Pet Rats

They definitely don't get sick "all the time". Even the rats that are bred as food don't get sick that often.

200 a month set aside for a year would cover some fairly big procedures, that's 2400 bucks. Now, anything big at a vet is going to devour a grand in one move, that's true. But it's also true that because of their size, rats tend to be a bit limited in what all they can have done.

Most of the time, the big stuff is end of life. They are prone to tumors, and as they age it gets more likely. Some of those can be treated, and 2400 isn't an impossible bill for such things, over time. But the last rattie I knew of that had one done a year or two ago, the surgery and post-op care game out to about 600, on top of the office visits, tests, etc. So a grand per tumor isn't unrealistic as a possibility as the economy shifts

More frequently, you're going to run into things like mites and fleas. They're kinda hard to avoid because it doesn't matter how clean you keep things, those kind of parasites can hitch a ride to get to your rats. That's a hundred bucks or so to get cleared up.

Respiratory stuff ends up running into the 500 range, depending on exactly what's wrong.

So, I'd say budgeting in a saving of 100 a month is probably not horrible as an idea, but it also isn't a guaranteed necessary amount. The last two rats I had, never had any health problems that couldn't be resolved at home, no tumors, no big health stuff, just two outbreaks of mites. They each lived a few years and died peacefully in their sleep. Vet bill wise, their entire life for both stayed under 500.

But I've seen rats have all kinds of problems too. And when they have big problems, you may end up having to have them euthanized, so you need to have access to that cost for each rat saved up and ready, or a line of credit available. You'd need to ask your vet what they charge and plan ahead because you don't want to see them suffering and not be able to help them go out peaceful.

There's no such thing as a zero maintenance pet, but rats are about as low as it gets. However, they age fast, so it can end up compressed into a shorter time than longer lived animals.

They're worth it though. They are amazing companions. In most ways, as good as cats and dogs. You'll never lack for love with rats for sure. They're easy to train, entertaining, cuddly (most of them, they have very diverse personalities), and easy to care for.

If you budget in 100 a month, put it into a savings account (or kept aside as cash, depending on your needs), then even if you end up not needing it, or only needing part; as they age and eventually die, the money is still there. You don't lose the money by saving it. If they make it 4 years (not impossible), that's enough that no matter what you run into at the end, it's covered. And you don't necessarily need to have that for every rat, but the more you have, the more you want to add in, just in case. Say, another twenty each.

If you're extra strapped for income, you can go lower for sure. I'd say as low as twenty a month, plus 5 for each extra rat is going to be likely to cover end of life emergencies, and most of the usual issues along the way, but you won't have cushion like you would with bigger amounts. If three or four rats need mite treatment, it's going to take a bigger chunk than one, and rats shouldn't be kept alone.