would you ever own a pet rat?

[lute]

I've always LOVED pet rats! I want one so bad, but my mother is totally against them. Would you ever own a pet rat? Do you own a pet rat?

[luvofallhorses]

YES! :D I have had one in the past named Neo Leo Houndini he was grey and white and the sweetest rattie boy you would ever meet! :D He loved cream cheese and just loved life in general. :) Unfortunately when our house was robbed in 2003 while my grandmother was dying we trusted my step uncle who I claim NO relation to now.. to watch our house and we only had Jenny and Rocky and my rat back then and he never fed Neo or the dogs :mad: (Jenny was smart enough to knock the bag of dog food over..) we tried nursing him back to health..

he was fat and plump and healthy when we left for Colorado and skin and bones when we came back. I so wanted to kill him for not feeding him or my dogs! :mad: me and my mom tried our hardest to nurse him back to health and he died in his sleep on Mother's Day in 2004. :( I would give anything to have him back.. he was perfect in my eyes. he was only 1 and a half years old. :(

[lute]

i'm so sorry about your rat. :( RIP lil Neo.

[luvofallhorses]

thanks! he was really special. my mom got him for me when I was ready for another small critter after my heart guinea pig passed away in 2001 from old age. I love rodents and they will always have a special place in my heart. I grew up with guinea pigs and love them. hamsters, too! I am not a big fan of gerbils, though. :o

[Sevaede]

Yes! I had a cream and white male named Stuart about 8 years ago. He was very sweet and very smart. I, too, love rodents. Something about those little guys. :D Rats, mice, gerbils, etc, are all sweet and cute to me. :D

[DJFyrewolf36]

I absolutely LOVE rats! Ive had several great rats from the time I was 10. My boy, Banana is as sweet as can be. I don't see rats as gross at all :D

[Chilli]

Of course! :D
I share my life with nine of the little buggers... and wouldn't have it any other way. I definately love my little guys & girls. I also work with my vet to help rehome rats that are dropped off on him. It doesn't happen too often, but I'm always willing to help him out. I have had a foster failure or two, though. :o

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r310/CheckAgain/Rat06.png
My special little guy, Sid..

[critter crazy]

I would love to have a few pet Rats, but Unfortunately Hubby is dead set against it! But I will get him to change his ways if it kills me!;)

[Zippy]

Rats are adorable.I would own a pet rat. :D I don't see it happening any time soon.In the future maybe.

[Freedom]

I wasn't sure which to pick, so I put yes but don't see it happening.

I enjoy seeing all your photos of your pet rats, and hearing the wonderful tales. I have a friend with one and I pet and hold her.

NOt for me though. For one thing, with 8 cats in the house, the rat could only be supervised to be out and that is not fair to the rat.

Second, I can't imagine rat proofing my house, After 12 years, I am still trying to cat proof!

Same reason I would not have a ferret, as wonderful as they are as pets.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

I don't fit into any of those categories- I don't currently have rats, but have in the past and plan to again one day.

[IRescue452]

Yeppers. I'd like my own someday. My girlfriend has two girls, Mana and Rin.

[Karen]

Maybe some day. Nothing against them, my big brother had white mice for a science fair experiment when he was in high school, and I was a little kid, and he usually let me hold the tamest one - also the fastest through the maze - so name Speedy! It was awfully fun, my only issue with mice and rats is their brief lifespan.

[Blue_Frog]

I kind of fell between categories - I voted yes i have them (but not right now), but i've had them in the past - 2 cute little hooded gentlemen named Ratfink and Star (rats backwards). They lived for quite a while, and everyone loved them, especially my oma and opa - and I even had my nana, (who was completely disgusted by the tails) patting them after a while. Once the ratties passed on, I got my ferrets.

Maybe one day I would consider getting ratties again - i think they make great pets, and mine were very gentle and smart. Ratfink loved nothing better than to ride on your shoulder under your hair, or in the hood of a sweatshirt. We even had him trained to ride around the house on our dog Holly - which made for some cute pictures :)

[Argranade]

There cute but I would never own one.

[Suki Wingy]

I put yes, I own them but my dad and brothers do, not me. I want one though. He has a himi female and a black female with a litter, and 4 almost full grown. The 4 are SO tame, when you open the cage they try and crall on you and if you put your hand in the cage they will run up your arms and onto your shoulder :D :D They sit there for 30 or more minutes until I put them back. One, Cinnamon, will run right back up your arm if you put her back.

[BC_MoM]

So, where's the option "Yes, in the future?" :p

[lute]

So, where's the option "Yes, in the future?" :p
forgot about that one, sorry. :o

[lvpets2002]

:) Well I had gerbals years ago.. I think now I have too many cats to get away with having a rat.. :D

[Sophist]

Hmm... it is a no for me. Nothing personal against rats, just not my kind of pet (like the poll says).

I've seen some beautiful ones, and have enjoyed handling other people's pet rats, but it isn't the most logical pet choice for me. When I go to get out a snake, I don't want to have to worry that I have some rat-smell left on the sleeve of my shirt, for instance. :p

Plus, there are simply too many other pets I would desperately love to own that I know I could never make my way through the list of things I would like to own before a rat in my lifetime.

And lastly, I think my guy might have even more issues with the whole 'snake food' angle if he got to know some rats personally, and found out how much personality they can have.

[mike001]

Same here, I'm more of a dog person. Wouldn't know what to do with a rat.