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thinking of getting a pet rat

  • Thread starter Ant
  • Start date
  • #21
Good find 0zzy! That second one is a Dumbo rat-awwww :-D And see, it says they're already very friendly and socialized :) There were quite a few to chose from too!
 
  • #22
I not sure but, I think those are all north of me aka over 30 min. away. I do know where boston is though and now why are my parents are gonna go to boston to look for a rat! Thanks for the help to, I am gonna wait until my birthday though because I don't see how my mom will break with out something like "I can pay for it all" will get her. Also if I pay for it can she rightfully give it to a petstore just because she doesn't like them?
 
  • #23
Also if I pay for it can she rightfully give it to a petstore just because she doesn't like them?

Well, she is your mom and that's why you have to make sure she is completely ok with this before you get them. But I do understand that she said you could get mice and then she still gave them away. But like I said, mice smell way worse than rats do. So if it was a smell issue, as long as you clean the rats every week, there shouldn't be a problem :) Good luck and let us know when you get your rat(s) :)
 
  • #24
Ant, I don't know exactly where you live, I just put in Boston just to show you that there are rescue rats near you. Put in your zip code and it will give you closer animals.
 
  • #25
They are no different than guinea pigs, except way friendlier. Guinea pigs are also rodents and people get them all the time. People bad mouth rats all the time, but they are great pets and very clean. Yes, they are clean! I could ask why someone would want a snake or roaches as pets.

*technically* guinea pigs are cavies, closer to rabbits than rats ;) (/annoying PC-ness... sorry, it's reflexive!!! :))

i really like rats actually, pet rats are NOT filthy disgusting rodents, vft_guy :p they've been domesticated for quite some time... the modern pet rat is VERY far removed from the wild type at this point. and frankly, a good number of us probably owe our very existence to medical improvements developed on *drumroll* the RAT.

so be kind to rodents, they probably saved your life at some point!!!
 
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  • #26
As a mom, I would let my kids get a pair of rats. I had one when I was younger and they are very nice animals. The only thing I would say is to make sure the cage is on the larger size, something more like you would put a guinea pig in. Mine outgrew his space and he did get very large. He lived past 4 I believe, longer than they say.

Rats don't smell like mice, mice stink. I have a breeding pair now and I can't believe how awful it is, so I don't blame her for returning them. I only keep mine so my son can feed his snake, otherwise they'd be out. Make sure she knows there's a world of difference.

Best of luck.
 
  • #27
I will, and I hope I can convinve her, but her she is no longer saying anything about how they smell but, that I have to many pets already. What do you think?
8 hermit crabs
6 frogs
2 dogs
2 bettas
1 crayfish
5 ant colonies (its more like one big pet other then a bunch of tiny ones right?), 1 queen

Thats only what, 25? LOL!
 
  • #28
Yes, that is a lot of pets, but it depends on the person. Here is my rule, as long as you can take any and ALL of those animals to the vet when they're sick and you can afford to get them treated, then I would say it is alright to have them. If you're just collecting pets (I'm not saying you are, but some people do get obsessed with collecting) and you can't care for them, then getting more should be out of the question. Most all pets need a doctor sometimes, and that includes the little guys like hermit crabs and frogs. I know a lot of people would say that a rat shouldn't need to see a vet, even if it's sick cause it's just a RAT, but I think that's just wrong. They didn't chose to be put in your home.

Moonflower, I'll use a different animal then ;) Hamsters are rodents and people get them all the time...how bout that?
;)
 
  • #29
Well, everybody's limit of pet care is different, but I try to follow one general rule myself: never take any living thing into your care if you cannot provide for it in every sense for the ENTIRE duration of its life. That means an investment of time (attention, maintenance) AND money (food, vet bills, etc). I've seen WAY too many animals of every species that were bought/adopted on a whim and the owners just couldn't care for it one way or another... animals require long term thinking, even those with lifespans as short as a rat's.

If you're still living at home, you especially have to keep in mind what will happen to your charges when you eventually leave, for college or whatever. For example, I couldn't take my 10-gallon fish tank to college, and while my parents did *feed* the fish, I wound up with pea soup every time I came home :p Wouldn't recommend parental pet care if they're anything like mine... but anyway, it's just something to keep in mind. It sounds like rats have fairly short life spans, but you would have to take into account the possibility that they'd be hitching a ride to college with you... and colleges are NOT pet friendly on the whole, trust me!

*steps off vet student soapbox* ;) just my two cents... like i said, i deal with homeless animals day in and day out, and my standard speech to any potential animal owner is just, research your animal and think long and hard about it! And should you decide on getting an animal, go for adoption! :) good luck!
 
  • #30
I don't think hermit crabs need a vet, as long as they are feed properly and not disturbed at molting time the should be fine. Usually treatment is only needed when you first get them. All you need to do for cuts, holes or infected areas is put honey on it to keep dirt out and kill the infection. I don't collect pets, if I did I wouldn't have any pet because my mom wouldn't let me get them. I have a good 4 years until collegde is even brought up other then what classes I should take.
 
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