Yet More New Rats General Chat

Well, one of the baby ones didn't wake up this morning. Knew she was on the way out last night. I thought she had already passed and reached in to take her out of the cage. Ooops, she opened her eyes and was still breathing. But I knew she didn't have long. Poor little thing.

So today I went back to the pet shop and came home with maybe a young adult and a baby. The adult seems a bit spooked by four new playmates, but the baby joined right in with the rest for food time. Nice big cage...now lets hope this group is all healthy.

Sad about the little one that didn't make it.

Hope the new adult one soon settles in with the others. I've always found rats very sociable and I'm sure it will soon be one of the group.

Food seems to be a great social bonding time. The shop they come from breeds them as " feeders"...meaning they are fed to lizards and snakes if they aren't purchased as pets. I'm sure they barely feed them at all.

Now they have nuts and fresh cheese n' dog chow yumyumyum

I've had friends with pet rats and I used to keep one on my shoulder all day as I ran around town. However, the forest rats that love to get on my porch are not welcome at all. They are ugly and mean looking but my cats and Phoebe make short work of them usually chasing them away. Hope they don't come back.

I think my current rats were feeder rats, they are small and nippy! (quite a common trait) Anyway they have just celebrated their 3rd birthday!

Awwwwww! What a beautiful picture, you must be proud. Now I have a silly question. Do you have any idea if there's a difference between white rats and any other colors? Are they different breeds or something I'm curious. We had a few who were brown and multicolor and they were nasty. One of the more memorable ones was a nightmare when you had to empty the cage to change it.

She was small and brownish black and would try to nip any hands that came after her. We trapped her in a pop tart box one time and she screeched...couldn't believe such a sound coming from such a bitty creature. Now all of them are white with pink eyes and friendly to a fault. It's hilarious when I bring up food. They all make like spider rats up the bars to say hello. Always afraid someone will fall out, the cats are afraid of them but Sophie...well I threaten her with death if she even looks at the cage. It's a good six feet over her head, but still get nervous.

Since my original post they're all growing and thriving beautifully. Poor Jupiter the oldest and biggest has even gotten more energetic. I thought she was on the way out a few times. I think she's blind, but manages to feel her way around. Lots of warm little bodies to sleep with...she's gotten really friendly with me too. She'll walk right into my hand for some cuddle time. All of them are super social though.

Yes there are different breeds of rats, the one's I had were fancy rats, the 2 I am getting are silver rats.
List of some of the rat breeds
Dwarf
Double Rex
Rex
Tailless
Dumbo
Hairless
Odd eye
Satin/Fancy (depends on breeder)
Mock
Stardard
Albino (white rat with red eyes)
Silver

That's just a few of the breeds I know, I am getting Santa & Elf 2 silver rats at end of January.

May I please be forgiven for saying that I honestly do not like rats in any shape or form or colour.

It took me long enough to let my then very young daughter bring home the classroom hamster for the weekend. But then I learned that they were sweet so bought a large two-story cage and first one, and then when she died, another two hamsters.

We even had "whistlers" - guinea pigs at times, but rodents really never were my "thing" only dogs.

Now? Much as I dislike them I live in an area where mice come in and will bite through even egg shells if eggs are not kept in the refrigerator, I accept that there are mice . I just make sure there is nothing around for them - hopefully.

But rats? Sorry to all you rat lovers but I shudder at even the sight of them

@6JRT's What are mock rats? I've never heard of them.

This is a mock rat


This is an hairless rat


According to web site they are, there's no pictures in my rat book of hairless, mock, rex & double rex just tells you about them x

Hmm. Not exactly pretty IMO. I think the Satins are the most attractive.

Wow, I really had no idea there were so many different breeds, didn't really think about it before. So I wonder if breed has anything to do with some of them being more docile and human friendly? Like I said the brown ones in particular were very territorial about their cage. Some of the boy cats thought they'd sit on top of the cage and those rats would practically fly up under the cat to get them off.

Don't know I always get my rats from a breeder, he never lets any go without them being handled (handled from pinkys/kitten) he also don't sell them until they are junior's/juvenile's, this helps him find correct rat for you to choose from (he also has them neutered before you collect them) only naughty Santa got Elf pregnant so now got to wait until end of January before I can collect them (Santa was neutered but like dogs can still get female pregnant upto 3 months afterwards very naughty Santa heeee) breeder is waiting until pinkys/kittens are weaned off Elf then she's going to be spayed.

No no no no no. I am sorry but rats?

Mind you, I always did fancy some ferrets...

...although on second thoughts...

No no no no no.

[shudder]

@6JRT's I wondered why you hadn't picked them up yet, but thought it might be due to your family crisis.
When I had the horses, I once had a foal sired by a gelding. I had left having Crispin gelded until he was fairly mature and had 'crested up', and of course had been keeping him separate from Miffy, my mare. As the deed was taking place, I asked the vet if he would be OK to turn out, and was told Yes, it would be fine. It never occurred to me that he could still be fertile - until Miffy started to get a pot belly.

We had a tragic situation a few years back. One rat we bought was pregnant and had an adorable litter of little ones. But we didn't realize that the cage bars weren't narrow enough until it was too late. Once their eyes opened and they grew mobile...in the space of a night or two they had all crawled between the bars and either falling from the height of the dresser and/or the cats or dogs...none of the babies survived.

I'm not afraid of rats. I'm just not a rodent person. Living in the woods It's not unusual for a field rat to find their way inside. They are nasty creatures
@Malka If you take some cottonballs and saturate them with peppermint oil or anything peppermint when you put them around the house it acts as a mouse repellent, does them no harm and makes the house smell nice. Mice hate the smell of peppermint.

@manydogz - I can get pure peppermint oil but it is expensive. Would it still work if a few drops were diluted with, say, canola oil?

The only thing that worries me a bit is whether the peppermint smell will be a trigger for Pereg as some oils are known triggers so I rarely try anything new.

That explains the mint garbage bags. Home Depot sells heavy duty black bags that are marketed as rat and raccoon repelling and they're peppermint scented. I couldn't figure out why...interesting.