Everyone out there who has had a rat,inform me!

[smaug]

Well it turns out that her mother is open to a pet rat!CooL!!!!:19: I was hoping it would go that way.I have had a rat in the past but it was a long time ago.We looked up different types tonight and it looks like a dumbo gets the nod.Has anyone out there ever kept a dumbo?Any info about rats in general will be appreciated.Is there any appreciable difference between males and females?

[invadertoast]

Awesome!! Out of all the ones I had, I kept mostly females because I found they were a little less stinky (this might not always be true, just how it seemed to be in my case.) They like company so it's not a bad idea to get a pair of them, check out this link: http://www.nfrs.org/company.html

I've never kept dumbos but from what I've seen they're cute!!

[Ellen4God]

I must say, I am NOT a rat person at all. However, the pictures of dumbo rats that I saw are pretty cute!

[Wild Turkey]

hold on smauggie, i'll get some good shots for u.

[Wild Turkey]

it didnt wanna auto size unless i re-postsed sry

http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa132/Turkey151/Fish/DSCF1095.jpg
http://i197.photobucket.com/albums/aa132/Turkey151/Fish/DSCF1101.jpg

My females, i recommend males though since they are more docile. Never feed them meat or they will bite eventually.

[smaug]

Cute pics turkey.The one I had years ago was a buck,he loved sitting on a shoulder and just taking it all in.I have heard that males tend to mark territory more then does,I dont think Im crazy about that,seeing as how we would be part of there territory!My daughter spent a good bit on the net last night researching them and I think she is set on a dumbo.

[Wild Turkey]

Congrats! :) I think she'll really enjoy it

I took some vids today i'll post em later if i get time

[jd6405]

I have been keeping rats as pets for MANY years - since I was about 6 and am now 32. Anyways, I used to breed them as pets and here is a small article I wrote from a pamphlet that I would hand out to my clients:
"Basic Rat Care
Keeping rats as pets is a fun and rewarding experience for both you and the rats! Rats have needs that can easily be met.
Male or Female?
What gender rat makes the best pet? That is entirely up to each individual person. Male rats tend to be very mellow and more then happy to curl up in your lap for a good, long nap. Male rats are larger then females, and they also tend to have a stronger odor. Male rats also have the tendency to "scent mark" their territory to let other rats know they've been there. On the other hand, females are more adventurous and less cuddly. They tend to be smaller and do not have much of an odder. Some females "scent mark" things, but it is less common. Along with both genders, there can be various health issues.
Housing
The three basic types of cages used for housing rats are aquariums, wire cages, and cabinet style cages.. It all depends on your preference on what type of cage you choose. Some people choose aquariums because they are less messy then a wire cage, however they tend to need to be cleaned out more. Others choose a wire cage for easier access to their rats and easier cleaning. Cabinet style cages are home-made cages made from a cabinet. No matter what type of cage you choose, be sure there is ample room for your rats to run and play. The bigger the cage the better!
Bedding
There are many types of bedding available at pet/feed stores, but not all of them are safe for your ratties to live/play on. Cedar and Pine are very inexpensive, however, these two types of litter are toxic and can lead to respiratory infections that can be life threatening to your little friends. Safe types include Aspen, recycled paper bedding like Carefresh, hard wood pellets, newspaper with soy based ink, and cloth.
Feeding
Rats will eat most anything you give them, but be cautious because some foods can make them ill. Rats should have an even mix of the following foods. A good staple diet for rats is lab blocks, which is a square pellet that can be found at most any pet or feed store. There are many grain mixes available on the market, however these mixes don't have the ideal ingredients to keep rats healthy. Rats also need a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh water, daily, is a necessity as well.
Veterinary Care
Many people feel that rats are pocket pets or “throw away” pets that do not need veterinary care. Even though rats are not required to get shots like cats and dogs, they can still become ill and need the care of a vet. Rats are highly susceptible to respiratory infections. Some of the common ones include Mycoplasmosis, Sialodacryoadenitis (SDA), and Pneumonia. Rats can also get tumors, abscesses, and parasites. If you feel that your rat has any of these conditions, have him/her seen by a vet you trust as soon as possible!"

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Be careful when searching the web fir info on pet rats - there is ton on INCORRECT info out there.

This website has some great info - http://www.ratsrule.com/ratcare.html

Here are a few pics of my past rats:
http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/jd6405/Archimedes.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/jd6405/100_3188.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/jd6405/Koda71006.jpg

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p244/jd6405/bernard.jpg

[Northernguy]

Great shots and good starter info!
They have never been my fav pet but I know a lot of people that really like them.

[smaug]

Thank you ver much for that info!And the pics,the one in the plant is especially cool.

[jd6405]

Thank you ver much for that info!And the pics,the one in the plant is especially cool.

NP! Anytime!!!! :c3:

[BnT]

Never feed them meat or they will bite eventually.

In all my years of keeping rats (14) I've never heard anyone ever say that. But either way it's not true. My rats have always loved meat! Especially beef. :P I used to make "rattie tacos" for mine. They'd get a piece of unsalted taco shell, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese and beef. They loved it! Plus they'd get bits and pieces of meat whenever we'd have some for dinner. Only time I've ever been bit by a rat it was my own fault. I picked up my pregnant doe wrong when she was in labor and she turned around and took a chunk out of my finger. Believe me, poke a human in labor the wrong way and and she'll be ****ed off too! Same for any other animal.

jd6405, your rats made me awwww for like 5 minutes!!! They are TOO CUTE!! I especially love your MM capped rex? hairless? Hard to tell from the picture. (Second pic) Either way...AWWW!!!

I'd like to add that with feeding you should try to find something thats high quality and doesn't contain ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT. They're chemical preservitives and can add to the chances of cancers/tumors which rats are already prone to. Harland Teklad brand lab box are most recommended. You can buy them from Kims Ark Rescue for like $1/lb. http://www.kimsarkrescue.org/content/view/35

Some great websites to check out are...

www.ratsrule.com
www.afrma.org
www.dapper.com.au
http://www.goosemoose.com/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,118/forum,rat

The last one is a link to a good forum.

Oh and dumbo rats are the same as any other rat. They just have bigger ears and are more on the side of the head instead of set higher on the head like a standard earred rat. ;)

[jd6405]

jd6405, your rats made me awwww for like 5 minutes!!! They are TOO CUTE!! I especially love your MM capped rex? hairless? Hard to tell from the picture. (Second pic) Either way...AWWW!!!

Awww.. thanks! His name was Enigma (Iggy for short) and was a capped double rex. He was a freak of nature from two straight, fully furred parents! LOL! Mom carried the gene and that's where the little freak came from!

Did you know Kim's Ark is closing?????

You know, we must know each other from the rat world some how since all those websites you listed are ones I frequent too!!! Are you a breeder??? Where are you from?

[Allecto]

I've never been into rats as pets but my husband is kind of a rat fanatic, and he's been spreading it to my nieces and nephews.

It sounds like some of the members here will be good resources for you, but I'd also be happy to ask him questions.

We joke that he is 'the Rat Whisperer' for his ability to take rats even as adults and quickly get them to enjoy handling. He has this big lump of a wild-looking male rat that he got as an adult, very nervous and somewhat aggressive. Now all it ever wants to do is crawl into the pocket of his hoody and watch him play video games. His females prefer to find ways to torment our dogs while they know he is there to protect them.

If you are getting girls, then spaying is a very good idea. Whether or not they'll be around boys rats, the reduction in rat 'breast cancer' due to spaying is huge.

[Wild Turkey]

Yea Ive seen it happen personally. Of course what you feed your pets is your choice, but i choose not to feed my rats any meat because i have seen feeding meat turn "nice" rats mean. Doesnt mean it will always go that way though, rats are smart and I suspect the methods you use will come into play.

[smaug]

Just an update on mine,last night I saw them "boxing" and a few times today as well.I did some research and I understand this to be dominance behaviour so I guess they are just sorting out whos the boss.So far it hasnt gotten nasty.It is kinda funny to watch them do this though.

[Demi ^_^]

I used to have 5 rats. 2 Females, 3 Males. I must say I rathered my males more-so, they were just so squishy and cuddly, whereas my girls were quick and curious. I bred twice and that was an awsome experience too :-)

I only have 1 male now and he is over 3 years old.

[Wild Turkey]

Just an update on mine,last night I saw them "boxing" and a few times today as well.I did some research and I understand this to be dominance behaviour so I guess they are just sorting out whos the boss.So far it hasnt gotten nasty.It is kinda funny to watch them do this though.

Yup totally normal smaug, when they are young it will happen quite a bit, even some squeaks are nothing to worry about, in all my years ive never seen them draw blood, its pretty fun to watch though. Usually doesnt stop them from cuddling at night either lol

[jd6405]

The only time you'd need to worry about the boxing/squeeking is if they drew blood, but that doesn't happen often. I assume since you got them from the smae petstore that they were already housed together so this sounds like normal playing to me! Aren't they such joys to watch?

[smaug]

Yep,they are litter mates and they were all in the same cage.They had a blast last night.And this morning they have been like this for quite some time.
11740
so much for this being there FOOD bowl!

[Ellen4God]

How cute, smaug!! I'm sure your daughter is enjoying them.

More pictures please :]