A Dumbo rat — named for the large, low-set ears on the sides of the head — is among the most social animals a sitter will ever look after, and the sitter sheet should read that way. Rats notice routines and people, live in bonded groups, and measure a day partly in time spent out of the cage with someone. Write the brief for a companion animal, not a creature who simply needs feeding.
Who is who, and the social rules
Start with introductions: each rat's name, markings, and temperament — the confident one who will climb into the sitter's sleeve, the shy one who needs the cage door opened and a patient wait. State plainly that the group stays together, nobody gets rehomed to a separate cage for convenience, and no unfamiliar rats are introduced for playdates. If one rat takes food or medicine-adjacent extras separately, explain the arrangement. Note the hierarchy quirks that look alarming but are normal between your rats, so the sitter does not separate a bonded pair over ordinary squabbling and play-wrestling.
Food, water, and the cage routine
Give the measured daily staple amount and the fresh foods you rotate — vegetables, a little protein, the treats used for training — plus the short banned list of sticky or unsafe foods. Rats hoard: tell the sitter to check stashes in hammocks and corners during cleaning so old fresh food does not rot in the bedding. Describe the cleaning rhythm you actually keep, the unscented bedding to use, and where supplies live. Bottles get checked daily, and if you run two bottles, say so, since a single stuck bottle in a group cage is a fast problem. Include a line about teeth and chewing supplies as well: rats' teeth grow continuously, so the wooden chews and cardboard you provide are working equipment, and the sitter should replace a gnawed-down piece rather than tidying the extras away. If one rat starts eating noticeably less of the hard staple food while still begging for soft treats, that contrast is worth a written note and a message to you.
Clean air and daily free-range time
Rats have sensitive respiratory systems, and Dumbo rats share that vulnerability fully. Put it in writing: no air fresheners, scented candles, or sprays in the rat room, no dusty bedding swaps, and windows or ventilation as usual. Then schedule the fun part — daily out-of-cage time in the rat-proofed area you describe, with the cables protected and doors closed, for roughly the length your rats are used to. A sitter who only feeds and leaves is not covering the job; an hour of exploring, shoulder time, and simple games is part of the care, and your rats' behaviour will show the difference when you return.
Health flags a sitter can actually spot
List observable signs, not diagnoses: breathing that clicks, wheezes, or looks laboured; reddish discharge around nose or eyes; a rat who stops exploring, stops grinding teeth contentedly, or isolates from the group; lumps felt during handling should be noted and reported, not assessed. Same-day contact with you, and a vet visit on your instruction, beats waiting. Leave both numbers. Passed over with KinsLe's Care Pass, each rat's name, needs, and play routine reach the sitter as temporary clear access, so your Dumbo group gets proper company, not just full bowls.