do rats bite.?

Question

do rats bite a lot and are they good pets

Answer 1

nope! they never bite!

&&

yes! they make awesome pets! best ones i have ever had =]

Answer 2

Any animal with teeth can bite, but the rat is the least likely of the rodent family to bite. They are not grumpy when you wake them up with a gentle scratch behind the ears. I've had over 200 rats so far and of that number only 3 have been biters. One male and two females.

Very few pet stores handle their rats from birth. This lack of handling is what makes the 5 week old babies nervous of human hands and when cornered they can bite. I faithfully bought rats from a pet store where the babies were handled and because they were all so friendly my trick was to lay my hand in the cage and the first baby that crawled into my hand was my new pet. Reputable breeders are more likely to handle their babies while they are still young and it's one of these babies that you might choose to have as a pet if you've never had rats before.

Note: Rats that have not had good experiences with humans before the age of 12 weeks may be very difficult to tame and may remain skittish. But that doesn't mean that bonding and trust training cannot be achieved. It just takes time and patience.

Note: I have answered questions here where the baby appeared to be very friendly at the store, but once settled in at home it started to bite. There are many reasons for this, one of which is that the baby was terrified at the store and was frozen in fear.

Do rats make good pets? Just check out the answers from other rat lovers here:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkD_hjwdZKM71bEhPx58wRrty6IX?qid=20070811150036AAqRNQ5&show=7#profile-info-77Q4we3Xaa

spazrats
"my life has gone to the rats"

Answer 3

If a rat behaves in a friendly manner at the pet store or shelter you get it from (investigates your hand and doesn't bite it), then it's unlikely to bite later in life.
Male rats can start to behave aggressively when they get to a certain age (some do, some don't, depends on the rat), but this can be fixed by neutering them.

Rats in general are far less likely to bite than some rodents, like hamsters--they're very social animals, and become used to people quite easily. There are some problem ratties, but handling a rat at the pet store will give you a good idea of their temperament.

And yes, given the proper care, they can make great pets :).

Answer 4

Rats can be great pets & they usually don't bite. They're friendly, smart & a lot of fun to interact with.
If you live near a small animal rescue or a breeder, these are the best places to get rats, as they are usually well socialized & the ppl there can tell youmore about them. Pet stores are ok if you don't have a choice, but in any case you should handle anybody before bringing them home. Get 2 or 3 of the same sex, they are very social & much happier with other rats for company. This won't make them any less friendly towards you, plus you'll enjoy watching them interact with each other.
We've had *lots* of rats but only 1 unrepentant biter-- she was from a feeder bin & we think the poor girl has a mental disorder. We adopted her along with another feeder bin girl who never bit, but was terrified of us until she saw how much fun her 'surprise' babies had jumping onto us. Eventually she was as friendly as they were, but our biter is over 2.5 years old & still tries to bite whenever she has the chance.
The rest of our rats, past & present, have been much friendlier whether from stores, breeders or rescues.

Answer 5

They can bite, as all living things can, it depends on the specific animal and the way you treat it. but having owned and cared for many rodents of all sorts (four of which were rats) they are wonderful pets. They are very social animals with great personalities. Two rats are better than one, you don't want them to be lonely do you?
Good luck and have fun with your new rat(s)!

Answer 6

I have had 11 rats at one time, and not one has ever bitten me. I think they make amazing pets, very easy to take care of, and very social and nice.

I would suggest a rat as a pet, to anyone.

Answer 7

Not usually unless you harm them or they have been abused. I heard they make wonderful pets and are really smart. And that you can teach them tricks lik to sit and to come and stuff. I really ant a rat but my dad doesnt like rodents so I probably wont be able to get one.

Answer 8

My rat has never bitten me but has bitten quite a few dogs that have stuck their nose in his face. They are wonderfull pets minus all the peeing all over (my rat has a problem).

Answer 9

It depends on the rat and how they were treated.
Out of the 30 something rats we had only one bit us but she didn't like human contact.
and they make awesome pets!!!

Answer 10

They will never bite if treated correctly. Owning two, I can say that they are fantastic pets and are as smart as dogs.

Answer 11

yes some do bite but most do not carry anything deadly
i would not like a pet at not that i could afford one
but if you want to get a pet rat i can not stop you
it is just that they can bite and they poo all over the place
i used to have one when i was a young boy and they ruined the house my rats name was Rodger and my dad hated him and one day i cam back from school and i went to my bedroom to feed Rodger and he was not there i asked my dad if he had seen him and he said that Rodger had chewed
up his football magazine so he got a spade and striked him and with one blow Rodger was DEAD! I was heart broken and i have never forgiven my dad but still i would recommend one sure I was attached to one but i would get attached to any animal that i had had for anything more than a month!
So the answers are yes they do bite and no they are not by any means the ideal pet
ps I am sorry that i have not used any full stops or anything like i can not i am really sorry but it is the truth maby you could help a fuul stop ends up like this > if you can please tell me
by thegreenacmilanmonkey