Thinking of getting a pet rat

CREATIVE!11 · 27 Apr 2014 at 02:19

I've had a few rats in my life a long while ago, always loved them really sociable and actually recognise their owners. Remind me of little dogs.

I literally don't have any social life at moment and won't probably for a while yet, I just work constantly and I'm looking for something to keep me company and I can handle in the evenings.

Who here owns rats? thoughts? i'm thinking of getting a pair of male dumbo rats because apparently they are most docile and just like to hang out basically.

Cyclone · 27 Apr 2014 at 02:22

What about the giant rats that you see in the papers? You can put a lead on it and take it for walks.

arc@css · 27 Apr 2014 at 02:23

I had one when I was quite young, but unfortunately he didn't live long. I would have one / several again, but would probably elect to keep females. Not that big a deal what sex though.

atpbx · 27 Apr 2014 at 09:02

I'd get a chinchilla instead personally.

You can teach them tricks and they are quite intelligent for a rodent.

I used to move toys around in the cage of the one I had, he would go spare and spend ages trying to move them all back to where he liked them.

Minxy · 27 Apr 2014 at 09:50

Chinchillas are sociable animals so really you would want two. You'd need a bigger cage than for a rat and if you let them out they are quite destructive.

DoneADougalOnSofa · 27 Apr 2014 at 09:55

Lovely creatures.
Still make people shudder when you say you have pet rats, though...

Used to have a couple, but it transpires that my severe childhood asthma was actually an allergy- went on holiday for a fortnight and suddenly no asthma...

Love to have them again, but repeat prescription costs for inhalers make it non-viable!

'Harry · 27 Apr 2014 at 09:56

What about a snake? Easy to care for, don't require company and won't stink the place out like rats do.

DoneADougalOnSofa · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:00

Rats actually aren't that smelly, provided you keep the cage clean.
Hamsters are the worst, their urine really stinks...

DJDaz · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:07

What about a Degu? They're similar to rats and are meant to be great pets.

Matthew.M · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:09

Loved mine, I've had them a few times over the years and they were the best pets I've ever owned. Even came to their name and one pair had the run of the living room for most of the evenings.

However - they really don't live very long. So just when you get attached and have taught them a few things they die soon after

Diagro · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:11

+1 for degu.
You will need to have 2 though as they can get depressed being alone

_dogma_ · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:11

I have 3, a neutered male and 2 females. The most I've had at one time was 15. They currently live in half of a Liberta Explorer cage.

I love both sexes but I'd say males are harder to introduce if you'd like to increase your numbers at any point. Dumbo or top ear makes no difference to personality. What has a big effect is where you get them from. Avoid pet shops like the plague. Rats from a good breeder will be well socialised and used to human interaction. I'd get 3 just because if one has to go to the vet the other won't be left alone.

What cage are you thinking of getting? For small numbers I'd recommend the Savic Freddy 2. You can get them quite cheap from preloved etc. Its got good access, a nice deep base and plenty of hanging opportunities for to us and hammocks. I wouldn't use anything smaller personally.

Mine are on Finacard as the substrate which you can get in a big bale. A bale now lasts me 6 months or so, its really economical compared to Care fresh and the like.

They're brilliant little pets and if you have the time for them they give so much back.

ThundyCat · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:30

dougal1331 said:
Rats actually aren't that smelly, provided you keep the cage clean.

This.

Just make sure you clean the cage regularly. I had a couple of rats when I was younger.

They'd sit on my shoulders while I watched TV.

danoliver1 · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:40

Are rats incontinent like mice?

GAC · 27 Apr 2014 at 10:50

'Harry said:
What about a snake? Easy to care for, don't require company and won't stink the place out like rats do.

until cleaning day

_dogma_ · 27 Apr 2014 at 11:05

danoliver1 said:
Are rats incontinent like mice?

No, but they scent mark quite a bit. Its easy to tell the difference between a scent mark and an actual pee!

'Harry · 27 Apr 2014 at 11:06

Yeah snake turd smells, but its a quick 5min job to change the paper out. My boa's turds could match a large dog in size

pitkin · 27 Apr 2014 at 11:10

I see a couple of people saying Degus. They really are nice animals, but I found them quite hard to look after. My first two I got from a shop when they were too young (I didn't know at the time) and they died within a matter of weeks from wet tail. I'm pretty sure they had it when I got them, but I was told by the lady in the shop that they had soft droppings because they were young.

My second two lived for longer but they were both males and they fought all the time so had to be separated. One of them was quite aggressive towards people when they arrived but he was quite easy to tame with a bit of patience. He ended up very friendly towards us, but he would always attack the other Degu if they met.

Overall I found them friendlier than rats. They love being made a fuss of and they seemed to 'talk' to me when I went to them.

I'm now have a single female Jird who is really nice. She loves being stroked and will come up to the side of her cage so I can stick my finger in and tickle her behind the ears. Sadly she lost her two top teeth when chewing at one of those treat sticks that have dried fruit stuck to them, so now we have to keep her bottom teeth trimmed.

GAC · 27 Apr 2014 at 11:17

'Harry said:
Yeah snake turd smells, but its a quick 5min job to change the paper out. My boa's turds could match a large dog in size

get a couple of retics then see how quick you can do it. lets just say after you have fed about 10lbs of rabbit the smell can be a tad chewy when you come to cleaning them out.

not got any now, maybe will do in a few years depending where i end up living.

Mr Jones · 27 Apr 2014 at 11:19

atpbx said:
I'd get a chinchilla instead personally.

You can teach them tricks and they are quite intelligent for a rodent.

I used to move toys around in the cage of the one I had, he would go spare and spend ages trying to move them all back to where he liked them.

Minxy said:
Chinchillas are sociable animals so really you would want two. You'd need a bigger cage than for a rat and if you let them out they are quite destructive.

I am a first time Chinny owners - got a couple of 2.5 year olds from a home that can no longer look after them (they got puppies).

They are cute, they are very tame - as in they don't bite like hamsters, only nibble lightly then realise you're not food and don't go it again, but like Minxy said, they are destructive.

We had to "Chinchilla proof a spare room" for them to run around, even then they still find little peek of skirting boards to destroy. That said, I'll recommend them as they are so full of characters, and keeping them don't put people off despite look like a rat at times, their bushy tail leans them more squirrel like - useful for when you start dating / bringing girls round. Many Awwws.