please.I mean it. i want a rat. I'm responsible.Why are rats disgusting to them?
2006-09-18 23:47:27 · 10 answers · asked by Beata g 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The word RAT brings many things to the adult mine. Nasty ideas of sewer crawling, disease carrying, eat anything even humans, revolting 'things' that people should not have around them.
Explain that you're talking about a 'domestic rat' and not a wild rat.
Most of these rats are bred for use as 'feeders' that snakes eat. They have life span of 3-5 years.
They don't smell as long as the cage is kept clean. (DO NOT use cedar bedding in the cage, it burns the pads of their feet).
They're easy and cheap to keep. (A bag of rat food cost me $5 and it lasts for almost four weeks and I have two rats).
They're lovable and very social.
And offer to keep it in your room where they don't have to look at it. (Keep in mind they're social animals and shouldn't be isolated for long periods of time). But keep in mind, that this may mean you have to keep your room clean so your mom don't have to go in there to clean and see the rat.
Start up cost will be the greatest expense, but you can get 'starter kits' with cage, a small bag of bedding, water bottle and food dish for around $30 to $50. After that, they're fairly cheap. $5 for a bag of food, I buy the big bag of Pine bedding at the local Wal-mart for $6 and it lasts a lo-ong time. There's also a 'recycled paper pellet' bedding, but it costs a little more.
An important note about the cage, if you get a young rat that a lot of pet stores sell, be VERY CERTAIN that the little critter can't get out of it. Most of the time, a good way to check is find out if it can get its head through the bars, check front and side bars as some times one will have a wider gap than the other. If it can get it's head through the bars, then the rest of the body can follow. You may have to start it out in an aquarium. A 10 gallon one is good and is fairly cheap at the local Marts. Even a used one is okay to use because it doesn't have to hold water. Just watch out for broken or cracked glass and don't get it if it has either one.
Good Luck getting your rat and enjoy!
2006-09-19 00:38:31 · answer #1 · answered by Lucianna 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Take them to the pet store and show them. I am 39 yrs old and bought my daughter a white mouse 3 yrs ago. We both fell in love with her and believe me I was not one to think a mouse or rat would ever be welcome in my home.
We both let her ride out shoulders and we both played with her. She even rode the shoulders of our older chuhuahua. It was sweet.
The mouse died after 2 yrs and 8 months so that was a good long life for mouse. The pet store people can explain that rats and mice that are sold there are bred in captivity and never touch the ground. They are clean and do not have the diseases that wild rats and mice are known to have. They are easy to keep and they can learn tricks and basically make a good pet.
Good luck. If you get one you won't regret it. They are really neat animals.
2006-09-19 05:28:59 · answer #2 · answered by bootsjeansnpearls 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a rat.
She's great. She's very friendly, very smart, and very clean (as long as I keep up with cage cleaning).
I have found that most people are freaked out by her tail. For some reason everyone is creeped out by rat tails.
I suggest providing your parents with reading material explaining the virtues of rats, and make sure you've done your homework about their training and care so that if your folks have any questions for you, you can show them that youre in the know!
Best of luck!
2006-09-18 23:55:06 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
because the sewer rats that you see and hear about give the pet rat a bad time but they are cuddly and fun but if your parents are hard to convince get info from the web and show them the differences between the species
2006-09-18 23:57:23 · answer #4 · answered by martin r 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ohh,what a wrong perception of your parents.. i love rats, and by all means go for it, make them realize the essence of rat as pet...lol! rats could change humanity!
2006-09-18 23:53:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It depends on your parents. If you had my mother, I would tell you ther is no hope. She freaks with rats. Just ask them to come to the pet shop with you and look at them. It's the only thing you can do. Or compromise and get a guinea pig or a rabbit. They are cuter than rats and your parents might like it more.
2006-09-18 23:56:32 · answer #6 · answered by cpinatsi 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Parents think of rats as filthy, disease carrying animals.
2006-09-18 23:57:43 · answer #7 · answered by no nickname 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here are the facts about rats. Show them you've done your homework and that you're serious about this. About them getting you one... maybe you could save up the money to buy everything yourself. Which would prove your responsibility to them! Best of luck!
http://www.petco.com/caresheets/small%20animals/Rat.pdf?cm_re=022006-_-nps-_-caresheet
2006-09-19 00:09:21 · answer #8 · answered by rellimztik_arual 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Feed your parents stupid pills. Hamsters are cut and sometimes cuddly. Rats are not.
2006-09-18 23:56:30 · answer #9 · answered by Paul D 5 · 0⤊ 4⤋
why dont you just get a cat, that way it would eat your rat. And then your parents wont be sad. lol.
2006-09-18 23:50:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋