Caring For Your Rats

We have compiled this information as a jumping off point for general rat care. There is loads of information out there (some good and some not so good), but we wanted to offer this resource list for our adopters and prospective adopters alike.

BONDING with your new rats: we couldn't say it better ourselves; so instead, please link over to the esteerm Isamu Rats to learn some wonderful methods of bonding. Click here!

CAGES, ENCLOSURES & MORE: sections include Cages & Enclosures, Bedding & Substrate, Foraging & Chew Things, Hammocks Hideaways & More + Bioactive & Naturalistic Rat Cages. Click here!

DIET & NUTRITION: sections include Diet, Nutrition & More, Self Medicating with Herbs, Base Diet Comparison - and more. Click here!

VETERINARY CARE: including a list of Florida veterinary hospitals that are knowledeable on the care of rats. Click here!

Safe Travel

Rat Safe Carriers

Here at HERO, we make our own Rat Carriers for short trips (such as to the veterinarian, to a rat show or out to meet adoptive families).
If adopting rats from us, you are expected to bring your own carrier unless you let us know ahead of time. If planned, we do offer our carriers for sale to adoptive families (we charge $35 for each bin - which have been outfitted with 3/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth). Our bins *do not* come with a water bottle. Alternately, you can use a small animal cage with a minimum of 1/2" bar spacing and a water bottle attached to the side. Please email us to purchase our bins (which sometimes come with safe-painted metal front and side panels as pictured above left. You do not need to adopt from us to purchase our Travel Totes. Our email is: [email protected]

Introducing New Rats

Introductions can be fast and simple - or lengthy and gritty. Many factors contribute to this, but it is stressful nonetheless. Although I could type out each of the (many) methods for you to try, I am going to instead link you to a website where they have already done this beautifully. Isamu Rats is a safe and knowledgeable resource for many things 'rat', and they really take the cake with this comprehensive list! You can find their informational page about this here.