[smb90]

Having recently taken in four of them and only being able to find a home for one out of four, I can finally say that these little furry things have finally gotten to me. XD

Has anyone else ever had one as a pet? What kind of advice would you give to a first time rat owner?

[Riograce]

smb90, on 02 April 2012 - 12:02 AM, said:

Having recently taken in four of them and only being able to find a home for one out of four, I can finally say that these little furry things have finally gotten to me. XD

Has anyone else ever had one as a pet? What kind of advice would you give to a first time rat owner?

I had hamsters for a time. I loved them, but they were too short-lived for me - it's terrible to get attached, only to have them live just a couple of years.

I trust you're ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that they are all the same sex, otherwise there will be babies.

Just make sure that whatever habitat you're using is escape-proof and invasion-proof from any other pets you might have. Handle them regularly (with clean hands - if you smell like food, they'll bite!) to get them used to you and so they'll bond with you.

Good luck!

[smb90]

Riograce, on 02 April 2012 - 12:54 AM, said:

I had hamsters for a time. I loved them, but they were too short-lived for me - it's terrible to get attached, only to have them live just a couple of years.

I trust you're ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that they are all the same sex, otherwise there will be babies.

Just make sure that whatever habitat you're using is escape-proof and invasion-proof from any other pets you might have. Handle them regularly (with clean hands - if you smell like food, they'll bite!) to get them used to you and so they'll bond with you.

Good luck!

Oh, no. Two are males, one is a female. They are housed separately. I also have a female teddy bear hamster. They stay in one room of the house cause we have cats.XD

I never really liked rats until these wiggled their way into my life. It amazes me how almost everything I was told growing up was a lie.

Hamsters... well at least mine, are as mean as a rattle snake. XD

[Riograce]

smb90, on 02 April 2012 - 01:00 AM, said:

Oh, no. Two are males, one is a female. They are housed separately. I also have a female teddy bear hamster. They stay in one room of the house cause we have cats.XD

Heh. We had a cat when I had the hamsters. He regarded them (mother and son) as *his* pets.

[smb90]

Riograce, on 02 April 2012 - 01:10 AM, said:

Heh. We had a cat when I had the hamsters. He regarded them (mother and son) as *his* pets.


CharlemagneAndCinca.jpg

If you still have that cage and are interested in getting rid of or selling it let me know.

I have never seen a cage that big!

[R&Rmom]

Rats are incredible pets ! They are cleaner than hamsters or mice, and they are very smart - we have had 4 pets Rats over the years - one had free run of the house, and we had 3 cats also - he got along with the cats and used a litter box of his own. I know people are freaked out over them, but I loved ours - and you know what - pet rats dont bite. hmmm - they behave better than teenagers.......
Good luck with your guys -

[CreativeOne]

I have a friend who just LOVES rats - best pet(s) she ever had, or so she says. Fully trainable to do all kinds of tricks and commands.
I had mice and gerbils when I was young, never a rat.

Enjoy your time together!

[smb90]

R&Rmom, on 02 April 2012 - 07:42 AM, said:

Rats are incredible pets ! They are cleaner than hamsters or mice, and they are very smart - we have had 4 pets Rats over the years - one had free run of the house, and we had 3 cats also - he got along with the cats and used a litter box of his own. I know people are freaked out over them, but I loved ours - and you know what - pet rats dont bite. hmmm - they behave better than teenagers.......
Good luck with your guys -

They are amazing. The girl has never been housed with the guy but her belly is looking rather big. :\ Looks like she might have came in pregnant. So if anyone wants any babies I might have them soon. XD My cats (3 of them) are not trusted around them. Two want to eat them and the other one is scared of them. XD

CreativeOne, on 02 April 2012 - 02:50 PM, said:

I have a friend who just LOVES rats - best pet(s) she ever had, or so she says. Fully trainable to do all kinds of tricks and commands.
I had mice and gerbils when I was young, never a rat.

Enjoy your time together!

Awww. <3 Mice and gerbils scare me because of my hamster. Truthfully these guys did too a first! With my hamster teeth chattering meant I was about to get bit if I didn't yank my hand away. With the rats it means they are happy/excited or scared. XD

A lot of people think so negatively about them....so I have started setting up cute little photo shoots with them to share on flickr. <3.




^^ This is Remy, he is the little guy that actually found a good, new home. <3
Truthfully...with a picture like that... how could he not have. XD

^^ This is also Remy.


^^ This is Lamington. <3 He is my sweetheart. He'd ride around in my shirt pocket all day!




^^ Dot - Was the first one to find me. <3 He is older, but just as sweet.

This post has been edited by smb90: 02 April 2012 - 11:22 PM

[lawlady]

How cute!

[♥GaLinemansWife♥]

I have a dumbo rat, I had two but one of my boys died a couple of months ago, he was 4 so I knew it was close. My boy left is depressed but doing better. They were brothers. I love them so much, but I dont want to go through losing more after such a short life span. My rats are really affectionate and curious. I give mine treats every day, his favorite is really ripe bananas (green bananas will kill them). They love yogurt, I give them a piece of my sons frozen gogurt and they go nuts. They also love a piece of toast with a light spread of peanut butter, but just a small amount because they can choke. One thing I can tell you is to make sure to change their bedding frequently because they are prone to respiratory problems anyway, but dirty bedding makes it worse, I use Carefresh. I have a three story wire cage with a wheel so they have plenty of room and I used to make hammocks for them to hang in there, you can make one with a shirt. Ratties are such good pets!! Good luck!

[smb90]

lawlady, on 03 April 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

How cute!

Thank you I am really trying to take the cutest pictures to attempt to make people rethink their opinion on them. XD

♥GaLinemansWife♥, on 03 April 2012 - 11:27 AM, said:

I have a dumbo rat, I had two but one of my boys died a couple of months ago, he was 4 so I knew it was close. My boy left is depressed but doing better. They were brothers. I love them so much, but I dont want to go through losing more after such a short life span. My rats are really affectionate and curious. I give mine treats every day, his favorite is really ripe bananas (green bananas will kill them). They love yogurt, I give them a piece of my sons frozen gogurt and they go nuts. They also love a piece of toast with a light spread of peanut butter, but just a small amount because they can choke. One thing I can tell you is to make sure to change their bedding frequently because they are prone to respiratory problems anyway, but dirty bedding makes it worse, I use Carefresh. I have a three story wire cage with a wheel so they have plenty of room and I used to make hammocks for them to hang in there, you can make one with a shirt. Ratties are such good pets!! Good luck!

It is looking like the girl I adopted came in pregnant, so if you want another baby or two let me know. XD I have been giving them the walmart good mix, it is like $4 a bag and I hate the fact I can't make my own for them. I have also giving them cut up potatoes, lettuce, carrots, and some times a small little crumb of cheese.

[Riograce]

smb90, on 03 April 2012 - 03:58 PM, said:

It is looking like the girl I adopted came in pregnant, so if you want another baby or two let me know. XD I have been giving them the walmart good mix, it is like $4 a bag and I hate the fact I can't make my own for them. I have also giving them cut up potatoes, lettuce, carrots, and some times a small little crumb of cheese.

When I still had my hamsters, I read somewhere where wheat germ was good for them, so I gave mine some of that with their seed mix.

I can relate to a pregnant pet - unbeknownst to me, my second hamster was preggo when I bought her. Got up one morning and she had made her birthing nest in her wheel. Thankfully, she didn't eat any of the babies - she was a good little mother. I kept one and gave the other three away.

Your photos are great, BTW!

[♥GaLinemansWife♥]

smb90, on 03 April 2012 - 03:58 PM, said:

Thank you I am really trying to take the cutest pictures to attempt to make people rethink their opinion on them. XD





It is looking like the girl I adopted came in pregnant, so if you want another baby or two let me know. XD I have been giving them the walmart good mix, it is like $4 a bag and I hate the fact I can't make my own for them. I have also giving them cut up potatoes, lettuce, carrots, and some times a small little crumb of cheese.

Oh my goodness that is so tempting to get another...lol! Im sure my male would be agressive at this point, he was food agressive with his brother, but loved him very much. I wish I could have another..

[smb90]

Riograce, on 03 April 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

When I still had my hamsters, I read somewhere where wheat germ was good for them, so I gave mine some of that with their seed mix.

I can relate to a pregnant pet - unbeknownst to me, my second hamster was preggo when I bought her. Got up one morning and she had made her birthing nest in her wheel. Thankfully, she didn't eat any of the babies - she was a good little mother. I kept one and gave the other three away.

Your photos are great, BTW!

It amazes me that they can get pregnant so easily! I had three teddy bears I save at one time. I was told one was female (she came from animal control lol) and the other two came from someone who had them as pets and was tired of getting bit. They were suppose to be males... well, one kept humping the other so it didn't take me long to figure out that they weren't both males. XD When I put the other female in with mine from the shelter she tried killing it! Since I didn't want three cages the 'newest' went to live with my niece and nephews. XD I only have my Nibbler left, she is the one from the shelter.

Thank you for the compliment. <3

♥GaLinemansWife♥, on 03 April 2012 - 04:29 PM, said:

Oh my goodness that is so tempting to get another...lol! Im sure my male would be agressive at this point, he was food agressive with his brother, but loved him very much. I wish I could have another..

I haven't had any food aggression issues with mine, but if the baby runs up to the male while the male is eating a special snack (dog food, lettuce, ect...) than the big guy will hold the little guy down with one paw. XD It is kind of cute. <3 If they do come, and she isn't just getting fat, I will let you know. Maybe your rattie wouldn't be aggressive? lol. I am really hoping I am mistaken her fatness as a pregnancy and she isn't really. She is soo young!

This post has been edited by smb90: 03 April 2012 - 05:23 PM

[♥GaLinemansWife♥]

smb90, on 03 April 2012 - 05:20 PM, said:

It amazes me that they can get pregnant so easily! I had three teddy bears I save at one time. I was told one was female (she came from animal control lol) and the other two came from someone who had them as pets and was tired of getting bit. They were suppose to be males... well, one kept humping the other so it didn't take me long to figure out that they weren't both males. XD When I put the other female in with mine from the shelter she tried killing it! Since I didn't want three cages the 'newest' went to live with my niece and nephews. XD I only have my Nibbler left, she is the one from the shelter.

Thank you for the compliment. <3



I haven't had any food aggression issues with mine, but if the baby runs up to the male while the male is eating a special snack (dog food, lettuce, ect...) than the big guy will hold the little guy down with one paw. XD It is kind of cute. <3 If they do come, and she isn't just getting fat, I will let you know. Maybe your rattie wouldn't be aggressive? lol. I am really hoping I am mistaken her fatness as a pregnancy and she isn't really. She is soo young!

Do you have a picture of her?

[smb90]

♥GaLinemansWife♥, on 03 April 2012 - 05:34 PM, said:

Do you have a picture of her?

Right now, she won't let me hold her up long enough to get a good one of her stomach. Let me grab a picture of her though.

[smb90]