Mad With People In Rodent Section!?

Question

I hate how people are like ewwww you have a rat thats gross and stuff like that. I have two rats and they are great pets. If they're in the "rodent" section i would think that they would find questions about rats! How do all of you rodent owners feel.

Answer 1

I echo "Buzzare"'s sentiments.

I really hate it when people use their hamster as a comparison to a guinea pig problem, or they use their rat as a comparison to a gerbil problem, and the like. The individuals in the rodent family are so different from each other that these comparisons are rendered invalid.

I hate the cop-out answer of, "take it to the vet". It's obvious that the animal needs to see the vet, but if you can't provide the pet owner with a clue as to what is wrong with the pet........don't answer.

I am bothered by feeder breeders who come to the pet rat category. Whether or not they have good info on rat keeping, it just gives me the heeby-jeebies knowing that these rats are being fed to reptiles. Do pet owners of guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters also have to put up with this?

I'm bothered by the people who come to this category asking how to exterminate rats and mice. Do pet owners of guinea pigs, gerbils, and hamsters also have to put up with this?

I suggested two new categories be created, in the forum of Yahoo! Answers, for these disdainful topics, but Y!A has done nothing about it.

My feelings are, if you don't like pet rats just refrain from answering the questions about pet rats. You're going to lose your two points and then some anyway, and I doubt yours will be picked as best answer.

I do get the feeling that there are a lot of people who have led such sheltered lives that they don't know that there is such thing as pet rats. Their ignorance and prejudice makes them jump to the conclusion that we are talking about wild rats, and this leads to their out of context answers.

I can't speak for all of the rodent experts who answer questions here but when I see misinformation about pet rats, information that could endanger their lives, or at least make their lives miserable, I have to jump in and say something. Yeah, like what "Guinea*Pigs" said.

spazrats
"my life has gone to the rats"

Answer 2

I think I know how you feel. I just go eww at people who ask what this and that rodent taste. I have nothing against any rodent. They are all cute and some even very intelligant, like you people who own rats out there. All I don't like in this section is how people ask what do guinea pigs taste like or something in a place where people ask about how to care for a rodent, not eat them. Besides, wouldn't those type of questions have to be in the Food Section anyways??? Not Rodents?

Answer 3

I know what you mean! If people don't know the answer then DON'T ANSWER IT!!! Stop criticizing our pets! Just because rats and gerbils aren't ideal pets in their mind doesn't mean they aren't! Obviously they've never had a rodent and just judge them by what they THINK they are. When I wanted to get a gerbil my mom said no. She's terrified of rodents. When I got her to say yes and I got my gerbil Ralph she didn't like him. Now when I play with him and she's around she watches him a little bit. I think she's starting to find him amusing! And since I got Ralph he's gotten a little chubby, and when I show her pictures of gerbils she always prefers the chubby one. Long story short Ralph's better than she thought he would be. She even admitted he was cute once!! Now, If mom can come to appreciate rodents, ANYONE can if they just give our pets a chance. And your right! If they come into the rodent section, they're going to find questions about every rodent, not just the ones they like! They shouldn't put our pets down if they've never had one before!

Answer 4

I agree. Sometimes people go to sections and just seem to bash without knowing what they are talking about. My children are on their fourth rat. The only terrible thing about owning a rat is that they die way too soon, usually of cancer and sometimes they suffer before the end. I think that rats are one of the best pets around, they are neat, intelligent, friendly and cute. How can one not love rats? My children have cured many of their friends of their prejudice against rats, once they get to know the little "shoulder buddies" they love them also. There is no way you can compare a rat with a gerbil or hamster, those little guys are cute, but they are not as intelligent or friendly as a rat.

Answer 5

I get annoyed with people who answer questions but know nothing about the animal in question or they own the animal but don't know how to properly care for them:
1. The other day this person who clearly owned a hamster and had never owned a guinea pig, advised that they be housed in an aquarium with an exercise wheel, both which should NOT be used.
2. Then there was this person who owned a guinea pig but adviced that they be housed in an aquarium, that males can not be housed together, that vitamin c drops should go in their water, that pine should be used as bedding, that the pellets with coloured stuff in their food are the best (the list just goes on), all of the above are NOT true.

I just wish that people research or own the animal and correctly know how to handle and care the animal before answering with pointless answers.

Answer 6

Anyone who's ever really known a rat or mouse knows they're not 'gross' but are smart & charming. People who click on a question simply to say 'ewww' seem pretty sad. What's the point?
The ones who find it amusing or clever to say deliberately antagonistic things are worse & I see them in other sections too. Sometimes the questions are as mean-spirited as the answers are. Don't they have any more interesting things to do with their time? I stopped giving such ppl a 'thumb's down' b/c they don't warrant any form of attention.
Maybe the 2 points should be denied to ppl who don't have anything valid to offer the asker.

Answer 7

Very annoyed!

Its one thing when people are there to se your rats n real life, but online!

Honestly, they have never even touched a rat or any rodent, otherwise they would know they don't feel "eww".

Unless they have a phobia, there is no reason to be afraid of domestic rodents.

Answer 8

Yeah, it's incredible how rude people can be about it. I mean, put it this way--if most people owned rats as pets, and dogs and cats were a minority and thought of as vermin, then how would the dog-and-cat owners feel getting answers like "eww, cats are disgusting and carry diseases" and "I have a carnivorous rat that you could introduce your puppies to if you'd like"?

Just a thought :).

Answer 9

I used to own rats - i love boy ones soooo sloppy - they have cute faces, very intelligent and clean - a dog in a small package.

cant understand how people think hamsters are all that - every one i know whos owned them - they growl and bite !! sleep all the time !! but people still say aww arent they cute - NO THEY ARENT aaaaahhhhhh lol

ive got a guinea pig and hes a grumpy thing and a rabbit whos friendly but i cant cuddle him :( - i envy people who have rats !! i miss my boy ronnie who was the sweetest thing.

Answer 10

Everyone has their own opinion about stuff, that's why we're on here is so we can find answers and different points of view.
But people should be more open to others opinions as well, rats are great pets, they just have a bad rep.