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Jodi Moisan Storytime Bears
Posts: 1,122

My son has a chance to get a baby rat, I have had almost every rodent under the sun and love them, hamsters and mice are my favorite, but I have never had a rat, my mom was terrified of them. I hear they make GREAT pets and they are really cute, I just know nothing about  them.  Has anyone had them and are they good pets. This one he wants is sooo cute I don't want to make a bad choice, please help. bear_ermm

Hugs
a possible rat owner

Pumpkin & Pickle Bears Pumpkin & Pickle Bears
East Sussex
Posts: 2,047

They are fantastic pets! My ex and I owned 2 female fancy rats and they were just gorgeous. They are quite social animals and prefer to be in pairs, but I've only had experience of owning 2 at a time so am unsure of what they are like on their own. Rats are very intelligent rodents and can almost be 'trained'.....our 2 would come to you when their names were called!! They used to love having cuddles and would sit on my shoulder while I walked around the flat.

pandamac 'EmBears
Northern New York State
Posts: 917
Website

My son had a pet rat many years ago. It was a very friendly pet and would sit on his shoulder under his long hair as Aaron walked around. bear_thumb  But! things got busy, he stopped handling it, and Corey, Aaron's best friend, had a rat also, so they thought the 2 would be better together, so the 2 males were put together and we ended up with babies!!!  bear_shocked
Anyway, Aaron stopped playing with the rat, and it got nasty.  bear_noexpression   I don't think this would have happened had the rat been handled daily......My son was about 18 at the time.......

So, from my experience, Rats can be wonderful pets, just make sure you have the time to give them the attention they need and deserve.....(just like any pet I guess!)

Have fun with it, if he gets one! I did hold my son's rat several times when he first got it.  bear_original

Ellen

Kat Brierley Bears
Barnsley, South Yorkshire
Posts: 386
Website

My friend has got a couple of rats. She says that they are great pets, very friendly.
We were considering getting a rat a couple of years ago, but decided against it since I was living between two houses.

nettie scotland
Posts: 2,160
Website

I am the same as Gemma and always had pairs or groups.We had six when we moved in here.They are the next best thing to a dog.They do need a lot of attention and a good run outside the cage as often as possible.They are not at all like hamsters and do really want to be with you and have problems to solve etc.Two would be a better bet as they like to sleep cuddled up and play.They love to be patted and like to snugle in your neck area.You have to be careful of the ends of their tails as they are sensitive and the outer membrane can pull off if lifted that way.I have had fancy,black ,brown and japanese hooded rats and loved them all.They also stop mice living in your house as they never invade each others territory.Good luck Jodi.
Dianexxxx

doodlebears Doodlebears
UK
Posts: 7,414

doodlebears Celebration Ambassador

My daughter Eve has had so many pet rats over the years and each and every one have them have been adorable. They are highly intelligent and make wonderful pets. Enjoy your new family member, you won't be sorry!

Hugs Jane.  bear_thumb  bear_thumb

RaggyRat The RaggyRat Company
Weymouth
Posts: 1,214
Website

rats are great - see my website - LOL - there are some of my great rats on there - by that i mean pets, not that my stuff is great !

pick my brains abour rats anytime - i nearly wrote a book once !
cat xxxx

Daphne Back Road Bears
Laconia, NH USA
Posts: 6,568

I had a pet rat.... an adorable little hooded rat (black & white) named Molly.
She was so cute and smart and a wonderful pet! She went everywhere with me and loved to eat breakfast with me. Cheerios were her favorite. She had her own little bowl of them on the table. She was the BEST and easiest pet to take care of and so much fun!

I say your son should get two!  bear_grin

Jodi Moisan Storytime Bears
Posts: 1,122
Daphne wrote:

I had a pet rat.... an adorable little hooded rat (black & white) named Molly.
She was so cute and smart and a wonderful pet! She went everywhere with me and loved to eat breakfast with me. Cheerios were her favorite. She had her own little bowl of them on the table. She was the BEST and easiest pet to take care of and so much fun!

I say your son should get two!  :lol:

Whoa daphne lets not go crazy here, whew !!!!! I glad he wasn't sitting here reading these, or he would be out the door and racing back home with 2 babies :crackup:

Although after reading all these posts, 2 may not be a bad idea, I know these rats will become mine and I am a person that likes to read everything about something before I try them, I used to be an impluse buyer but in my old age I am getting more careful.


Cat I went to your website and your stuff is great!!!!!! I LOVE the rat backpack http://www.raggyrat.co.uk/ratbag/rucksack.htm
I would love to get one of your raggity rats , I love the one on your website called sugar, what is the US dollar amount for one like that?

my oldest son went to see  RATATOUILLE with his girlfriend this weekend and LOVED it, said it was better then Cars. I just know when we see it we will be rat owners bear_original

Thanks all for your input you have calmed some of my worries, the babies were just born so I have some time to read up.
:hug:
Jodi

Cheshire Cat Wilmslow Cheshire
Posts: 758

We had a pair too Jodi ,well they were my son Nick's.Used to sit on my shoulders while I was sewing,two boys ,Pip and Squeak !! They make great pets
hugs
Louise x

Jennskains Posts: 2,203

I have two.  They are very easy to care for and very smart.

DebbieD Posts: 3,540

bear_original  Yes, rats on the whole make wonderful pets!!!  I've only met two that bit, and there was something seriously wrong (mentally) with both of them.....as in, I mean, the one had a tumor, and the other had something wrong with her brain and it made her vicious. 

As for my own two, Ringo and later Amelia, I couldn't have wanted better pets.  Ringo was a 'pick of the litter' and handled incessantly by a 6 year old as he was growing up ~ so he was super friendly, and super bonded to people.  Even though he was fine with his his littermates, and other young rats at the petshop, he loved humans more.  When I would put in his food, he wouldn't even look at it, but make a beeline to climb up on my hand.   bear_wub

Amelia was kept in a seperate cage, but so they could see each other.  I did try to let them have a little supervised playtime together (I did not want babies, and neither did Amelia, which was why I had her.  She'd eaten her first litter  bear_sad  )  But neither rat was interested in the other.  They'd either play their own little games, or see which could get onto me the fastest.  Neither appreciated have to share me  bear_whistle   Ringo I'd actually had totally by himself for awhile before I rescued Amelia, and he never seemed lonely, but then he also hung out on my shoulder too. 

One important thing, aside from a nice balanced rat food, you'll always want to provide some form of 'chew stick' for the rat to wear their teeth down....same as a hamster, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit, etc.   bear_original

RaggyRat The RaggyRat Company
Weymouth
Posts: 1,214
Website
Jodi Moisan wrote:

Cat I went to your website and your stuff is great!!!!!! I LOVE the rat backpack http://www.raggyrat.co.uk/ratbag/rucksack.htm
I would love to get one of your raggity rats , I love the one on your website called sugar, what is the US dollar amount for one like that?

hi jodi ... perhoas we could trade?
just a thought !! haha ... i'd have to make you about half a douzen raggies (raggy not raggedy or raggity) !!!

sugar ( http://www.raggyrat.co.uk/raggyrats/agouti.htm ) is a capped rat, and to send one to you air mailed and singed for is £25, i accept dollars payments through paypal only, so you could find out this way how many $$ that would be ... i also used the b4bears converter a few times recently heehee, or your own bank ... rates very a bit, ooh i just mistyped rats vary a bit LOL

about the comment on getting 2 - def a good idea as they are social animals and would have some one to sleep with and mutually groom and not much more work than one lil ratty !

now make a story time rat and make me drool with envy :-)
hugs
cat xxxx

kim "a bear by kim"
merseyside
Posts: 2,401

i had a rat once called william, he had a huge aquarium, but i took the lid off and he would never come out if i wasnt there, and when he did it was to say helloooo, he was goreous and loved custard cream biscuits.
he would come and sit on my shoulder and whisper sweet nothings into my ear.
that was 10 yrs ago and i was heart broken when he died of old age but thats one rat that will always have a special place in my heart.
they are great pets as they are so clever..... go on, let him have one!!

RaggyRat The RaggyRat Company
Weymouth
Posts: 1,214
Website

did you let him have one ??
did you, did you ??? bounce bounce !

raggyrat info above ...
cat xxx

Jodi Moisan Storytime Bears
Posts: 1,122

They were just born when I first posted and we are waiting on Dad to give the OK, he is soooooo not into owning a rat.  bear_sad  I keep telling him what you guys have said about them, but he grew up with no pets, his father and mom both hated having pets , which I think is sooooo sad.  A rat has been such a hard sell. I think they should change their names, the moment you say "rat" people freak out.  Even my dad , who loves animals said in front of my husband "Rats and snakes are the only 2 pets we would never let Jodi have"  I even had an alligator growing up , yesh!!!! I had no idea he and my mom had that rule.  bear_ermm

Daphne Back Road Bears
Laconia, NH USA
Posts: 6,568

If my husband... who grew up petless like your's did... can agree to two wheaten terriers who are just about the highest maintenance, highest energy, stubborn dogs a person could possibly have (and totally make it impossible to ever go away... or leave the house at all for that matter!)... your husband can live with a rat or two. He'll hardly even know they are in the house. Perhaps your son can agree NOT to have the rat(s) out when he's home... at least not for a while until he's had a chance to get used to them.

I had a snake, an iguana and birds when I was growing up.... mom hated every one of them but wasn't about to stiffle my love for God's creatures!

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

http://petcare.suite101.com/article.cfm/pet_rats

Pop here Jodi. It is a site that gives info onwhat to feed them and what not. Bedding, cages etc.........
I came across this when researching. I also wanted to have a rat as a pet but the local bi-laws want allow rats to be kept or sold in the district.. Major bummer that.   Best of luck with your new pet.

http://sugargliders4u.ciferno.net/basketball.htm#
this video is a must see. It is soooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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