i need help proving that rats make sweet loving good pets?

Question

i really want a pet rat. i have heard of how nice they are and how they are the best small pets you can get and just plain love people. i need other people to say so too to prove to my mom that rat ownewrs love their rats and to find a way to prove to my mom that they dont smell really bad and that they dont bite. any info and help will be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

do loads and loads of research first, as you are doing now. look up intenet sites all over the world and look into the forums, theres nothing better to give you real information than other ratkeepers, books and sites sans forums dont have a patch on real ratkeepers experiences
look here

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/
here

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/index.php

just type into google rat forums and you'll get a plethora turn up

feed them a good varied diet

http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=31042

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=31041

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=64533
and they'll thrive and become glossy, shiny beasts with loads of energy and a longer life

keep them in a good cage [not tank pleeaase] and on good bedding [ not sawdust or shavings] with loads of hammocks and tubes

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=43155

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat/topic,32344.0

a pair of same sex [please not single one] good rats, preferably from a good ethical breeder, but petshops are acceptable ;) got at an early age [from 6 weeks] can be tamed really easily, lots of treats [never feed through bars] lots of cuddles and lots of socialisation will make them your friend really quickly

they are the best pet for young people they are up and about during the day, they love being out and about and playing, they love company and socialisation and their big enough to be handled
my present boys go into schools, both mainstream and special schools, help out in animal care classes in colleges, are hospital visitors both in adult and childrens wards [ especially baldrick, who being hairless is hypo[er?]allergeninc lol] visit petshops and educate the staff and potential new owners in rat care and handling and are loved and welcomed by one and all

bucks become big [i have 2 chunks of 700g]and turn into cuddlebum squishes from 6 months onwards, girls stay sliimer and smaller and hyper all their lives. that however is a generalisation and of course, you can get some that are the other way round

neither sex smell, their cage may do, but spot cleaning everyday and a weekly full cage clean will sort that out. their bedding/hammocks/tubes may do, but again a quick change and launder will sort that out. dont use terracotta or un glazed anything as that WILL soak up the urine and smell [ learn from my mistakes =)]

they are clean creatures, they clean themselves more than a cat does, over 14 times a day, they can be litter trained so you only have one poop corner to clean daily. it is true they scent mark and boys especially will do this, but once their used to their territory they normally stop. and it is true that they will pee and do the most awful smelly poops when scared, but then so would i if i was that scared =) but the answer to that is make you their friend not their scary monster

i have 11 bucks all sharing a huge cage, they live in my living room along with 6 humans [ 4 of whom are teenage boys] 3 parrots and two dogs and believe you me there is no smell in my house, unless its from the teenagers lol
you could if your mum is over sensitive to smells get this product
http://www.nilodor.com/pdet.php?srch=&pbid=&cat=Pet_Care_-_Home_Cleaning&dept=33&prodid=126

which is totally animal safe, and just ONE drop on a cloth, will neautralise and scent the whole room

i have never been bitten in 15 years of ratkeeping, even when handling so called aggressive biters, this is usually used as a euphamism really meaning 'im fed up with them' in my experience
over the years i have literally kept and introduced hundreds of rats and had most live to between 21/2 to 4 years with one old boy just scraping the 5 and he WAS a pet shop boy

knowledge education and sharing, show your mum you are doing the research and you are responsible and what others have to say about rats [not the trolls obviously]

good luck and let us know the outcome

edit to add : poster below is spot on too, dapper rats is a fantastially sweet anfd informative site

Answer 2

When I was growing up, I had 2 rats that were sisters! They were indeed very clean and fun to play with, although I never did like their naked tails! Other than that, they were great to have. I liked to watch them play together. If you handle them regularly and kindly and give them treats, they will always be friendly. Maybe you could get a book from the library about rats and show your mom that it says they make good pets. Ask her what she doesn't like about them. I bet the book will answer some of her questions and put her at ease. Of course, you must promise to be responsible in caring for them!

However, if after showing her the book(s) and trying to answer her questions she still doesn't want you to have rats, please listen to her and do as she says. Maybe she is afraid of rats or just plain doesn't like them. You wouldn't want something around that you didn't like, would you? In the end your mom knows best, so please respect her. Ask her what pet(s) you CAN have. That would be a nice start.

Answer 3

I got this from a website, but I can't remember the URL:

From: Colin Patterson
Author, Pet Rats: How to Easily Train and Care For Your Ratties...To Have a Happy Life Together

Dear Friend,
What first got me so interested in pet rats almost 3 decades ago was their amazing antics. How could so much personality be balled up in such a small animal?
How could they -- unlike a lot of other small animals -- be so genuinely caring? And have such a strong gleam of intelligence in their eyes? And make me laugh for hours watching them play?
When I first went to my friend's house one day in 1978 to meet his pet rat, I wasn't so sure, since I had preconceived notions about rats.
But then when his rattie grabbed my pant leg with his little paws, my heart melted. Then my friend told me that his cute little rat wanted me to pick her up...
I lifted her up high, and the fuzzy little rat nuzzled her nose into my ear and...
I Became Hooked For Life

I hope this helps you!

Answer 4

They make great pets.Their very sweet and loving and are very smart we taught ours to come come to us by calling their names.Get a workers at a pets store opinion Iv never been bitten by a rat and I have owned them since I WAS seven.They can be a little gready with their food though.If you have a wire cage they may climb up on it and beg to be fed or let out.Mine even puts his paws their the bars to get the food.SOmetimes though they will fight with other rats and our great at escaping so be careful.Best of luck getting your pet rat.

Answer 5

here is a site that has alot of great information about rats as pets. Study up and show your mom that you know enough about them in order to take good care of one. They really are great pets and smell the least of all of the rodents commonly sold as pets

Answer 6

Rats are surprisingly one of the cleanest rodents. As long as the cage is cleaned regularly (weekly or every 2 weeks) you can't smell them without sticking your nose up to them
As for the biting
they dont unless when you first get them
rats turn very loyal to you and as long as you are not mean to you, they act as if you are thier best friend

hope this persuades mom
my mom is still stubborn though!

Answer 7

Because of all the negative "stereotypes" about rats- you're in for a "tough sell" with your Mom! Domestic ones actually DO make good pets- & are kinda "cute" when you get to know them. Ask around and see if you can find someone who has one to show your Mother; or else drag her to a pet shop that sells them & have the store keeper tell her about them. That's probably your BEST bet. Good luck! :)

Answer 8

They are sweet pets. They learn very quickly!! If you keep their cage clean they do not smell!! I use to wash mine with baby soap about 1x a month. You can teach them to come to your kissing nosies!! They don't bite normally. I haven't. You can find a rat breeder & get one. They are cheap from a breeder, also. Go on line & look the breeders. Then read it with your mom! Good luck!!

Answer 9

Here is a GREAT site to go to

just type Dapper Rats into google search engine, its about a lovely lady who keeps male rats purely as companion animals, she uses them for photos and everything.

Tell your mom about my case. Having suffered depression for my entire teenaged years, I turned to self-injury as a way of release. Eventually, it was decided I had to stop. I just couldn't though, I was addicted. One holiday break, I foster cared for some guniea pigs, and I realised that rodents were simply the best.

Well, I was living in my school dorms at the time, but I bought myself a couple of little boys (still have them). Within months I completely stopped self-injuring and my moods improved dramatically. The reason? My beautiful little boys, who I call my Therapy Rats. They are affectionate (unlike other rodents, who exist, but don't exactly "return the favor").

Rats are trainable, very loving. They will show you endless affection if you treat them with love. Mine like to snuggle up next to me and lick my fingers, grooming is a mark of affection for rats. Sometimes they'll come lie in my hands and demand massages. Really, they'll sit there and wait until I start rubbing their ears.
Both will come to their name, and they have never once pooped on me (its harder for boys to keep the pee in, but they hold on their very longest!).

They do smell, like all caged animals, since they can't really get rid of the pee, or go elsewhere like a dog. Humans would smell just as bad if we pee'd in one spot all the time. Be honest, tell her they will smell if you don't clean the cage. I suggest you use a cage that has easy access (like an aquariam with a wire-topper, you can clean it often, just use newspaper and its easier to change.)

Change the litter/newspaper every other day, it'll only take a few minutes. Give it a thorough clean-out once or twice a week.(don't use shavings, it affects their breathing).

Only mis-treated or frightened rats will bite, but they prefer not to, they would run before bite. Rats DO love human company, mine rush straight to the side of the cage when I come in, just waiting and bouncing around to greet me (we call this "popcorning") They are just like dogs in that respect.

Check out that Dapper Rats site!

luck to you,

Answer 10

My youngest son had a pet python, so he started raising rats to feed the snake, The first and biggest Male Rat became his pet too, it would ride on his shoulder on it's back side holding on to his hair. He's even come when called by name. BUT the truth is they do smell, awful. cause they eat, crap, and pee ALOT. Even cleaning the cage every day the pee odor is bad. A rat will not do well alone, and two males will fight for dominance, a male and female will mate, and then you've got 8 to 10 rats. If you want a rat, research it first, of course a pet store has nothing bad to say, they want to sell you all the stuff you'll need, metal cage, metal watering setup (they like to eat plastic) food pellets, ect. Think it over real hard.