People usually look into pet rats when they want a small companion animal that’s bright, social, and comfortable living indoors. The questions are practical: are rats good pets, what do they need day to day, and how do you keep them healthy when their lives move quickly?
Pet rats can be calm, curious animals that settle into routines and enjoy gentle handling, but they are also delicate in ways that surprise new owners—especially around heat, air quality, and loneliness. The notes below stick to what matters most: safe housing, steady companionship, sensible feeding, and the early signs that call for a vet.
Rats as pets: what they’re really like
Domestic (or “fancy”) rats are usually the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus, bred over generations for temperament and coat variety. In a good home they tend to be alert, investigative, and very tuned to daily patterns—emerging at the sound of food, learning pathways through a room, and using their forepaws with surprising precision.
They’re also social animals. Kept well, they spend long stretches resting, grooming, and rearranging their nest, then switch to brief bursts of climbing and exploration. The charm is in those small, ordinary moments.
A brief history (and why “fancy rats” exist)
The shift from pest to pet began in the 19th century, when rats were captured, kept, and bred for unusual colours and manageable temperaments. One often-cited figure is Jack Black, a Victorian-era London rat-catcher who bred and sold distinctive rats as pets—an early step in the rise of the “rat fancy”.1
Cultural views of rats still vary wildly, from symbols in zodiac traditions to animals associated with disease outbreaks. For pet owners, the modern story is simpler: domestication has produced animals that can thrive alongside people when their welfare needs are met.
Physical characteristics you’ll notice at home
Adult pet rats vary in size and build, but most sit roughly in the 200–500 g range, with males often heavier and broader than females. Their coats come in many colours and patterns, and whiskers do much of their close-up mapping of the world.
The tail is often misunderstood. It’s not just decoration: it’s used for balance and plays a role in heat exchange via blood flow near the skin, which is one reason rats can struggle in hot conditions.2
Temperament, behaviour, and family suitability
Well-handled rats are often gentle and curious, and they can learn to come when called, take food politely, and accept brief health checks. They are still prey-sized animals, though, and can be injured by rough handling or sudden grabs.
If children are involved, the safest approach is quiet supervision and a “sit-down handling” rule—rats on a lap or low couch, hands supporting the body, no chasing and no lifting by the tail.4
With other household pets, caution is the default. Even calm cats and dogs can trigger stress or predatory responses. Keep interactions controlled and never assume familiarity equals safety.
Companionship: one rat is rarely enough
Rats are not solitary animals. Most do best in a small group—often a same-sex pair or trio—so they can sleep together, groom, and play in the way their species is built for.3, 4
- Aim for same-sex companions to prevent litters.
- Introduce carefully, especially when adding to an established group, as social tension can lead to fights and injuries.3
- Don’t house rats and mice together; they can be incompatible around resources and stress each other.4
Housing and environment
Cage type and layout
Choose a roomy, well-ventilated enclosure that’s easy to clean. Solid base with deep bedding plus wire sides/top for airflow is a common, welfare-friendly setup, and helps reduce ammonia build-up from urine.4
Inside the cage, think in layers: climbing routes, hiding spots, and soft nesting areas. Rats rest a lot, but they rest best when they can choose where to be—up high, tucked away, or sprawled in a hammock.
Ventilation, dust, and ammonia
Air quality matters. Poor ventilation and infrequent cleaning allow ammonia to build up, which can irritate airways and contribute to respiratory disease problems commonly seen in pet rats.4
Choose low-dust bedding and avoid strong aerosols (air fresheners, insect sprays) near the cage. A clean-smelling cage should come from cleaning and airflow, not fragrance.
Heat: the risk most people underestimate
Rats and mice can suffer heat stress quickly. Once temperatures rise above about 30 °C, close monitoring and active cooling become important, and cages should never sit in direct sun.7
- Keep the enclosure in the coolest stable room you have.
- Offer a cool surface (for example, a wrapped ice brick or frozen water bottle placed so rats can move away from it).
- Ensure constant access to fresh water, refreshed often in hot weather.7
Training and socialisation
Early, gentle handling helps rats accept human contact and routine care. Short sessions, predictable movements, and food rewards build calm behaviour without forcing it. Many rats will learn simple cues—coming to the door, stepping onto a hand, returning to the cage—when it’s consistently rewarded.
Keep playtime safe: block gaps behind appliances, remove toxic plants, and assume they can climb anything that offers purchase. Their curiosity is steady and quiet, like water finding the lowest point.
Diet and nutrition
Rats are omnivores. In most homes, a commercial rat pellet or block provides a stable nutritional base, with vegetables added for variety and enrichment.8, 7
- Base diet: quality rat pellets/blocks.
- Add daily: fresh green vegetables (and small amounts of fruit).
- Treats: offer sparingly, especially fatty or sugary foods, which can push weight up quickly in a small body.7
- Water: clean, fresh water available at all times.
Grooming and maintenance
Most rats keep themselves tidy. Your role is light but regular: a quick weekly once-over for coat condition, lumps, scratches, and any crusting around eyes or nose. Spot-clean with a damp cloth if needed, and avoid bathing unless a vet advises it.
Nails usually wear down with climbing and textured surfaces, but some individuals need occasional trims. If you’re unsure, ask a vet or experienced rescue to demonstrate—cutting into the quick is painful and bleeds.
Health and lifespan
Pet rats have a short lifespan, commonly around 2–3 years, so health changes can arrive fast and matter early.5
Common problems to watch for
Respiratory disease is one of the big ones. Chronic respiratory conditions in rats are often linked with infectious agents (including mycoplasma), and can be worsened by poor air quality, stress, and irritants.5
Tumours are also common in pet rats, especially as they age, and any new lump should be checked promptly because early treatment can change comfort and outcome.5
Dental issues can develop because incisors grow continuously. Rats need safe things to gnaw, and they should be checked if they’re dropping food, losing weight, or showing wetness around the mouth.
Quick “see a vet soon” signs
- Laboured breathing, persistent sneezing, clicking sounds with breathing
- Red staining around eyes or nose that’s increasing (not just after a brief stress)
- Head tilt, loss of balance, sudden weakness
- Fast-growing lump, bleeding, or a wound that isn’t healing
- Not eating, rapid weight loss, or marked lethargy
Fun facts (kept honest)
Rats make ultrasonic vocalisations outside the range of human hearing. In research settings, “tickling” can trigger 50 kHz calls that some scientists describe as laughter-like, associated with positive, playful states.9
Their minds also hold maps. A rat that’s allowed to explore safely will remember routes, shortcuts, and hiding places with a quiet confidence that looks, from the outside, like certainty.
Final thoughts
Pet rats suit people who like small animals up close: the fine hands, the careful whiskers, the quick attention to sound and scent. Get the basics right—companions, ventilation, shade and cool air in summer, and a diet built around quality pellets—and you’ll see the best of them: calm, inquisitive, and busy with the simple work of being a rat.3, 4, 7
References
- Wikipedia — Jack Black (rat catcher)
- PubMed — The contribution of the mouse tail to thermoregulation is modest (notes comparisons to rat tail heat dissipation)
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase — What company do my pet rats need?
- RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase — How should I care for my rats?
- Merck Veterinary Manual — Disorders and Diseases of Rats
- RSPCA Australia — Adopting other animals (rats and mice)
- Agriculture Victoria (Animal Welfare Victoria) — Caring for pet rats and mice
- RSPCA WA — Pocket pets (rats and mice diet and housing notes)
- PubMed — Panksepp & Burgdorf (2000) 50-kHz chirping (“laughter?”) in response to tickling in rats
Veterinary Advisor, Veterinarian London Area, United Kingdom