Rats?

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I've got a love for rats goin' on! I don't know too much about them, though. So... I was hoping you excellent, knowledgeable PTers (esspecialy you Courtney (yes, you, Chilli!)) You best reply to this thread ) could give me lots of information on them! How hard are they to care for? How often does their cage need cleaning? What kind of tank do they need? How hard is it to tame them? Do they bite a lot? Do they like to snuggle? Are they nocturnal like hamsters? How much do they cost? And lastly... how do I convience my mom, who has afobia of those supposedly "evil monsters" to her, to let me get one?

[Roxyluvsme13]

My mom would never let me get a Rat. Hope Courtney sees this so she can help you.. I'm pretty sure they're a little bit similar to hammies though, except for the few minor things, but don't go by my word, lol.

[zoomer]

My mom would never let me get a Rat. Hope Courtney sees this so she can help you.. I'm pretty sure they're a little bit similar to hammies though, except for the few minor things, but don't go by my word, lol.

Really? I've always thought of rat as big *shrugs*
Is Courtney's username Chilli? In the first post I don't really feel comfortable calling her "chilli"

[Roxyluvsme13]

Really? I've always thought of rat as big *shrugs*
Is Courtney's username Chilli? In the first post I don't really feel comfortable calling her "chilli"

LOL. Well, they're both rodents somewhat and they require the same basic care I suppose, lol. Yes, Courtney's username is Chilli ^__^

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LOL. Well, they're both rodents somewhat and they require the same basic care I suppose, lol. Yes, Courtney's username is Chilli ^__^

Yeah, I suppose they do require somewhat the same care since they are both basicly rodents... but I think rats like to climb more. I dunno, hurry up Courtney

[Argranade]

I would get a rat but then there buts kinda kreep me out.

[Khay]

I've got a love for rats goin' on! I don't know too much about them, though. So... I was hoping you excellent, knowledgeable PTers (esspecialy you Courtney (yes, you, Chilli!)) You best reply to this thread ) could give me lots of information on them! How hard are they to care for? How often does their cage need cleaning? What kind of tank do they need? How hard is it to tame them? Do they bite a lot? Do they like to snuggle? Are they nocturnal like hamsters? How much do they cost? And lastly... how do I convience my mom, who has afobia of those supposedly "evil monsters" to her, to let me get one?

How hard are they to care for? - What do you consider hard? You can't buy them a rodent mix from the pet store, they either need lab blocks or a homemade suebee's mix - see here: http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html
You will likely go to the vet at the LEAST twice for each rat in their lifetime - probably for respiratory infections, and rats are also very prone to cancerous tumors, so you would need to be ready to have those removed also.

How often does their cage need cleaning? - My boys have a Ruud cage (Martins, it's about 5 feet tall) I covered the wire shelves with coroplast, their cage floors get wiped down daily, and disinfected weekly.

What kind of tank do they need? - You can't really keep them in a tank, especially if you don't spend a huge amount of money to get a big one. Rats are INCREDIBLY prone to respiratory infections, and tanks do not provide them with enough ventilation. These are the best cages IMO:
http://www.martinscages.com/products/cages/rat/

This is a rat cage calculator, you put in the dimensions and it tells you how many rats can fit in it. That is absolute MINIMUM though, and the rats should have more room than that.
http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml

How hard is it to tame them? - Depends on the rat. I currently have a rescue rat who has been neglected and abandoned, I assume he is going to take a long time to tame but has never bitten. Poor little guy was screaming bloody murder at me the first few days I had to restrain him to give him his meds.

Do they bite a lot? - I've never been bitten

Do they like to snuggle? - Mine like to snuggle only when they've had a good time running around outside their cage.

How much do they cost? - I don't reccommend getting them from a pet store. Adopt from a rescue or buy from a reputable breeder. Buying animals from pet stores is no different than buying from backyard breeders - It's one in the same.

Out of my 2 newest rats, I have had them 1 week and their vet bills have already costed me $100. (I adopted them and they came to me with mites and respiratory infections) They are incredibly prone to tumors and respiratory infections, so if you don't have the money to treat reoccurring respiratory infections, and don't have the money to get any tumors removed, it's best not to get rats.


And lastly... how do I convience my mom, who has afobia of those supposedly "evil monsters" to her, to let me get one? --- First of all, you can't get just one rat. Rats are social, and two or more rats together is NECESSARY.

If your mom isn't supportive of them, it would be best not to get them. Like I said they can cost ALOT in vet bills, cages cost ALOT, if you dont want to make the homemade suebee's mix and dont have lab blocks that sell near you you will need to buy them online and pay for shipping etc.

Rats are more like dogs or cats when it comes to $$$ than other rodents.

[zoomer]

Thank you very much Khay! Oh, and, about my mom, she's afriad they'll attack her, so if I show her they won't, then she'll have no problem with him/

[Khay]

Thank you very much Khay! Oh, and, about my mom, she's afriad they'll attack her, so if I show her they won't, then she'll have no problem with him/

Rats are the most friendly rodents I have EVER had the pleasure of knowing.
(Out of hamsters, gerbils, mice, degus)
Just make sure though, that she will pay ANY vet bills that come up, that you can't afford. Rat bills can get expensive.

[zoomer]

Rats are the most friendly rodents I have EVER had the pleasure of knowing.
(Out of hamsters, gerbils, mice, degus)
Just make sure though, that she will pay ANY vet bills that come up, that you can't afford. Rat bills can get expensive.

Ok... but I'm still wondering how to convience her to let me get a rat?

[Khay]

Ok... but I'm still wondering how to convience her to let me get a rat?

If she's fallen into the stereotypes for rats, it probably wouldnt be that easy. Have her read up on them and look at pictures of pet rats This is a good fun site for her to learn from and for her to fall in love with rats from:

http://www.ratsrule.com/

And also:
http://www.dapper.com.au/

(And remember, never "a" rat)

[Miss Z]

You've gotten a lot of good information from Courtney and Khay, I'll add my little bit too
How hard are they to care for? I would say no harder than caring for any other rodent. What you put in, you will get out. Male rats are quite sleepy and docile and usually bigger, whilst the females are more alert, active and slender (heh, it's the same in all species, isn't it? ). If you are worried about the male rat 'down under' appearance, then it's probably best to get a female.
How often does their cage need cleaning? I would say clean the whole cage every 3-5 days, but it can depend on the rat. I wipe the shelves of Tia's cage everyday to keep them clean, as she pees on them and drags food on them and stuff Remember, cleaning out the cage also means wiping the cage bars and washing out all the tubes and toys too.
What kind of tank do they need? I've never seen a rat kept in a tank before, and I wouldn't reccommend it. Rats are natural climbers and need a tall cage with different levels and toys tied around in random places to keep them occupied. Also, make sure the shelves or levels aren't wire, as rats can get a foot condition called bumblefoot by walking on them.
How hard is it to tame them? It's pretty easy generally. Rats are intelligent and curious, and they are quick to associate people with certain things, for example food. As with most animals, offer them treats on occasion, and talk to them softly. Begin by just stroking the rat before you pick it up, and let it run on your hand palm down in the cage. After a while you can gently lift your rat up. Once a bond is established, your rat will jump on your hand when you put your hand in the cage, want to sit on your shoulder and it is possible to teach them some simple tricks or commands.
Do they bite a lot? Tia has never bitten me, she only 'play-bites' when she gets excited and wants to play. In a pet store quite near me, a man has been working there for nearly 8 years. In all the time, he's been bitten by hamsters, gerbils, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, the lot, but not once by a rat
Do they like to snuggle? Once tame, yes, generally. Females may have to work off some steam before they do or you catch them at a sleepy moment. Rats are very affectionate little creatures and they do show you love!
Are they nocturnal like hamsters? Well, yes and no. As Courtney said, rats learn your waking hours and will tailor theirs to fit you. Tia waits for me to go to bed every night, then she goes to sleep at the same time.
How much do they cost? Usually, it's not the rat is the real cost, but the cage and all the other equipment that mounts up. I'm not entirely sure of US money, but Tia herself was £10 whilst her cage was £90. I would reccommend getting the biggest and best cage that you can afford.
Well-bred rats from a breeder will probably be more expensive. I must say though, that a lot of the very fancy colours are likely to have a history of interbreeding to produce the colour, which will make them prone to respiratory problems and tumours. It could be safer to opt for an agouti or hooded rat if you don't want to risk vet bills, but if you do your homework and find out about breeders from other people then you'll know what you want to do.
As Courtney said, rats generally go well in pairs, but it is a myth that they cannot live by themselves. Tia is perfectly happy, and with just people around she has a very strong bond to me, I guess she thinks I'm her big rat sister BUT, if you just have one rat, you need to keep them somewhere you will be often, like your room, and be prepared to interact with them at least 5 times a day and different intervals, and when you're not there, leave plenty of toys and objects for your rat to play with.
And lastly... how do I convience my mom, who has afobia of those supposedly "evil monsters" to her, to let me get one? So, you're saying she could refuse this face?



(LOL, joke )

It's common for many people to fear or hate rats, they've had bad press for hundreds of years, basically because they live alongside humans in their waste, homes and property. This is only because they are adaptable and intelligent creatures who can make changes in their lifestyle to keep up with their habitat. Know another creature exactly like that? Yep, humans. We aren't that different at all.
Many people also don't like the tail. Yes, it's bald and scaly, but without it, a rat would not be a rat!
And of course, once you have a rat you'll never look back. They have the willingness of a dog, the charisma of a cat and the intellect and feelings of a person. After a while, I can guarantee your mother will see things differently, she just has to be ready to accept a little rat into her home.

I hope everything works out!!!

[buttercup132]

AWWW Zara is that Tia!?!
That picture is gorgeouse!
I agree rats are amazingly freindly and loving. I cant wait to won another one.
Just be sure to not place two males in a cage. Two females is ok but never two males.Sorry if its been mentioned already I'm just too lazy right now to read all the info givin cause there is LOTS.

[Miss Z]

AWWW Zara is that Tia!?!
That picture is gorgeouse!

Yep, that's Tia alright. Thanks Alicia

[Khay]

Just be sure to not place two males in a cage. Two females is ok but never two males.Sorry if its been mentioned already I'm just too lazy right now to read all the info givin cause there is LOTS.

That is not true.

And it is NOT a myth that rats cannot live on their own.

My first rat Cairo, has been living alone his entire life. I took him from a free ad, and I figured he was happy. I spent alot of time with him, he was always happy and bouncing around in his cage when I came to see him, however I would say he was more starved of interaction than anything. Now that he has his buddies, if I compare how he is now to how he was before the new rats, I would say he was DEPRESSED.

Any rat needs to have proper introductions done, female or male, they need to be first introduced on neutral territory, get their order figured out, and then introduced to the same cage.

When introducing males, the easiest scenario is either babies (Under 3 mos.) Or an adult male introducing to two babies that have already been introduced to each other.

Please check out the sites I posted in a previous post, they have alot of really good information - More than you're going to get just by asking here. Also check out ratsrule.com and check out the forum linked from that site.