Naked mole-rats cannot be kept as pets. They must live in large colonies, and they have fairly strict temperature and humidity requirements. They are high-maintenance animals and can live from ten to 30 years. Removing them from the wild in Africa is expensive, risky, and disruptive to the habitats of naked mole-rats and other animals. Naked mole-rats are kept and bred in highly controlled enclosures in some universities and zoos. Under no circumstances should they be kept as pets.

You can get a pet rat from a breeder or a pet store, or as a rescue from a shelter, other rescue organization, or individual. See our Acquiring page for more information. See similar questions...

The average lifespan of a pet rat is between 2 and 3 years. However, genetics, husbandry and love will ultimately determine how long your pets live. Animals bred from healthy parents will live longer than those bred from weak and sickly animals, and animals fed a healthy diet and kept in clean cages using the proper bedding will live longer than those fed junk food who live in dirty cages on pine or cedar. Love and attention can sometimes play a big role in how long your rat will live. See similar questions...

I would advise against this. Hamsters are very territorial. I have heard stories of hamsters who immediately attacked a mouse or rat when they met. See similar questions...

In brief, rat owners bring their rats to be seen by the public. Rats are shown in suitable tanks. During the day, the judges choose the best rats and award prizes. Rat shows are also social occasions where friendly rat owners share their common interest. Many shows will have a variety of other activities taking place – these are usually listed on the show calendar. See similar questions...

with any pet, it is always best to research the particular requirements of the animal in question. Your local library and the internet can provide a wealth of information on issues such as housing, breeding and health. Rats can take up a lot of your time and have different needs and requirements to other small pets such as gerbils or hamsters. There are several books available, a number of which we have reviewed in our 'Product Reviews' section, although most tend to be out of date. See similar questions...

The last place you should get your rat terrier is the pet store. Yep, thats right. Instead, find a local breeder with a good reputation. Better yet, get a rescue. There are a lot of Rat Terrier's looking for a home. Check out Ratbone Rescues if you're interesting in rescuing a buddy. See similar questions...

Have a towel ready before you begin. Fill both sides of your kitchen sink with lukewarm water. Dip your rat in one side of the sink in the water, but only up to the neck. Use a soap made for cats or kittens, or even dish washing liquid (like Dawn on male rats for the oily buildup on their skin) and apply several drops on the rat's back. Begin working the soap into a good lather and scrub well with your fingertips. See similar questions...

Rat Terriers come in three sizes: Toy (less than 10 pounds), Mini (10-17 pounds), and Standard (17-30 pounds). See similar questions...

Actually, yes. Especially when they are shedding their "winter" coat. It can be very misleading because they are shorthaired dogs. Their short hairs come off on your hands when you pet them, and stick to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting. Just be sure to brush them often with a soft brush or rubber curry mitt to remove dead hair. And don't wear black clothing! See similar questions...

Because of their calm temperament, rat-terriers tend to get along with other pets just fine. They will likely see their pet siblings as members of their family, and will be very protective of them. See similar questions...

Rats should always have fresh water available in a demand-type water bottle. Bowls can be tipped over, leaving the rat with no water for long periods of time, depending on how often you check on your pets. They can also be contaminated with all kinds of bacteria due to contact with bedding and feces. The average rat will drink up to two ounces of water per day. See similar questions...

For residential users, we recommend 1 Rat Zapper for every 1000 square feet of living space. For commercial users (or very large homes) with more than 50,000 sq. ft., we recommend a strategic approach. Get enough Rat Zappers to cover a "section" between 10,000 and 50,000 sq. ft. in size. Spread those Rat Zappers out over the whole complex and monitor the activity. Then, move inactive Rat Zappers to the "hot spots" as necessary. No, the Rat Zapper is strictly designed to work on rats and mice. See similar questions...

The first American Hairless Terrier was born into a litter of Rat Terriers (RT) as the result of a natural gene mutation. You might want to visit some RT sites on the web to learn more about them. In the 1890s Feists (Old English White Terrier x Smooth Fox Terrier x Manchester Terrier) were imported to America from England. Here Smooth Fox Terrier, Beagle, and Italian Greyhound were added to these terriers to help stabilize the pied coloration and to give the breed a less aggressive temperament. See similar questions...

Employer dominated organizations established to prevent bone-fide unions from representing workers and getting better wages. See similar questions...

There are rat shows up and down the country all year round. Click here to see a map. Click here to see the show calendar with venue details. See similar questions...

It would be nice to a rat show on everyone’s doorstep. However, rat shows need to pay for themselves and need the support of volunteers to run them. The best way to get more local shows is to get involved at your closest shows! To offer your help, click here. See similar questions...

Use one tank for each adult rat. You are permitted to show two same sex kittens in the same tank providing the appearances of the two rats are clearly different. See similar questions...

If you have a healthy, friendly rat then you can always enter him or her in the pet class. There are variety classes too. Either ask your Show Secretary or ask at the show for next time. See similar questions...

Exhibitors place their rats in show tanks on banks of tables. There are usually two sets of tables (show benches); one for the pet classes and one for the variety classes. Behind each set of tables is the judging table. Before judging starts, stewards look at the tank labels and place the tanks in order according to their class. When the judging begins, the stewards bring all tanks in the first class to the judging table. One rat a time, the Judge opens the tank and handles each rat. See similar questions...