🐹Fancy rat: gear and buying guides

The fancy rat is arguably the smartest and most people-oriented rodent: it learns its name, performs tricks and actively seeks contact. Highly social, it must live with at least one same-sex companion. A keen climber, it needs a large, tall multi-level cage and supervised daily free-roam time.

Profile : Around 20 to 27 cm without the tail and 250 to 600 g, a lifespan of 2 to 3 years, and a playful, affectionate, curious temperament.

Fancy rat gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  Complete rat blocks or pellets as a base, supplemented with vegetables, small amounts of fruit and healthy leftovers. A greedy omnivore prone to obesity: ration portions and avoid fatty, sugary foods.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  A very clean animal that grooms itself and can learn to use a litter tray. Watch its breathing: rats are prone to respiratory disease, and any wheezing warrants an exotics vet.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  Hammocks, ropes, ladders, digging boxes and puzzle toys: rats need daily challenges. Clicker training works remarkably well with this species.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A tall multi-level cage of at least 80 x 50 x 100 cm for two, with platforms, hammocks and cosy sleeping spots. Dust-extracted bedding, never raw cedar or pine shavings, which irritate its airways.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  A rigid small-animal carrier with fabric carrying the group scent; transport cage-mates together. During free-roam, secure cables and skirting boards: rats chew whatever they explore.

• 🧰 Accessories

  Multiple water bottles, ceramic bowls, a corner litter tray and hammocks to replace as they get chewed. A full setup runs about 200 to 350 euros for a pair.

Guides to read

• What cage for a guinea pig? The C&C enclosure is the real answerBedding & habitat

  What cage does a guinea pig need? Minimum floor space, the advantages of a modular C&C enclosure and a realistic budget: our guide to a truly suitable habitat.

• What cage for a rat? Height, levels and dimensions to respectBedding & habitat

  What cage does a pet rat need? Minimum height, number of levels, bar spacing and budget: our advice for an aviary-style cage suited to this born climber.

• A tank for gerbils: finally giving them something to digBedding & habitat

  Why a glass tank beats a barred cage for gerbils: substrate depth, minimum dimensions, ventilation and budget for these tireless little diggers.

• Chinchilla housing: a large, cool aviary cage above allBedding & habitat

  Chinchilla housing demands a tall aviary cage of at least 1 metre, wooden platforms and a cool room below 22 °C: our detailed advice and budgets.

• Exercise balls for rodents: why vets advise against themToys & enrichment

  Exotic-pet vets advise against exercise balls for rodents: stress, injuries and overheating. The reasons why, plus safe alternatives for burning off energy.

• Hemp or corn cob bedding: which should you choose for your rodent?Care & grooming

  Hemp or corn cob bedding? Absorbency, dust, price per litre and suitability by species: our comparison to help you choose the right plant-based bedding.

• Which bath sand to buy for a chinchilla, gerbil or hamster?Care & grooming

  Which bath sand should you buy? Sepiolite, quartz sand or bathing dust: the right products, the ones to avoid and prices per kilo for healthy fur.

• Feeding your rat: how to nourish a true omnivoreFood

  The rat is an opportunistic omnivore: complete lab blocks, fresh food share, animal protein, forbidden foods and a realistic monthly budget.