About 4 weeks ago our rat Spike passed away, I miss having him about the house, so I have decided to get another one, but undecided on what kind? Does anyone have a rat, if so what kind and are some more playful than others. Spike was an Agouti Hooded male.
Also serious answers only, as rats make great pets and any stupid and cruel answeres will be reported.
2006-12-30 08:31:12 · 21 answers · asked by Mas 7 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
He was actually our 4th Rat over the last few years, weve had 2 Albino Girls and a Champagne Hooded Girls. The albinos hated my husband, they went for him everytime he went near them or me, they were very protective of me.
2006-12-30 08:38:19 · update #1
Thanks for all the suggestions, but to let you know Spike was actually a rescue Rat, at the time i had the choice of 5 of them but he came straight up to me and nested in my hair, so that was the choice made for me.
2006-12-30 12:03:13 · update #2
unless you are planning on buying from a rattery (and yes thats what they are called) it will be very hard for you to find anything other then your standard "hooded rat" which in itself is not a breed but a marking. I have always liked the "dumbo" rats myself as they are smaller and have those HUGE ears. but there are so many possabilites. Here is a link to the rat and mouse club of america, they have a ton of great info as well as a link to rep. rat breeders. bets of luck to you!!!
http://www.rmca.org/
2006-12-30 09:12:58 · answer #1 · answered by crystal 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no difference in the different types of rats other than color. I have had 14 different female rats over the years and they all had unique but great personalities. I have had albino, white with black eyes, black hooded, tan hooded, tan, dumbo eared, and even hairless rats, and they were a fine. Male and female rats however do have differences. Males tend to be more relaxed and laid back, while females have more energy and like to run around. When you pick out your rat, pick one that is not afraid of you, and comes up to you. This way you will know that it has been socialized with people and wont be scared.
Consider adoption when getting a new rat.
2006-12-30 09:16:16 · answer #2 · answered by Laurie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We have both of them. My daughter has a albino lavender king snake plus we have 11 rats. Some however rats are up for adoption. We don't live feed her (snake) and mice or rats only frozen fuzzies we get from a pet store. We also have mice, Syrian hamsters, dwarf hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, cats, dogs, cockatiels, a few fish, a tarantula, an iguana, a wolf hybrid, a Pygmy goat and a red sheep. They are kept at my home and not in a shelter or pet store.
2016-05-22 21:46:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry about Spike passing away - very sad. I used to have a white hooded rat named Houdini for obvious reasons. I think the hooded rats are very intelligent and friendly. I also had a plain chocolate brown rat named Buddy I dont know what kind he was but he wasnt as good a pet as Houdini and definately not as friendly . So I would go for the hooded rat if I were you
2006-12-30 10:51:06 · answer #4 · answered by Tammy 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I have about 25 rats, don't think the colours make any difference on the temperment, you get out what you put into them the more fuss you make of them the better, as for species i have also had dumbo rats and husky rats. Husky rats are pretty much the same as normal rats, dumbo's have a completely different personality, are much more docile than normal rats and seem much more affectionate (they like to lick you lots) but i have found they don't seem to live as long as the other rats i've had, you can also get bald dumbo rats which are great!
2007-01-01 06:59:29 · answer #5 · answered by PPP 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rats do make awesome pets!!We have one currently that is my 15 yr olds pet, a white hooded rat and I also had two as pets when I was in high school(way too long ago) males seem to be more outgoing in personality but any kind is fine as long as you get them young and handle them alot.
2006-12-30 08:35:52 · answer #6 · answered by lauraleesbeads 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am so sorry to hear about Spike :*(
Ratty Hugs and Whisker Kisses to you and all who loved him.
I have around 50 rats right now and I've had nearly 200 since 1997. I think I can answer your question. :)
A rat's life span is 2 to 3 years of age.
When males reach maturity, around 6 months of age, they start to slow down and as oldsters they can become big puddles of squishy lap rat. They remind me of big ol' hound dogs that just want to relax and be petted.
You want something quick, and active, and full of mischief? Get a female rat, as they stay this way their entire lives.
There is only one species of rat that has truly been bred for lab work and in turn to become our pets, and that is Rattus Norvegicus. Same Rattus Norvegicus that is our pets' wild cousin, the Brown Rat. There is no such thing as breeds of rats, only types with a variety of coat-types, ear-sets, colors, and markings, and none of these makes a difference in how playful a rat is. Rats are rats. Some are more playful then others. However, some people claim that Dumbos are quieter then Standards, but my Dumbos have always been wild and crazy, just the same in personality and size as any other rat.
The only way to get an Albino is to get a Sprague-Dawley from a lab. Since we can't get DNA testing on our white rats to confirm that our pets are genetically Albinos, the rat fancy calls them Pink-eyed Whites (PEW).
Have a look at my mischief (a mischief is a group of rats)
http://spazrats.tripod.com/mischief.html
I have quite a variety and you may find rats like them in your area.
Check out my website at http://spazrats.tripod.com, or join my group (forum), Holistarat, at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistarat to learn more about rats and how to care for them.
When purchasing your next rat try to find a good breeder. Try http://www.Ratster.com for a breeder near you. Failing that, check out your Humane Society for rats needing adoption, or, I've even gotten rats from people who no longer want to keep their pets by looking in newspaper ads. There is no such thing as a rat that is specifically bred for the feeder market. The store will sell their rats either for pets or as feeders, whichever profits the store more. However, remember that these rats can be mass produced, like puppy mills, and their health in the long run is rarely considered. I've had "feeders" that have made awesome pets.
spazrats
Specializing in the health and care of pet rats since 1997
2006-12-30 16:07:26 · answer #7 · answered by spazrats 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think any type of rat is good, i feel they all have there own personalities I have 4 and they all have there different traits 1 of them is more playful than the next 2 of them like to bet stroked the other 2 would rather run around like nutters and there all hooded bucks
2007-01-01 04:51:07 · answer #8 · answered by chocchip24 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I just wan to say you are right about people discriminating rats.
They are one of the most intelligent and strong animals, mammals.
But I read another questions about rats some minutes ago, maybe you could try if the answers interest you.
2007-01-01 00:41:06 · answer #9 · answered by klaartedubois 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had two female rats until about a year ago, we'd had them since they were young and they were sisters. They had very different personalities and usd to work together to steal my dinner!!!
Anyway, around Christmas last year one of them became very poorly and was put to sleep by the vet. This of course was very upsetting, but nit as much as having to watch the second rat mourn its dead sister, she refused to eat and just rocked back and forth squeeking until she too died.... I love rats but i dont think i could ever do that again.
2006-12-30 10:57:26 · answer #10 · answered by jademonkey 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋