Rats anyone?

[Randi]

I have 4 pet rats: Notti, Mysty, Francie, and Margie. They are awesome pets!!! Does anyone else have or like rats? People usually say, "GROSS!" but rats aren't gross. They are very very clean animals as long as you keep their cages clean. They're easy to care for also. In fact, they're just like mini dogs.

Any other rat people???

 

[Levi44]

Hi again, Randi - RATS! You gave me wonderful advise about our dogs, but have never thought about having a rat for a pet. How big are they?

Welcome to CF - see you just joined. It is an awesome site!
Take care of your rats!
God bless - Hedi

 

[Randi]

Rats are wonderful pets!! Males, which are usually larger than females, can possibly get up to 5 pounds but not often. Usually around 2 or 3 pounds is full grown weight. If you're interested in rats as pets I can give you lots of info. Just let me know.

 

[Levi44]

Hi Randi - What purpose do the rats serve? Can you pet them? I like to see a mouse, but not too sure about rats. Please give me some information on the - interesting! Hedi

 

[Randi]

They serve many purposes!!! Yes, you can pet and cuddle them. Notti's favorite place is right on my shoulder, she'll sit there for a long time. Rats can be trained to do, I think, anything a dog can do. They're so intelligent.

Food= rat and mouse mix (dry), fresh fruits and veggies, yogurt treats and just about anything else. My girls love bagels and cream cheese, corn on the cob, peanut butter, and cucumbers.

Housing= large cage. you should have at least 2 rats, they love companionship. and having a friend will make them more comfortable with you. cages are better than aquariums because they get fresh air. carefresh and aspen beddings are best.

Care- Rats should be out of their cage AT LEAST 1 hour a day. But once you get them you realize you want them out all the time!!! Provide fresh water so they can freshen up every once in a while. An occasional bath is good although they don't enjoy it much.

Let me know if you have any specific questions. I really mean it when I say that they are JUST like mini dogs. They even lick you and some wag their tails! They're entertaining, fun, lovable, and all around great pets!!

 

[Levi44]

Hi Randi - that is the most amazing thing I have ever read! They do sound just like little dogs, but I don't think my husband would go for the idea! Do they smell? Do you have any pictures of them? Just amazing!

God bless you and I guess, your rats!
Hedi

 

[Randi]

Just like any animal, they CAN smell. But you can prevent it by keeping their cages clean. The cage with three rats I clean at least twice a week, sometimes with a mixture of lemon juice and baking soda. The cage with only Notti (she doesn't like other rats) I clean once a week. But overall they're not smelly animals.
I'm not sure if it's against the rules to post a site you can go to on here. So I'll pm you about it.

 

[Flopsy Rabbit]

Ratties are the sweetest! I have found wood pellets either sold as animal bedding or wood stove pellets at feed stores to be the best litter for ratties, and rabbits too. It is very absorbant, turns to wet sawdust, and absorbs smell very well, also just dump it out when cleaning it doesn't stick to the cage and it only costs around 3.50 a 40# bag. Just make sure it is only wood and doesn't have any additives. Also if you are careful not to feed your ratties any dog or cat food or meat products of any kind their pee wont smell much. But if you do feed them meat products their pee will smell REALY bad. There is a vegetarian dog food with garlic in it that you can add to their mix if you like, they love it. It is made by Natures Recepie allergy formula vegetarian. My ratties love it. If you get a rattie you will get another one and you will never want to be without ratties again

 

[blueapplepaste]

Another vote for rats as pets. They are super cool and are nothing near the awful stereotypes that they have. If you're willing to put in the effort to properly care for one then go for it!

 

[Gardenia]

I love rats! I had two lovely girls, though one just recently passed away. They are my favortie type of pets, next to dogs.
I also like mice and gerbils as well. Rodents are so much fun.

 

[njcl]

rats are horrid especially the disease carrying brown rat,i cringe when i see one,their tail is the most hideous thing god made...URGH

 

[mycatspice]

That would be fun to own some rats. Cat toys are so expensive these days. Just kidding, I like rodent pets. I use to have a chinchilla back in the day.

 

[heyo]

i don t like them

 

[miss_klara]

I had rats for a few years. I got one for my birthday when I turned 12 and she was neat, then one day I came home from the shops and discovered she had nine babies!! Baby rats are sooooo adorable, when they start growing fur they have these wrinkly little tummies! We ended up keeping three of her babies, one girl and two boys.... After they died I got another rat, Pixie, who was the most gentle little creature I'd ever met. She was this vibrant orangey colour and loved being out of the cage! The moment I went near her cage, even if she was asleep, she'd be at the door, waiting to come out. And she licked me all the time. If she was sitting on my shoulder and I went to pat her, she'd go into a licking frenzy and grab hold of my hand! It was so cute! Every time I stuck my hand in the cage-it got licked! I know they lick cuz they like the salt on people's fingers, but still... It was heaps cute.
The only uncool thing she ever did was, when I cleaned her cage, I would always let her run around on the grass, and one day she picked up a worm and ate it! I turned around to see her with half this wriggling pink thing clutched between her paws!! Gross.... But rats truly are great pets! I would love to have them again, but at the moment I have love birds and they take up plenty of my time ;-)