Rats are awesome!

[3boobykins]

We love our new rats! Our kids have been begging--two of them have rats as class pets--and we decided, why not, and bought a HUGE cage off ebay--it's about 4.5 ft. tall and 3 feet wide with ladders and levels. We tried to find a rattery, but there are none anywhere near us, so we got our rat boys at Petco--not the best place to support, I know, but it was our only option in our smallish town. They're the lovliest little creatures! They're friendly, smart, and such fun to watch and play with. The kids names them Apollo, Hercules, and Yoda--they each have a unique personality. They're still babies, but are growing FAST.

I'll try to find a moment to take/post some photos soon.

[greenmagick]

I love my ratties! Actually just finished cleaning their cage and I sewed new stuff for them all afternoon today

I have 4 nuetered males...had 5 but one passed away a couple days ago He kept getting infections from his neuter. I actually went to the vet in the morning to pick up meds again for him and when I got home that afternoon, he was gone

Anyways, yes, they are lots of fun...so sweet and cute and friendly.

[34me]

I loved my rat too. Unfortunately after I got him I found out I was majorly allergic to him.

[Leta]

I've never encountered a rat other than a pet rat, so I don't get why people are weird about them. I think they're cute and smart.

When DSS wanted a little pet of his own, I pushed hard for a rat, but DH was creeped out- even though he's never seen or held one! I don't get it.

[journeymom]

I had rats and they were wonderful pets. Smart and fun. It took me the longest time to figure out why my asthma would go away when I went to work and then come back when I lay down in bed. I was allergic to them. I had to be careful not to rub my eyes after handling them, too.

I think small critters like rats can be scary if you don't like that they're unpredictable and can move really fast. And they aren't necessarily fluffy-soft like a hamster, and they don't have sweet, round faces. They've got long, sharp noses that make them look smart clever! (And a long, scaly tail.)

For most of the world they're just vermin. I have to admit, I felt no affection for the rats I encountered around our outside garbage bin one night.

[oiseau]

I live with about 35 pets (most of them frogs in terraria...I'm not a crazy animal hoarder or anything) and my rats are hands down my favorite. My first two rats were the best pets I've ever owned. The 3 I currently have are still great, but 2 of them are half wild, so they're not quite as friendly. They're so smart and curious and cute...just all around great pets!

Also, just so you know, there are rat rescue groups and sometimes local animal shelters have rats as well. I'm not meaning to be critical, I just wanted to mention some other options between rattery and pet store. Best wishes with your ratties!!

[3boobykins]

Journeymom and 34me--sorry you're allergic! That's no fun!

greenmagick--I need to sew them some hammocks!

oiseau--Our local shelters don't have rats, and I looked for rescues, but they're just too far from us. I would love to go another route. Fortunately these guys seem very healthy and have great temperaments. They're growing like crazy!

Leta--I'm sorry your dh doesn't realize how charming ratties are. Maybe someday he will...

My mom met the rats for the first time today and really liked them--she commented on how friendly they are. I've had hamsters, bunnies, and guinea pigs, and rats are by far my favorite small furry creature. I'm glad they're going to get a lot bigger, though--less delicate, and they can't hide as easily. Yoda, ds's rat, got under his dresser and it took us half an hour to coax him out.

[Vermillion]

Yoda, that's cute! My DS's rat is Darth Vader

I love rats soooo much! They’re so friendly and smart and so easy to care for. Unfortunately, ours have to live at my mom’s now as I developed allergies to them and they made my chest gurgle big time

One thing I want to mention, since you got your ratties from a pet store, is to be on the lookout for mycoplasma. It's very common in poorly bred rats, which are usually what pet stores have

http://pet-diseases.suite101.com/art...ctions_in_rats

Anyway, enjoy your rats!

[miss_sonja]

I love rats! I don't have them because their claws are a bit too strong and scratch my kids. We do have mice though and love 'em. They're not as clever as rats but just as cute and fun to play with.

[Kismet_fw]

Originally Posted by journeymom

I think small critters like rats can be scary if you don't like that they're unpredictable and can move really fast. And they aren't necessarily fluffy-soft like a hamster, and they don't have sweet, round faces. They've got long, sharp noses that make them look smart clever! (And a long, scaly tail.)

I think for many people, the pointy faces look almost fiendish, and there are strains of rats that are more aggressive than the breeds used for pets. There are very mean ones out there. I like the pet ones ok, but find mice and gerbils both cuter, and easier to leave in their cages instead of getting them out to play, maybe just because they're smaller.

[jtbuko]

Congrats! Rats are great pets! We had some freecycle rats here for their retirement, and will get them again in the future.