i HATE RATS. - they give me the creeps...but i love all other animals...would you want to own a Rat? i think it takes a really odd sort of person to want one!
2007-01-20 05:22:16 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
yeah, very strange
my wife found one, poisoned , a broken leg, dying, she went to drown it, it swam, she picked it up and cuddled it, gave it a good meal, was going to bring it to the vet to get the leg fixed, etc.
thank god it died
ewwwwwwwwww
2007-01-20 05:27:13 · answer #1 · answered by kurticus1024 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
I love owning rats! I have 2 hairless girls named Pinky and Ping, and my kids have an assortment of hooded rats.
Contrary to popular belief, rats are clean and friendly. Our first rat came home compliments of a daughter who worked in the small animal section of a pet store. She grew to love the rats because unlike the hamsters, mice and ferrets, they don't bite or act aggressively.
As long as you keep their cages clean (which is a necessity for their health) they have no odor, unlike other small animals.
Our rats get along well with our cats and dog and are very cuddly and personable
The only downside to rat ownership is their short life spans (2-5 years) and they are prone to tumors and upper respiratory infections since all pet rats were derived from lab stocks.
Pet rats carry no diseases and require no vaccinations. I had to hunt a little to find a vet for my babies but when I did, he was such a great person (not all vets like pet rats or practice small animal husbandry, but the ones that do are extra special) that I switched all of my animal care to him.
In this age of small homes, apartment living and long work days, pet rats are great! They take up little room, food is inexpensive (unless you go gourmet, which we all do eventually, they deserve it) and are nocturnal, perfect for the 9 to 5'er.
check out some of the rat websites dedicated to the little darlings:
http://toyletbowlbbs.home.att.net/petrats.htm
http://www.petrats.org/maximizingsales.html
http://www.afrma.org/rminfo1.htm
2007-01-20 13:41:57 · answer #2 · answered by lynn y 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I used to dislike rats. Until I had to work with them everyday. Then I found out how clean and sweet they really are. Rats a very affectionate and calm. They are also very smart! People look at rats and think the Big Rats that run in ally ways and at farms. Pet rats are a lot different. Just go to your local Pet Smart and play with one. You will leave with a changed mind.
2007-01-20 13:28:47 · answer #3 · answered by x0xsimplyirresistiblexox 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I love rats!
I currently have 6 and they are the best pet I have ever had. Unfortunatly rats have a lot of bad press. If you are interested I'll add this great link that you should check out that explains a lot about rats.
Honestly, most rat owners I have talked to have discribed their personality like being a dog!
2007-01-20 13:39:20 · answer #4 · answered by gitana_diosa 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The horrible Norwegian rats that often plague cities have give decent rats a bad name!
Rats are smart and clean. They are less nippy than their smaller rodent counterparts and can be taught tricks.
I think it's the big, pink tails that tends to freak people out, too.
2007-01-20 19:37:39 · answer #5 · answered by mdwildgirl 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I used to own rats, and they are very clean and also very smart and sweet and friendly. Gerbils are always biting, I know because my cousins used to have them, but my rats never bit anyone. People who think that all rats are disgusting are thinking of rats that live in sewers and are disgusting. But people who think that all rats are disgusting are just being narrow-minded and annoying. Rats are much smarter than other rodents; they can be trained to come when they're called, just like dogs.
2007-01-20 14:21:43 · answer #6 · answered by Emily 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Rats, when domesticated and kept as pets, are clean, intelligent, and affectionate--feral rats, however, are not good pet material.
My sister and I had a pet brown-and-white rat named Ricky for several years, and he was a very good animal friend. Our mom used to wash the dishes with Ricky perched on her shoulder!
Ricky, although not truly housebroken, would squeak to let us know he needed to go when we were playing, and would go on a piece of newspaper we'd put down for him.
He loved to be petted and enjoyed exploring and traveling, but loved to be home in his cage at mealtimes and at bedtime.
Not odd. Different, maybe.
2007-01-20 13:40:22 · answer #7 · answered by Palmerpath 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Rats are very intelligent and social animals. They love their family and make good pets. Snakes? Birds? No thank you. PS ... I'm sure I am no more odd than you!
2007-01-20 13:36:17 · answer #8 · answered by lollipop 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I LOVE them. We had them in college as pets.
Believe it or not, they are VERY smart and VERY CLEAN. Much more clean than hamsters or gerbils, etc. Mice and rats groom themselves obessively. If they aren't exposed to fleas then the likelyhood of them carrying disease is very small.
Socialized rats are friendly and kind. We had several who went to our college classes with us. They would sleep in our sweatshirt pockets while we were in class. Then ride on our shoulders on the way back to our dorms. They like to "groom" their owners by licking you. (It tickles!)
They can eat lost of human food - most veggies and fruits. They take bathes, etc.
You can train them to do MANY things. For example if you let them run around on your bed, you can train them to not jump off the edges. You can fold up a towel, place it on the bed and train them to only use the bathroom when they're standing ON that towel.
Its not just mazes that they're good at. Rats are BRILLIANT! They don't smell. They only bite very rarely and when they do, as long as you've taken care of them with vet visits and shots (like cats or ferrets or dogs, etc) then its no worse than a cat scratch.
They're great pets!!
2007-01-20 14:22:14 · answer #9 · answered by kerrisonr 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I would like to own a rat! My uncle owns one, and she is VERY sweet. Her name is Jasmine. Most rats are very sweet, and like people. I want one of my own SO badly. But I'll have to stick to dogs for now.*sniffle*
2007-01-20 13:27:49 · answer #10 · answered by .:Feliciano:. 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
not strange at all. white rats are very pretty, and extremely loving little animals, not to mention smart. i never had one but my dad and aunt did when they were young, they are very playful, friendly, and energetic. no reason you cant have one as a pet.
some people have snakes, armadillos, spiders... (eww.. cant prelly play with those) and all kinds of other creepy things, mice/rats are not so bad.
2007-01-20 13:31:26 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋