to be pissed off when people say ewwwww..........(Note from MNHQ: this is NOT a trigger warning, but just gently letting you know that this thread contains pics of pet rats)

[starshaker]

Whenever I say I keep rats. Yesterday for example i was in PAH and had my heartstrings pulled by the little girl in the picture i asked the guy if I could see her out and hold her. A girl walked past and said ewwwww she's holding a rat, thats disgusting.

Its the face they make too. They are the best pets but of course its ok if people don't like them but why feel the need to tell me their disgusting etc

I am not a rodent fan but would never Ewww nor scrunch my face up if presented with one ( I hope it's ok to Ewwwwwww when my felines present me with half eaten wild ones though)

Please don't feel sorry for me there's really no need. My animals are all animals that have been rescued from shit situations so I obviously don't care very much about them

But at the end of the day they are just animals. I'll look after these ones till they go because they're unable to look after themselves but as a rule I don't really agree with keeping pets. I think we should stop domesticating animals for pleasure and just let them be as nature intended.

I'm afraid I don't like rats either. For me I just don't see anything remotely nice or cute about them but I get what your saying. Only the other week my dog (a pug) was loosely referred to as looking like a 'walrus'....it actually hurt my feelings as the way she said it indicated she disliked both pugs and walruses! I've got over it now but some folk do just say what they feel whilst others respectfully hold back negative comments.

Would you be less offended if I screamed at the top of my voice and ran away ?

Because that's what I'd do

"Little girl"

Feel free to post a warning. I understand about phobias as my dp's mum is phobic but she isn't rude about them

Op, I think you're fighting a losing battle. Some people just don't care that exclaiming their distaste at your choice of pet may be hurtful. Yes, it would be nice if they could follow the old adage "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" but thats just life and there are sadly an awful lot of people who are happy to be rude to a complete stranger for no reason at all.

That being said, your rats are adorable!!!! Makes me miss my own mischief but they just break my heart when they die. It's not fair that pets who are so loving and have such big personalities live such short lived.

I only came to the thread coz its got the bit about rats.
Love them.
Sadly we are down to 2 now. We had 4 sisters but 2 had to be put down due to tumours, in spite of our vets trying their hardest and my DS setting up a rat intensive care the poor wee one in this photo had to go to emergency vets a fortnight ago and pts.

Awwwwww gorgeous. We have 3 rats, two mad little girls and and lovely cuddly gentleman.

I don't like rats and I'd probably say eww because they make my skin crawl, I'm sure the rat wouldn't be bothered though because it's a rat.I don't like cats either so shoo away my friend's when I go to her house and neither she nor the cat is offended. I have a dog though and I love him but he's a dog so fully understand why others might not and pretty sure the dog doesn't care either way.

awwww love your ratties

They're adorable OP but I do think YABU to be so upset at people saying "ewww". Take it instead as an opportunity to teach them.

I've had pet mice but not rats, a friend had rats. I loved the mice but I understand rats are "better" because they can control their bladder and bowel (I must admit I don't like handling male rats... their testicles are HUGE!)

We have pet snakes (2 of them), dogs, a turtle and fish. People often remark on how "boring" the fish are. People often don't understand what they don't know.

Educate them. Perhaps you can talk to a local school about bringing your rats in for show and tell (like a "different pets day" or something). I'm sure you'll find plenty of people that like them (as you have from this thread :) )

Umbongo: '
But at the end of the day they are just animals. I'll look after these ones till they go because they're unable to look after themselves but as a rule I don't really agree with keeping pets. I think we should stop domesticating animals for pleasure and just let them be as nature intended.'

^ this ^

A further point: you can give your animals all the 'love' you want if it makes you feel good but don't kid yourself they love you back. Also, are 't rats totally incontinent, like mice?

No my rats are litter trained

Referring to animals as little girls or little boys and fur babies gets the ewwwww reaction from me.
And for goodness sake- a "trigger warning" because a thread has a minute picture of a rat? Give me strength!

I have two little baby girls and although I would have preferred males (most of my previous rats have been male) they are very sweet.

I'm always having to defend them to people and although I understand that people don't like them, I get a bit fed up of the 'eww they're horrible things, your strange to have them as pets!'

Rats are litter trainable just like cats.

Rats have a similar ability to bond with their owners as dogs do. They have loyalty to their owners and friendship within groups. Perhaps it isn't the same as love but they are social animals and include their human in their social group.

Studies have also shown that rats are one of the few animals able to show compassion. They will forgo things they want in order to prevent their friends being in distress.

Sorry Bert they are little female rats

I know it's not the main point of the thread, but I completely agree with not domesticating animals as pets. Who do we think we are, taking animals away from their parents and effectively imprisoning them?

A touch dramatic I know, but I feel strongly against pet ownership. The rats look cute though.

A further point: you can give your animals all the 'love' you want if it makes you feel good but don't kid yourself they love you back.

You sound like a delight.

Derek I did once have a rat called Rolo

Mine definitely likes me. He will come to me and snuggle down/wash me/coo at me over anyone else. I will call it love.

With domesticated animals that ship has sailed. If you put a fancy rat in the wild it would die as any fancy rat owner will tell you they are delicate little things sensitive to temperature and smell, they have very delicate respiratory systems and can't deal with dust... They're a bit pathetic really lol

Also, Reputable rat breeders do not remove rat kittens early and always rehome in groups of family members (so a rat is never without genetic brother or sister)

I do however agree that mass breeding isn't very kind as kittens are removed very early, re-homed indiscriminately and the females are over bread. Not to mention the lack of room and entertainment in breeder cages.

Derek I have a rat called Rolo,he lives with his brother Pip

I had rats, they were beautiful and amazing! I had one who use to try to clean me all the time! He was wonderful.

I now have a ferret, I get more ewwww's over that.

I knew the thread title would get changed

I genuinely wonder how some people manage to get around the rest of the internet.