Rat Care Guidelines

Rats are not volunteers in this sport, and need to be treated with care and respect. Many rats learn to enjoy their time in the container, especially if the experience is rewarded.

Rats should be at least 3 months of age to be working. Proper husbandry for the rats is important for their health and wellbeing, they need, clean, dry, working conditions.

Resting Cage

  • A well ventilated rest cage is necessary for rat resting. Wire cages are preferred, with a solid floor.
  • Clean dry bedding, food and water should be available in the resting cage.
  • Rats are clean animals, and if there is a smell, check the cleanliness of the cage and containers.
  • Rats are social animals and enjoy each other’s company, so resting with the group is beneficial rather than alone in a container.
  • Rats are most comfortable between 65° and 80° F. If they are too cold they will group together for warmth, too hot and they will smear themselves with saliva to dissipate heat.
  • If it is cold, add bedding, a warming disc, and fleece.
  • If it is hot, a cold tile, ice, frozen water bottles, and frozen treats can help keep them comfortable, watching for signs of overheating: panting, lethargy, stretching out, not eating.
  • The resting cage should be separate from the trial ring, ideally in another room, or at great distance from the ring.
  • The resting cage should also be cleaned when the rats have gone home to their cage or condo.

Working Conditions

  • Rat containers should be clean, and the rat and clean bedding should be added to the container when starting work, adding a snack makes it rewarding for the rat.
  • Damp bedding should be cleaned out of the container, and fresh dry bedding added with the rat.
  • Rats need to be rotated out of the trialing ring. Depending on temperature and other conditions, a working shift should be no longer than 90 minutes. In heat or cold, less time would be prudent.
  • After their working “shift”, rats should be returned to the resting area cage for at least 30 minutes to relax and have food and water.

Container Considerations

  • Rat containers should be cleaned after each day of trials. Sanitizer wipes can be an easy way to clean containers and allow to air overnight.
  • To be fair to the dogs who are working, clean containers and litter containers should NOT be used as rat containers.

In the unfortunate circumstance of rat injury or death during a trial, please notify Happy Ratters with the details of the situation at: info@happyratters.com