Rats are the greatest pets. They each have their own personality just like cats and dogs. They will take food from your hand and it is not in their nature to bite unlike hamsters. You can teach them to ride around on your shoulder and even come when you call them. They enjoy time out of their cage and should be let out to play for at least an hour each day. They should not be fed hamster food but rat food instead. There are also some things called critter cubes that they will need in their diet. They enjoy fresh veggies and fruits too but never ever give them pizza crust because the sauce may still be on there and that sauce will make them sick. It is true that they are very social and it's always best to get 2 of them instead of just 1. That way they have each other to play with. You should get the same sex as well unless you want to have a house full of rats. Males are very calm and they make better lap pets but their furs tends to get something called buck grease in it and it's hard to get out, they also need to get a bath alot more often than females. The females are a little more hyper but they are smaller and the fur is softer. Each make good pets it's just up to you on which one you really want. While you will need to give them a bath from time to time, make sure that you don't use dog shampoo, you can use something for ferrets though because it's more gentle. You will also need to consider that these guys can get respiratory infections and if they do then they will need to see a vet just like any other pet. Rat bedding should also never consist of cedar or pine. There is something at walmart called critter care and it's all natural so it protects them from respiratory infections and mites. Rats are delicate and can get sick from you so when you are sick make sure to wash your hands before you handle them and don't breathe on them. I almost forgot, rats tend to do this teeth thing when they are getting to know you. They will open their mouth and put their teeth on your skin, then they will lick you lol, they are just trying to love on you, get to know you, taste you and smell you. It's perfectly normal and they are not trying to bite so don't jerk your hand back because that might cause the teeth to catch on your skin and you'll confuse that for a bite. I've only been bitten once and it was while one of my rats was giving birth, she also gave me a warning nip so it was my own fault.
Many people think that rats are nasty and I'm sure that your parents are concerned with health issues but I assure you that rats are very clean pets and they can make very good companions. I hope that you get the chance to see this for yourself. I myself have had about 15 rats and I loved each and every one of them.Domesticated rats as pets?
Very well said Erika :)
spazrats
http://spazrats.tripod.com
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Rats make terrific pets and there are many wonderful organizations that have on-line information on properly caring for a pet rat, such as RMCA. You mentioned in one of your additional information posts that you don't have access to actually find a rat in a store; I don't know how things are where you live, but here in the US frequently there are private individuals who breed rats as a hobby - a few litters per year - from whom you may be able to acquire a rat. Rats are highly social animals, though and unless you figure you can spend most of your day with your new friend, it is really best to get a pair of them - same gender, of course! They will often compete for your attention. I adore rats and could go on and on about them; in fact, I wrote up a 2-page rat FAQ for those who adopt babies from me (Yes, I am a hobby breeder myself), but I imagine that will be too long to post here. I think your toughest obstacle will likely be your parents, as so many people are conditioned these days to recoil in horror at the mere mention of a rat; the best way to get people to look at them in a new light is to find a site that has cute pictures of rats and have them look at the pictures with you. I hope some of this information is helpful to you!
why would you want pet rats?
get a parakeet. They're much more interactive!
many kids have white rats ,they make great pets ,and you can walk around with them in your pocket
rats are sooo much fun just back up your case with articles and websites. my mom didn't like rats for a long time but then my brother got a rat and my mom's loved rats ever since. we've had about a dozen( my 4 brothers and I) and they have all been affectionate and playful. the only problem is the don't live that long. I'm trying to keep my rats as healthy as possible with the hopes that they will live to be 4 ,maybe even 4 1/2 years old.
ps. rats are good at cheering their owner( I prefer to call myself their surrogate mom(I know, weird but true))
take your parents to the pet store and show them a ';fancy rat';. *it is actually called that* show them how cute, sweet, small and soft they are, then show them the price.*most pets stores sell them for 8-10 bucks*
then show them how you can put it on a leash and walk it around. :)
i love rats they are so cute ^-^
good luck i am sure you are a great pet owner.
Well, talk to your parents and prove to them you are responsible enough. How? Thats up to you.
We have pet rats. Check out this forum and do some more research first. By the way, rats are social so you will need to start with at least a pair -- not just one.
http://www.goosemoose.com/
I would say that you have already proven to your parents that you are very good at taking care of your pets. That's a bonus right there. Because of this you shouldn't have to convince them, except that the rat prejudism might be getting in the way.
When I first got into rats I read the pet books like you do. Sadly, these books are full of generalizations and not the real world of looking after rats. By following the information given in one book that I trusted my first rat died young. And then I joined internet rat-only forums. These forums are where you are going to find the right info on caring for your rat.
Rats, how do I love thee? So much so that I am building a website containing my utmost devotion and ever-growing knowledge on these awesome little animals.
Compared to the other rodents (hamsters, gerbils, and mice) that I have had the pleasure of owning over the years, I have found rats to be the most personable. That is, they love humans and very much want to interact with us.
Rats compare in behavior and antics to dogs, cats, rodents, a three year old child, and monkeys. They are incredibly entertaining.
Rats love the company of their own kind. You can have more then one. The more the merrier, and the more entertaining they are as they interact with each other.
A pair of rats, same sex of course, are very easy to care for.
Rats are very adaptable to your life-style. They are ready to play when you are ready to play. They entertain themselves when you want to sleep. They sleep when you are not around. I find they are not grumpy like a hamster when you wake one up. Both rats and hamsters need the proper care for their species but as far as rats go, you can't possibly ignore them.
Most rats like to be handled, they like to be with you, and they are a good size for handling.
Rats rarely bite. They would prefer to licky kiss you and give you love nibbles.
Check out my website http://spazrats.tripod.com for the health and care of Pet Rats.
Or join one my forums to learn more on the care of pet rats.
I am particulary proud of is Holistarat:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holistarat
spazrats
Expert on the health and care of pet rats
Rats are clean, and very interactive and fun. They are also very intelligent and can easily be trained. They are almost like having a cat or dog, just alot less mess and destruction. And again theyre very clean they groom themselves continuosly throughout the day.
*swoon*
I just think they are totally gross.
What about a cuddley kitten?
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