How much does a pet rat cost and is it expensive to keep?

For whom are tailed animals the best friends and why a rat is not a gift. “A rat is not a gift, like any other animal. Not a toy or an element of decor”, “Not a single little rat will leave his parents’ house on the eve of the New Year holidays. There are a lot of NON-LIVING souvenirs” - such reminder posts appear every now and then in groups on social networks dedicated to rats. If for some a funny rodent is just an idea for a present under the Christmas tree or an unusual decorative element for a festive night, for others it is a pet, a friend, a family member who requires attention and care. Is it difficult to keep rats? What can they give in return? And why shouldn’t you give a tailed miracle without warning? We asked members of the Belarusian club of lovers of decorative rats “Tailed Legend”.

What does the cost depend on?

There is no fixed price tag for a decorative rat. The cost of a pet depends on many factors - place of purchase, variety, age, color, gender of the animal.

Place of purchase

Depending on the place of purchase, the price of a decorative rat can range from 200 to 1,500 rubles. To purchase a pet, you can choose one of the following options:

1. Purchase second hand from an ordinary pet rat owner. In such a situation, pups most often act as an unplanned addition to the family. Therefore, they try to sell them as quickly as possible at the minimum price - 200-300 rubles apiece. Such an offer seems attractive, but it is impossible to find out the truth about the animal’s health or pedigree.
2. Bird Market. In such retail outlets, the price for a decorative rat is slightly higher - 400-500 rubles. But here you can also buy a “pig in a poke”. If you are unlucky, a sick or weakened pet will enter the house. There are known cases when ordinary wild rats were sold in markets under the guise of decorative ones.
3. Pet Shop. Here the situation is a little better - the new owner will be able to familiarize himself with documents about the animal’s health status, and will also receive a certificate confirming the presence of mandatory vaccinations. But in a pet store, all the rats for sale are kept in one large cage, so when buying a female, you cannot be sure that she will not give birth to babies soon. This inconvenience is compensated by the relatively affordable cost of 600-700 rubles.
4. Professional breeders are the most reliable option. Professionals will provide the buyer with a full set of documents - passport, pedigree, vaccination certificate, health certificate. In addition, breeders raise rat pups for up to 4-5 weeks, which makes them psychologically stable and more sociable and affectionate. For such a service you will have to pay from 800 to 3000 rubles.

Experienced breeders advise not to save money on buying a pet and to buy an animal only from trusted retail outlets. It’s better to overpay a little, but get a healthy animal with a strong nervous system.

Breed

The above prices are valid for standard breed rats. However, for more interesting varieties of decorative rodents you will have to pay a little more. Currently, sellers are ready to offer the following furry breeds:

• Fuzz is a rat covered with short, dense fluff. The coat color is usually gray or translucent. For a representative of this small breed they will ask from 700 to 2000 rubles.
• The Sphinx is a hairless rat with numerous folds. The skin is pale pink, the presence of spots is acceptable. For a pet with a mystical appearance you will have to pay from 400 to 2000 rubles.
• Blue standard - distinguished by a noble smoky color with a bluish tint. For such an unusual copy you will have to pay from 350 to 1200 rubles.
• Dumbo is a small rat with large round ears. Outwardly, it resembles a baby elephant from the cartoon of the same name. Prices for a pet start from 500 rubles and go up to 1500.
• Rex . A distinctive feature of this breed is its wavy, slightly disheveled coat. Such specimens are not found very often, so the purchase will cost from 600 to 1600 rubles.
• The tailless is the rarest breed. You won’t even be able to buy a rodent for less than 1,000 rubles. And professional breeders sell fluffies without a tail for 2800-3000 rubles. Moreover, tailless rats are characterized by very poor health.

Unscrupulous breeders often try to sell an ordinary rat under the guise of a tailless rat. For camouflage, poor animals simply have their tails docked.

Features of a rodent

The value of some rats increases greatly if they have some unusual features, for example:

• Wool that changes color throughout life. Most often, this feature is inherent in husky rats. Such pups are born darker, and over time their fur becomes lighter. By 2.5-3 years, the fur of rats becomes completely white.
• Multi-colored eyes . It is quite rare for rats to be born with different combinations of eyes. For example, ruby-black or pink-black. Such animals are highly valued on the zoological market.
• Silky satin coat . The fluffy fur coat shines very much in the sun and shimmers - you can pay 2-3 thousand rubles for such a rat.
• Complete absence of pigment. The albino rat with snow-white fur and red eyes has a mysterious appearance. Most individuals are raised in artificial conditions.

Other factors can also affect the cost of a rat, for example, unusual color or impeccable pedigree. In each individual case, the price for the animal is calculated individually.

Reproduction and lifespan

Young rat pups become sexually mature by 6 months. To produce offspring, animals with distinct species characteristics are needed. Pregnancy lasts 21-23 days. There are 8-12 babies in a litter. Rats are born blind, deaf, and naked. Not all newborns have large ears.

The development of the young is rapid. At 4 days the babies begin to hear, at 12 days they begin to see. When babies are 14-15 days old, they are ready to explore the world and communicate with people. From three weeks of age, Dumbo rats feed on adult food. At one and a half months, the pups are completely independent.

How long dumbo rats live depends largely on the conditions of their detention. The average life expectancy is 2-3 years. Caring for pets, proper care, timely treatment of diseases and a balanced diet prolong the life of decorative rats up to 4-5 years.

You need to purchase a purebred rat from trusted breeders so as not to be deceived by scammers. The Dumbo rat in the photo in the online store may be purebred, but the purchased specimen may turn out to be an ordinary decorative animal.

A guarantee of thoroughbredness can only be obtained in a specialized nursery. The price depends on many factors: rarity of the species, conditions of detention, purchase price, etc.

Final cost table depending on the place of purchase

To make it easier to determine the price of a rat depending on the place of purchase and breed, you can use a special table:

It is worth noting that the table shows only approximate prices for rats of various breeds. Prices for fluffies may vary slightly at different retail outlets.

Features of feeding

Dumbo rats are omnivores, but there are still some dietary restrictions. Pets are prone to allergies and, unlike their wild counterparts, sometimes suffer from digestive problems.

The basis of the diet of the dumbo rat is grain. Pet stores sell special food for small rodents, which includes:

• millet;
• barley;
• buckwheat;
• lentils;
• nuts;
• herbal granules;
• raisin;
• sunflower seeds;
• pumpkin seeds.

Where is the best place to buy a rat?

When purchasing a decorative rat, future owners inevitably face the question of where is the best place to buy a pet. Experienced breeders recommend not to succumb to the temptation of purchasing an animal from your own hands at the cheapest price. It is better to pay the required amount and get a healthy rat with a good pedigree.

As a last resort, you can go shopping at a pet store. Even in the event of an unplanned pregnancy of a female, the rat pups can always be given away. But you won’t have to spend additional money on constant treatment of many diseases in expensive veterinary clinics. Moreover, most specialized stores have a good price/quality ratio.

Nutrition

Rats eat almost everything, but the wrong food leads to diseases and allergies. Pets are especially susceptible to eating disorders.

A balanced diet includes:

• dry food, including millet, barley, oats, flax seeds, pumpkin;
• chicken, fish meat;
• dairy products: kefir, cottage cheese;
• greens in the form of dandelion leaves, parsley, dill;
• fruits: pear, banana (except unripe ones), plum.

Treating yourself to nuts will help grind your teeth. Sometimes animals can be pampered with dried fruits. Undesirable foods in the diet are:

• beet;
• cucumber;
• turnip;
• cheese (especially blue cheese);
• eggs;
• sour cream.

They can be offered in limited quantities no more than once a week.

Products strictly prohibited for consumption:

• sausages;
• sweets, including chocolate;
• spinach;
• raw potatoes;
• beans;
• rhubarb;
• cabbage.

Walking around the house is dangerous for pets due to encountering potted plants:

• Kalanchoe;
• Dieffenbachia;
• geranium;
• ivy;
• begonia;
• cyclamen;
• hydrangea;
• aloe;
• hydrangea.

It is important to monitor the freshness of the water in the drinking bowl and change it every day. Babies are fed 4 times a day, adult rats - 2 times.

What else do you need to buy for your rat?

Savic Freddy 2 Rodent Cage
The costs don't end with purchasing the pet itself. Before buying a rat, you need to first prepare by purchasing everything you need to keep it. Required attributes include:

1. Cell. Rats are active animals, so it is better to purchase multi-tiered structures with a plastic tray. Based on 2-3 animals, the area of ​​the first floor should be 2500-3600 cm². The distance between the twigs should be no more than 12 mm, for small rats a little less - up to 10 mm. The cost of the most modest cage that meets the listed parameters is 4-5 thousand rubles. Buying second hand will cost less - 2-2.5 thousand rubles.
2. Filler. The cheapest option is shredded napkins or toilet paper. But such a filler quickly becomes dirty and does not remove unpleasant odors well, so it is better to spend money on purchasing sawdust or hay. On average, prices for filler vary from 100 to 200 rubles.
3. Little house. The rat definitely needs a cozy corner for privacy. A small plastic house is perfect for this so that the fluffy doesn’t chew through it. This material is also easy to clean with warm water. The cost of such houses starts from 400 rubles.
4. Hammocks. Rodents should have a place to rest, sleep or just lie down. To do this, you will need to hang 2-3 hammocks around the cage, maybe more, depending on the number of animals. The price for one product is about 350 rubles.
5. Drinkers and feeders. For 2 rats you will need 2-3 pieces of each item. Depending on the model, the price for drinking bowls is 300-1000 rubles, for feeders - 200-500 rubles.
6. Game complex. Rats love to frolic, so you should definitely install shells in the cage. The price range here is very wide, since today you can find many toys for rodents on sale. For example, the cost of the simplest running wheel is 150-200 rubles. At the same time, prices for balls for rodents vary between 700-1500 rubles. The bridge can be bought for 400-800 rubles, depending on the size and configuration.
7. Tray. There is an opinion among rodent owners that it is impossible to toilet train rats. However, this is not so, you just need to set a goal and devote 2-3 weeks to training. The cost of a rat tray is about 200 rubles. It should be taken into account that the number of containers must correspond to the number of pets living in the cage.
8. Feed. Ready-made mixtures for feeding rodents cost from 100 to 800 rubles per package. In addition, the rat will have to be supplemented with natural food - vegetables, fruits, lean meat, dairy products. Typically, all of the listed products can be found in any refrigerator, so you can not take them into account when calculating costs.

To summarize, the starting investment in keeping a rat, depending on the quality of the selected accessories, will range from 6,000 to 13,000 rubles. In addition, it is necessary to take into account that this is only the first expenditure on a pet. Because food and filler will have to be purchased constantly. And the remaining accessories can be changed as needed.

How much a pet rat costs is a controversial question. The cost of a rat and everything needed to keep it varies depending on many factors. Therefore, before going to the pet store, you will need to first calculate all the costs so as not to find yourself in an awkward situation.

Care and maintenance at home

Caring for tame animals is not difficult. They take up very little space, and caring for dambos does not require any expense. To ensure a comfortable existence for pets, you should take into account some features of the life of eared babies.

Dumbo rats are inquisitive and intelligent. They are superior in intelligence to hamsters and guinea pigs. They waddle like penguins. Their physique does not allow them to run fast, but the animals take walks and mark their territory.

Miss Missy (approximately $1.200000)

While a mere mortal, looking at a photo of this ordinary-looking cow, is trying to understand how it differs from those that he saw at his grandmother’s in the village as a child, experts say that Miss Missy is not just a village cow, but a real titled cow in various categories and nominations, belonging to the Holstein breed, whose estimated value is approximately $12,000,000. And the question immediately arises: “why?” But because the productivity of this very Miss is already fifty percent greater than that of an ordinary rural tribeswoman.

Chimpanzee ($60,000)

Another friend of a poor man is a chimpanzee. A cute, smart, friendly and charming monkey often becomes a coveted object of rich people who purchase animals both for private zoos and as pets for their children. And you’ll think that the cost of one such individual is about sixty thousand dollars, in the end it turns out to be a good investment for the price of a car for the saying “no matter what a child enjoys, as long as it doesn’t cry.”

While some people shell out money for pets, others willingly purchase jewelry, the cost of which is simply off the charts.

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White lion cubs ($140,000)

This breed of lion was first discovered in 1938 and they were rare back then. The color mutation was first noticed among lions in the Timbavati Game Reserve area and is responsible for the white fur and light-colored eyes of these animals. It is believed that recessive genes in both parents are responsible for the pristine white color of the cubs. According to the Global Fund for the Protection of White Lions, today their number is approximately three hundred, and the cost of each individual is about one hundred and forty thousand dollars.

Monkey Brazza ($10,000)

The Brazza monkey is one of the oldest species of primates and is named after the Italian explorer Pietro Savornana di Brazza. A distinctive feature of this species is the orange stripe on the head and the white muzzle from the nose, which resembles the beard of an old man. As a matter of fact, it is needless to say how charming and amazing this creature looks, for which people with money shell out ten thousand dollars per individual.

Green Monkey ($16.000000)

No, this is far from a monkey, as many people think. He is actually a Thoroughbred racehorse (trotter) sired by another Thoroughbred named Forestry. And according to a CNBC report, when the Green Monkey did his first race, he managed to run an eighth of a mile in less than ten seconds (believe me, that's incredibly fast), but unfortunately, after getting injured, he was never able to match that speed again . As a result, in 2009 the stallion was sold at auction for sixteen million dollars.

Character

What is the character of a white rat with red eyes? Ideal, without exaggeration. Whoever kept the rats will not let you lie.

These animals are smarter than dogs. Rats are highly trainable and very sociable, but they require the attention of their owner. They are easily tamed, affectionate and responsive to kind treatment.

It's better to buy a little rat. It's easier to tame. Rats love to sit on their owner's shoulder and kiss. Yes, yes, these pets, like dogs, lick with a neat pink tongue. They also sleep on their owner’s lap, curled up like cats.

A white rat with red eyes can be taught various tricks. The minimum that a rat can master: responding to its own nickname, bringing a small toy ball, leaving its hiding place at the owner’s command. Don't believe me? Watch this video and see for yourself:

Hyacinth Macaw ($14,000)

The Hyacinth Macaw is one of the largest species of parrots found in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. Their distinctive bright blue and yellow color from the very first minutes attracts the attention of rich people who want to get this exotic bird into their collection of pets. And while some buy horses and cows at auctions for millions, others shell out only fourteen thousand dollars for a cute bird with a large black beak.

What is the price

The cost depends on several points. Firstly, the breed of the animal, there are very rare rodents, and accordingly their cost will be higher. Secondly, the place of purchase, from private individuals, as a rule, the most affordable prices, the highest are in nurseries where professional breeders breed rats. Thirdly, the city, as a rule, in large cities and in the capital, prices are much higher.

Further in the table you can see the approximate prices for rats.

You need to understand that in addition to the cost of the animal itself, you will need to purchase a cage and equipment. In addition, the rodent must be vaccinated and care costs will be required.

Selecting the breed

It is worth saying that the choice of breeds is really large; the animals differ in body size, color, character and behavior. Next, we will look at each separately, which will allow you to make the right choice.

White

It should be noted right away that such a breed does not exist in nature. But there are white individuals who are called albinos. The animal gets this color as a result of a genetic failure. Albinos can appear in absolutely every breed.

If we talk about natural conditions, you will not find adult animals with this color in the wild. The fact is that when albinos are born, they are eaten by their own relatives. But they are popular among breeders; these cute rodents have a snow-white coat and beautiful ruby ​​eyes.

It is also worth saying a few words about rodents that have a coat of green, blue, pink and other shades. There are no rats with this color. If you see such animals for sale, know that these are the work of scammers.

They add a special substance to animal food, which is a coloring pigment. When this substance is consumed, the animal's fur changes color. After stopping feeding, the color returns to normal, but such a diet will not leave its mark on health.

Dumbo

Very cute and beautiful little animals, distinguished by their rather large round ears. We are all familiar with the cartoon character - the baby elephant Dumbo, but this one can be said to be a miniature copy.

They have an easy-going character, quickly get used to their owner, and are very active and playful. Representatives of this breed can have white, gray and black fur.

Blue

As already mentioned, there is no breed that has blue fur. These representatives have a light gray coat.

The name was given for the reason that the down really has a blue tint, which is why the fur appears to be of such tones. It is worth saying that these animals are highly valued and belong to aristocratic representatives.

Very attractive animals with tousled fur, such fur sticking out in different directions creates the impression that the animal is very fluffy. Adult rodents have cute curls on their backs. Babies are born without curls; they appear with age. Also, from birth and as they grow older, their color changes.

Sphinxes

These representatives have no fur at all. It is worth saying that the breed is very expensive and is valued among breeders. The skin itself can have different shades, some are spotted. If the animal is purebred, there will be a small fluff under the eyes, on the ankles and in the groin area.

Anurans

When purchasing such a breed, you need to be as attentive and careful as possible so as not to fall for scammers. In fact, the breed is very rare and acquiring a cub will not be so easy.

They lack a tail, and in its place you can see a small tubercle. Fraudsters dock the tails of the cubs and pass them off as purebred animals. Rodents can be of any color; they can be short-haired, long-haired and even hairless.

Odd-eyed

Representatives of different eyes can appear in any breed. They are valued for different eye colors and are considered the most expensive. They can be black, red and ruby.

Appearance

What does a white rat with red eyes look like? This is a medium-sized rodent. The pet's weight can reach 500 grams. On average, rats weigh 300-400 grams. Males are larger than their mates.

Rats have white fur and red eyes. The muzzle is elongated and sharp, with four long and sharp teeth. Two up, two down.

Another feature of the rat is its long tail. At first glance, he appears to be bald. This is wrong. The rodent's tail is covered with barely noticeable white fibers. They are almost impossible to see.