Fancy Rat Care Guide

Tips from home to health to food and fun

6 things to know about your fancy rat

● Experience Level: Beginner
● Fancy rats grow to 7 to 10 inches (18-25 cm) long with a 6- to 8-inch (15-20 cm) tail
● Lifespan: Fancy rats live for about 2 years
● Behaviour: They are most active during the day
● Training: They are highly intelligent and can learn to come when their name is called
● Did You Know: They have poor eyesight and sway while standing still to detect motion

How do I set up a fancy rat habitat?

Fancy rats are social and can be housed in pairs, but to prevent reproduction, it’s best to pair rats
of the same gender. Their home should include a hiding house. Hiding houses should be easily
cleaned (Wooden houses are not recommended). Edible homes give the additional benefit of
encouraging normal chewing behaviour.
● House your rat in a habitat that’s at least 24 x 12 x 12 inches (61 x 30 x 30 cm), with
multiple levels.
● Place the habitat out of direct sunlight in a low-humidity area that’s between 65 and 75
degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 Celsius).
● Line the habitat with at least 1 or 2 inches of paper bedding or wood shavings (cedar
shavings are not recommended). Spot-clean the bedding frequently and change it
monthly.
● Clean hide-houses regularly.

What do fancy rats eat?

● Fancy rats enjoy a mixed menu of pellets, vegetables, and fruit.
● Pellets should make up 75% of their diet; keep the bowl three-quarters full and refresh it
daily.
● Feed rats dark, leafy greens every other day; and apple, banana or melon once a week.
● Rats should have access to fresh, clean water at all times.
How can I keep my fancy rat healthy?
Try not to handle rats for 3 to 4 days, while they adjust to their new home. Even after they are
settled in, rats can get sick. Notice any of the following signs? Contact a veterinarian or a
PetSmart store associate
● Cloudy, sunken or swollen eyes
● Overgrown front teeth
● Bare patches in fur
● Diarrhea or discolored droppings
● Lethargy
● Weight loss; not eating or drinking normally
● Sneezing; discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth

PET SAFETY TIPS

● Thoroughly wash your hands before contact with your rat.
● Use caution when handling rats, and remember they may bite or scratch, especially when
stressed.
● Never lift your rat by the tail.
● Supervise children around pets.
● All animals can carry viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic diseases that are contagious to
humans. Thoroughly wash your hands with warm, soapy water after contact with any pet,
its habitat, or aquarium water. Adults should assist children with hand-washing.
Pet Rat Basics

Pet rats (also known as fancy rats) are clean, playful and intelligent animals that love human
company and attention. Rats can learn their name, come when called, and perform a variety of
tricks. Well-kept rats will live about 3 to 4 years and do best when kept in pairs or groups.

Housing
Solid bottom, powder-coated wire cages are recommended for rats. 2’ x 2’ x 2’ is the minimum
size for a pair of rats, but you should get the largest cage you can afford. Adult rats can also be
housed in a large multi-level ferret cage. The cage should be lined with bedding, but do not use
cedar or pine chips, which contain oils that are dangerous to rats. Rats love hammocks, branches
and ropes for climbing. They also need a place to hide and sleep, such as an igloo, flower pot or
shoebox.

Droppings, uneaten food and soiled areas of bedding should be removed from your pets’ cage
every day. Clean the cage completely twice a week by replacing dirty bedding and scrubbing
down the rest of the cage with warm, soapy water.

Diet/Feeding
High-quality rat blocks should be available to your pet at all times. Avoid seed mixes, as many
rats will pick out their favorite bits and leave the rest behind. Offer small amounts of fresh fruits
and vegetables to your rats every day. Peas, broccoli, carrots, apples and bananas are good foods
to start with, but it’s fun to try new things and find out your pets’ favorites. Rats love people
food, and you can give yours the occasional table scrap, such as cooked pasta, small pieces of
egg or chicken, or a bit of pizza crust. Treats should be limited to prevent obesity. Do not give
your rat chocolate, corn, candy, caffeinated and carbonated beverages, onions, or sticky foods
such as taffy and peanut butter. Fresh, clean water should be available at all times. A water bottle
with a drinking tube that attaches to the side of the cage is preferable to a bowl of water which
could be tipped over.

Like all rodents, a rat’s front teeth grow continuously. Provide unpainted, untreated pieces of
wood, dog biscuits or cardboard tubes and boxes to chew on to prevent overgrown teeth.
General Care
Grooming: Rats are very clean and rarely need baths, but can be spot cleaned with a damp
washcloth or unscented baby wipes, if needed.

Health Care: While rats do not need vaccinations, a once yearly checkup is recommended to
make sure your rat is healthy. Common signs that something isn’t right with your rat include
sneezing, lethargy, weight loss, dull eyes, fur loss, scabbing, diarrhea and difficulty breathing.
Rats are particularly susceptible to external parasites (such as mites), upper respiratory
infections, malocclusion (overgrown teeth), ear infections, skin lesions, and mammary tumors.

Socializing: Rats are friendly and curious by nature, but you’ll need to get your pets used to you
—and used to being handled. You can help a nervous rat learn to trust you by using food. As
your rats learn that they get good treats for being with you, they will be more willing to come out
and be held. Start by feeding them small treats, such as cheerio’s, at the cage door. Never feed
them through the bars of the cage, as your rats may get into the habit of grabbing anything that's
poked in—even fingers. Gradually make your rat come out further and further to get the treat.
When you get to know each other better, don’t be surprised if your little friends want to snuggle
and be petted. Once your rats are hand-tamed, you should let them play outside of the cage in a
safe, secure area for an hour or so every day. This out-of-cage playtime is highly recommended
—and will keep your smart, active friends mentally stimulated and physically fit. Just be sure to
supervise at all times.

Picking up your rat: When picking up a rat, you should never grab him or her by the tail. This is
very uncomfortable to them, makes them feel unsafe, and does not help in their socialization.
Tails have also been known to break off or lose skin with improper handling. Skin that has come
off the tail cannot be reattached, nor will the tail grow back. Amputation of the tail tip is often
required. You should always pick up a rat around its middle, and then support their feet with
your other hand or your body. This makes them feel very secure and reduces the chance of
someone dropping them if they squirm. Rats that are regularly lifted by their tails tend to harbor
a distrust of humans and may not make the best pets.

Male or female: Both sexes make wonderful pets. Females are smaller and considerably more
active than males and their fur is softer. On the other hand, males are normally happier sitting on
your lap and having you scratch their head. While this is generally the case, each rat has his or
own individual personality.

Fun Facts
● The name fancy rat derives from the idea of animal fancy or the phrase “to fancy” (to like
or appreciate).
 ● A group of rats is called a mischief.
● Unlike many other “pocket pets” rats genuinely enjoy the company of their human
caretakers, and will often run to the front of the cage whenever a human enters the room.
● A happy rat will chatter or grind its teeth, called bruxing. Often, bruxing results in
“vibrating” eyes, called boggling. This is caused by the lower jawbone pressing the backs
of the eyes. This is a good sign, regardless of how silly it looks.
● Research has shown that rats make a laughter-like noise (unable to be heard by the
human ear alone) when tickled.

Further Information…
Rat and Mouse Club of America - www.rmca.org/
Fat Rat Central - fatratcentral.com/
The Dapper Rat - www.dapper.com.au/index.htm
Litter Training

How to Litter Train Your Rat

By Katherine Milligan on October 9, 2019

I say it over and over and over again, and I’m going to continue to say it. Rats are so dang smart.
You can literally teach them basically anything you can teach a dog. Roll over, walk on their
hind legs, shake hands, retrieve an object. I mean, it’s really just absolutely incredible. But
perhaps the most incredible trick of all is that rats can be potty trained. How awesome is this?
You’re going to save time; you’re not going to have to do a daily litter clean on a daily basis and
you’re going to be saving some serious cash because soiled bedding won’t have to be removed
and replaced quite as often, either. So... let's learn how to litter train a rat.

(More money for fun toys and treats! Lucky rats… and lucky you.)

1. Start by putting temporary litter boxes in every corner of your rat’s cage.
Yep, every corner. Your rats will naturally go potty in a corner. And since you have a box in
every corner, they’re always going to get it right. Lots of rat owners say to praise your rat, and
you can definitely do this… I’m sure they love the compliments!

The only problem is, you can’t rely on positive reinforcement to litter train. Rats are nocturnal,
so they’re probably going to be relieving themselves while you’re asleep. I’m guessing you
probably don’t want to stay up all through the night to tell your rat you’re proud of them. But if
you do, go for it! Nothing wrong with that. Other than the fact that you may look like a zombie
in the AM. You really just want to be sure to make it easier for them so that they can be
successful on their own.
2. Use litter that’s different from what’s used in the rest of the cage.
Your rats should be able to understand that the smells of their littler box are different than any
other part of their cage, regardless of where it is. Or, if they’re having free roam time outside of
their cage, be able to find their litter box and potty there, rather than on your carpet.

Getting your rats to poop in the litter box will probably be easier than getting them to pee there,
especially if you have males who think they absolutely must mark everything. Again, having a
litter box in every corner means they can’t miss, even if you’re not there watching. If your rat
poops anywhere other than the litter box, use something disposable to scoop it up and put it in
the litter box. Rats have a habit of using the same spots to do their business, so by placing their
poop where you want them to go, they’ll start to catch on.

3. Once you notice your rats pooping less outside of the litter box (or they’re favoring one
litter box), remove three of the temporary litter boxes, leaving only one.
You can keep the litter box they do use in the same location, or move it, whatever is your
preference. However, if you move it and see that your rats are still using that particular corner,
move it back for a while longer, or leave it there permanently.

Once your rats are completely potty trained, you’re going to feel much better. Free-roam time
will be more fun, and your carpets will be much cleaner. And that’s a win.
Cleaning and Maintenance

How to Clean a Rat Cage: Daily, Weekly & Monthly Activities to Keep
It Spotless

Keeping your rats’ cage clean, odor-free and healthy requires some regular effort. Rats
themselves are actually very clean animals who routinely groom themselves and can be litter
trained. But any home gets grubby with time, so our rats still need our help with the housework.

Table of Contents [show]

Why is it important to regularly clean the rat cage?

When rats pee, bacteria starts to turn the urine into ammonia. Inhaling ammonia is bad for
everyone (including us), but it is even worse for our rats, who have very sensitive and easily
damaged respiratory systems. Rat feces are mostly quite dry, but if they wee on their poos, then
the whole lot can descend into a sticky, very stinky and unhealthy mess.

Whilst pee and poo are the biggest causes of smell in a rat cage, rats also have scent glands and
their skin secretes oils just like other mammals. Other time these will also make cage furniture
dirty and provide a substrate for microbes to thrive.

So, rat cages need to be cleaned, just like houses, to keep everything safe and hygienic, and to
prevent them from smelling.
How often to clean a rat cage?

There is no one right answer to this, as it depends on the size of the cage, the number of rats,
whether they are litter trained and the type of substrate used. Generally, if a cage smells, you
aren’t cleaning it enough, but fully cleaning it everyday or every couple of days is a bad idea
because it will annoy the rats and make them redouble their efforts to mark their territory.

Bioactive cages are a bit different to normal, as the substrate is intended to be changed only very
rarely. However, even these need the litter trays and other furniture changing and cleaning on a
regular basis.

If you aren’t sure how often to clean your cage, I’d suggest doing a weekly full cleanout until
you get a feel for what is right for your group.
Rat cage cleaning tips
● Rats are extremely curious little fuzzballs, and they find anyone fiddling about with their
cage extremely interesting. For spot cleaning and changing the odd litter tray its usually
fine to do it with the rats in residence (unless they have cage aggression), although they
will try and “help”. However, for any serious cleaning activity it is safer, quicker and
easier to put the rats into another cage, their travel carrier, or let them free-range
with another human in a safe space.
● Check your cleaning products, as many household cleaners are toxic. I use F10, an
animal-safe veterinary disinfectant for the cages and furnishings, an eco-safe laundry
detergent for the hammocks, and an eco-safe dish soap for bowls and water bottles.
Basically, if I wouldn’t wash my own cutlery or dish towels in it, I don’t use it.
● Remember to rinse everything well – rats like to chew so any cleaning product residues
will be going in their mouths.
● Don’t use any scented products – the sensitive ratty respiratory systems will react badly
to those too.
● Figure out where you want to wash your cages in advance as some of them are pretty big.
Popular options include outside on a patio, or for smaller cages, in a bath or shower tub.
We use a combination of outside (complete with hose), and for smaller furniture, in the
laundry sink.
● Set up a dedicated set of rat cleaning utensils – we have a scrubbing brush, and old dish
brush, a dish sponge, a spray bottle which we fill with F10 solution (diluted as per
instructions on the F10 bottle), and old towels / dish towels to dry things with.
● For a quick clean, have a spare set of hammocks and cage furniture clean and ready.
That way you can swap out the dirty, give the cage a wipe down, put in the fresh
furnishings, and let the rats back in to explore their new, offensively clean, home, before
doing the washing of the dirty bits and bobs at your own pace.

My rat cage cleaning schedule

Due to the number of rats and cages I have, my cleaning schedule is a bit like painting the Forth
Bridge – there is no beginning or end to the task! However, broadly it can be broken down like
this:

Daily cleaning activities

● Empty and change any litter trays that are dirty – I define dirty as lots of poos on the
surface of the litter, and the litter showing signs of having absorbed urine. Don’t change
litter trays with just a few poos in, as the rats use these as cues for where to toilet. I
actually move a couple of poos in the clean litter trays as a subtle hint!
● Change or clean the food area or bowls and provide fresh water. I remove any uneaten
fresh food (veg etc) so it doesn’t go moldy, but scatter uneaten dry mix around their
substrate.
 ● If anything is smelling, I do a sniff test to id it, and change it out.

Weekly activities

For small cages, I do a full strip down and clean of the cage:
● Put the rats in a carrier or other safe place where they can’t help out.
● Open up the cage and remove all the furnishings and bedding/substrate.
● Wipe down the cage base with F10 spray.
● Refurbish the cage with clean items and fresh bedding/substrate.
● Return the rats so they can undo all my good work.
● Go and wash up the dirty furnishings and return them to the storage shelves for next
week.

For my rat rooms and big cages, I do a bigger version of the daily clean:
● Move the rats somewhere safe.
● Change all the litter trays.
● Change all the hammocks.
● Change any cardboard boxes that are well used, and swap out any nest sputniks or
baskets with soiled paper in.
● If it is a flat based cage, and we aren’t using a loose absorbent substrate, then the cage
base is also cleaned out and washed down with the F10 spray.
● Give the rat room a full sweep-up, as the furballs chuck substrate everywhere.

For big cages I don’t change ropes and lesser used furnishings weekly unless they fail the sniff
test.

Monthly activities
Small cages – as weekly, but I take the cage fully apart and give it a good scrub before
refurbishing.

Big cages – as weekly, but usually changing dry substrate (kiln dried shavings, hemp, paper etc),
ropes/climbing furnishings, and wiping down the bars.

Every two-three months, we take the big cages out and give them a good scrub.

Bioactive cage bases – soil digging boxes – unless the rats are making a serious mess of these I
leave them alone, and generally only change them if there is a build-up of poos in the soil (in
which case I spot clean), or if we have a compost gnat outbreak. However, I do disturb tunnels
every week to ensure they ventilate properly (if the rats don’t collapse them themselves, as
ammonia can build up underground.
Cleaning the food bowl and the water bottle

Cleaning isn’t just about the cage – it’s important to keep food and water clean too so bacteria
can’t build up. I scatter feed my rats their nuggets and dry mix in their loose substrate, but feed
them their veggies and wet food on a plate or bowl. The plates and bowls get changed every
couple of days, rinsed and then go through the dishwasher.

My rats have both water bottles and water bowls. The water bowls get changed daily as the rats
tend to go paddling in them, drop substrate in them, and sometimes even use them for pooping! I
give them a new bowl with fresh water, and then wash up the dirty ones with F10 disinfectant in
the laundry sink (I draw the line at rat poo in the dishwasher).

Water bottles are changed for fresh water every day or every other day, and then washed out
properly weekly. We wash them in the sink with either F10, or a safe dish-washing liquid.

Help, my rat peed/pooped on my bed/sofa/ lap!

It happens. The good news is that it is easy to clean up. Rat urine as a one-off doesn’t smell
much so (unlike cat pee) once it is cleaned there should be no lingering nastiness. And rat poos
tend to be pretty solid so are easy to pick up with a tissue without leaving… squishy bits. I just
pick up the poos, soak up any urine with a tissue, and then give the upholstery a bit of a scrub
with my F10 spray.

Conclusion
Cleaning our rats’ cages is a necessity, but with a bit of planning, it’s a pretty routine and simple
job. It can also be made easier by some strategic choices in cage size, furnishings, and substrate.
You can find my top 5 suggestions for things to think about when planning your cleaning here.
 How to Clean Your Rat Cage… The Right Way.

By Katherine Milligan on August 25, 2020

We all (I hope) know how important it is to keep our small pet’s living area a
clean and sanitary place. Rats are no exception. Keeping your rat cage clean is
essential to the health and well-being of your rats. I mean, would you want to
live in a house that’s only cleaned when it starts to smell and have to sit and
play in your own poo? Yeah, me either. But what’s really the BEST answer to
"how to clean your rat cage?"

Obviously, the more rats you have, the more often you’ll likely have to clean.
It comes with the territory. If I had ten kids (yeah… no), I’d have to clean more
than if I had one. Seems pretty straightforward, right?

EVERY DAY
We should be checking for poop or even completely emptying the litter
tray. Humans flush for a reason. Rats can’t do that. So they depend on
you to do it for them. If bedding is soaked, remove and replace.

Give their cage a quick wipe down with something non-toxic and pet
friendly. We recommend either baby wipes or a white vinegar/water
solution.

Replace their food and their water… this should be a no-brainer. ALL
small animals need 24/7 access to food and water, just like you.

EVERY WEEK
 No matter how many radical rats we have, we need to do a deeper clean.
Replace all bedding, no matter what. Even if you use a high-quality,
more absorbent bedding (which we highly recommend), as urine is
soaked up, the cage will have higher amounts ammonia, which is
dangerous for a rat’s respiratory system.

Cage accessories should be wiped down outside of the cage with a pet-
safe disinfectant, rinsed thoroughly in hot water, and completely dried
before re-entering the habitat.

All food/water containers should also be wiped down outside of the

cage. After wipe down, make sure you’re drying, to ensure any cleaning
product residue is completely removed. Even though we’re using pet-
friendly products, we don’t want residue.

Every week, everything (bed, litter) should be replaced. Everything

fresh. So fresh, so clean.

EVERY MONTH
The deepest clean of all is the monthly clean, and it’s recommended the
cage be dismantled for this process. The entire cage should be sprayed
with non-toxic, pet-friendly anti-bacterial spray, and scrubbed
thoroughly. Then, we’ll rinse down with hot water to make sure, again,
that all residue is gone. The same process should be repeated for
everything in the cage: accessories, food and water containers.

At the monthly mark, too, all bedding and litter should be replaced. And
voila! A super clean rat cage!

I personally recommend writing down (and keeping, yes, keeping) a schedule

for your cleanings. It’s helpful, especially at first, before you have that mental
alarm clock, to let you know when you’re due for a weekly or monthly
cleaning.

Clean = better. But not when you’re using toxic chemicals to clean, so stay
away from those. And never use air fresheners. I beg you. They’re toxic, too.
If you do these things, I bet your rat know will know you love them even more
(if that’s possible). Let’s always be thinking of them, and giving them the most
comfy, safe space to live.