I finally made a decicion. I want a rat. I told my mom I would like to own a pet rat, she freaked out and couldn't have said no faster. I asked her why and she said "they are icky and gross and they carry diseases!!!" I tried to change her mind but she is grossed out by them. I know that none of that is true. I asked if there are any other reasons why not and she said no. Any ways to change her mind?
I signed up just to answer ya. I just got a rat i love him. I think there way better then hamsters. dont buy a hampster ball rats tend to just sit in them. any questions?
I have two rats, and i pretty much know everything about them, I have 6 months ect done reserch on them, and want to breed someday. let me say one thing. domestic rats do not have diseases! you may have heard of the bubonic plague? yeah well that came from fleas and other insects and got onto alot of other animals not just rats.INFACT, rats(as far as rodents are concerned) are the cleanest rodents.they usually poop and pee in only one corner of there cage.sometimes I give mine baths if they got something on them, other than that you dont need too.They are easy to care for, but take patience.they are very smart and thats what makes them a little shy and timid at first. you will need to get them young. not adults, unless your an experinced rat owner.babies are much eaiser to tame.take my advice on this one. Be sure NOT to feed them through the wires in the cage or they will bit your fingers. Dont confuse biting and nibbling-two different things here. they also will sometimes lick you. and they grind there teeth(they never stop growing) when they are content. As for diet, you need to get rat blocks that has all the nutrtional reqiurements they need. DO NOT get cheap rat food, this will WILL result in diareaha.As far as bedding goes, carefresh is the only way to go.And wire cages are a must since they come with the proprer ventalation they need, unlike an aquaruim which can get moldy and needs harder and more cleaning. Cages will need to be cleaned weekly if not more.These animals are worth the time, they will bond with you like a dog would with his owner. They live rough averge up to 2-3 years.Depending on how you care for them.They will need alot of play time during the day at least an hr if not more.And they will be sqirmy at first. let them learn to trust you.Let them free range, rat proof a room with you in it and let them run around! anyways, I hope this helps.any other questions rat or hamster ect related let me know!! I love rats!
wow. I will definately keep you in mind, kateo587. I also ONLY use carefresh bedding. I used it for my past pets and will keep using it. I also have a left over rabbit cage that is only for small dwarf rabbits. It's somewhat small but can definatley house two rats. I will screen it in because they would escape easily. I was also wondering, hairless or furry?
I made myself a binder on rats with tidbits of aspca care sheets and petsmart.com etc. It says what supplies I need and what they can and can't eat. It has much stuff in there that will help so I think I will do ok. My dad and I are used to having small rodents around so whenever we cook, we always give some fruit or veggies. It's out of habbit
It can get caught in their nose, lungs, mouth etc. and they can get allergies to it. it hurts their feet. the particles can also cause resperatory infections and problems. not good stuff man!
for the record i researched rats alot before i got one and i know cedar is bad but thats what petsmart sells now i did find some of that carfresh stuff and my rat hates it and constantly throws it out of his house and cage so i put a fan next to the cage to blow all th fumes cedar had away there by providing great air circulation
Maybe you should try shreded paper. that's what I used for my bunnies that hated their bedding. You can rip it apart yourself or put it through a shredder. Also a good way to recycle.
lorin, my mom was totaly freked out by the tails, she let me get one and she absolutly loves it now but tell your mom they are one of the most cleanist animals in the world and you can train them to go in a tiny litter box. they are sweet and cudly if you find a nice one just watch out for hevey sneasing, runny nose and diaria.
can some1 please help me? i just got a rat and she wont drink from the little dispenser or a bowl... she only drinks off my wet fingers? some one help me
I have 48 rats. Soon to have many more...2 litters in the next couple of days, and several more in the next month. Moms can be hard to convince. My mom hated rats until me and my brother had them for a while, and the tail still freaks her out. if you can talk her into it...great! You will definitely be rewarded! You will need to get at least two...rats need another rats company. DO NOT use cedar...the oils cause infections, pine is alright as long as it is kiln dried and sifted. Shredded paper works well, my ratties love old t shirts and such. as far as food, they need a balanced diet...not over 18% protein unless they are pregnant or nursing. fruits, veggies, etc. they need toys to stimulate them. they love ladders and the little barbells. they need fresh water everyday. I use distilled or spring water for all of my animals...I don't trust city water...if I won't drink it, neither will my pets.Rats are prone to tumors and respiratory infections, so if you can get yours from a breeder that knows health histories that's best.
I had 3 mice but there lives are really sort but there cute and easy to tack care of,they maybe not be as smart as a rat, but they know who there master is! after my mice died I wanted a rat but my mom said no!! I love mice and rats!!! -PackLeader2
I have 2 rats and they are the best. OK, their tail is kind of weird to some people but they can't help that they have a tail like that! Only street rats have diseases. Rats are SOOOOOOOOO friendly!The only thing is that they like to climb up your arm and to your neck. They are so cute, too! Once you see one and hold one, you won't be able to say no!They can also learn tricks like their name. Trust me, I've had a lot of animals before and they are my favorite rodent. I've had guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats and rats are the best. They are so funny too! If you get 1, you should get 2. They love company and you have to play with them every day. If you do get a rat, get a book about them. It helps. PLEASE tell your parents that rats are one of the best pets EVER!!! I don't know what I'd do without rats. They are amazing!
I have had rats my whole life. my mom got me my frist rat when i was 4. then when i was 12 my mom took me to get a new rat(they only live 2-3yrs). my dad ws a bit mad but he got over it quick.
the rat was preggy when i got her. so we kept her 1 girl and 2 boys.(either fix the boys or keep them in a different room)
the girls can be very high energy and dont care to be cuddled the boys are fat lazy and love to be held and played with
so i suggest 2 boys if u can convice ur parents
also i bathe mine 1 once a month in the summer and just the sticky oys once in the winter just to help htem to stay clean and health but u dont have to bathe them at all
I don't know if you still need the information, but here's some basic information. (I used to show rats in New Jersey. Now I run a small rattery from my home in Ohio. We're going to get back into showing, after we move out of the apartment and into the house.)
As for housing, wire caging seems to be the way to go. You need at least a ten gallon aquariums worth of space per rat. Try to avoid aquariums, though. Rats have a very sensitive respiratory system, and the poor ventilation doesn't agree with them so well.
Beddings not to use- Pine, Cedar, Cat Litter.
Appropriate beddings are Aspen Pine (no aromatic oils), CareFRESH, Yesterday's News, Corn Cob (if you change the cage often).
Food- A staple diet of Lab Blocks will suffice (or if they're not available in your area, a low-protien dog food... too much protien causes the fur to "rust" out...), but you can supplement with a few fresh fruits and veggies. Avoid Citrus fruits and grapes. Iceburg lettuce is a nice summer treat, but it's mostly water, so it has no nutritional value.
Handling- Handle your rats for at least an hour a day. They're extremely social creatures and will bond to you.
You should probably get two of the same sex. As I said before, they're extremely social and fare much better when they're in pairs. I advise a same sex pair, though. Those suckers multiply like crazy. (I have two cages. One for males and one for females.)
If you need anymore information, please feel free to ask! I'm more than happy to help out a fellow rat person.
