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Related Articles & Questions
- Health & Wellness
Rat Teeth: Care, Growth & Dental Health Guide
Rat teeth will continue to grow throughout it’s life and can cause problems for the rat if they are not maintained. Learn about proper dental care for rats at Petco.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
- New Pet
New Guinea Pigs: Bringing Your Guinea Pig Home
Bringing home a new guinea pig is a fun time. Make sure you have the right items on hand with this guinea pig supplies checklist.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
- Food & Nutrition
How to Care for a Rabbit: Diet & Feeding Guide
Learn more about rabbit nutrition to understand what foods should be avoided and what should be fed for proper rabbit care.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
- Food & Nutrition
How to Make DIY Hamster Strawberry Yogurt Drops at Home
Looking for a fun homemade treat for your hamster? Try this recipe for DIY Strawberry Yogurt Drops.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
- New Pet
Ferret Breeds, Colors & Types: How to Choose
Are ferrets good pets? Explore their lively personality and what living with a ferret demands to decide if they match your lifestyle and pet love.
Updated on June 19th, 2026
- Food & Nutrition
My picky rat won't chew. What's best to keep her teeth trimmed?
Hello, thank you for asking your question on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is not as critical to provide an additional chewing substrate for rats as it might be for other rodents, so if Roux does not seem to enjoy the sticks, you do not have to provide them. You might offer her another type of rat food made by Mazuri. This comes in a biscuit form that she might enjoy gnawing on. In addition, a treat such as yogurt or dried fruit treats manufactured specifically for rodents should be provided 2-3 times a week. If Roux has normal dentition, then the teeth will naturally keep in alignment. Hope this helps. Take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Vet Q & A
My pet rat has lice. How do I treat them and are they safe for humans?
What a cute little guy! Mice do get lice, and it's usually because they're in poor husbandry conditions (like being sold for food). This means your mice are likely infected with other parasites like dwarf tapeworm that definitely is zoonotic (meaning it can infect you). You should treat this little guy with Revolution for cats, which is a spot-on treatment you can get from your vet, and use it topically ever 3 weeks until the parasites are gone. Disinfect his cage and throw out all the bedding as well. If you spray the cage/furnishings with fipronil topical spray this helps kill all the eggs and disinfects the environment. Hope that helps, and best of luck!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Food & Nutrition
What do I need for a dwarf hamster? Cage, bedding, food & care tips?
Do not use an aquarium tank. A suitably sized (and secure) wire cage with a solid bottom is recommended. HabiTrail and Kaytee have excellent choices for cages. Buy the largest cage you can afford and fit in the chosen space. You can use recycled paper bedding such as CareFresh or Yesterday's News. Aspen shavings or pellets are also acceptable. Do not use pine or cedar shavings as these can be irritating. A commercial diet from Kaytee or VitaKraft can be fed from a ceramic bowl. A ceramic bowl prevents gnawing and tipping. A non chewable water bottle can be hung to provide fresh water daily. Other necessary items include chew toys and an exercise wheel. Find a veterinarian experienced in treating pocket pets and have your new addition examined to confirm good health. Feed, water and exercise daily. Clean the cage weekly. These little guys require very little care and can provide lots of entertainment. Congrats and enjoy!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Health & Wellness
What first aid supplies are crucial for my pet rat's well-being?
Keep a magnifying glass, scissors, tweezers, hemostats or needle-nose pliers, and a penlight in the first aid kit for removing thorns, or other foreign objects. Nail clippers and a nail file are handy as well. Also keep styptic powder or cornstarch on hand to stop bleeding from a broken or torn nail. Grease-cutting dish soap can be included in the kit to clean away oil or other debris on your rat's fur. A first aid kit should also include cotton swabs, cotton balls, cloth and paper towels, disposable gloves, lubricant jelly, and a rectal thermometer. Other things to include in your kit are a wound disinfectant such as chlorhexidine, eye wash solution, sterile saline, and ear cleaning solution. Bandaging material is important as well. The most commonly used bandaging supplies include square gauze of various sizes (sterile is best), non-stick pads, paper and adhesive first aid tapes, gauze rolls, and Vetwrap. Finally, It is important to have your veterinary clinic's phone number and directions to the clinic handy in case of an emergency.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
- Health & Wellness
My pet rats are scratching, losing hair, and have raw skin. What to do?
It sounds indeed like your rats may be suffering from a mite or louse infection. Treatment usually consists of applying an avermectin such as Revolution or ivermectin available either in pet shops, your vet or over the internet. You can use the Revolution for dogs up to 5 lbs, at a dosage of 0.1 ml/lb of rat (you will need a 1ml syringe to measure out the dose correctly. Of course it would be easier to have the treatment done by your vet after he or she verifies whether this is indeed a mite infection/louse infection. Make sure you remove and destroy all bedding and disinfect all cages and toys.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
