Who here owns rats?
- Thread starter CandyJanney
- Start date
To all of those people that are getting a rat as a pet; ALWAYS take at least two of them (same sex of course) cuz they're very social and need the company of each other. Rats should be never kept alone.
I really want a pair of dumbo-ear girls, but just have to convince DBF!
Thanks for sharing all the pics and stories, I think that may help me convince him
Thanks for sharing all the pics and stories, I think that may help me convince him
DO you mean sterilized as in germs? Or sterilized as in spayed/neutered?
If its the first one, no, because they're not rats pulled out of the sewers or anything. They're domestic rats born in an environment like a breeder's home, to a domestic rat mommy - just like dogs or cats! Sure, they have germs, but what animal doesn't? my dogs are certainly germy, and I'm sure cats are too.
If you mean sterilized like spayed or neutered, then yes, you may choose to have your pet rat sterilized, just like any other pet.
If its the first one, no, because they're not rats pulled out of the sewers or anything. They're domestic rats born in an environment like a breeder's home, to a domestic rat mommy - just like dogs or cats! Sure, they have germs, but what animal doesn't? my dogs are certainly germy, and I'm sure cats are too.
If you mean sterilized like spayed or neutered, then yes, you may choose to have your pet rat sterilized, just like any other pet.
Well, sort of - for a few days, anyhow...
So, I walk out to the garage and *something* has taken half of a leftover biscuit out of the trashcan and put it in the corner. So I keep an eye out and finally I see the little dude. Definitely a rat. so I call hubby and tell him there's a rat in the garage. Of course he doesn't believe me. I guess he doesn't think I am smart enough to know the difference between a mouse and a rat, which of course I AM.
So I go out and tell the little guy that he really needs to get out of there and go somewhere else because if my husband comes home and sees him, he's a goner. He just looks at me. Not scared, not running, just listening to me. Well, of course I think that is just too cute for words, so I keep talking to him. Heaven forbid the neighbors saw me in there talking to a rat - the garage door was open. Unhindered by this thought, I keep talking to him, coaxing him, etc.
Finally he ventures out toward me a little as I am baby-talking to him. Unbelievable! So I get a box from a UPS pkg I'd received and tell him to get in the box - that he can't stay here.
The little fellow actually GETS IN THE BOX! Now what do I do with him? So I carry him out to the ditch and let him out and he just looks up at me, twitches his little nose and heads back up the hill to the garage like a bullet. Little bugger beat me back! Obviously at this point I realize he is smarter than I am.
When hubby gets home, I tell him the story of how I talked to him and told him to get in the box and how he actually did it and he didn't freaking believe me! Instead of standing there and demanding to know what I EVER did to make him think I just make up random crap all willy-nilly, I took his arm and led him back into the garage. I mean seriously! When he swore up and down he saw a monkey on our front porch I didn't question HIM or tell him it was probably a raccoon, I started trying to come up with possible explanations as to WHY there was a monkey on our porch. (Turns out, someone's pet monkey had gotten out - there was a write-up in the local paper the following week about it.) Men!
I talked to the rat, who was back in his corner, coaxed him, etc. but the whole time DH felt the need to point out (loudly in his deep voice) that he believes I've gone off my nut. He is impressed though, that I've correctly identified the species and it is, in fact, a rat. (Gee, thanks) I tell him to shut up and back away and when he finally does, here comes rat, following my voice. So I get the box and tell him (in baby talk, of course - it's the only way I know how to talk to a strange rat) to get in the box and thankfully, HE DOES!
I went and bought him a cage and everything! I am now definitely convinced he was someone's escaped pet, so I put up flyers, but nothing. The young woman down the street wanted him for her kids, so I gave him to her. She still has him as far as I know.
Man, I think I've had a LITTLE to much caffeine today.
Sorry!
So, I walk out to the garage and *something* has taken half of a leftover biscuit out of the trashcan and put it in the corner. So I keep an eye out and finally I see the little dude. Definitely a rat. so I call hubby and tell him there's a rat in the garage. Of course he doesn't believe me. I guess he doesn't think I am smart enough to know the difference between a mouse and a rat, which of course I AM.
So I go out and tell the little guy that he really needs to get out of there and go somewhere else because if my husband comes home and sees him, he's a goner. He just looks at me. Not scared, not running, just listening to me. Well, of course I think that is just too cute for words, so I keep talking to him. Heaven forbid the neighbors saw me in there talking to a rat - the garage door was open. Unhindered by this thought, I keep talking to him, coaxing him, etc.
Finally he ventures out toward me a little as I am baby-talking to him. Unbelievable! So I get a box from a UPS pkg I'd received and tell him to get in the box - that he can't stay here.
The little fellow actually GETS IN THE BOX! Now what do I do with him? So I carry him out to the ditch and let him out and he just looks up at me, twitches his little nose and heads back up the hill to the garage like a bullet. Little bugger beat me back! Obviously at this point I realize he is smarter than I am.
When hubby gets home, I tell him the story of how I talked to him and told him to get in the box and how he actually did it and he didn't freaking believe me! Instead of standing there and demanding to know what I EVER did to make him think I just make up random crap all willy-nilly, I took his arm and led him back into the garage. I mean seriously! When he swore up and down he saw a monkey on our front porch I didn't question HIM or tell him it was probably a raccoon, I started trying to come up with possible explanations as to WHY there was a monkey on our porch. (Turns out, someone's pet monkey had gotten out - there was a write-up in the local paper the following week about it.) Men!
I talked to the rat, who was back in his corner, coaxed him, etc. but the whole time DH felt the need to point out (loudly in his deep voice) that he believes I've gone off my nut. He is impressed though, that I've correctly identified the species and it is, in fact, a rat. (Gee, thanks) I tell him to shut up and back away and when he finally does, here comes rat, following my voice. So I get the box and tell him (in baby talk, of course - it's the only way I know how to talk to a strange rat) to get in the box and thankfully, HE DOES!
I went and bought him a cage and everything! I am now definitely convinced he was someone's escaped pet, so I put up flyers, but nothing. The young woman down the street wanted him for her kids, so I gave him to her. She still has him as far as I know.
Man, I think I've had a LITTLE to much caffeine today.
Sorry!
I'm still amazed that when DH said there was a monkey on your porch, you believed him unquestioningly, and that there WAS, in fact, a monkey on your porch.
WTH?!?!
WTH?!?!
Exactly! I knew him not to be someone to make up weird crap so I took him on his word. It's like if he would have yelled DUCK! to me, I would have dropped to the floor immediately and asked questions later. Not him - he would have said Huh? What? Why? and probably gotten clocked by something. LOL! Dang I miss him.
Anyway, I think rats, mice, gerbils, guineas, anything furry is totally adorable - but rats are definitely the smartest in my limited experience!
I had four rats but they've all passed on.
Now that I'm settled in my new place I'm going to fill it with rats again! ^_^^ Yeah, it really sucks that rat's life span is so short because you become so attached to every single one of them
When you get your rat babies please post pics of them, okay?
When you get your rat babies please post pics of them, okay?
Rats don't need to be neutered; in fact it's not recommendable at all since being small animals they get complications very easily which may cause to death
I used to have a Rat once! I bought it from the pet store, but it was an amazing little creature! He had the biggest personality! He really was a little clown! I used to let him run around my room and if I couldnt see or find him and I wanted him to come out, I'd sit down on my knees and lean forward and scratch the carpet with my fingers and he'd come running out! I loved that rat! Unfortuantely my cat ate him! I was only about 10 or 11....I was very upset about it.
They do make great pets! They're smart, have personality, and dont take up much space!
They do make great pets! They're smart, have personality, and dont take up much space!
