How many rats do I need?
Plan on getting two rats. A single rat, unless you can spend almost all day, every day, with him, will be very lonely and unhappy. Two rats will play together, groom each other and snuggle together, plus you'll have twice the fun when you do spend time with them. Make sure you get a same-sex pair. Two girl rats or two boy rats will get along great together and you won't have any unwanted babies to worry about finding homes for. Of course, you can always get more than two, but if you're just starting with rats, two is plenty! Don't worry, if you're a good rat owner, the word'll get out, and pretty soon you'll end up being adopted by more....
Should I get males or females?
This is a tough question, and I've gotten around it by having a good number of both. ... Seriously, male rats and females are somewhat different in their personalities, but both are fun to have around. Male rats are more laid back and lazy - typical couch potatoes. They have a relaxed approach to life and will be more content to stay sitting on your lap or on the back of your sofa. Some people are put off by male rats' rather impressive reproductive anatomy, but once you get over the initial shock, it's not that big a deal. If you can get used to their tails, you can get used to the other things boy rats have! Male rats also tend to mark their territory with dribbles of urine more than females do, but if you're a true rat person, you'll get past that, too, and even find it a bit flattering to be marked. There is also a chance that male rats will end up fighting with each other when they hit puberty and may need to be separated, so keep that in mind. Females are more hyper and inquisitive and will want to check out everything and everyone. They also tend to be a bit more nervous and skittish. Of course, there are extreme opposites of both sexes - I've seen totally crazy, hyper boy rats and relaxed, calm girls, but this is a bit unusual.
Where should I get my rat?
