Any Rat lovers here?

[Tigeress]

Hello all I'm new to this forum, but I hope to get to know it better!

I was wondering if there was anyone around who would like to chat about rats? I recently lost my four year old blue rat, Edmund, to a complicated respitory infection.

Anyway, I really miss him and I would love to swap rat stories with any other owners out there!

I'd really like to hear from anyone who knows about rat breeders. I got my last rat at the pet store and the vet told me that he'd probably had the affection (in a subacute form) since I got him because pet stores tend to have low quality rats (most of them end up as snake food. Which I fully understand I have a snake myself, but he only eats albino lab mice). So I was thinking about going to a breeder, but how do I find one? Somehow I doubt that looking up "Rat" in the Yellow Pages is going to work!

Anyway, I'd love to hear from any rat fanciers.

Cheers,
Tigeress

[Owned-By-A-Rat]

As you can tell by my username, I am "owned by" a rat. His name is Master Splinter and he is a 10 month old chinchilla berkshire. I got my Splinter from a breeder, so I had a bigger choice and I got to see the parents and living conditions. I found the breeder through classifieds.yahoo.com. Maybe you could find one through the classifieds in your area. You may also try going to Fancy Rat and Mouse Association on the web (forget the address) or just try putting rat breeder (your state) or something like that. Hope this helps. Sorry to hear about your loss!

[Tigeress]

I like the screen name! Rats do have a way of taking over your life.

I didn't even think of the classified adds. I've been to the Rat Association, but they don't have any breeders in my area (and I can't afford 300 dollars to have one shiped to me!).

Thanks!

Do you find that people think that your rat is a ferret? I don't know what is wrong with some people, but Ed used to come to the park with me (I would sit in the grass and read and he would never stray more than six feet) and people would come up to pet him and on many occations they said "Is is a ferret?" When I would tell these people that he was a rat they would recoil in horror. Silly.

If you have a pic of Splinter I'd love to see him. Unfortunatly all the pics I had of Ed were destroyed when my hard drive crashed. Memo to me: keep back up copies!!


Cheers,
Tigeress

[Owned-By-A-Rat]

I take Splinter outside all of the time. I get all different types of replies. I have had a couple of people ask me if he was a ferret. I even had someone ask me if he were a puppy! I don't get people sometimes. They are all disgusted with him, but I think he is the cutest critter ever! I love their tails! No, I do not have any pictures of him right now. My computer also crashed and we haven't gotten it fixed yet. I am on a different computer in which I cannot download pictures on. Well, good luck on getting another rat! Update me when you find a breeder you like!

Rachel -n- Critter Co.

[Owned-By-A-Rat]

I found this website for you:

www.altpet.net/rodents/rats/ratfaq.html

Go there and click on BREEDERS then click on your state. Good luck!

[Meowsy50]

I have a almost 5 month old rat. I've had him for 4 months and guess what my best friends rat is his dad, her other rat is my rats brother! My rats name is Benjamin! He is a blue hooded rat. I Love him!:)

[Heather Wallace]

Welcome to all who are new here, it is great to have more people who own small animals rather than than just cats and dogs. There is only a select few here that have a smaller pet, so we are quite a friendly bunch.

I have never had a rat before only hamsters and now my bunnies, but I think they are lovely just the same. It will be great to hear more of your furry stories.

[Tigeress]

I feel so welcome to this forum! Thank you all for your kind replies!

I shall cheque out that web site, Owned by a Rat, thanks! I think I will have to wait a few months though. I don't like the idea of trying to replace him at once, for he can not be 'replaced'. It is the one thing that makes pet owning so hard, losing them.


Meowsy- Baby rat pups are the cutest! I love how soft there fur is. I love the Blue variations, they are great. I suggest that you take your rat to be neutered (a small animal vet will do it) because it lenghtens their life span. I'd love to here updates and maybe a pic or two of Ben!


Heather- that's right us 'small animal' owners rule! Heehee. I saw your little lops babies and they are just heart stoppingly cute! I hope we can come to know one another! My roommate has two hampsters (Stud Muffin and Captain Crunch) they are characters! One is a Teddy Bear and the other is Albino with the scary red eyes. At one point I had a friend over and Stud Muffin got out and was in the hall. My friend walked in there and said "There is something crawling around in your apartment" I scarcasticaly told them to step on it because I thought they were kidding! She insisted that I come cheque it out and there was Stud, roaming around like he owned the place!

Cheers to you all,
L

[Heather Wallace]

Poor little guy, I bet your friend got a fright. I to had and albino hamster, he was scary, I couldnt even pick him up as he would just bit all of the time.

[Tigeress]

Heather- Yeah some hampsters can be pretty mean. My friend has a Dwarf Hampster that actually attacks! If you put your hand in the cage to clean or change the food he comes running over and tries to kill you. Personally I don't like living with animals that try and kill me, but of course once you've brought it into your home it's hard to let go (even if they are evil). I've been lucky none of my pets are mean. Of course I tend to get them when they are really young so they are used to me. Heehee.

Cheers,
Tigeress

[irishwolfhoundlover25]

RATS ARE THE BEST I love rats! They are wonderful pets and live with 4! :) I got my first rat at the pet store when my hamster died. She is a black hooded rat named CiCi! Then I got my second rat at the pet store too. Now the story for this one is : Well I went to the pet store to get cat food and decided to look at the rats. They had one female in the cage with 10 or 12 males! All of the males were attacking the poor little female and trying to mate with her! Well at that very moment I decided that I NEEDED A friend for the rat that I currently had! Well that rat turned out to be a real sweety, she is a silver hooded rat and is sooo beautiful that I called her Belle because it means beautiful in French! :D

[Tigeress]

It is great to hear about your little ones. I don't think I've ever seen a silver hood rat. That does sound nice. I'd love to see some pics! I've always gone for male rats myself however because my friend had several female rats and they were so mean! I think it was because they were albino lab rats. Lab rats have been so inbred!

I got Ed under strange circumstances myself. Actualy I went into the pet store to get a few mice for my snake (Sorry mice lovers! I know that fancy mice make great pets too, but Al has to eat!) and next to the mice was a tank full of rats. Well they were all male but poor little Ed was so young and small that the others were beating up on him. I asked to hold him and he nuzzled right into my sweater. Since I had come to claim lives I thought I'd save one while I was at it.

The heartbreaking thing about buying mice for snakes is that they come in a box that says things like: "I'm going home!" and "Somebody loves me!" on the side. Ack!!!

Cheers,
L

[Tigeress]

Hi gang!

Great news! I just fell in love with a rat named Zaphod. He is latest of my babies.

Cheque out the whole story under the Thread called "Tigeress has a new cub- Zaphod the Rat!"

Cheers,
Tigeress

[purrley]

I would rather have a tarantula than a rat.

[ramanth]

Originally posted by Tigeress
Heather- Yeah some hampsters can be pretty mean. My friend has a Dwarf Hampster that actually attacks! If you put your hand in the cage to clean or change the food he comes running over and tries to kill you. Personally I don't like living with animals that try and kill me, but of course once you've brought it into your home it's hard to let go (even if they are evil). I've been lucky none of my pets are mean. Of course I tend to get them when they are really young so they are used to me. Heehee.

Cheers,
Tigeress

Welcome Tigeress! I don't have a rat but two of my friends have owned them and it never ceases to amaze me about how intelligent they are.

I had two Dwarf Hamsters, but just recently lost Maximus. :( He was the sweet one. Loved to be held and cuddled. His brother Minimus is evil. He'll bite and do all the things you mention above. But I still love him.

[Tigeress]

Ramanth-
They are very intelligent if you exspose them to new surroundings, bright colours, and toys when they are young.

I'm not sure what it is about D Hamps, but some of them are just born mean! My friend had an albino one that would run over to bite you when you went to change the food or water.

As for Maximus I'm sure he and Edmund are happy romping around on the other side of the rainbow bridge!

Cheers,
L

[Tigeress]

Zaphod has a web page now (of course I run six web pages).

http://members.tripod.com/~Balme/Zaphod.html

Cheers,
Tigeress

PS- If anyone has pictures of their rats that they'd like up on the web send them to me and I'll add a page for Zaphod's Friends.

[Lando]

I can't believe it, so many rat lovers. Its great. My two little "girls" are on shoulder right now watching me type.

Here is my story: After owning one rat named Friskers, but died of cancer, I decided to get another one. THe next one was names Cocoa, but sadly she died after two months(reason unknown) Aftera year of grief, I decided to try again. THis time I a got a female fancy rat named Cocoa(after the other). She was very shy and often got out of my grasp and ran under my bed. Boy was she fast., I thought she was lonely so my science teacher gave me a baby grey lab rat named Stormy. But then I found that that he was a male so I put them in separate cages. Every so often I put them together for a while. AS they grew I found that they loved peanut butter and went crazy over it. One time I made the mistake of dipping my finger in peanut butter and letting them lick it. Cocoa bit my finger thinking it was food. Ouch! Well soon I found 11 little pink rodents in the cage. Stormy was becomming a hassle so I had to give him away. Well Cocoa's babies grew to become many different colors. Every color you could think of. To some it up All the babies survuvekkifii(sorry I guess Cocoa wanted to type too.) All the babies survived and got good homes. We kept the healthest and biggest baby that was the only that looked like her father. So we called her Cloudy. (Akk Cocoa is licking me and Cloudy is tickling me.) And they are living a good life having fun.

[Tigeress]

Lando- Thank you soooo much sharing your rat stories with me! Hmmm, little ones eh? That will happen. You know you can easily get rats neutered, mine was! It is great, no babies.

My new little Zaphod isn't in to taking food from me yet, but he LOVES to ride around on my shoulder. He is so calm and friendly concidering I've only had him a few days.

I know how hard it is to lose a beloved rat! I wasn't ready to get a new one, but then I saw young Zaphod at the pet store and had to bring him into my home.

I'd love to see pics of your little ones!

Cheers,
T

[Aspen and Misty]

I love small aniamls. Aspen is my little hamster. When he dies I plan on eventually buying 2 rats. I used to own mice and they went everywhere with my so I can't wait to own rats and I hope they are as obident as my mice. I was able to teach my mouse, Midnight, to go to a mark which was so funny. I'm glad to see I'm not the only small pet owner on the board!

[Tigeress]

Aspen Mum- Rats are much easier to teach than mice! I've had mice before and I can't teach them to do anything! My last rat came to his name and would go to cage when asked and such. Let me know when you get your little guys! You'll love them! And send pics of the Hampster!!


Cheers,
L

[Lando]

WEll I have heard that rats are easier to teach, but I still ove mice because they are so entergentic and full of love life. They are so funny to watch.

I am got a camera yesterday so I will take so pictures of them and see how they come out. (my last didn't come out well.

I have a question. Is there anyway to get my two rats to become friedns with my dog? When I bring them over to her, she will turn her head and try to stay unnoticed. I can tell she is afraid of them. But they haven't done anything to her. They just sniff her.

[Tigeress]

Hmm, I don't know how to make rats less affraid of dog other than to simply keep them in contact so they learn that they are not going to be hurt. This is assuming that they aren't going to be hurt. Dogs can be a bit unpredictable. My sweet, loving, gentle as a lamb, Greyhound after a year of being around my bird Tabetha just snaped at her one day! Lucky Tabetha has her wing feathers and can fly!

After each time you introduce dog and rat make sure you give both a treat for good behaviour then they will associate one another with good stuff! The fasest way to a rats heart is through his stomach!

Heehee

Cheers,
Tigeress

[RattieLova]

I love rats, Tigeress!!!! I own 4 cute, squishy male rats! They are very spoiled and just love the all the attention! :)
I have a huge cage for them (You can see what it looks like by going to the cage co. website: Http://www.martinscages.com The cage is a R-695)
I have done alot of research on rats, so I know alot about them.
Anyway, if you own a rat, you really should have 2 or more. This is because rats can get very lonely if they are by themselves. But, make sure they are of the same gender!!! Or separate the males and females!
For any other great rat info. visit these great sites:
Http://www.ratpalace.com
Http://www.rmca.com
Http://www.dapper.com.au
Http://www.geocities.com/suebee277/rat

These should also lead you to more rat sites!
ENJOY!