Are Dwarf Rats Right for You?
Dwarf rats are not a commonly bred variety, but I absolutely love them. The gene is recessive and must be received from both parents in order to produce a Dwarf rat. Dwarf have smaller feet, shorter tails, and stop growing earlier than Standard sized babies. Their eyes appear larger because of the smaller head size in relation to the eyes. Dwarf tend to be sweet tempered and more docile when held than standard counterparts, though some may have a lot of energy still. They tend to grow to about 1/3 the size of a standard sized rat. For comparison, they stay the size of an 8 week old baby their entire lifetime.
CONS
The most common health issue with Dwarf rats is obesity. If their weight is not monitored and maintained, they can also suffer from heart disease, kidney, and liver issues from the excess weight, just like standard sized rats. The common pet ideal of having a "squishy potato" rat has made this an increasing problem for both standard and Dwarf rats as not enough rat owners know how to determine a healthy weight from obesity.
Their small size means that Dwarf are more fragile than standard sized rats. They are better for families with older or more responsible children and adults only. They also do best with other Dwarf rats, though they can be housed with standard sized as well. Temperaments of all rats should be taken into account. Aggressive or dominant rats do not make a good pairing up for Dwarf rats, as the Dwarf can easily be over-powered or bullied. When you have a good group of well-tempered rats, this does not play a significant role. Introducing standard sized babies to Dwarf adults often goes better than Dwarf babies to standard sized adults.
PROS
Dwarf rats are great for small home sizes. If you live in an apartment or small house with limited space for your rats, Dwarf require less square foot space to house the same number of rats. A single pair of standard rats would need 6 cu. ft. of space, but a pair of Dwarf rats only need 4 cu. ft. Each additional rat over two would add another 1 cu. ft. of space to the cage. Also, the smallest cage size would be 16"x24"x18", instead of 18"x24"x24" for standard sized rats. The Dwarf will enjoy larger cages as well, but it isn't a necessity since they are smaller and all their supplies/bedding can also be smaller.
All accessories and supplies for the Dwarf can cost less than for standard sized. Smaller beds and smaller food portions means that you can care for Dwarf rats at a lower cost monthly than standard sized rats.
The smaller size of Dwarf rats extends to their "mess" they make. Cage cleaning can usually be done slightly less frequently with Dwarf than with standard simply for the fact that they produce less urine and fecal matter daily. If you have a small cage, there will likely be no difference because the smaller amount of waste is being produced in a smaller space, but if you have a large cage you will notice cage cleanings are needed less often.
What Else You Should Consider
Dwarf rats will still have the same personality traits as standard rats. The two rat dynamic still applies within groups of Dwarf rats. If you are primarily picking Dwarf for their more "cuddly" temperament, this may not happen 100% of the time, just as it does not with standard sized rats. Though Dwarf will remain small their entire lives, they still have the same life stages as a standard rat. They have a distinct baby, teen, adult, and senior phase of life. Each has its own special needs and characteristics unique to that life stage. They should not be adopted with the ideal that they will remain babies their entire life.
This page is not an exhaustive informational resource for Dwarf rats. It is only intended to help adopters who may be trying to determine whether Dwarf rats are a good option for them over standard sized rats.
CONS
The most common health issue with Dwarf rats is obesity. If their weight is not monitored and maintained, they can also suffer from heart disease, kidney, and liver issues from the excess weight, just like standard sized rats. The common pet ideal of having a "squishy potato" rat has made this an increasing problem for both standard and Dwarf rats as not enough rat owners know how to determine a healthy weight from obesity.
Their small size means that Dwarf are more fragile than standard sized rats. They are better for families with older or more responsible children and adults only. They also do best with other Dwarf rats, though they can be housed with standard sized as well. Temperaments of all rats should be taken into account. Aggressive or dominant rats do not make a good pairing up for Dwarf rats, as the Dwarf can easily be over-powered or bullied. When you have a good group of well-tempered rats, this does not play a significant role. Introducing standard sized babies to Dwarf adults often goes better than Dwarf babies to standard sized adults.
PROS
Dwarf rats are great for small home sizes. If you live in an apartment or small house with limited space for your rats, Dwarf require less square foot space to house the same number of rats. A single pair of standard rats would need 6 cu. ft. of space, but a pair of Dwarf rats only need 4 cu. ft. Each additional rat over two would add another 1 cu. ft. of space to the cage. Also, the smallest cage size would be 16"x24"x18", instead of 18"x24"x24" for standard sized rats. The Dwarf will enjoy larger cages as well, but it isn't a necessity since they are smaller and all their supplies/bedding can also be smaller.
All accessories and supplies for the Dwarf can cost less than for standard sized. Smaller beds and smaller food portions means that you can care for Dwarf rats at a lower cost monthly than standard sized rats.
The smaller size of Dwarf rats extends to their "mess" they make. Cage cleaning can usually be done slightly less frequently with Dwarf than with standard simply for the fact that they produce less urine and fecal matter daily. If you have a small cage, there will likely be no difference because the smaller amount of waste is being produced in a smaller space, but if you have a large cage you will notice cage cleanings are needed less often.
What Else You Should Consider
Dwarf rats will still have the same personality traits as standard rats. The two rat dynamic still applies within groups of Dwarf rats. If you are primarily picking Dwarf for their more "cuddly" temperament, this may not happen 100% of the time, just as it does not with standard sized rats. Though Dwarf will remain small their entire lives, they still have the same life stages as a standard rat. They have a distinct baby, teen, adult, and senior phase of life. Each has its own special needs and characteristics unique to that life stage. They should not be adopted with the ideal that they will remain babies their entire life.
This page is not an exhaustive informational resource for Dwarf rats. It is only intended to help adopters who may be trying to determine whether Dwarf rats are a good option for them over standard sized rats.
Last Updated: 4/24/2021 (c) 2021 Squeakin' Pups All rights reserved. Do not copy, share, or distribute without written permission.