What are rats like?

Broads.ie

I don't have much experience at all with rats, but would like a pet. I wouldn't have the time for a dog or cat but I think a rat would be do-able.


Also, are they friendly and cool just like the movies? :pac:

I mean can I walk around the house with them on my shoulder and have them run around the room etc.

Do they respond to calls? For example, if they get lost in the house can I say "herrrrre toby *whistle*"

What's the difference (personality/maintenace) between a male and female? I really don't like the look of the the males, their scrotum is just way too big and horrible, I couldn't be holding it. :eek:

Is it possible for rats to hang out with cats/dogs?

Do they bite?

What's the best rat breed? And can you tell me some examples of rat intelligence you've witnessed with your own pet rats?

cojomo2

yeah, sure is it not general knowledge that cats n rats love hanging out with each other?

star-pants

cojomo2 - post with experience/advice or not at all please.

cojomo2

star-pants wrote: »

cojomo2 - post with experience/advice or not at all please.

Sorry Star Pants : OP, in my experience, cat and rats do not get along very well together.

sf80

I've never had one (except a wild paraplegic one that I cared for out of pity), but people I know with experience said they make great pets. Intelligent and friendly.

Check out youtube, loads of example and guidance there.

Outkast_IRE

Rats are nice pets once you get them young , i would prefer to keep two if your going to be out a lot as they are social animals at the end of the day.

The main downside for me is the short lifespan.

Interceptor

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

The main downside for me is the short lifespan.

Thats really about the worst of it - you get really attached to one and they up and die on you after two or three years. I've had several pet rats and they are the nicest of all the rodents in my opinion - I've never been bitten by a rat but hamsters, gerbils, degus, mice and jirds have all sunk teeth at some stage.

They are very trainable - mine sit on my shoulder while I work and if I let them out to roam around the house they come back when called. They don't need very special diets in fact they love scraps and bits of whatever is around. Males are more chilled out than females and it is recommended that you get two same sex rats so they are company for each other.

My two dogs don't go near the rats, they shared a room at one stage and the rats would walk on the floor beside the dogs without any fear. It depends on the dog - a cat will try to kill a pet rat and only physical separation (cat outside the house) will prevent a bloodbath.

There is really no 'best breed' though a breeder will often say otherwise. Check out these guys for some really nice ones.

Heres Sheldon:

boomerang

Rats are wonderful! I rescued two rats last year and I absolutely adore them! Definitely you would have to have two - they can get very depressed without a cagemate.

You need a decent sized cage for them - the ones you get in petshops are really too small. I got the Furet Tower on Zooplus - it was about €225.00. They need a lot of time out of the cage too, for stimulation.

Yes they will know when you call them by name, but like any pet, it takes time to develop that understanding. They won't necessarily come back to you like a dog would, though! Handling them while they are very small is really important so that they get used to being lifted up and held.

They really are so docile - like others have said, of all the rodent pets, they are the least likely to bite. My Cashie just had surgery to remove a tumour and even though I really hurt her while putting on a bandage (she'd burst a stitch) she still didn't bite.

My two girls are just over a year old now, and they are fully litter trained - they use the corner litter tray for both pees and poos! It took a while to find the right kind of litter that they'd willingly go on - my guys like the shredded hemp you can get on zooplus. They definitely didn't like any kind of cat litter!

boomerang

PS If you do decide to get some rats, do yourself a massive favour - don't buy them from a petshop. They are very likely to develop hereditary diseases like cancer and respiratory problems.

As far as I know, there is only one reputable rat breeder in Ireland, and she has a very low incidence of cancer in her lines. Having just gone through a tumour removal with Cashie, I can tell you I would do anything to reduce the possibility of cancer. It's difficult nursing such a small pet after a surgery. Plus when their lives are so short, you don't want them to spend any precious time having to recover from an operation or struggling with their breathing.

You need a vet who is used to treating small furries because they need specific antibiotics and anaesthetic cocktails. There is a list of recommended vets over on the Irish Rat Club Forum.

PS Yes they will sit on your shoulder, but it's the boys that grow into lazy lumps and will slouch about on your person. The girls are much more busy.

ronan45

Do they not just run off once you open the cage like wild rats and mice?


"I really don't like the look of the the males, their scrotum is just way too big and horrible, I couldn't be holding it."

Why would you be holding ur pet rats scrotum :rolleyes:

Lawrence1895

I had rats when I was living in Germany. They were always a good company, mine even had a sense for me being in bad form...so they cheered me up

But the downside really is, that they don't live longer than 2.5 years maximum and are prone to get different tumors.

Anyway, I would suggest to keep at least two, but of the same gender, because if not...well...5-10 young ones very soon :rolleyes:

Broads.ie

ronan45 wrote: »

Why would you be holding ur pet rats scrotum :rolleyes:

Because they are huge and unavoidable. It would be rubbing off your hands and shoulder and everything. And it just looks gross. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Irishchick

If you want a friendly rat purchase one from a good breeder that has been handled allot and is used to human company.

Just remember rodents release urine when they walk so you need to practise strict hygiene when handling them.

As other people have said, try and get 2 so they can keep each other company. Make sure they are of the same sex though!!

Some people have had their pet rats interact with other pets but I wouldn't recommend it. Not with cats and dogs anyway for obvious reasons.

Broads.ie

Irishchick wrote: »

Just remember rodents release urine when they walk so you need to practise strict hygiene when handling them.

So will my clothing smell of rat piss if I have them crawling around on me while watching TV ?!!

boomerang

ronan45 wrote: »

Do they not just run off once you open the cage like wild rats and mice?

They don't go far. My girls just like hiding out in a fleece blanket on the top of the cage, or they jump on the window sill beside the cage. If I shake some treats I'll find their little heads poking out of whatever corner of the room they've been nosing about in, and then I can just pick them up and put them back in their cage. That's why it's so important that they are handled gently from a young age.

You can also section off a corner of your room for them to play in - just put in a jumble of things for them to explore. I use some big election posters stuck together with duct tape. It folds away behind the cage when not in use.

PS My girls don't pee outside the litter tray unless they get a sudden fright. So I don't get peed on. I think the boys tend to do alright though as marking behaviour?

Lawrence1895

Irishchick wrote: »

If you want a friendly rat purchase one from a good breeder that has been handled allot and is used to human company.

Just remember rodents release urine when they walk so you need to practise strict hygiene when handling them.

As other people have said, try and get 2 so they can keep each other company. Make sure they are of the same sex though!!

Some people have had their pet rats interact with other pets but I wouldn't recommend it. Not with cats and dogs anyway for obvious reasons.

Here is one important No-Go from rat lovers in Germany. Don't get your pets from a breeder, there might be plenty of cute rats in animal shelters.

Professional breeders though give a toss about their animals, they only make profit out of the breeding ability of their animals.

Maybe things are different in Ireland, maybe there are genuine breeders, but I only wanted to share my experiences from Germany, where I never found a genuine breeder in almost 15 years.

boomerang

There are very few rats in Irish animal shelters. Right now I am looking for a female rat to add to my two girls, and I cannot find one in a shelter.

My own two girls are rescued rats. They were abandoned on the counter in a petshop when they were still very small.

I will not buy from a pet shop (bad breeding) so my only option if there are no rats in the shelters is to find a good breeder.

Interceptor

boomerang wrote: »

Right now I am looking for a female rat to add to my two girls, and I cannot find one in a shelter.

Put a request up here.

boomerang

Thanks Interceptor

Already a member over there and also keeping an eye on IrishAnimals.ie, ISPCA, DSPCA and even DoneDeal!

Vote 4 Pedro

Hi,
I had two pet rats and loved them as they are very friendly and will not run off or anything silly
but when you have them you will soon be aware of the "urine thing" as said before they will pee everywhere and you will be constantly washing your hands and everything they go on.
For this reason alone i personally would not have them again,
You can not let them wonder the house although they will do no damage and will come back to you, they will be weeing and pooping will be everywhere.
Although they are great pets they are not very hygienic.

Broads.ie

Ok that peeing everywhere thing has put me off them. Thanks for the info boardsies.

Lawrence1895

Broads.ie wrote: »

Ok that peeing everywhere thing has put me off them. Thanks for the info boardsies.

It can be handy in some cases. I had that very annoying salesperson around, wanted to sell an overpriced hoover. One of my rats approached him from behind and peed on his creme coloured shirt. He never came back :pac:

January

I have a pet rat called Ben and he has never once pee'd on me. He likes to sit on my shoulder and sleep in my jumper... the males are a lot lazier than the females.

They eat lots of veg too, Ben loves banana and carrot.

Ben:

boomerang

Ben is gorgeous!

Have to say I don't get peed on either, and the girls don't piddle outside the cage. In fact, they rarely piddle outside the litter tray. I think it's more of a boy thing? Not the biggest issue in the world anyways as you're talking about teeny amounts of pee and it doesn't smell or stain - just put your jumper or whatever in the wash same as always. Hamster pee is a bigger nuisance!

Zapperzy

January wrote: »

That has to be one of the cutest photos of a rat I'v ever seen! Did he not try to pull it off?

Interceptor

Ha ha - poor Ben! I'd say he's praying to be reincarnated as a Bengal tiger so he can rip your head off for doing that to him...

LOL

January

Haha, he actually loves his hat... the tshirt is a bit small though! He's a great little guy, very particular though, you have to knock before you enter his cage, and if he doesn't pop his head out to say hello you have to leave him alone!

Zapperzy

January wrote: »

Haha, he actually loves his hat... the tshirt is a bit small though! He's a great little guy, very particular though, you have to knock before you enter his cage, and if he doesn't pop his head out to say hello you have to leave him alone!

Does he offer you a cup of tea when you enter his cage? Sounds like he has character alright!

January

Haha, I wish! He's a great little guy, curled up on my lap right now