Rat owners

[Rosie]

I have noticed in one of the threads that a lot of people seem to own rats. Could you tell me what kind of pets they make. I always assumed you just kept them in a cage. What about toileting issues etc. Hope you don't mind me asking on a cat forum

[Snoof]

They're lovely pets, very smart and friendly and funny. Mine freerange for roughly an hour every day (usually more, sometimes less) but stay in their cage the rest of the time. I do take them out for a cuddle on passing, as a general rule, but usually I'll just grab one (I have 3) and give him a snuggle (mine are all bucks) and then put him back and wander on.

You want to keep them in groups (at least 2) of the same sex, unless you want to voluntarily pay your vet to neuter the buck(s) (less risky procedure than spaying the does).

They really are lovely pets. They have their own personalities and are very loving and funny. Bucks tend to grow up to be lazier than does, so does will generally stay more active as they mature.

I wouldn't recommend buying them from a pet shop any more than I'd recommend buying kittens from one. The price between pet shop rats and breeder rats doesn't vary overmuch, but if you get a breeder rat you know they've been bred for temperament and health rather than on a "rat farm" that just churns out kits for the money.

Hope that helps!

[Julie84]

And there are also lots of rats (especially young litters) around the country in rescues.

Great pets. Similar in ways to a dog but you don't have to worry about leaving them alone while you are at work. They actively seek out your attention and love cuddles and playtime and enjoy pleasing their owner (my rats tend to come when called much more frequently then the cats who choose to ignore me! )

Rats can be litter trained but you need to use 100% paper litter as they have sensitive respiratory systems. My rats and cats both use Biocatolet or Yesterday's News (I prefer the latter but find it harder to get). I use shredded paper for bedding and chopped up cardboard as the substrate on the cage floor. When they are litter trained they don't need to have the whole cleaned out so often but I tend to do it once a week and wipe down on the shelves in their cage every day when they are having their out time.

Rats are crepuscular in the wild (most active at dawn and dusk) but tend to alter their habits so they are awake when their are owners are around. Company is the most important thing as they are so sociable and intelligent (although they don't always show it!) and they can sometimes present undesirable behaviour when kept singly.

I wouldn't be without my little rat babies.

ETA: I'm stroking her in the last photo, not pulling her head off!

[andrew021]

Surely with owning rats and cats there is a problem with the cat constantly watching the rat waiting to attack.

Is it not like the cartoons were Sylvester watches Tweetie, trying every trick to capture it. ??????????

[Sweet]

Lovely photos Julie they look cutie x

[Julie84]

Thanks Sweet.

Andrew, my cats are actually quite wary of the rats but as long as the owner is sensible there is no reason why it should ever be a risk.

And there are enough people on here that own cats and dogs successfully to prove that cartoon stereotypes are often wildly inaccurate.

[Rosie]

My friend has Chincillas which are very destructive - are rats destructive when let out? The Chins eat through cabling, shred the wallpaper, eat holes in furniture

[Julie84]

Some rats can be evil chewers - nowhere near as bad as chinchillas though (on a mission to turn everything into dust it seems! ). None of my four do much chewing (none now they are older) - I let them out in the study and there are loads of wires and what not to chew and they don't touch any of it. The only time they did chew was when they escaped once (when the cats didn't live with us and I wasn't so great at locking the cage!) and they climbed the stairs to our bedroom and chewed through OH's clothes - teach him to leave them on the floor!

[Snoof]

Mine only want to steal smoking stuff. Sam wants tobacco and skins (we handroll), Pie always wanted finished cigarettes, and Sylvester's all for the lighters

I never did figure out what the hell they thought they were up to!

[Julie84]

Originally Posted by Snoof

I never did figure out what the hell they thought they were up to!

Perhaps it's best you don't!!