Rat health and welfare

Ensure your rats are protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

Rats need:

Checking regularly/carefully to ensure they’re happy/healthy. Common problems include tumours (especially females)/breathing problems/obesity/overgrown teeth. Checking your rats (pdf 198kb).
You to be familiar with them/their normal behaviour, helping you bond and notice if they’re unwell.
Observing closely for signs of stress/pain/illness/injury. Consult a vet immediately. Rats feel pain but don’t show outward signs so may suffer greatly before you realise. Small behavioural changes can indicate something is wrong. Chromodacryorrhoea, red staining around eyes/nose, indicates stress, possibly from illness, social/environmental problems. Stressed rats are more likely to become ill. Signs of concern in rats (pdf 199kb).
Keeping safe from things that can harm them Keeping your rats safe (pdf 190 KB); Poisonous Materials.
You to consult a vet if they:
- develop stereotypical behaviour (e.g. repeatedly chewing metal cage bars). Rats suffer if environments don’t suit them/if they’re prevented from behaving naturally.
- develop bald patches, to check they don’t have skin problems, e.g. mites/an allergy. Provide more space/enrichment/hiding places so they can avoid one another. Rats spend lots of time grooming. Bald patches (‘barbering’) caused by rats over-grooming themselves or by others, may indicate animals don’t get on/are bored.
- are/become obese. Provide opportunities for activity/space with suitable enrichments to encourage exercise.
Suitable gnawing material, preventing teeth growing continuously, causing health problems/pain. Rats’ teeth grow continuously throughout life; gnawing/chewing wears them down. Gnawing behaviour (pdf 175kb).
Regular veterinary checkups. Ask the vet to check teeth are growing correctly and about protecting health, e.g. vaccination/worming/neutering.
Transporting carefully, reducing stress wherever possible. Don’t transport them unless absolutely necessary. Transporting your rats (pdf 180kb).
Caring for by a responsible person when you’re away to meet all their welfare needs within your home. Provide all necessary information to look after your rats.
Constant supervision when with another animal/person who may deliberately/accidentally harm/frighten them.
Neutering if males and females are kept together - avoiding unwanted pups. Seek veterinary advice.
Consideration. Before getting rats, investigate breed-specific needs and what health/behaviour problems are most common. Some breeds have specific physical features and may have health/welfare problems.