Dumbo Rats and Other Pets

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Dumbo Rats and Other Pets

Article by Tom Parker
























One of the things to consider when you decide to introduce your dumbo rats to other pets is whether or not they share the same or similar methods of social interaction.

Introducing your dumbo rat to other household pets can be a bit tricky. This is because, rats are widely considered as prey by most animals in the wild. While it may present a challenge, it is not entirely impossible for pet rats to get along with your other pets.

Here are some guidelines to help you out:

First, analyze their animal interaction.

The way your dumbo rat reacts, even if non-threateningly, might be misunderstood by the other animal. For instance, the natural act of running around playfully by your pet rat might be seen by the other animal as a prey’s instinct and thus might trigger that animal’s predatory instinct. It is best then to steer clear of predatory animals like cats or dogs. Even a friendly dog can also be a threat, as it is large and can accidentally step on your rat playfully. Always keep an eye on their interaction and be ready to separate them or take one away if you feel something unpleasant is about to happen.

Things to remember about pairing rats with the following animals:

Birds – Absolutely DO NOT allow your pet dumbo rats to interact with birds if you care about that bird’s life. Dumbo rats are nothing different from their arch-nemesis (cats) in that they would jump just to get to their teeth on a bird. Your pet rat is omnivorous, don’t forget that!

Cats – So, if dumbo pet rats are similar to cats towards birds, why not make them interact instead, right? While there have been many stories of good interactions between cats and rats, it is still not something that is fool-proof primarily because of their differing builds and temperaments. A cat who is playful still poses as a threat to a pet rat because a rat’s small, soft body can easily get injured with the way a cat can get rougher and rougher in its play.

Dogs – Dogs are actually better options. Just choose the right kind of dog. Hunter dogs or terriers are of course a big NO. Other dogs that are friendly can even show affection to your pet rat through sniffing and licking; however it can also irritate your pet rat and make it bite the dog. Be careful also that your dumbo eared rat doesn’t get trampled upon by an overexcited dog, or else the excitement is over.

Snakes – Snakes are of course dangerous to keep around pet rats, as they will obviously regard it as their food.

Rabbits – Dumbo rats and rabbits are very similar and tend to fall within the same range of social interaction. However, just the same, be on the lookout as a rabbit can injure your pet rat with its strong kick if and when it gets aggravated by an overly aggressive pet rat. To test, try to see first if your pet rat gets along well with other rats, since rabbits and rats are pretty much close. Never keep rabbits and dumbo eared rats in the same cage. This is because rabbits carry bacteria known as Bordetella that can cause pneumonia among rats.

To know more about dumbo rats and other pets, visit http://www.dumbo-rats.com.

About the Author

Tom Parker has been caring for pet rats for over 25 years. His newest book, “Dumbo Rat Care Secrets,” teaches rat owners absolutely everything they need to know about caring for dumbo rats.















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