rats

[Amber]

rats, are they really good pets? What are all the good and bad traits about them?

[magcpen]

Rats are fabulous pets. :) They are very cute, they aren't at all vicious (well, mine aren't, anyway), tehy're very fun to watch, and are absolutely the cutest things when they
're peeking, and they give fuzzy little rat kisses, lol. However, they do like to relive tehmsleves on their owners, and can get smelly, and their clwas are sharp, but all in all, they're fabulous little guys. :)

[Amber]

Thanks! :)

[binka_nugget]

rats are great! They aren't as easy to care for as some may think though..they require alot of attention. I'm sure wolfsoul, tikeyas_mom and luckies will give you lots of info on ratties..

[Desert Arabian]

Rats make EXCELLENT pets, I think they are one of the best pets you could have. They are basically like a dog, but smaller. You form tight bonds with them- like me and Peanut (RIP princess). They love to interact with their humans, they crave attention.

Down sides to rats: they are expensive to care for, they don't live long, and 99.9% of them are bound to get illnesses.

[Aspen and Misty]

Eww rats, who would ever want one of them nasty little things ewww :p

Ok, so I'm the proud momma of 4 spoiled female ratties :D

hey are wonderful pets! Although you have to make sure you have ALOT of time for them. I can't even begin to tell you how much attention my 4 take! They need alot of out of cage time and they need tons of cuddling! I recomend starting off with 2 and then, if you want get another one or two, but I would not recomned starting off with more or less then 2 at the begging, just because you will be shocked when you get them about how much time they take up and how expesinsive they are :eek:

Ash

[luckies4me]

Of course they make great pets, IF you are willing to take the time to care for them. I currently own 20 plus rats, and believe me, they are a handful! But if owning them weren't rewarding I wouldn't have any. :p

Rats can be very expensive. I have spent around 200 just in vet bills alone for this month. And like YLL said, almost all rats will get Myco symptoms or some other illness or disease. Rats are prone to tumours and upper respiratory problems. Medication such as cisparide, Baytril and Doxyclycine can be very expensive. Some vets treat them as exotics, so they charge more for a rat exam.


They are very social so you must have a friend of the SAME sex. Rats kept alone can become very depressed. Any other info you want. I have TONS!


You can see a pic of my hairless rat Wrinkles in my sig. :)

[tikeyas_mom]

as you know I have two ratties and they are the best pets ever !! (I love them sooo much) they are better then any rodent I have ever owned.
I have had gerbils, hamsters, and mice and rats are the best to me so far ;).

it is so cute how my rats popcorn around when they get excited. and They will run after you when you let them loose lol.

there isnt any bad thing I can thyink of except for health problems and vet costs.

[CathyBogart]

Yes, they are FABULOUS pets! My six girls bring me so much happiness, they're fun to watch, to play with, to cuddle with, and I LOVE spoiling them! They get so excited at every new treat, toy, or game I bring them that I can't help but get excited too!!

I really do want to emphasize that you should ALWAYS have money set aside for vet bills, because ratties are EXPENSIVE. I've been lucky this month, $90 for Chloe's Myco flare up was all I had to pay.

[Amber]

They sure do sound like wonderful pets!!
I was just wondering about them because I have been wanting another dog, but it looks like it isnt going anywhere with my parents sooo, I decide to go to the next best thing rats. I have been doing some homework on them. and they sound very interesting! If I could have 2 rats they would probably be boys, because the internet pages on rat care was saying the male rats are more calmer when female rats are more energetic. Is it true rat owners?

[wolfsoul]

Rats make GREAT pets. My rats would tell you this themselves. ;)

The downsides are that they usually only live about 2 and a half years, they need a very veriegated diet (Not bad for me though, since I love preparing their meals), the very expensive health care, most rats (even some females) will pee on absolutley anything (I have stains all over my clothes :( ), they need lots of out of cage time, and they will get sick very very easily and almost all rats do get sick at some point.

It's true that females are generally more hyper and excitable than males, but there are your exceptions. My Frisco, for example. :rolleyes: Little bum likes to drive me crazy. :p

[Amber]

Thanks!

Its too bad that they have such short lives, I think good rat breeders should try and make them live longer and be healthier.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by Amber
Thanks!

Its too bad that they have such short lives, I think good rat breeders should try and make them live longer and be healthier.


That is EXACTLY what I try to do!!! I will NOT breed a rat that shows any sign of illness, or agression. Rats prone to tumours in the lines make great pets, not breeders. I also do not breed my petshop rats but once in a blue moon. I have only had illness for two of my boys, one being a breeder rat and the other my petshop boy Bandit, who has severe Myco flareups, and who is in the middle of one now.


Where it comes to a whole rattery virus, such as Sendai or SDA, where each rat will get effected no matter what, you breed the rats who show no symptoms and the ones who recover from the illness quickly.

You can visit my Rattery site, Romping Ratties Rattery, by clicking the WWW in my profile. It's my old site and I am working on a new one now, but there is some info there.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by Amber
They sure do sound like wonderful pets!!
I was just wondering about them because I have been wanting another dog, but it looks like it isnt going anywhere with my parents sooo, I decide to go to the next best thing rats. I have been doing some homework on them. and they sound very interesting! If I could have 2 rats they would probably be boys, because the internet pages on rat care was saying the male rats are more calmer when female rats are more energetic. Is it true rat owners?


I hear this a lot, but generally my boys and girls have the same amount of energy. Some girls I have had in the past were hyper constantly.

[Amber]

cool, So if I choose to make a commitment to a pair of rats, where should I get them? Im trying to steer away from petshops. I cant find any rat breeders in Ohio. any ideas? Maybe the shelter might have some.

[Aspen and Misty]

Shelters are EXELLENT places to get pet rats!!!

Try pet finder.com they will give you some cuties!

Ash

[Amber]

Thanks Ash! :D

[Amber]

Oh No!! I did a search on Petfinder and they have no rats availble in my location! Ill have to keep checking back though.

[wolfsoul]

Most reputable breeders ship. :)

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
Most reputable breeders ship. :)

Yeah, and the shipping prices are ABSURD!!!!!!!!! I almost fell off my chair when I read the prices these places wanted.


Hmmmm.....no breeders in Ohio. :confused: Well, here's three: CLICK HERE (http://www.justrats.com/breeders/#OH) Ya have to scroll down a bit, until you get to Ohio. Here are two more, I didn't look to see if they are the same...but here ya go. CLICK HERE (http://www.rmca.org/Resources/breeders.htm) Again, scroll down until you get to Ohio.

:)

[wolfsoul]

Here it doesn't cost that much. :confused: The prices change every year, but I haven't come across something that I wouldn't pay for a healthy well-bred rat.

[Amber]

Thanks luckies4me!! Those sites were great!!

[CathyBogart]

You know...if it wasn't on luckies' links page I would recommend visiting www.goosemoose.com/rfc

It's a FABULOUS all-rat forum with really wonderful people who love helping newbies to rats. Just do not say the word "breeding" in any of your initial posts unless you are prepared to get into a LOOOOOONG discussion.

I personally prefer male rats, big "Squishy" boys.....but I have six girls right now! Go figure.

Oh, the people at goosemoose would also probably be able to help you find a breeder/rescue in your area!

[luckies4me]

Catherine, doesn't Kim do transport for her rat rescue? I think something could be arranged there. ;)

Like WOlfChan said, the RFC is a GREAT place for all information on rats. The people are just fantastic, (WolfChan and I are there :p) and are always so helpful and you could surely find a rescue or breeder in your area. :)

[Amber]

Thanks for the link! Im going to register for it. yesterday night I was telling my mom about rats and how much of a great pet the make and all. she was like :rolleyes:

[Desert Arabian]

I am a member too, and I love that place. The best people with the best rat information that you could ever find on the internet.

I am Crazy4Rats on the fourm. Let us know what your name is when you join!!!

:D

[Amber]

I just joined the rat forum! my user name is Owsleya

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Don't have one, don't know anything about em.

But gosh, are they CUTE!

I want one, but my mom would NEVER let me have a rat in the house. She does NOT like rats, to say the least.

[Amber]

yeah my mom and dad dont like the idea, but i think if my mom got to see one and hold it she would prolly love them. As for my dad...umm, He isnt a huge rodent person but he likes them. The tails gets to him I guess. lol:p

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by Amber
The tails gets to him I guess. lol:p

So get a tailess.

;)

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
So get a tailess.

;)


Thier EXTREMELY hard to find, unless you know of a breeder who docks tails.

[Amber]

Huh?? They have tailess rats?? :eek: I never knew that! omg! That would be a different sight!

[CathyBogart]

*Nodnod* Tailless ratties exist, just be VERY thorough in doing your homework on the breeder to make sure they are actually tailless, not docked. 0.0

[binka_nugget]

I had a slight problem with the tails at one point. In a week, I ended up kissing those little tails.

[wolfsoul]

Yes, you can get tailesses *aka maxes* but they aren't easy to find and very expensive. You should also get two rats since they are so social and you'd never be able to buy two manxes. It would be way too expensive.


In a week, I ended up kissing those little tails.
Haha I love their tails too. Especially Icarus's. It's so soft that I brush it against my lips and it's feels so cool.

[Amber]

Dont worry If I would ever decide if a rat is right for me I would definatly(sp) get two rats. ;) I think Ill stick to the tails. Tails dont bug me.

[curiosityrats]

Originally posted by wolfsoul
Most reputable breeders ship. :)

Actually most reputable breeders DON'T ship. Most will drive a reasonable distance to meet you or help make arrangements for transport. Shipping via mail is illegal. Shipping via airlines in expensive. Also it is extremely stressful, and small mammals do not handle stress well. It weakens their fragile immune systems.

I have driven 10 hours to get rats (WV to Chicago). I might be a little nuts. I think they are wonderful pets and gorgeous animals. I prefer rats to any other pet, possibly equals to my cats, but the cats can try my patience (peeing in appliances, tearing up furniture and what have you -- and they are spayed females, no less!)

If you are interested, I have a website with lots of rat info. I've been breeding (for pets only to private owners, of course!) for just about two years, but have had pet rats since I was three years old. They are the best.

http://curiosityrats.tripod.com

[luckies4me]

WOW, finally another rat breeder, and one I have heard of. ;) It only took two years to get another one over here.


I don't think Wolfsoul meant shipping any other way besides air, most of us here know that is illegal. I do have to reiterate that most breeders do drive a long distance for nice pedigreed animals.

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by curiosityrats
Shipping via airlines in expensive.

You got that right! Last year I was looking around at breeders sites trying to find a pair of male dumbos. I finally found a breeder with two dumbo males, and I was interested in them. So, I e-mailed them and asked how much shipping was, and it was over $130! :eek: :eek: I didn't get them...plus the fact that the breeder ships eventually turned me away.

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
You got that right! Last year I was looking around at breeders sites trying to find a pair of male dumbos. I finally found a breeder with two dumbo males, and I was interested in them. So, I e-mailed them and asked how much shipping was, and it was over $130! :eek: :eek: I didn't get them...plus the fact that the breeder ships eventually turned me away.
That's alot of money. I wonder why it costs so much. Here the prices change every year, but it's generally $100-300 to ship a dog. I wonder why a rat that weighs so much less and takes upso much less space would cost that much.

[curiosityrats]

It costs that much because there is a minimum crate size for live animals, so there really isn't less space. The only time anyone actually ships rats is when, for example, a group of breeders on the east coast get together to expand their blood lines and get a group of rats from the west coast. 8 or 10 rats can ship "comfortably" in the minimum crate, so the cost isn't nearly as much when a group of people are splitting it.

You rarely see any of this, though. Most of the time, to get a rat from point A to point B, you arrange a "rat train" with owners/breeders that are headed that direction. Some of my rats got to me via "in-betweens." For instance, a breeder in Columbus picked up a rat for me when getting her own rats from a breeder in Toledo. Then I drove to Columbus to pick him up. Cut my driving time in half and was no extra burden on her.

[Amber]

I have a question about shipping animals.When you ship any kind of animal lets used a puppy for a example when they are shipped are they fed, cleaned, and played with? If they arnt thats Terrible!!

[wolfsoul]

Originally posted by Amber
I have a question about shipping animals. When you ship any kind of animal lets used a puppy for a example when they are shipped are they fed, cleaned, and played with? If they arnt thats Terrible!!
When talking with some of my future pup's breeder's customers, one told me that they are very well taken care of on the flight, but made it sound like they aren't allowed out of the kennels, which does make some sense since the pup is someone's belonging and it'd be like rummaging through someone's suitcase. :p The person told me that at the stop, they will crowd around and ask a bunch of questions and maul the puppy lol.

[Amber]

hehehe well as long as they are fed and cleaned up and talked too thats ok with me.

[luckies4me]

I had the first DUMBO tailless rat born in the Northwest born out of a dumbo fawn, and a dumbo agouti self. Here are some pictures. They are not of the best quality as they were taken before I aquired my now digital camera, but I though you might want to see these Amber.

I have several tailless carriers here in my rattery. Most breeders believed that the tailless and dumbo genes could never match up, but yes I proved them wrong. Soon after my dumbo tailless was born, a friend of mine had several other dumbo tailless born in her rattery, and she just aquired three more bucks this weekend at the RMHF show in Los Gatos.

[luckies4me]

Another pic, this one is not as blurry.

[luckies4me]

Notice the larger hips to so that the animal can support itself.

[Amber]

Aww he/she is very cute! thats so neat that they have tailess rats out there!