Thinking of getting a pet rat

[danza]

I had an awesome pet rat who would lick people like a dog. Used to take it all over the place in my pocket, and after getting in from my Saturday morning cleaning job, I'd get him out and take him to my room when I went for a kip. I'd often wake to find him asleep under my pillow.

Easily one of the best pets I've ever had, but they live for a disappointingly short time.

 

[darael]

I smell a rat in this thread.

 

[Cosimo]

I smell a rat in this thread.

There's a few around.

 

[benskia]

I literally don't have any social life at moment and won't probably for a while yet,

And even for a lot longer once you start telling the ladies you have a pet rat!

Get a kitten. Might help attract you some ***** (a word for an adult cat and also a pet famously owned by missus slocumb)

 

[Manbatius]

Sits back and awaits ferret gif....

 

[Ghosteh]

I've just got two Degus and they are absolutely awesome. Still in the early days of taming, but they are so friendly and interesting to watch, and can see that they are quite clever creatures, even though they are young.

Used to have Gerbils when I was younger, and although they were interesting to watch, they were no where near as interactive as these two.

 

[agw_01]

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

+1

I've got 3 girls, they're about 14 months old now and absolutely lovely things. Definitely going to bring a tear to my eye when their time comes.

Rats are very easy to look after and as long as you keep their cage clean and use appropriate dust free bedding/good quality fresh/dried food shouldn't cause too much in terms of vet bills. I'd avoid pellets personally. A work colleague recently gave me a bag after her rats died and mine won't touch them. I think they're spoilt having had good quality food

I love freaking people out when I tell them I have rats. They imagine massive sewer rats. One of my friend's girlfriend refused to be in the same room as them

 

[One]

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 in the evenings.

Lol. Someone call suicide watch.

 

[Skilid]

My girlfriend used to have rats. They were incredibly friendly and fun animals. Very intelligent. They aren't at all smelly if you keep their cage clean.

One tip is never get a rat from a pet shop, get one from a breeder. The ones from pet shops aren't socialised when they are born and are therefore scared of everyone/everything. She said her rat from a breeder was a far more enjoyable companion.

 

[DoneADougalOnSofa]

Once met a girl who kept her baby bearded dragon between her boobs while shopping.
Off topic, but no joke...

One lucky lizard.

 

[robfosters]

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

Too true. My royal's turds stink to high heaven, and I struggle to see how so much **** can come out of a small body. Sometimes her turds are taller than her

Keep a rat and a snake. That way when the rat dies, you can save some money on snake food

 

[Orionaut]

A lady friend of mine had a rat as a pet once (Amongst her other menagerie! ). It was actually a lovely creature (More golden than white, a bit like a ferret). Very friendly and not smelly at all! The thing that struck me most however was its ability to give me a "Rat Manicure"!

That is to say, it, Very gently, loved to remove the dead skin from around my finger nails! It Never drew blood!

(Think cleaner wrasse)

 

[D.P.]

I've had a few rats when younger. Great pets. Smart, clean, friendly, incredibly social, easy to look after.

Would come home from school/uni, open the cage and let them run around my room. After playing they would run up my legs and sit on my shoulders while I worked/played, one on each shoulder with their tail wrapped around my my neck and they would whisper in my ear.

Friggin cool pets. By far the smartest doesn't and I smell at all.

 

[D.P.]

I had an awesome pet rat who would lick people like a dog. Used to take it all over the place in my pocket, and after getting in from my Saturday morning cleaning job, I'd get him out and take him to my room when I went for a kip. I'd often wake to find him asleep under my pillow.

Easily one of the best pets I've ever had, but they live for a disappointingly short time.

Yeah, that is the biggest issue. They only live for 2 years or so, sometimes less.


I would also sometimes go to bed with them out of the cage and wake up with them cuddling up to me. Really easy pets but huge amount of fun for rodent. Why people bother with gerbils, mice or hamsters I don't know. Ice had so many bites from people's hamsters, their pee stinks, they hate contact and if you let them run about they disappear never to be seen again. Rats just run around and come back to you for cuddles!

 

[Mr Badger]

Capybara for the win.

 

[CREATIVE!11]

Yeah, that is the biggest issue. They only live for 2 years or so, sometimes less.


I would also sometimes go to bed with them out of the cage and wake up with them cuddling up to me. Really easy pets but huge amount of fun for rodent. Why people bother with gerbils, mice or hamsters I don't know. Ice had so many bites from people's hamsters, their pee stinks, they hate contact and if you let them run about they disappear never to be seen again. Rats just run around and come back to you for cuddles!

Interesting you say that about cuddling part, I always have a memory from when I was a kid of my first rat....

It was a stormy night, thunder heavy rain etc all night. And I remember being awoken by my rat sleeping under my neck in my bed.... she had obviously escaped her cage and climbed into my bed out of fear or something. But I was never quite sure if it actually happened? you know those times when you are half asleep and you aren't sure if it was a dream or you actually did said thing.

Anyway all I remember is waking up half asleep in a daze and putting her back in her cage. This was probably like 18 or so years ago but I still weirdly remember it.

Lol. Someone call suicide watch.

Yeah I know, it's gone beyond point of depressing into apathy instead LOL.

Also i've seen few of you guys mention getting rats from breeders. Anyone got any advice how to find breeders?

 

[_dogma_]

Have a look on the NFRS website to find breeders. Or join the fancy rats forum and someone can point you in the right direction.

 

[GAC]

Capybara for the win.

you can have one of them but you will need a DWA licence the last i heard.

 

[DoneADougalOnSofa]

And a very big cage...

 

[Dave****]

A friend of mine used to have two rats. One of the rats ate the other ones tail.