How to Keep Spiders As Pets

Many people view spiders as pests, or even dangerous insects. Although some spiders may be dangerous, many are harmless and are very suitable as pets.

Steps

1. Find a spider. There are many different types of spiders one can choose. A couple of common spiders groups you can choose from are jumping spiders, orb weavers, and wolf spiders. The spider groups most suitable for captivity are spiders that can hunt on foot. These include jumping spiders and wolf spiders.
   
2. Once you have procured a possible candidate find a clear container with holes in it so that the spider can breathe. Fewer holes, (even just one) seem to work best. Make sure that the container is large enough for the spider to move around and jump around comfortably. A small jar lid or cup with wet paper towel or cotton will help to maintain humidity.
   
3. Make sure you can take the lid off or drop insects in the container without having to take apart the whole container. Preferably, make a small hinge that can open and close without taking the lid off.
   
4. Put a small covering of sand or soil in the bottom and a leaf, rock or some other object that the spider can hide under and make its lair.
   
5. Place the spider in the container.
   
6. Feed the spider. On average, the spider needs about one or two insects a day to be as happy as possible, unless it is a larger insect. Make sure that the insect that you give it is not larger than the spider itself. An insect about half the size of the spider is an ideal candidate. Some examples of good prey are flies, smaller spiders, small caterpillars, and about any other small insect. Small meal worms work well. If you use fruit flies be sure to supplement them with other insects. Most spiders can live for up to a month without food if they have water.
   
7. Spiders get all the fluid they need from their prey, so you do not need to put water in the cage, but try to keep the humidity controlled.
   
8. Enjoy. If a spider is well taken care of, they can live up to a year. Some tarantulas can even live for 25 years.
   

Tips

• Remember to clean out the cage about every week, so ants won't get in the cage.
  
• You can keep the cage inside if you like, as long as you don't mind the spider getting loose in your room.
  
• Jumping spiders are fun spiders to keep as pets since they are very active and are often colorful.
  
• You shouldn't handle the spider too much, as it could possibly get injured.
  

Warnings

• Never handle a spider unless you are sure it is not poisonous. If you have the slightest bit of doubt look it up in a field guide or on the internet.
  

Things You'll Need

• A container
  
• A spider
  
• Plenty of bugs and insects for prey
  
• Some time on your hands
  

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How to Care for Green Anole Lizards

How to properly shelter, feed, and care for your green anole lizard. The advice here does not necessarily apply to all species of anole (just most), and certainly not all species.

Steps

1. Keep in mind that your anoles' cage should be visually pleasing.
   
2. If you want to get more than one anole make sure you go with two females (two males will fight and a male and a female might have babies). When younger, it is sometimes difficult to determine the sex of your lizards. Males always have a flap underneath their throat that inflates into a red frill for mating/territory display on occasion. When older, males are typically larger and have longer snouts than females. Males also will have two large "scales" on their stomach at the base of their tail.Males have two bumps on the bottom base of the tail and females have only one or none (Remember that anoles are solitary creatures unless it's breeding season, so having a container with more than one is highly stressful for them, and not natural at all.)
   
3. Although many sources will say that they are "sociable animals" this is misguided information, and anoles should indeed be kept separate from one another in different tanks or containers. This type of setup is more comfortable for the individuals inhabiting the tanks, and not as unnatural, therefore, it is less stressful and more healthy for the anoles.
   
4. Fill the tank evenly one or more inches with sterilized reptile bark big enough that it cannot fit in the anole's mouth.
   
5. A florescent 40 watt bulb is required during the day that leaves a temperature of 75-80 degrees F. The Florescent light must be turned off at night and be replaced with a black light.
   
6. Mist your anoles and the plants in their tank for 10 seconds 2-3 times a day. The anoles will regularly drink water from the plant leaves.
   
7. Feed your anoles every 2-3 days. You should dust the crickets with a vitamin supplement powder at each feeding as the crickets will walk around in the tank and lose some powder if. If your animal doesn't get enough calcium and vitiams the anole could end up with MBD (metabolic bone disease) and die. If you keep crickets around in bulk you should "gut-load" them by feeding them a vitamin rich cricket food prior to feeding them to your lizards. This way, all of the nutritious food your crickets just ate will then, in turn, be passed on to your anole. Your anole is what he eats! So if your crickets are starved, your anole soon will be too. Also, buy the smallest cricket offered, and if there is only "one size" at a pet store, go to a different one.
   
8. Green anoles like to have their food in seperate quarters than their homes unless it's feeding time. This way the 'leftovers' won't munch on your lizard while he's asleep. If you place your crickets in a low feeding dish, your anole will be thankful that they aren't ganging up on him in the night! But if they're small enough, they won't bother your anole.
   

Tips

• Be prepared for your anoles to live for 3-8 years after you get them.* *Although these lizards are cheap to buy, keep in mind that they are very hard to care for, will need special heating/lighting setups, weekly cricket purchases (if you don't breed your own), vitamin supplements, special watering techniques, and their tanks or containers will need weekly maintinence and cleaning.
  
• To make tank cleaning easier, try putting a sheet of plastic down before you put in the substrate.
  
• Make sure the crickets you put in the container aren't hiding under food bowls and such.
  
• Occasional fast prey like small cockroaches or flies will give your lizards some much needed exercise. Anoles may also eat waxworms, fruit flies, small worms, canned crickets, or earthworms. (Canned foods will not be eaten since they are lifeless and won't compete with your anoles.)
  
• Kill any red spider mites that you see in the tank. They are to anoles what ticks are to us.
  
• Some anoles will get infections on their snout along the mouth. This can be cleaned by gingerly and delicately wiping the snout with a cotton swab barely wetted in either Hydrogen Peroxide or Neosporin. Do not do this more than once a day and not for more than a few days. Don't force them the treatment though; if they try to dodge you, let them, it is likely that the stress of this procedure will harm them more. Instead, try keeping the container cleaner, and maybe drier if it happens to be too moist.
  
• Make sure to get rid of any mold growth the second you see it! Don't hesitate by 'waiting to see what happens' because your anole will suffer and probably die.
  
• Anoles only develop fat reserves in their tail. Ergo an anole with a fat tail is a well-fed anole.
  
• If you always drop the anoles food in the same location, they will involuntarily learn this and expect their food to be dropped there.
  
• Small hatchlings sometimes like to lick at citrus fruit to get trace vitamins. Additionally, old citrus fruit will attract fruit flies which are one of their two primary food sources in the wild, the other being termites. Make sure to remove fresh foods after a couple of hours to prevent rotting and mold growth.
  
• Small crickets go down easier than large ones. Be careful of too many excess crickets so they do not bite at the anoles. Spiders such as daddy long legs help the anoles exercise, but offer limited nutrition.
  
• Remember to spritz the walls and decor of his container with water daily! This is the only way most of these small lizards will drink.
  
• For easy dusting, add a small amount of vitamin powder to the plastic bag of insects and shake the bag. They will be coated. Just think "Shake-n'-Bake!"
  
• Males will sometimes chase females around the tank. Don't worry, this is normal mating behavior, the smaller females can easily outrun the males if they need to. I had a small female that would always outrun the male, but would also at other times approach him for coitus. Their behavior may be peculiar to us, but it is theirs, and it is rare for the males to hurt the females.
  
• Like people, anoles can fall asleep in the sun for longer than they intended to. While they like long days you should still put a timer on their grow light so that it is ON for 12 hours a day, so they can get 12 hours of darkness at BUT there needs to be a black light on during the night! they will freeze if no warmth is added.
  
• Males will stress out females, so keep males seperated from all anoles unless breeding. Females do fine together, and may "snuggle" on a leaf occasionally
  
• When buying an anole, make sure to check for parasites, sluggishness, and their body weight by looking for obvious ribs showing. They will also have sunken-in cheek areas, and will look much like a skeleton with skin. Make sure your anole is in a tank of his own when you buy it, or check the others for signs of stress, parasites, loose droppings, missing tails, and coloration. A green anole is less stressed out, and therefore a healthier specimen. (Slow anoles may just be cold, or it may be too hot. It all depends on their surroundings.)
  
• Make sure to use common sense when choosing a new pet. Don't pick the smallest, skinniest anole because you 'feel bad for it.' Chances are you'll feel worse for him when you have to bury him in a shoe box in your garden.
  
• You should avoid using so-called "Hot Rocks" which plug into an outlet and heat up. The lizards like them so much, that they may be cooked from the inside out from overexposure. Keep in mind that the majority of their heat and light comes from the sun shining down on them, so a heat source that radiates upwards is highly unnatural. *You can mix green anoles with house geckos,fire-belly newts, fire belly toads & green tree frogs
  

Warnings

• As with any reptiles, you should wash your hands after handling any bedding or tank decorations to prevent the spread of salmonella. Keep in mind that these lizards are very skiddish, and therefore are more of an exhibition-type. In plain terms, these lizards are to be looked at! Not handled. Handling is very stressful for such a small animal. Imagine being picked up by a giant that you think is going to eat you!
  
• Do not put more than one male in a tank. They will fight constantly over the limited territory, and don't forget that they are naturally loners, so even if you have two it's still "overcrowding" in their eyes.
  
• Do not use heating rocks or caves. They often overheat, causing burns or death.
  
• If you use a "sun lamp" or InfraRed bulbs, make sure it is not sitting directly on the screen topper. Many people have lost their anoles because of them literally 'cooking' in the tank.
  
• If you do not use a UVB light, the animal must have the proper vitamins and calcium, since it will not be made naturally with the UVB light. If you use a UVB light, then the animal can create some of these naturally. Make sure it's rated for the tank size and the animal. (Replace these special bulbs every few months even if they are still producing light. After a while they will stop making UVA and UVB.)
  
• Do not rely solely on a water dish for your lizards' hydration; anoles will usually not drink from pools of still water. Furthermore, small hatchlings often drown in any amount of standing water. Frequent misting the sides of the tank or any decorations will assure that your anole gets enough to drink.
  
• Only feed your anoles live food; adult anoles will not attempt to eat inanimate objects, and they will starve.
  
• Flies alone cannot provide the lizards with fat. They will slowly starve to death much as humans did on all-rabbit diets in frontier times.
  
• Remember to 'gut-load' crickets before feeding them to your anole. This assures that the crickets you feed him are chock-full of good foods and vitamins. The food inside your crickets will help your lizards too. Remember that you are what you eat!
  
• If you are unfamiliar with an insect species but want to feed it to your lizards, research it further until you know it is neither poisonous or has stingers. Wasps, hornets, bees, wolf-spiders, and scorpions are all big NO-NOs! Even if your anole doesn't try to eat it, they can still get hurt by it in an enclosed cage.
  
• Always use a tank cover. Other pets (like cats) like to 'play' with anoles. (Usually this means death for an escaped anole.)
  
• Do not use a heating pad. They are potential fire-hazards if not used with the proper tank set-ups.
  
• Remember that the lizard's tank should mimic it's actual habitat like a rainforest
  
• I am adding to your article that it is not recommended to mix anoles and fire belly newts together. Fire belly newts are amphibians, and require a totally different housing set up. Fire belly newts not only are aquatic or semi-aquatic, but they also would die at a temperature above 70 degrees F., and the anole would likely not make it much below 70 degrees F. Their climates, lighting, and heating requirements are different, and species mixing in general is not recommended, as one species may eat the other. The newt is much more docile and would likely be victimized in this case. The temperments of the other combinations of animals mentioned above would have to be considered as well as their individual habitat requirements. The third thing that can go wrong is in the introduction of foreign pathogens by putting two species together in a small space to co-habitate that don't normally exist together in the wild. One may be wild caught (taken from the wild) and the other may be too, but from a different part of the world with different pathogens it has an immunity to, or it may be captive bred (from breeders and born in captivity) where it would not be subjected to all the illnesses and stress that wild caught animals are. Putting them together could be a disaster waiting to happen. If you would like more information, just go to the "Species Mixing Disasters" section at www.caudata.org or ask around on the forum there.
  

Things You'll Need

• At least a 10-gallon, preferably a 20-gallon aquarium with a full metal-mesh lid (for strength and ventilation).
  
• At least one bag of substrate.
  
• A water spray bottle that has never been used for anything else.
  
• Decorations that allow hiding and basking spots.
  
• A heat lamp with an appropriate wattage bulb (Specifically rated with the proper amounts of UVA/UVB ect.).
  
• At least one potted plant or fake plant strong enough for the anole to rest on.
  
• At least one branch (preferably more) the length of the aquarium, for climbing.
  
• A small shelter for privacy, such as half of a coconut shell with an opening.
  
• A thermometer on each end of the enclosure.
  
• A hydrometer.
  
• Vitamin powder for sprinkling on crickets.
  
• Cricket chow.
  
• A place to temporarily house crickets, so you can gut-load them prior to feeding your anole. (Remember to give them a wedge of fruit to provide moisture without them drowning in a bowl. They will also eat fruits and vegetables if you don't have cricket food. Adding cardboard tubes not only makes their last days happier, it makes it easier to remove them from their container without touching them. Simply remove the tube and shake it into your lizard's house!)
  
• Tasty juices for feeding time
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Raise Your Own Crickets
  
• How to Feed Crickets to Reptiles
  
• How to Create Aquariums So Lizards and Fish Can Coexist
  
• How to Determine the Sex of a Green Anole
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Care for Green Anole Lizards. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Connect With an Animal

There are many ways to connect with an animal. And there are good ways and there are bad ways. In order to connect well with an animal, consider the following ideas.

Steps

1. Remain calm around new pets or animals. Animals sense fear, anger, annoyance, uncertainty, etc. While you might think you have these emotions under control, unless you really do, you will release bad feeling through your body movements and presentation. If you're upset, fearful, etc., wait until the feelings pass before approaching and interacting with a new animal in your household or farm.
   
2. Keep new animals away from existing animals until they are properly settled. It's hard enough coming to a new home without having bossy or inquisitive animals pestering the new animal. Give the new animal some space and time before allowing it to gradually interact with the existing animals. You should always be around for the initial encounters unless something goes wrong and you need to intervene quickly.
   
3. Involve your pets in your life. Animals enjoy being a part of your activities; get used to their presence and don't yell at them, or kick out at them, etc. If they're in the way, simply pick them up gently and put them in the yard or another room until you're finished with your activity. Spend a lot of time playing with your pets, loving them, and generally talking to them.
   
4. Don't be speciesist. Build trust and respect with your pets and animals; we're all animals and other species communicate with us and vice versa through love, mutual respect and provision of attention. Another key element is to cease the idea of "ownership" of animals. We have animals in our lives and we are responsible for them but we don't "own" them any more than they "own" us or we "own" our kids!
   
5. Read and learn. When you have animals in your life, it pays to know as much about them as possible. Never stop learning. Read books and watch documentaries about animals to learn what you can about them and their way of understanding the world. Work your knowledge into your handling methods so that you become a better communicator and connect closely with the animals in your life.
   

Tips

• Dogs you are familiar with like to be looked at in the eye.
  
• Young dogs like to play and chew so make sure you have some chew toys.
  
• Don't ever harm an animal.
  

Warnings

• Stray dogs or any other dog that isn't yours, don't like to be looked in the eye because they consider this a challenge and that may provoke them to bite you.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Help Your Pet Lose Weight
  
• How to Reduce Animal Dust and Dander in Your Home
  
• How to Communicate with Animals
  
• How to Find out What Your Favorite Animal Is
  

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How to Help a Pet Get Used to a New Baby

When a newborn comes home, it may be a little difficult to adjust having them under the roof. The two major steps about this are to get other people that are living in the house adjusted to it and any pets that you have.

Steps

1. Avoid any force. This may scare away the pet if they're not used to new things or people or may have a negative reaction. If the pet is territorial about the baby being brought into the family, the bonding between the pet and baby will be more difficult and longer to attempt.
   
2. Let the pet sniff or be around the baby's belongings. If there's a blanket or toy around, don't shoo the pet away. The sniffing lets the pet adapt to the scent of the child and gives them their own opportunity to learn more about the baby in their own way.
   
3. Walk around the pet with the baby in your arms or keep a distance from the pet during play time, but don't engage in any direct contact yet. If the pet is still intimidated, stay away at a safe distance. Use a baby-soothing voice around the both of them. Ask the baby, "Whose that?" and "Is that the ______ ?" (depending what pet it is. Use "child" words, for example "doggy" or "kitty" instead of dog or cat. If you use a calm voice with the baby, he/she will develop a calm sense around the pet instead of being hyper.
   
4. Use common sense and know when it's a right time to approach the pet while it's sleeping. Don't let the baby touch the pet at this time, but let them observe with their eyes. This method will make the baby feel comfortable around the pet in a non-interaction way.
   
5. Let time pass and keep observing the behavior of both the pet and baby when they're around each other. Patience is the key:
   
   • If there is no difference, keep trying to introduce the two of them.
     
   • If there seems to be a negative reaction, it's best to keep the pet away from the child until the pet is confident and ready to be around babies and kids.
     
   • If there is a calm and positive environment between the two, encourage more interaction and playtime.
     
6. Sit down with the baby in your lap somewhere that the pet usually goes around or hangs out. Get the pet to interact with the baby by letting the animal sniff them and the baby to touch the pet's fur. Watch the baby's reactions and facial expressions to see if they enjoy it, especially if the pet starts to lick the baby's feet out of nowhere.
   

Tips

• Before bringing baby home from the hospital, it is a good idea to send something like a swaddle blanket (with hospitals permission) home with your partner. This can be left on the floor in an area your pets frequent and will allow them to get the smell of your baby before you bring him/her home, making the initial meeting between baby and pets easier.
  
• Encouragement and patience are key factors in introducing a stranger to a pet. Things may not go your way or how you would like things to go, so prepare for the complete opposite of what you wish.
  
• Always use a calm voice. A soothing tone will make everyone comfortable in this situation. The very last thing you want is to freak either of the two out.
  
• Try to get your baby to slowly pet your cat, but make sure it does not grab its ears or tail!
  

Warnings

• If the pet seems vicious or territorial around the baby, avoid interaction until they are ready for it. A negative reaction, such as barking, especially snapping towards the baby may give the baby a bad feeling about the pet. This feeling may continue on for some time.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Introduce a Pet Into a Home With Different Species of Animals
  
• How to Find a House to Rent That Allows Pets
  
• How to Select a Pet Sitter
  
• How to Be Nice to Your Pets
  
• How to Choose the Right Pet for You and Your Family
  

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How to Care for a Pet Wolf

Do you have a pet wolf but don't know how to care for it?
This will help you!

Steps

1. Once you adopt a pet wolf, feed it. Wolves may be hungry when they first get adopted.
   
2. If your wolf is lonely, get it some friends! It maybe will be lonely. But get it some friends and it will be happy!
   
3. Give your wolf some water. If your wolf looks dehydrated, give it water!
   
4. Have fun with your wolf!
   

Warnings

• Wolves may be hungry and eat your other animals. So watch out!
  
• Also, wolves are wild animals and they don't make good pets. Wolves that can't take care of themselves in the wild should be given to wildlife preservation centers.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Own a Pet Wolf
  
• How to Tame a Wolf
  
• How to Teach People All About Wolves
  

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How to Care for a Pet Rat

Mice too boring for you? Maybe you should try having pet rats. They make great pets! Rats have been called "the lower maintenance dog" in the pet world! They're sweet, smart, friendly, social, and active--as well as very entertaining--and you can learn how to take care of them through the following instructions.

Steps

1. Get your pet rats. Getting at least two of the same gender (unless they are spayed/neutered) is strongly recommended, and most good breeders/stores/rescues will not let you have one rat unless you have proof you already have one at home. It is also important you get two because rats will get very lonely and even depressed if they do not have another rat buddy to play and cuddle with. Rats are best acquired from a breeder or rescuer. They have a more intimate knowledge of the rats in their care and can help you find the "right" one. Always thoroughly research any rescuers/breeders before getting rats from them. This is often a better choice than buying pet store rats (which are usually from "mills" and little consideration is taken for their health). If you do decide to buy from a pet store, avoid rats with the following problems: red discharge around the eyes and nose, noisy breathing, open wounds, lethargy, cloudy eyes, or runny poop. The danger of getting rats from a pet store is that often mix-ups occur and the genders may be mixed. You may be only buying two rats initially, but a few weeks down the road you may get quite a surprise!
   
2. Find a veterinarian who has knowledge of and experience with rodents. It is important to do this before or right after you get your rats, so when you have an emergency you don't have to waste time flipping through the phone book looking for emergency small-animal clinics.
   
3. Buy a large cage with solid flooring, levels, and ramps. Wire flooring is painful for your rat. For every rat, there should be a minimum of 1 square foot, but 1.5 square feet or more is better. Supplement your cage with toys, hammocks, hideaways, nesting material, as well as the necessities (water bottle and a food dish). Rats love to be busy and will play with toys while you're away.
   
   • The barspacing should be no more than a 1/2 inch (chicken wire can be used to seal gaps) and the bars themselves should be powder coated to avoid rat urine corroding the bars. Rats are excellent jumpers and climbers and should be able to execute their acrobatics in their cage without flying through the bars.
     
4. Wood chips and shavings (Pine and Cedar) are dusty and contain oils that could cause respiratory infections, among other things, in rats. The ONLY wood shavings okay for rats is aspen shavings. Use a hemp, cloth, or paper bedding. Be sure the cloth isn't frayed however as they could cause your rats harm if they snag a claw and rip it off. Fleece (absorbent, and won't fray) or towels (might fray, but more absorbent) are a good bet, but you will need to change them several times a week. Another good alternative to shavings is Carefresh, a reclaimed cellulose bedding, or recycled newspaper beddings like Yesterday's News.
   
5. Spend time with your rats. The more attention you give, the more bonded, active, healthy, and friendly your rat will be. A single rat is a lonely rat and this can cause behavioral issues. Unless your rat is aggressive, they are best not left alone. It is advisable to get the rats from the same place at the same time, so as to not have to worry about quarantining them or possible introduction problems. Rat introductions can also get a little ugly especially with territorial male rats. A good spot for introductions is a big box or a bath tub.
   
6. The staple diet of your rat should consist of lab blocks or a homemade grain mix, (you can look up one called "Suebee's Diet") and, depending on the quality of the lab blocks, dog food. The rest should be supplemented with fresh and frozen fruits, veggies, cooked beans, seeds etc. Avoid giving citrus juices to male rats, as a chemical in the peel (which is usually in commercial citrus juices) binds with a protein in their kidneys, and causes cancer. Fresh citrus is fine, as long as you remove any skin and pith (the white stuff) before feeding male rats. Females do not have this problem. If you must purchase commercial rat food be aware that the corn and alfalfa pellets are undigestable and small seeds will likely go uneaten. Many vets recommend Oxbow Regal Rat, Mazuri, or Harlan Teklad lab blocks, most of which can be bought in bulk online.
   
7. Make food readily available. Rats will stop eating when they are full. Buying pre-made "rat mixes" isn't necessarily the best choice as some rats will eat only the pieces they enjoy and leave the rest. Some recommend buying "lab blocks" which are "nutritionally complete" and supplementing with fresh fruits, veggies, dry bread, yogurt. Rats may become bored eating the same thing every single meal, and can stop eating. Dog food made for Seniors (which has a lower fat content) can be a good supplement to their regular diet.
   
8. When buying rat food, ensure that it is not just seeds and nuts! These mixes contain too much protein and fat for rats. Also ensure that corn is not the number one ingredient in the mix as too much may contribute to cancer. Instead of searching for a good rat mix, you can choose to make a homemade mix such as Suebee's (see external links).
   
9. Clean their cage often! Daily "spot-checks" help maintain a clean cage, and at least weekly cleanings will ensure healthy rats. Harsh chemicals, like bleach, can harm their sensitive respiratory systems. Retail pet-friendly product like Nil-Odor work well, as does vinegar. You can even litter train your rat to make things easier on you. (See 'Tips.')
   
10. Do not leave your rats exposed to extreme temperature changes or drafts. Rats should be kept between 35 and 75 degrees Farenheit. If it is a particularly hot day, provide your ratties with some cool, shallow (1/2") water to play around in; on a cold day, a nice warm blanket.
    
11. Consider teaching your rat some tricks! Rats are very intelligent, and can learn many tricks, such as jumping through a hoop, spinning in a circle, standing up, and even giving a handshake all on spoken command. Teach tricks by starting slow, rewarding, and reinforcing with treats and praise if done correctly. No negative reinforcement. It is bad pet ownership and will confuse the rat.
    

Video

Rats get a bad rap! They are some of the friendliest and easiest to train pets available.

Tips

• This is the most important thing of all: Start saving up for vet bills! Rats might seem like low-maintenance pets, but they are prone to health problems. The most common health problems are respiratory infections, (take them to the vet if they are sneezing and wheezing!) mites, (microscopic bugs that cause tiny scabs to appear on your rat, and makes them itchy!) abscesses, (cysts, easily treated but you might need antibiotics!) and tumors. (Girls are more prone to them than boys, but if you spay them it reduces their chances of getting tumors.)
  
• Rats love other rats! A pair or even group of same-sex rats (unless they are spayed/neutered)will result in happier, healthier pets, while a lone rat may become bored, timid, clingy, or suffer depression and neurological problems.
  
• Males can easily be differentiated from females by the presence of their large testicles. They are also larger in size. As well, girls rats have nipples, and boys don't.
  
• A happy and contented rat will "brux" by chipping their teeth together. Sometimes their eyes bug out a little when they are really bruxing hard, but don't worry! This is just like a cat purring, it means your rat loves you, and it helps them to wear down their teeth.
  
• Rats love treats. Fresh veggies and fruits, healthy cereals, and baby foods are some of their favorites. Rats don't tolerate lactose well.
  
• Giving your rats ropes to climb, mazes to solve and things to chew will make them very happy.
  
• Rats don't sleep all through the night or all through the day. They are neither nocturnal nor diurnal. Instead they sleep about an hour at a time, constantly going to sleep and waking back up again. So essentially they are active at all times of the day with naps in between. Also they can sometimes be quite noisy, but usually at a tolerable level. You may prefer to keep them in a room separate from your bedroom. If you do choose to keep them in your bedroom, it is handy to keep a basket of rolled up socks nearby to throw at the cage if they get too noisy (this may sound mean, but it works really well and the worse it can do to the rats is scare them for a short while).
  
• Find an exotics vet that specializes in small mammals. They're worth their weight in gold. Keep their number on hand in case of emergency.
  
• Talk to your rats. They like it.
  
• Make food a puzzle, wrap up a snack in some paper towels or cardboard, for example.
  
• Don't overdo protein in their diet, it can cause (among other things) a nasty rash.
  
• Give your rat something to chew on, such as a toilet paper roll. They love using the chewed up pieces in their nest.
  
• Female rats tend to be more active. If you want your rat to sit on your lap for petting sessions, get a male.
  
• A good method of cleaning cages to remove the smell is to use a spray bottle of white vinegar and a spray bottle of peroxide. First spray the vinegar on the cage, then the peroxide, and wipe clean with a paper towel. This will remove odor and disinfect the cage for cheap.
  
• You can quickly train your rat to use a litter pan. Place the pan in the corner they most often use and put in a small amount of the soiled bedding. If the rest of the cage is clean, they will pick up on where the toilet smelling area is. Use a different litter in the pan than what is in the cage to help them differentiate the area. This will only work for their solid waste, as they use urine for communication and won't confine where they pee. Females tend to litter train better than males.
  
• Training a rat to come on command is easy and useful. They can be trained with positive reinforcement with food rewards. Common food rewards are rice crispies, sunflower seeds, cream cheese on finger, etc. This can be used to find missing rats and is something an owner should take the time to do.
  
• It is a misconception that rats get bumble foot from wire floors and shelves. It actually comes from walking in urine and feces all day.
  
• Rats like to hide. So put like a small box in your rats cage so it can sleep and hide there.
  
• Rats are prone to mites and skin parasites. If your rat starts to look mangy or you can see tiny orange specs moving on him, he has mites. Fortunately this is easily fixed with a spot-on flea treatment meant for kittens that is easily available from a vet. Revolution is the best bet, as some flea treatments like Frontline can be harmful to rats.
  
• Every time you are going to spend time with your pet or even feed it, try whistling, clicking your tongue, or making some other kind of noise. Whatever you choose, make sure you use the same sound all the time, every time you are going to come into contact with it. This will help your pet associate who you are and become familiar with you faster. They will become more sociable with you and may even begin coming to you when let out of their cage. Be careful though because sometimes they may associate the sound with food and may expect a treat once called, so don't give them a treat every time!
  
• If one of your rats is very timid take time to hold it. Hold him close to your chest and let your pet rest on your forearm then after a while offer your hand to him and let him/her climb on your hand. Don't pick him/her up. This will take time for your rat to trust and like you but in the end it will work.
  

Warnings

• If you don't want your females to get pregnant, then it is required that you don't keep males and females in the same cage together unless the male is neutered or the girl is spayed or else you would have more rats on your hands then expected.
  
• Avoid the urge of mating your rat and using the offspring for gene-knockout experiments.
  
• Never pick your rat up by the tail! Always use two hands to pick them up. Grasp them around the middle with one hand and use the other hand to scoop up their backside. If it is absolutely necessary you pick them up by their tail, grab them at the base of their tail. It makes it less painful for the rat and the tail won't break.
  
• Do not feed your rat sticky foods (peanut butter, caramels, marshmallows, etc.) or carbonated drinks in large amounts. They cannot regurgitate so they can choke and are not able to release gas buildup.
  
• Rats chew on everything! Keep cords, shoes, clothing and other things you don't want chewed on out of their way when they are let out of their cage.
  
• Rats are very clever and can get into spaces you wouldn't think they'd be able to. Keep a close eye on them when they're out. They like to jump off things, too.
  
• Rats have quick and severe reactions to sugar. They will become hyper should you give it to them.
  
• Rats can get sick often and are expensive to treat. They can cost a lot of money to keep, so be prepared to spend it.
  
• Rats have a bad rep. People may act really strange, mean, degrading and grossed-out when you mention you have rats. Be ready for this.
  
• Rats can be very timid, or aggressive when you first bring them home (this is especially true for pet-store rats). Be patient when handling them.
  
• Rats tend to see other animals as either predators or food, and they can kill smaller rodents.
  
• Be careful with cats and dogs. A housecat may investigate a rat as an interesting new family member, but a rat will see a cat as what it is: a predator. The rat may very well decide that the best defense is a good offense.
  
• Many rats will use a running wheel, although some will just ignore a wheel, as they are quite intelligent animals who can bore easily. Also, many rat owners argue that the wheel is damaging to the rat's back. Unlike hamsters, a rat's spine is not designed to bend that way and it could cause problems especially if the wheel is too small. A wheel for a full grown rat should be at least 15 inches in diameter. If your rat does use a running wheel, avoid wheels made with wire as their feet and tails can easily become tangled in them and cause serious injury. Solid plastic wheels are safer and can provide extra exercise.
  
• If you have a wire cage, make sure your rat, in its cage, is not walking around on the wires. Always have the floor of the cage be bedding. Placing bedding beneath the wires is unacceptable; this walking on the wires may cause your rat to develop Bumblefoot, creating serious bumps and bruises on their feet from walking on just wire all the time; imagine if you had to!
  
• Never feed a rat through their cage. Always open the door and let them take scraps of food from your hands. By feeding them through the cage they will associate everything outside as food and begin to try and bite whatever happens to brush by the cage including: people, clothing, and other pets. If you really want to despite this warning, make a certain sound, click, or noise right before giving them food through the cage, and only give them food after the noise. Alternating noise/food and no noise/finger will help them learn to lick or gently nibble your finger instead of treating it as if it were food.
  
• If you happen to get food from a pet store or come across food that is not sealed in a bag or has holes in it be sure to freeze it for a few hours before serving it to your pet. Sometimes unnoticeable, harmless bugs may drift in there and it can get rid of any unwanted pest in the house.
  
• If you get an albino rat (white fur and red eyes) be sure to keep him or her away from the sun. The sun's strong rays are harmful to albinos and can damage their eyes.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Keep a Pet Bird Quiet
  
• How to Care for Gerbils
  
• How to Care for Guinea Pigs
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html
  
• http://rmca.org/
  
• http://www.dapper.com.au
  
• http://www.ratfanclub.org/
  
• http://www.ratclub.org
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Care for a Pet Rat. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.


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How to Leave Your Pets Alone While on Vacation

If you go on vacation you will want your pet to be as comfortable as possible. This guide will outline the steps.

Steps

1. Ask to check on your pet during the time you will be gone: for example, neighbors, friends, family members, etc. Inform them of any special needs your pet has.
   
2. Prepare the house.
   
   1. Make sure that your pet has a good bed and way to go to the bathroom (doggy door or litter box).
      
   2. Leave the heat or AC on in the areas of the house that the pet occupies.
      
   3. Place all supplies the person will need to care for the pet in an obvious, but pet proof place: treats, food, leash, notes, etc.
      
   4. "Pet-proof" the house. Put anything that your pet might get into far out of their reach.
      
3. Go away! Have a great time on your vacation and call the sitter to check up if you think it's necessary.
   
4. Return home and be sure to thank the sitter. You may have arranged to pay them something; if not, tip them or at least give them some baked goods. This will ensure that they will want to pet-sit again.
   

Kennel

If your pet is too young, old, or misbehaved to be left alone for long periods of time the kennel is a good option. The level of human or animal company your pet will have varies from place to place.

1. Call the kennel service before you leave on your vacation to schedule drop-off and pick-up times. If you have never done this before be sure to ask friends which kennel is best.
   
2. Gather up all necessary items for the pet: food, bowls, bed, toys, leash, etc.
   
3. Drop your pet off at the kennel and go on your vacation.
   
4. Pick them up when you come back and make sure they are well. Some pets react badly to kennels, so you may want to give them a little extra attention the next few days.
   

Tips

• Double check before you leave that the pet-sitter is available.
  

Things You'll Need

• Pet(s)
  
• Trip
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Sure Your Hamster (or Any Other Pet) Is Taken Care of While You Are Gone
  
• How to Effectively Take Care of a Domestic Animal or Pet
  
• How to Have a Pet Friendly Vacation
  
• How to Pet Sit
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Leave Your Pets Alone While on Vacation. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.


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