Rats
Exceptionally smart and surprisingly affectionate
Rats are smart, highly social small pets known for curiosity and learning routines quickly. They’re best for owners who want an interactive companion with enrichment and daily engagement.
At a glance
Basic requirements and commitment level
Daily requirements
Context & compatibility
Is this right for you?
Common scenarios where this pet tends to fit well or less well
A good match
- Like pets that bring curiosity and energy to routines
- Want a small pet that feels social and engaging
- Are comfortable with regular cleaning and upkeep
- Spend a lot of time at home and enjoy daily interaction
Not ideal
- Are sensitive to odors or cleaning rhythms
- Travel frequently or have limited time most days
- Want a pet you will not get attached to quickly
- Prefer pets that are mostly hands-off
Daily life with this pet
What day-to-day routines typically look like
Housing & space
Rats don’t need a huge footprint, but they do need a setup that supports climbing and movement. A well-designed cage plus regular out-of-cage time is what makes them feel “easy” instead of restless.
Time & attention
Rats are one of the more interactive small pets, and they tend to thrive with daily engagement. If you like training, enrichment, and a pet that responds back, they’re a strong fit.
Travel & routine
Short absences are manageable with reliable care, but they don’t do well with being ignored for long stretches. If you travel often, backup care matters more than with most small pets.
Noise & disruption
Rats are usually quiet, with occasional rustling and cage sounds. Noise rarely becomes a major issue unless the cage is in a bedroom in a very quiet home.
Household fit
Rats fit best in homes that enjoy interaction and don’t mind frequent cleaning. If someone is very odor-sensitive or wants “set-and-forget,” the match is harder.
Care & health
Long-term routines and health considerations
Diet
Rats do best on a balanced lab block or pellet base with small additions of fresh foods. Keeping treats modest helps prevent gradual weight gain.
Habitat & environment
A tall, well-ventilated enclosure with shelves, hammocks, and climbing routes supports natural behavior. Bedding choice and airflow matter because rats can be sensitive to poor air quality.
Enrichment & exercise
Problem-solving and novelty are a big part of rat enrichment. Training games, foraging, chew items, and supervised out-of-cage time keep them mentally engaged.
Cleaning
Frequent spot cleaning and routine deep cleans are part of rat care, especially around litter areas. Cleaner habitats reduce odor and support respiratory comfort.
Grooming
Rats generally self-groom well, but regular body checks are useful. Nails may occasionally need trimming, especially for older or less active rats.
Veterinary & preventive care
Access to an exotics-capable vet matters for long-term care. Early baseline visits make future concerns easier to recognize and address quickly.
Common health concerns
Respiratory issues and tumors are common watch areas, especially as rats age. Noisy breathing, lumps, appetite changes, or noticeable energy drops are worth acting on early.
Background
Origins, domestication, and how that shapes modern behavior
Origins
Pet rats come from the same general roots as the brown rat, which spread alongside trade and cities. Living near humans selected for adaptability and bold problem-solving long before rats became intentional pets.
Domestication & relationship with humans
By the 1800s, “fancy rats” were being kept and intentionally bred, with selection favoring calmer temperament and better tolerance of handling. Over time, that early selection produced the more people-friendly, interactive pet rats many owners recognize today.
What that means today
Rats thrive with social contact, enrichment, and variety. When their social and mental needs are met, they’re confident and engaged; when they aren’t, they can become restless or withdrawn.
Varieties
Common varieties and how they look
Standard (Smooth)
Standard (smooth) rats have a short, sleek coat that lies flat and shows color and markings sharply. It’s the classic baseline look—useful for comparing everything else, from rex curl to satin shine to patchy coats.
Dumbo
Dumbo rats have large, round ears set lower and more to the sides of the head, which changes the whole expression into something softer and wider-faced. Coat type can be anything, but the ear set makes dumbo one of the easiest varieties to recognize in photos.
Rex
Rex rats have a curly or wavy coat and usually curled whiskers, giving a plush, textured finish instead of a smooth lay-flat look. Curl varies from gentle waves to obvious ringlets, and the coat often appears “lifted” across the body.
Satin
Satin rats have a glossy sheen that makes the coat look silky and reflective, often deepening the look of darker colors under light. In indoor lighting and photos, the satin finish tends to read especially polished.
Hairless
Hairless rats have little to no fur, so skin becomes the main visual—wrinkles, markings, and texture are front and center. Many have a soft “peach skin” look, sometimes with a faint fuzz in spots depending on the line. With no coat to buffer temperature or hide irritation, hairless is often considered a higher-maintenance variety.
Patchwork (Double Rex)
Patchwork (often used for double rex) describes a coat that comes and goes in shifting patches—bald areas beside fuzzy regrowth that can change week to week. The pattern is usually irregular, like islands of coat rather than a uniform finish. It’s one of the most changeable looks, which is why “patchwork” shows up so often in variety discussions.
Velveteen
Velveteen is a rex-type coat that tends to look dense and softly wavy rather than tightly curled. From a distance it can read smoother than rex, but up close you still see waves and a plush, thick texture—often described as a “softened rex” look.
Bristle Coat
Bristle-coat rats have a coarse, wiry texture that looks scruffy or slightly spiky instead of sleek. The hair may stand off the body a bit, giving a rougher outline than standard or satin and a very distinct “feel” even in photos.
Silvermane
Silvermane is a coat effect that adds a silvered, frosted overlay—most striking on darker coats where contrast shows clearly. It’s less about curl or length and more about how the coat catches light, reading like a light “dusting” across the hair. In person it can be subtle, while in photos it often pops.
Werewolf (True Patchwork)
Werewolf (often called true patchwork) refers to ongoing coat cycling that creates shifting bare-and-coated patterns, sometimes especially noticeable around the face. What sets it apart is the continuous change rather than a stable coat type. Because the label isn’t used consistently everywhere, it’s best presented as a rare name for this specific style of coat change.
Dwarf
Dwarf rats are genetically smaller, developing a noticeably compact, miniature frame once mature. Appearance varies by line, but dwarfs often read lighter-boned and more delicate, with a smaller overall silhouette than standard rats. If “dwarf” is a selling point, it’s fair to ask about breeding background since the label isn’t applied uniformly.
Tailless
Tailless rats lack the long tail and often have a stockier, rounder rear silhouette that changes the overall proportions. The term is widely considered welfare-sensitive because tailless breeding has been linked to higher risks of problems in some lines. Many sites include it mainly for completeness rather than as a standard option to seek out.
Social & behavior
How this pet typically relates to people and their environment
Temperament
Intelligent, playful, and socially tuned-in — often one of the most interactive small pets. Many rats become relationship-driven, learning routines and seeking attention once they trust you.
Handling
With steady, gentle handling, many become comfortable being held and will actively approach for attention. You’ll often see confidence through climbing onto hands, exploring shoulders, and staying engaged during out-of-cage time.
Social structure
Strongly social — rats generally do best with other rats, and regular social contact is a core need, not a bonus. Without enough social time, stress can show up as restlessness, reduced play, or withdrawn behavior.
Activity pattern
Active in waves throughout the day, often peaking in the evening. Common surprise: once bonded, many rats will choose to hang out with you—even when they could be exploring elsewhere.