To rehome pet rats?

[dragonflys]

We purchased 2 rats from pets at home and they were obviously scared when arrived home. We left them for a week to settle and tried to tame them. They were awful, constantly nipping and biting and hiding away when near cage. I did assume it was because of the way they were bred.

We got them for 11 year old DD and she is now scared of them as they bit her and she doesn't like the smell.

I always thought rats were supposed to be friendly?

Anyway, they seem unhappy and still scared when I go near the cage. I clean them out as DD wanted to play with them and can't and they are now never handled.

I don't know if they'd ever get rehomed but I feel a rescue could work with them.

It the best thing to do isn't it?

@isadoradancing123 why are rats 'not normal'?

We bought a hamster from pets at home after only buying them from a small local pet shop before (that has now gone out of business, probably due to pets at home) anyway we chose the one we wanted and the assistant used a little trowel to scoop him up. I asked why, and she said that they're not ALLOWED to pick up the animals. I don't know if that's true, but I was horrified and disgusted.

Rats aren't for everyone. They're descended from vermin, are incontinent and unhygienic, and while they're generally intelligent (hence why it's so hard to get rid of them if they infest your house,) if you get a pair of pet rats which aren't used to being handled then you are going to end up with bity animals who are afraid to be handled.

I would find a rescue to take them at this stage.

We have had pet rats in the past including ones that we rehomed from a rat rehoming charity. They had been kept in a hamster cage so were nervous,scared and one did bite in the beginning but with time and patience they trusted us and where different rats .Pets at Home truly have no idea .You need to start rebuilding trust that means interaction to build up trust.
I honestly don't want to sound judgemental but you haven't handle them for two months ,they are scared and they don't trust you.If you don't feel you can do that please rehome them to someone who can .

If you are in Scotland, I'll take them.
Poor things.

Look up rat rescues OP, I think you should rehome them to a knowledgable person. They are not evil, they are frightened.
You will be doing the rats a kindness. 😀

They're not evil!
You havent handled them for 2 months! What do you expect?
They're terrified!
I had a scared very anxious animal.
She obviously had not been handled.
I kept her and gained her trust.
You should rehome them though.
They deserve good homes.
Do your research first before getting an animal ( never buy an animal for a child, they are not responsible for it, YOU are).
DO NOT put these poor things on facebook or gumtree!

Omg why didn't you buy her something normal like a kitten
Wtf???
Rats are a lovely pet.
Ffs just get a kitten, for a child?
What happens when that bites or scratches?
There is no perfect pet!

OP -post on "Small Pets" and ask for advice there are lots of Rat owners there..

All the you shouln't have got them and you don't buy for a child is relevant but the deed is done.
You have the rats.

You as the adult are legally responsible for them.
It might be they never become cuddly but you can ensure they have space (If you bought your ratcage at P@H I can pretty well guarentee its too small), interaction and stimulation.

Have you read up on their health and illnesses (URTI, lumps and tumours) . Have you got a rat savvy vet?
Are you cleaning the cage frequently and properly? Male rodents often don't like their smell removed and will mark (pee) a clean area.

I have guinea-pigs with my DD all Rescues. Possibly someone wanted another pet but got them as a substitute. Our boar was dumped because his owner wanted rabbits.

Ask yourself what will happen to these little boys if you rehome.

Let me push past this huge queue of people waiting to adopt two bitey rats

Rats aren't incontinent. You can train them to use a litter box.

I've had rats on and off for the last 18 years and only had one that was a biter initial.

If they are properly housed in a proper rat cage and allowed to settle and not grabbed roughly they are sweet and gentle and calm. Calmer and more friendly than hamsters and mice etc. They will calmly sit on your shoulder quite happily.

Even if not handled initially they have been easy to tame. Has she been too rough at some point accidentally?

I have a friend that works at pets at home and although I would never buy from there her branch certainly is allowed to handle them and they do.

Try
www.woodgreen.org.uk
www.bluecross.org.uk
www.smallpetsmatter.co.uk may help advise you of shelters in your area

Maelstrop I told P@H about a guinea-pig with a gummed shut eye , he was "sleeping " too they told me.
No he's not, he cannot open his flipping eye !

If you keep them, you need to handle them, every day. Start little.
Put something with your smell in their cage, ( we used an old tshirt cut up in the bed).
You can buy little fleece grow bags so the animal can hide in them whilst you can still handle them.
That way they can still get used to you.

I've actually found rats stink far less than other rodents. They are fairly clean. We currently have a very pongy mouse who stinks.

* Omg why didn't you buy her something normal like a kitten*

FFS! Neither the adult nor the child in that house have a fucking clue about how to take care of animals. Rats are social creatures. So are cats, actually. They want love and cuddles. The kitten would go down the way of the rats the very first moment it would scratch in play.
OP, please, clearly you have no idea and no inclination to take care about animals which actually happen to feel love, fear, pain and sadness, just like us. Get your daughter one of those toy pets from a toy shop where you only have to change the batteries.
And rehome the rats. They deserve love and affection.

Yes rats are incontinent.

www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Resources/e-learning/introduction-to-museum-pests/s02p06.html

And no the pet rat is not different from the vermin rat, they're all descended from the same species of vermin.

Even if you don't see a constant stream of urine there is a constant microscopic amount of urine wherever they go. Revolting.

LoverOfCake

Rats are not incontinent, they scent mark, which is where the myth comes from, but they are not incontinent.

OP

‘A rat cage’ from P@H is not going to be anywhere near big enough. Have a look on fancyratsforum.co.uk - the folks on there can help you keep them properly or rehome them, whichever you decide. I’ve been involved in ferrying rats across the country to get them to the right home.

Any rat that properly bites (blood drawn) rather than nips is absolutely terrified. You can still bring them round but you need to know what you’re doing, and it does take time.

I’d make some hammocks out of old, worn and not washed, t shirts to get them used to your smell. As a novice - sit by the cage quietly to get them used to your presence. They should be somewhere people are, like the living room. The move to sitting with your hand in the cage until they are happy to approach and sniff. Then stroking and usher them into a rat bag and carry them around.

(Personally I’d go straight to handling them firmly but not roughly and stick ‘em in the rat bag, but if you’re scared of being bitten that could be counter productive).

Your daughter really doesn't sound mature enough to have a pet. Neither do you actually. She refuses to handle them because they bit her? Really? They're young, untamed, frightened rodents. When you get a young, scared pet who has had very little human contact, you go into it fully expecting to get bitten at some point. They're rats, it's not like they can have a finger off. If she was 5 years old I could understand it but at 11 I would expect her to have been putting in the effort to research how to look after and tame them and tried a bit harder with them. And if she isn't ready to do that then you really should have. They aren't evil, they are approx 6 months old and terrified.

Blimey Op you're getting a proper bashing. Obviously you are the first person to ever make a mistake regarding buying a pet.

You cannot change the life they have had but you can give them a happier future, I'd contact a rescue and work with them to find an experienced home for them.

Next time your DD asks for a pet say NO!

Rats are lovely animals, and make great pets but for whatever reason you didn't put the work in, no flaming from me, it's pointless.
You can try to rehome them, or just make sure they have a big cage and lots of toys so they can be as happy as they can.

I’d make some hammocks out of old, worn and not washed, t shirts to get them used to your smell.
Yes! Or buy them if you can't be bothered

Saying pet rats are no different to wild rats is like saying dogs are no different to wolves, or massive fat meat chickens are no different to wildfowl.

Trying to tame a wild rat, even from birth, is almost impossible. Pet rats (and lab rats) are friendly social creatures with centuries of selection to be easily handled.

They're not evil. They've been bred unethically. They're frightened and untrained

Absolutely.

My first pair of rats used to free range around my flat and sit down my top while I did my marking and preparation. Never bit me once, were fabulously house trained and a total joy. It's not their fault that you're having problems with them.

I would never buy an animal from a shop, no matter a rat or a dog. It has sat in the cage basically being ignored apart from food and water. It's really not a surprise they are not tame.

I agree with PP, that at 11 your child should be taught the responsibilities of owning an animal but the ultimate responsibility must rest with adults, the parents.

However, it's easy knowing that after the event so I wish you well with whatever you decide.