Written by: Amy (Camarattery) 2007 all rights reserved
Males
Males are usually 50%
to 75% larger than females. Males are beefier and more robust. They are also
lazier and mellower. They are the perfect lap rat, great for watching TV with
or hiding them in your hair when you go places. They are more content to just
stay in one place and hang out with you.
Males pee more because they are bigger. But they are not
extraordinarily smelly. They do shed more. This is only noticed around the
cage. Males pee in the corners and it doesn't always stay in the cage increasing
the need for a protector under and a few inches around the cage. Males also
tend to mark objects in the cage more than girls. They will walk around
"dripping" on the cage, each other and anything in the cage. This
does not mean males are filthy, as they are particular about cleaning their
fur. This is just simply a habit that they have that I thought I would mention.
A male may, and I say may, mark you the 1st time you meet as a way of
establishing his ownership of you so to speak. But to this day I have not had a
single rat male or female that "just likes to pee on me". Rats that
like people because they were raised and handled from birth by a good breeder
will not have a fear of you, nor will they "fear mark you". Peeing on
you many times is a sign of the animal being scared or nervous.
Males are large and need lots of room. They also need a wheel to
keep their bigger, lazier bodies from becoming overweight. If your rat breeder
raised their rats on wheels they will use them as an adult.
Males have a taco like smell to them. This is a very clean smell that
you can only pick up on when your nose is right on their fur.
Females
Females are the smaller more feminine looking animal. They are more slender and
petite. They have more energy and always have something to do and have their
own agenda. They are more on the move, yet still cuddly but not for as lengthy
of a time as the boys. They usually will not be the ones who just want to sit
in one place.
Females are less messy mainly because they are smaller. This makes
less urine. Females are easier to potty train.
Just because they are smaller does not mean they need a smaller
cage! Females tend to be on the energetic side and need lots of room to run.
They need wheels and lots of cage space. So each sex requires the same size
cage.
Facts about males and females
The rat is one of the
cleanest animals that can live in your home. They spend at least half of their
lives giving themselves total body baths. They are always licking themselves.
In the wild they must be clean and undetected from predators, so they have
retained this cleanliness here at home.
All rats prefer to potty in one certain area to keep their living
quarters free of dirty waste. This makes it easier for you to spot clean the
cage daily.
Weather you choose males or females; they both have a great sense
of humor and playful behavior. They will both wrestle with you like a dog; they
will run, jump, hop and play. But they are very different from each other at
the same time. Please take the time to consider your preferences and needs.
Once you have chosen and have brought them home you will not regret it!
Males are the most popular pet because they are mellower and cuddlier.
