Is it better to have 2 female or 2 male pet rats? What are the pros and cons of male/female rats?
I have kept (at different times) both male and female rats. They are often quite different in personality and which you decide is “better” really depends on what you want your rats to be like. In the end it’s all down to personal preference.In general (there are exceptions of course), female rats are more active, more inquisitive, more mischievous. Males are lazier, more laid back and relaxed. But if they don’t get enough handling and play from their humans, males are more likely to become aggressive.If you want active rats that will play with you and learn tricks, but which need close supervision when playing out of the cage, get girls. If you want rats that will happily sit on your shoulder for hours without getting into (too much) mischief, get boys. (All rats will get into at least some mischief, regardless of their gender).And you might be surprised to know that it’s very possible to get male rats neutered, so if you want one of each, without risk of them making lots of baby rats, you can.It’s always easier to get two rats that were from the same litter, although it is possible to introduce two unrelated rats to live together (though I never did this with boys, only girls).
Would a female or male rat be better?
No, no, no, no, no!!! Rats NEED to live in pairs! http://www.ratfanclub.org/single.html As for males vs. females it depends what you prefer. USUALLY females like to play, are very active, smaller than males, and don't mark their territory as much. USUALLY males are cuddly and more laid back, though they do tend to mark their territory. These behaviors can go either way though.
Should i get two female rats or two male rats?
I've only had girls, but I've head the same thing you have, that girls are more hyper and adventurous boys are more mellow and cuddly. One thing to consider are the various health problems associated with each gender. Girls have a higher chance of developing mammary tumors, though this risk is decreased if they are spayed, and even if it seems expensive, it will save you the money of having the tumors removed later in life. Boy seem to be more prone to HED (hind end degeneration) when they get older, which is a loss of mobility in the back legs. It doesn't cause them pain, but they will eventually need help grooming, especially their "boy parts". Boys are also more likely to scent mark (i.e. pee everywhere), though girls do it too. Another common occurrence among male rats is "buck grease", a smelly secretion that makes their fur oily. Both the scent marking and buck grease can be reduced by neutering. I'm glad you're not planning on buying from a petstore, they get their rats from mills (same as puppies and kittens). I don't recommend buying from a breeder, good breeders can be hard to find, and it's far too easy to support a BYB that looks like a good breeder. You can find rats in shelters and rescues through petfinder.com
Male or female rats for beginners?
Rats are very wonderful pets. They won't smell so long as you clean the cage weekly. Also, if there are multiple plastic levels in the cage, it's best to wipe them down with some multi-surface cleaning spray and paper towels about every day (easy, fast and will greatly reduce odors). Rats are more social than hamsters and, if you have a certain time when you spend time with them, they will learn to look forward to that certain time and you will find them waiting at the door when you go to take them out. They also will adapt their sleep patterns to yours, and are generally not nocturnal. Since you have younger siblings, I would also recommend rats over mice as the latter are more fragile. It is really a personal preference as to the gender. Generally speaking, females are more energetic and males are more lethargic. Females are really fun if you want to play games with them and have an active pet (home-built mazes and such are very fun, both for you and your rat) and males are great if you just want a pet to sit on your shoulder while you study. I grew up with female rats (I had my first when I was 7) and they all lived happy lives and I thoroughly enjoyed them, so either gender should be fine for your little siblings. Also, noting the comment above, I did not have issues with vets not wanting to see rats. There were several vets who had never taken care of rats, but did great jobs nonetheless and grew to love the little guys (whenever we had to put one down, there wasn't a dry eye in the room). They do require frequent attention, but I promise you that they are worth it.
Can male and female rats be kept together in the same house (separate cages)?
I have two wonderful girl rats that I love, however I recently stumbled upon two boys who desperately need a home as well. It's probably just the animal lover in me pushing me to get them, I really don't want to see them without a home. However, I do realize this would mean that I'd have to have them in relatively close proximity with my females. Neutering could eventually be an option, but I'm not counting on it by any means. I've done some research, and the general consensus seems to be that unaltered males and females can be kept in the same house, as long as their cages are separate and they have separate playtimes. Still, however, I'd like more of a definite answer; I can think of several things going wrong, particularly fighting between the brothers if they smell one of my girls in heat, and I don't want any adverse effects on either my girls or my (prospective) boys. Can it be safely done? Have you done it? Or is it just too bothersome?
Is it true that female cats are much better at catching mice than males?
Generally Yes, specifically No.Confusing?So are cats.I’ve had 4 world class hunters in my many cats. A lot of run of the mill average hunters. Of all the world class ones, one was a tom. The other 3 were female. Now, let's look at the opposite side of the spectrum, the horrible bad terrible so lazy they don’t deserve to be fed hunters. Um.. my absolute worst one? Was a female. Example of her lack of hunting instinct….A mouse ran across the floor in my old farm kitchen, the cat, laying, flopped, in the middle of the floor, watched it run past, looked up at me and meowed.So, while on the average the female will be a better more focused hunter, there's no such thing as an average cat.
Can two male rats and one female rat live together?
I know that one male and one female are fine, but I just rescued another male rat. I introduced them to each other, cleaned the cage completely, and even hid their scent with vanilla extract. It's only been a day, but no fighting has occurred. I tried looking it up online, but I only got results for two- I have three now. Will this be a problem? I know rats are social creatures, but I'm afraid they will fight when the female goes into heat. Thank you in advance <3
RATS: Male vs. Female? Dumbo vs. Fancy?
all pet rats are fancy rats. Dumbos are not a breed but a variety. they can be born in the same litter as top eared rats. the difference is purely cosmetic. a bit like how they come in different colours and different coat types. there is the standard smooth coat, and if they get the rex gene, they will have a crinkly coat. if they get a double dose of the rex gene they will be hairless. but the standard, rex and hairless are not different kinds of rat, they just look different. likewise with dumbos and top ears. they are both fancy rats. they just have their ears in different positions. you need to keep more than one rat. rats are social animals. as for male and female, well that comes down to personal preference. they're both ADORABLE. that's a given. I've always kept females, and that's as much down to habit as anything else. females are smaller, tend to have a softer coat, they smell of almost nothing at all. you can put your nose right up to them and just smell warm skin. males are larger and have an oilier coat, which means they can often smell a bit like tortillas. it's not a bad smell, but it is a stronger smell than the females. males TEND to be lazier and more laid back, and females TEND to be more active and inquisitive. but that's more a tendancy than a hard and fast rule. several of my girls over the years have had personalities that would fit the stereotypical male rat personality profile more than the female. interestingly, those girls were on the larger side. I don't know if that has anything to do with it. both make really good, affectionate pets.