do u like rats?

Question

as pets

Answer 1

no

Answer 2

Yes. When I got bored with hamsters, I decided to get a couple of rats. They're much more intelligent than hamsters. I kept my rats in an aquarium and at night they would climb up on their toy "house" so they could reach the screen cover, push the screen up, climb out of the aquarium and down the stack of books to the box of food pellets (treats), knock the box over, collect the pellets, and then bring them back into the aquarium. They did it every night, and every morning I would find them sound asleep in the aquarium.

Their names were Theo and Cleo and they produced many off-spring (which is a whole other story).

Answer 3

I had two rats as pets when I was little. One behaved and was a good pet -- the other was very mean and always bite me and would get loose from the cage....I would end up finding it in cupboards eatting away.

Answer 4

Yes! They are awesome. I have a female one as a pet, and I'd take her over a hamster or gerbil ANY day...far superior intellect, they can do tricks, aren't likely to run away if they get out of their cage...SOOOO many good points I can't even list here, go do a search on Google if you want more info.

Now an un-tamed, wild rat or something like that, that's a different story.

What You Need to Know about Pet Rats
Rat Facts

* Average life span of 2-3 years.
* Length: body 9-11 inches; tail 7-9 inches.
* Nocturnal, so will be most active at night.
* Males are called bucks, females are does, and babies are pups or kittens.
* Rats are social so do best if kept with another rat (or group of rats).
* Rats reach puberty very young - at 6-8 weeks of age. They shouldn't be bred this young, though, so make sure males and females are separated before this age.
* Females go into heat every 4-5 days (for about 24 hours) and may seem agitated or restless during this time.
* Wide range of markings, as well as varieties (e.g. standard/smooth, rex, hairless, tailless).

About Keeping Rats as Pets

* Rats are intelligent, social animals that can make wonderful pets.
* Easily tamed.
* Relatively easy to care for, but are not low maintenance pets.
* Require a fair amount of attention and exercise time outside of thier cages (at least an hour a day is ideal).
* Rats are very social and do best if kept with other rats.
Same sex pairs or groups are ideal. Males usually get along fine with other males especially if introduced at a young age or they are littermates. Keeping rats in groups does not make them more difficult to tame if they are handled from a young age.
* Rats are very curious.
* Many owners compare the companionship of a rat to that of a dog.
* As a rule, males are larger and somewhat lazier than females, and have a coarser coat. Females are smaller and tend to be more active and playful.

Finding a Pet Rat

* Pet stores: only if the store/staff are knowledgeable about caring for rats and keep them in appropriate, clean housing with a good diet, and handle them regularly. Look for stores that house males and females separately, to avoid a surprise litter.
* Breeders (ratteries): probably the best option for finding a well socialized young rat. A good breeder will make sure the babies are socialized and handled from an early age. Also probably your only option if looking for a particlar coat type or color.
* Shelters: consider rescuing a rat in need of a home - check with local shelters or rescue groups. Choose a rat with a good temperament; rescued rats may be a little skittish or shy at first but you can probably overcome this with patience. Avoid rats that are aggressive though, as this is harder to overcome and most rats are not aggressive.
* Whichever source is chosen, make sure the rat appears to be in good health and condition, and is well socialized.
* If buying an older rat, try to make sure it has been handled from a young age.

Choosing a Pet Rat

* Try to avoid rats that are panicky when handled, especially if they do not relax quickly, and also those that are overly quiet and calm (may be ill). Often a good choice is a rat that is curious enough to approach you.
* Rats should be alert and active.
* The rats body should be firm and well rounded. Younger rats are likely to be on the lean side.
* The nose, eyes, ears, and rear end should be clean and free from discharge.
* The coat should be clean and well groomed (healthy rats spend a lot of time grooming). The skin on the ears and tail should be clean and pink.
* The skin should be free of sores and not red or flaky.
* Watch the rat's breathing to make sure it is not labored, and make sure the rat is not sneezing or having discharge from its nose or eyes (all signs of respiratory disease which is fairly common in rats).
* Watch for drooling or wetness around the mouth, which can be a sign of dental problems.

Answer 5

Rats make wonderful pets.. they enjoy being with you, love to snuggle under your hair or clothes are fun to have around.... you can put them down and not be worried about them wanting to run away... I think they're really great, but I hate the way they are prone to tumours when they get to around 3 years old. I won't have another rat, just because it is too distressing to see them die of these tumours acquired from their ancestry of lab rats.

Answer 6

Yeah, rats are cool pets, they are really good for little kids, not to little tho.
I have 13 rats and am a member of the Aus rodent fanciers society qld, If anyone wants to chat bout ratties check out...
http://groups.msn.com/RfsRats

Answer 7

I agree with Jill, they are prone to getting tumors. Ive only ever had three rats and they all had to be put to sleep because of this. I went to my local pet store one day just for a browse and the girl who worked there told me she had baby rats in the back room, not quite ready to be sold. She showed me one in particular that was born with no eyes what so ever and she told me it was going to be sent back to the breeder. I could only guess what the breeder would do so i bought him there and then. Sadly he only lived to be 1 year old due to a tumor. But they do make wonderful pets. Mine loved to play, especiallyif i gently pushed them onto their back and tustled with there belly lol

Answer 8

No, because I've read too many cute talking animal stories, and they are always the evil villains. I don't want to keep a bunch of evil little villains in my house now, do I?
Ok, ok, I know that's just fiction. But they DID carry the plague once, didn't they? I'd rather have a cute lil' dwarf hamster...or an albino hedgehog.

Answer 9

Yes i do they are lovely as pets but i don ,t like dumpster rats

Answer 10

I shoot rats with my 9mm.

Answer 11

No, but I like them on the barbeque.