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Rats are NEVER fully potty trained, especially boys! The most you can be successful with is having them poop in one place. But rats leave little drops of pee on things. Get a litterbox and fill it with different bedding, then put a few flat rocks in it to encourage them to do their business

• Wash your rat's hammocks/fleece! This keeps the smell out, and it prevents respiratory issues

• If you are sensitive to smells, get an air purifier and put it by your rat's cage, this also helps with preventing URIs (upper respiratory infections) 

• Your rat's nails will get sharp, and the best way to clip their nails is with human nail clippers, you can buy lava ledges and it will sort of wear the nails down, but not much. If you noticed cuts on your rats, it could be because their nails are too long, and they accidentally cut themselves while grooming

• Rats get ZOOMIES, they also play fight, which sometimes you might think they’re actually fighting, if no blood is drawn, they are okay, if seriously concerned with a behavior a loud clap or yell will distract the rat altercation

• Rats do this really WEIRD thing we call “boggling” they do it when they are very happy, their eyes pop in and out, weird, but totally normal

• Your baby rats will be energetic, they are little babies, remember. They will become calmer once they get older. But they shouldn’t be so crazy that you can’t handle them, and if that is the case, contact me

• Rats do shed, not much but you’ll see hairs, it is completely normal

• Rats love to “fish for peas”. This involves filling up a dish with lukewarm water, and putting peas in it, it’s very fun to watch!

• A red crust (porphyrin) is normal, in small amounts. It is NOT blood, it is like how we have eye crust, rats do too. It usually comes off when they groom themselves. An excessive amount, followed by sneezing, wheezing are symptoms of a URI, which can be treated holistically or by a vet with antibiotics, I am very well versed in dosing and giving antibiotics so I can help with treating the rats as well

• Rats DO have a smell, while it's minimal, it's there. I think it smells kind of sweet-but I really only smell the bedding

• While I am here to advise and support you, please reach out to a qualified vet in case of an emergency.