Visual Differences

The key visual difference between male and female pet rats will be in the development of their genital area. Though determining gender in very young rats can be quite difficult, it gets much easier as the rats get older. At about 5 to 6 weeks of age, male rats reach sexual maturity, and develop testicles. These testicles are very visible underneath the rat’s tail, which makes determining gender easy. In female rats, sexual maturity occurs at 9 to 12 weeks. If you are looking to breed a female rat, however, it’s highly recommended that you wait until she is at least 12 weeks of age before attempting to breed her.

Medical Differences

A slight difference between male and female rats is that females are a bit more likely to develop tumors as they age. These tumors are called “mammary tumors”, and can occur during the last third of your female rat’s life. However, these tumors have a much lower likelihood of occurring if you have your female rat spayed when she is young.

Energy Differences

A widely accepted observation is that female rats seem to have a much higher energy level than male rats. A male rat will be content to simply sit in your lap, and allow you to pet their head. However, a female rat will often crawl all over your shoulders, sniff in your ears, climb on top of your head and try to play. Female rats are a bit easier to teach tricks, since they are naturally active. Male rats prefer to cuddle, and nap in your lap.

Personality Differences

Female rats tend to be more curious, investigative and playful. They will often scamper around you in an effort to get you to play with them. Male rats prefer to engage in less energy-intensive activities, such as napping, gentle playing and eating.

Additional Differences

While you may love to cuddle with your male rat, male rats have the habit of releasing a small amount of urine when they are out of their cage. Though it’s often a very tiny amount, it can require a bit of cleanup after you place your male rat back in his cage. Females do not seem to release as much urine when outside of their cages, though the occasional “accident” may sometimes occur. In general, both genders are very hygenic animals, and will thrive in an environment that is comfortable and clean.

Food Storage

When people discovered that rats had made a habit of stealing from human food stores, they had to make significant changes to protect their food supply. This involved finding alternate storage methods, such as storing grains in clay, glass or metal containers. Humans also developed more secure dwellings, in order to reduce the chances that their home would become a suitable residence for rats.

Ancient Rome

Ancient Romans had a unique way of referring to rats. Oddly enough, they didn’t bother to differentiate much between rats and mice. Mice were known as “Mus Minimus” (little mouse), while rats were known as “Mus Maximus” (big mouse).

Victorian England

In the Victorian age in England, a macabre sport was introduced for entertainment – Rat Pits. This sport involved a terrier, who was placed in a pit with a designated number of rats. Bets were placed on each terrier, and the terrier who could kill the most rats in the shortest time won the sport.

Jack Black

To help to control the rat population, England began hiring “rat catchers”. One of the most famous of these was Jack Black, who was the royal rat catcher for Queen Victoria during the mid 19^thcentury. Many of these rats were used in rat pits for sport. It is said that Jack Black is the founder of the fancy rat breed. This is because he would regularly keep rats that he found with unique color traits, or special characteristics. A short time later, he began selling these specially colored rats which he bred to be pets. According to documentation, most of Jack Black’s rats were sold “to well-bred young ladies to keep in squirrel cages”. One of his customers, the famous Beatrix Potter, dedicated a book to her pet rat, which was titled “Samuel Whiskers”.

The NMRC and NFRS

In the 1800′s, specially colored mice began becoming popular pets, which prompted the founding of the “National Mouse Club”. In 1901, a lady named Miss Mary Douglas wrote a letter to this organization, making a case for rats to also be included. They agreed, and the “National Mouse and Rat Club” was born in 1912. Though interest in pet rats declined after the death of Mary Douglas, in 1976 a new club was formed, the “National Fancy Rat Society”. Being the first organization that was entirely dedicated to rats, it began rapidly increasing the popularity of keeping fancy rats as pets. Another society, called the “American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association” (AFRMA) was started in 1983. Today, there are many organizations dedicated to providing information about pet rats.

Laboratory Rats

It is said that many of the pet rats in the United States can trace their origins back to the laboratory rats kept in the early 20^th century. Being easy to breed, rats were favored for all types of scientific research. In fact, a pet book from the 1920′s suggests to its readers to contact their local laboratory to ask about adopting a pet rat.

Is a Pet Rat Right for Me?

While owning a pet rat can be an incredibly rewarding experience, pet rats aren’t for everyone. It’s extremely important that you are prepared for the responsibility of adopting a new member of your family. Rats are social, and will require time with you each day in order to be happy. Rats will also need constant stimulation from new toys, environments and concepts. If you have a busy schedule, or don’t think you can handle the responsibility of caring for a pet rat, you should consider other, less social types of pets.

Why Should I Own a Pet Rat?

Rats make wonderful pets, and one of the most popular types of small domesticated rodents. Some rat owners have even claimed that rats can match the intelligence of some dogs, especially in the area of complicated problem-solving. Another advantage of owning a pet rat is that they are extremely people-oriented, and love to be social. Unlike some other rodents (such as mice or hamsters), rats are curious about humans, instead of being afraid.

Are Pet Rats Good with Children?

When properly trained, pet rats can be a wonderful first pet for a child. However, as with any pet, it’s important to carefully supervise your child’s interaction with a pet rat. If you have children under 10 years of age, never allow them to play with a pet rat without an adult present.

Are Pet Rats Easy to Care For?

As far as food, water and bedding needs, pet rats are relatively low-maintenance. As far as social needs, however, you will need to play with your pet rat on a daily basis. This playtime helps strengthen your relationship with your pet rat, and also helps to provide for their need for companionship. Rats will need regular exercise, in order to prevent them from becoming overweight. An in-cage wheel, or an out-of-cage enclosed running ball are both great ways to give your pet rat some exercise. If you wish, there are also certain types of harnesses and leashes that are specially made to fit pet rats.