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Dwarf rats as pets: character, care, cage or terrarium & furnishings

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Dwarf Rats as Pets – Small Size, Big Character

Example of dwarf rat housing

Dwarf rats are essentially small , domesticated rats . They can be a bit faster and more agile, while maintaining their intelligent, sociable, and inquisitive nature.

Important to know: dwarf rats are social animals and should therefore always be kept with other dwarf rats ( at least two , and preferably a small group if space permits).

This page explains how to keep dwarf rats: a wire cage or a spacious terrarium , furnishing, substrate, food, enrichment, and maintenance. Includes direct shopping links to the relevant categories – Specialists since 2011 .

 
1) Social and smart
✔ Always together with peers
✔ Lots of interaction: watching and contact
✔ Easy to enrich and often quickly tame
2) Flexible housing
✔ Wire cage or spacious terrarium
✔ Ventilation and safety are paramount
✔ Working in layers: routes & plateaus
3) Always something to do
✔ Ratscaping with tunnels and hiding places
✔ Foraging and nibbling material
✔ Daily short contact moments

Character & behavior of dwarf rats

Pygmy rats are alert, curious, and often surprisingly human-oriented. They explore everything with their noses, whiskers, and paws, and love to trace trails through their enclosure. Their smaller size sometimes allows them to move a bit faster, so a safe environment is especially important.

Fun facts about dwarf rats
✔ They quickly recognise routines: fixed feeding and contact moments are really “expected”.
✔ Many dwarf rats quickly learn simple games such as hand-feeding or “targeting”.
✔ In a group you see the most: sleeping together, washing each other and making joint discoveries.

Who are dwarf rats suitable for?

Dwarf rats are a great fit for owners looking for an interactive pet : you can observe them and build a bond with them. They're great for beginners who enjoy learning and for enthusiasts who enjoy creative and thoughtfully decorating their habitat.

Benefits of Dwarf Rats as Pets
✔ Social: you really see group behavior (sleeping together, washing, playing).
✔ Smart: foraging and “puzzle” moments make them visibly happy.
✔ Compact animal, but you can design it in a grand way with layers, routes and enrichment.
✔ Fun to observe: often active and socializing in the evening.

Keeping together: dwarf rats are social animals

Dwarf rats should always be kept with other rats. A pair is the minimum, but you'll often see the most amusing behavior in a small group, provided the enclosure is spacious enough and the layout is appropriate (sufficient hiding places and multiple "routes").

Useful guideline for peace in the group
✔ More hiding places than dwarf rats (so everyone can choose).
✔ Multiple feeding and drinking points (especially with a group).
✔ Enough height differences and passages so that they can pass each other.

Housing: barred cage or spacious terrarium?

Dwarf rats thrive in a wire cage , but also in a spacious terrarium . Both options work well, as long as there's sufficient space, the materials are safe, and the ventilation is adequate. With dwarf rats, it's especially important to watch out for escape through cracks or overly wide bars.

Bar cage
✔ Lots of air circulation
✔ Ideal for climbing & hanging routes
✔ Easy to set up modularly
Terrarium
✔ Space for a thicker ground cover layer
✔ Quiet in terms of litter (less run-out)
✔ Pay extra attention to ventilation (top + front/side)
Practical points of interest
✔ Check the spacing/cracks: dwarf rats are small and agile.
✔ Work in layers: sleeping, eating, toilet area and playing should each have their own place.
✔ Always place heavy items (stones/plateaus) in a stable and fall-proof manner.

Design & ratscaping: fun and logical

A good dwarf rat setup revolves around "routes": from hiding place to platform, via a tunnel to a hangout, and on to the foraging zone. With a clever layout, dwarf rats are challenged daily without cluttering the enclosure.

Basic furnishing (always a good idea)
✔ Multiple hiding and sleeping places (preferably more than the number of dwarf rats)
✔ Tunnels, bridges and plateaus for height differences
✔ Nibbling and demolition material for natural behavior
✔ Foraging: hide (part of) the food

Ground cover: comfortable and practical

Bedding helps keep the enclosure fresh and comfortable. In a terrarium, many owners choose a thicker layer so dwarf rats can burrow and nest. In a cage, a clever combination often works well: an absorbent base and something soft to build with.

Handy choices
✔ Paper/cardboard: soft, absorbent and handy for toilet corners
✔ Cotton (granules) or cotton blends: comfortable for nests
✔ Flax/mixed: fine as a working layer (depending on the layout)

Diet: What do dwarf rats eat?

Dwarf rats are omnivores. It's best to start with a suitable staple diet and vary it accordingly. Vegetables, herbs, and forage mixes make the menu more interesting. Snacks are especially useful as a reward for trust and training.

Nutrition in brief
✔ Basic food: feed daily and measurably.
✔ Variation: vegetables/herbs as a supplement.
✔ Water: always fresh, preferably several drinking points for a group.

Enrichment & contact: a little every day is already a lot

Pygmy rats love a challenge. Alternate between foraging, tunnels, demolition materials, and short training sessions. A pygmy rat can often learn quickly in a group, but build up everything gradually and predictably.

Exercise (and a running wheel?)
✔ Routes and climbs are often the most fun: plateaus, bridges and hangouts.
✔ A running wheel can be an additional option, provided that the running surface is closed and the diameter is large enough (if in doubt, choose a larger one).

Maintenance & hygiene: keeping things fresh without stripping everything bare

✔ Spot clean: tackle wet areas and toilet corners daily/every other day.
✔ Weekly: clean out hangouts, platforms and routes and refill where necessary.
✔ Periodic: larger cleaning, but always leave something familiar (nest/familiar scent).

Good to know

✔ Small size = pay extra attention to bar spacing, gaps and loose parts.
✔ Always place heavy accessories in a stable and fall-safe manner.
✔ If your dog suddenly becomes short of breath, starts sniffling or has a significant change in appetite, contact a vet.

Checklist: Dwarf Rats as Pets (Getting Started)

✔ You always keep dwarf rats together (at least two).
✔ Housing: barred cage or spacious terrarium with good ventilation.
✔ Ground cover + fixed toilet corner.
✔ Multiple houses/hiding places + tunnels/plateaus (routes).
✔ Basic food + foraging (hiding/searching).
✔ Multiple water points (especially for a group).
✔ Enrichment and nibbles to keep children busy.

FAQ – Dwarf Rats as Pets

Can dwarf rats be kept alone?
No. Dwarf rats are social animals and should always be kept with other rats of their own kind (at least two).

Can dwarf rats live in a terrarium?
Yes, provided the terrarium is spacious and well-ventilated. Many people choose a terrarium because it allows for a thicker layer of substrate.

What is better: a cage or a terrarium?
A cage is often ideal for climbing and air circulation; a terrarium is great for bedding and a thick layer. Choose what suits your space and décor style.

What are the minimum requirements for dwarf rats?
A spacious enclosure, ground cover, multiple hiding places, tunnels/platforms, basic food, water points and enrichment for foraging and nibbling.

Where can we find everything for dwarf rats?
In our dwarf rat section you will find everything for housing, furnishings and care: dwarf rat range .

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