Hello and welcome to Fat Rat Central! You’ve found one of the most helpful sites for domesticated rats and their owners on the Internet. Here you’ll find both basic rat care information and the not-so-common info that is difficult to find. And if you’re having a problem you can’t seem to find the answer to, there are many ways to find the answer. Whether you own three rats or you’re thinking about buying one, you’ll find all the information you didn’t know you could find on the web–all in one place.
Before You Begin
The basic stuff: to explore the informational pages, check out the links to the left. From any page, get back to the home page by clicking the “home” link in the Quick Links section on the top-right. Read below about the FAQ (list of frequently asked questions) and how to use it.
I’ve recently started a page for rattie products– many people wonder what the best books about rats are and where to find the best cages, litter, etc. The FRC community will value your input, so check it out and comment with your opinion! Also recently added is a Memorial for our rats, where you can post a tribute to ratties who have passed away. In addition, you will find information on how to cope with the loss of a rat, which can be very difficult.
FRC is now TONS more interactive, so get involved! I am now using WordPress to organize and run the site, which means you can comment on all the FAQs and info pages with tips of your own, request additions to the site, search more effectively, and subscribe to the RSS feed of the site.
Also new is the way the FAQ itself works–rather than a page, it’s actually a grouping of separate posts and will be ever-evolving. I get many emails each week, and I’ve noticed a lot of them are repeating. So if you’ve got questions, check out the FAQ by searching (using the search box to the right), or browsing (using the Quick Link to the right). If you browse through the FAQ, make sure you click on the “Previous Entries” on the bottom of each page, as there are a LOT of them–more than will fit on one page! I will be posting questions as I receive and answer them. If you subscribe to FRC’s blog feed (using bloglines or just the RSS function, to the right under “Support FRC”), you can see new FAQs or Notes from Sara as they’re posted. Also under “Support FRC” is an option to bookmark Fat Rat Central with your del.ici.ous membership.
FRC also has a flickr Photo Pool. What does this mean? flickr is an awesome website that allows you to post your photos on the internet. When you join a flickr group (Like FRC’s Pet Rat Photos), you can share your photos with the group by submitting them to the group’s pool. If you have a flickr account, post a photo of your rat by first joining the group, then viewing your rat photo and selecting “send to group” in the grey bar above the photo. If you don’t have a flickr account and don’t want to join (it’s free), you can submit your photo to gallery@fatratcentral.com, and I will post it on FRC’s flickr account.
I have also updated the links page. It is now organized around the structure of the site, so you can find more information about the topics you’re interested in. I hope you find FRC useful and enjoyable! And please, if you’ve got something to say, feel free to contribute.
All bits and pieces of news will be posted below this entry. 
I’ve found a great way to clip rat nails. I take my rats out to romp for about 45 mins and then I break out a favorite treat (yogies or a carrot or whatever) and I feed it it them and while they are eating their treat I clip their paws. It’s amazing they really do stay still and while I’m clipping the front paws they hold the treat with one paw and eat it. It’s SO much easier than struggling and trying to force a rat who wants to hide, to stay still.
i havent clipped my rats nails yet. i could never get my rat still and he has eyes that makes you want to do nothing to him.♥
hi my rat vnilla has bit me 2 times and now I dont want to touch her now.WHAT DO I DO I NEED HELP.
I Love my Rat Steve.
But his nails are long as hell!
I dont know what to do about that, but im gonna try and take him to someone who could do it!!
I Love to suck Cock!!!
Hi!! I have a pet rat…his anme is Rowgie!! I am about to clip his nails for the 1st time! I only tip them right?!! Im afraid I will cut them too short so I am only going to tip the sharp part off!! and hopefully it will be better when my son holds him!! my son is always saying Rowgies nails hurt!!
Hey, Percilla so do I but why do you have to say it is a respectable website and kids could be on here
Anyway I’m hopefully gonna get a rat soon, but I was wondering what cage should I get what is reccomended?
hey iv got 2 pet rats and normalli they would kick me and scratch never bit and it would be hard to keep them still.. but i found tht i took one into the sun today and he was loving it and started to curl up in my lap and relax so i just pulled his foot out a bit and started clipping his claws and he just lay thier happily watching me clip his paws in the sun . i managed to clip 18 out of 20 of his nails the 2 front little ones i culdnt see . give them some treat or relax them so they are still and calm and maybe even sleepy . it might be tht hes soo comfortable with me handling them coz i hafe them out for about 6 hours a day playing and sitting on me and they love it they follow me around ma house and up and dowN stairs.
hey, i do have allergies and i break out in tiny bumps everytime i hold my rat, but when i first got her i didn’t break out so it can’t be the allergies. i need help because now i can’t hold her as often because i break out and itch
Hey Jena,
I break out to!!! My first rat snoopy it never happened…. then with my second rat fergie it never happened then with my third rat anastatia it never happened…. but all of a sudden with cinnamon my fourth i started to break out…. i just hope it doesnt get so bad that i will have to give away the two rats i have now…
somebody help!!!!!
Hey Jena and Rat Luver, I noticed that when my rats climb on me and their nails scratch my skin, the scratch becomes red, raised and itches, but it goes away in about an hour- is that what you are talking about? That’s from the bacteria from their cage getting under the skin by way of the nail and causing irritation.
If that’s not it and I’m way off, that is really a shame… and strange!