i have only ever owned female rats, and am about to get 2 rats this weekend. i have been thinking about getting males, but am unsure. what are the differences between the two? thanks!
also, does anyone know of a good breeder near fort worth, tx? i would rather buy from a breeder and not a pet store.
2007-09-20 15:58:39 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
fyi: my females are long gone, my last one passed away about 8 months ago, and this is the longest i have been ratless for about 6 years. (besides the wild babies that someone conned me into taking, which are now with a new owner that can hopefully tame them better than i can)
2007-09-20 16:14:38 · update #1
Huge personality differences.
Boys are far more mellow. Where a little girl is energetic, playful and filled with an unsatiable curiosity, a boy is more laid back and pensive.
It is said that a girl will see where she wants to go, and get there within two hops.
A boy will see where he wants to go, think for a second and decide whether or not its worth the effort.
lol, well, they vary. The boys I have had love nothing more than a great cuddle.
I recommend trying them out, you won't dislike them, becuase all rats are perfect. I'm kind of biased towards boys, because they have always been more affectionate to me.
2007-09-20 16:07:49 · answer #1 · answered by treemeadow 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
This is just a generality, because every rat has a unique personality like the rest of us. Boys tend to be more relaxed & snuggly, while girls are usually more inquisitive & adventurous. Boys are also usually a *lot* bigger than girls.
Our 2 rescue brothers are typical males-- I bring them out of their cage & all they want to do is snuggle up around my neck & shoulders. However, years ago I had a male who was as active as any female I've known.
Our hooded female is as snuggly as most males tend to be, but our other girls have been very bouncy & explorative & would only snuggle with us if they were tired or simply in a snuggly mood. Our hairless female is sweet, but practically never sits still & our recently adopted dumbo girl wants to be *everywhere* @ once. Since you've had females, you get the picture.
I've *heard* that males sometimes fight but this shouldn't be a problem if they're brought up together & our boys love each other. This is the 1st time we've had more than 1 male so I have no experience with fighting.
Good luck with your little guys when you get them!
2007-09-21 00:06:08 · answer #2 · answered by Catkin 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Male rats have a rougher coat and are a little more placid than females; but 2 males are more likely to fight than 2 females. I don't mean they will seriously injure each other, but they might draw blood once in a while.
Both are friendly and tame with humans.
I've tried taming wild rats. They can get used to you and take treats from your hand, but they'll never willingly let you handle them. It's a survival instinct. Same species as the pet store rat, but very different temperament. Pet rats seem to have no instinctive fear, they only learn fear from experience. Wild rats do have instinctive fears of being picked up or grabbed; if not they wouldn't last long.
2007-09-21 02:08:40 · answer #3 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Females are generally more active and the males are more friendly. Unless you want rat babies i recommend getting the males neutered
2007-09-20 23:08:22 · answer #4 · answered by thecamanator 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋