African Soft Fur Rat | Perhaps the Perfect Pet for You?
Ever heard of the African Soft Furred Rat? They’re very interesting animals that can make excellent pets for some people. They’re smart, clean, and incredibly adorable! Learn everything there’s to know about these interesting creatures in this video.
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The African Soft Fur Rat, also known as the Mastomys natalensis, is a small rodent that has a bit of a misleading name. Their name suggests that they’re a rat, but they’re technically a mouse.
This small rodent is a relatively new addition to the rodent-keeping hobby. However, their docile nature, interesting behavior, and cute appearance has caused their popularity to grow rapidly.
Today, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the African Soft Fur Rat!
In the wild, the African Soft Fur Rat lives in the forests, savannas, shrubland, urban areas, and agricultural land of the African continent. They eat anything they can get their little paws on, but in captivity they’re often fed a diet that’s almost identical to that of pet mice. This means that they often eat a grain or seed mix, pellets, and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. They’re true generalists that can survive almost anywhere.
An interesting trait of the African Soft Fur Rat is that they’re quite social. They need company in order to thrive and be happy. If you house them solitarily, they’re very likely to become depressed and unhappy. Make sure that you always house them in groups of at least 2 or more individuals.
In addition to living with other African Soft Fur Rats, these little rodents also typically get along well with Fancy Mice. Many owners house female African Soft Furs with a male mouse without any issues. This arrangement works well because they get on well with one another but cannot breed.
On average, the African Soft Fur Rat has a lifespan of 2 to 3 years, which is about as long as a fancy rat.
In captivity, the African Soft Fur rat is more likely to bite than domesticated rodents. The reason for this is that these animals have not been kept as pets for very long yet. As a result, they retain many of their wild instincts, one of which is biting. This is of course not to say that these rodents will bite you non-stop, but the chance of them biting you is higher than a regular rat or mouse biting you.
They’re also quite skittish and tend to be less cuddly and affectionate than fancy rats. However, it must be noted that their temperament and behavior do highly depend on where you buy your pet from.
There are people that are selectively breeding the African Soft Fur Rat to remove the bitey and aggressive temperaments. As a result, some lines have become quite tame already and are much less likely to bite or be aggressive. These lines are your best bet if you’re looking to keep this rodent as a pet.
Like all pets, they also tend to become more docile over time if you spend enough time handling and bonding with them. These rodents are smart and with time they will learn that you are not a threat and they’ll become quite fond of you.
They’re also very clean animals that spend a lot of time grooming themselves. As a result, they’re almost entirely odorless. In fact, one of the reasons why they’ve become so popular is due to the fact that they do not smell.
These animals are also decent climbers and are even capable of jumping, so make sure that you house them in a suitable cage.
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