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Original poster

Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?

86 replies

onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 14:04

I was at Pets at home buying some stuff for my hamster. I started looking at some pet rats.They were really quite lovely. There was this lady with this bulldog and she was letting her dog put its paws at the tank that housed the pet rats. She kept saying how much it 'loved watching the rats' and 'how disgusting the rats were'. How she wanted to get some rats for him to 'look at' (but she wouldn't be able to clean the cage or handle it due to fear) and kept musing out loud what her dog would do to the rats, given the chance. She also told me that her hatred of rats extends to all small rodents.

I know its a little thing (and therefore not deserving of AIBU, would probably get flamed there haha), but I was quite shocked at how much she hated the pet rats and kept muttering 'disgusting' under her breath. Oh and how she thought they were of such little worth that they were only fit to be a dog's playthings. I don't really understand this, why should a hamster/rat/gerbil be 'worth' any less than a dog? I felt quite hurt from the whole incident actually even though I don't actually own rats. There weren't any more hamsters on display or she probably would have called the hamsters disgusting!

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DustyMaiden · 02/09/2021 14:07

I hate them, it’s a phobia and they just seem dirty. I would do them no harm.

Original poster
onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 14:10

@DustyMaiden is it just rats or does it extend to gerbils and hamsters? I think I was surprised cos she said all small rodents. I thought hamster was quite an established 'cute pet' (and I am from Asia where they are a lot less open-minded about animals!).

It made me think that maybe everyone who comes to my home is just being really polite about my hamster and they are terrified of it when I take him out.

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CheerfulBunny · 02/09/2021 14:13

Aw that's horrible, sorry it made you feel bad. I've had lots of hamsters and gerbils and they're lovely little creatures and I enjoyed having them. Each had their own personality and individual funny little ways. I love all animals really. People, however weird or insensitive, are entitled to their own opinion I guess.

zafferana · 02/09/2021 14:14

What a horrible woman Sad

I rather like rats - they're very intelligent and apparently make great pets.

Mintjulia · 02/09/2021 14:14

I looked after a friend's pet rat for a week. I don't get why anyone would want one. I associate rats with dirt and disease.

But I wouldn't go as far as giving them to a dog. That's just cruel and sadistic.

I suppose everyone has their preferences but rats are definitely not mine.

tillytoodles1 · 02/09/2021 14:15

I am absolutely terrified of rats, it's their tails, but I'm OK with hamsters. My friend's son has pet rats and I won't even go to her house in case one escapes.

becca3210 · 02/09/2021 14:16

I hate any kind of rodents but I certainly wouldn't do them any harm

MrsRobbieHart · 02/09/2021 14:16

She sounds like a horrible idiot. I don’t hate rodents but I do struggle to see the appeal in having them as pets. But horses for courses. Some people will struggle to see the appeal in a big slobbery dog.

Seagullsstopit · 02/09/2021 14:17

I've had pet rats, they are clean, affectionate, intelligent, fun...
You can even toilet train them!
I've been bitten many more times by dogs that rats

shivbo2014 · 02/09/2021 14:17

Aw I love rats, I'm desperate for some as pets. Nearly everyone I've mentioned it to has said they won't be visiting if we have rats. We have A hamster and people seem to like him. I think it's just the way people see rats, not understanding that they can be lovely pets and are actually very clean!

DustyMaiden · 02/09/2021 14:17

I find hamsters least upsetting, I think because they don’t have a tail. I would think of them as much cleaner.
I don’t think everyone is terrified of them, I don’t mind spiders but more people seem terrified of them.

Trinacham · 02/09/2021 14:18

Some people just can't separate domestic rats from their wild cousins. I used to have pet rats. They really are lovely little creatures. So friendly and curious about people. A lot of people hate their tails. I love their tails!

CremeEggThief · 02/09/2021 14:20

I have a phobia of rats (to the extent where I used to pray I wouldn't see or hear any before leaving the house every single time), but I'm not quite as frightened of pet rats. I could be in the same building as them, as long as they were in their cage. My mind has put them in a different category. I like some rodents, but not that keen on others, such as gerbils and mice, but rats are mu phobia. I'm just as scared of dead wild rats as live though!

Original poster
onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 14:20

Yep she did say it was the tails.
.

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Heyha · 02/09/2021 14:23

After a long line of various pet and people combos I would bet my house it's the tails. And the size of them, as nice have the same tail issue but are cuter in appearance at least. Gerbils seem to get away with it with most people because they have cuter faces and their tails are hairy, and most people are indifferent at worst to hamsters because they're just fluffy blobs to the casual observer. Guinea pigs are cute and funny and don't have tails, as are rabbits. The fact that rabbits can be bloody ferocious when compared with rats escapes people unfortunately.

I mean, I've been bitten by a rat, it's not pleasant, but neither is a hamster bite, their teeth are all the same after all. But hamsters don't have tails or a history associated with them so they 'win' despite being much less interactive than a rat.

Heyha · 02/09/2021 14:24

I mean, obviously hamsters DO have tails, but not 'bad' tails.

Neverrains · 02/09/2021 14:25

I have a genuine phobia (and hatred) of rodents. This includes hamsters. Makes me shudder even thinking about them.

Neverrains · 02/09/2021 14:27

It’s not the tails for me (although they don’t help). It’s… their rodent-ness! The fact that they can squeeze their skeletons into really small holes. The fact that they’re so quick. And that they scurry.
I have absolutely no issue with spiders/snakes/any usual phobia type stuff. Just rodents.

Original poster
onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 14:27

@Neverrains its fair enough, lots of people have phobias of cats and dogs. I am not too keen on cats and dogs myself. But I think if you said a dog was disgusting, people would think you are an awful person. Not so much for rodents!

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Neverrains · 02/09/2021 14:29

[quote onlychildhamster]@Neverrains its fair enough, lots of people have phobias of cats and dogs. I am not too keen on cats and dogs myself. But I think if you said a dog was disgusting, people would think you are an awful person. Not so much for rodents![/quote]
You often get people on MN saying how disgusting dogs are Grin. Slobbery, hairy and smelly.

CuriouslyStardust · 02/09/2021 14:30

Oh yeah fancy rats are just awful. With their cute little noses and how easy they are to handle. Let alone how smart, affectionate and social they are.
Literally the only time I've gotten bitten by any of our 6 rats was when one of our old boys thought my finger was his favourite treat. Rats over other rodents anyday imo.

Vile little beasts... think we need two more Grin

Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?
Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?
Seagullsstopit · 02/09/2021 14:30

@Neverrains

It’s not the tails for me (although they don’t help). It’s… their rodent-ness! The fact that they can squeeze their skeletons into really small holes. The fact that they’re so quick. And that they scurry. I have absolutely no issue with spiders/snakes/any usual phobia type stuff. Just rodents.
Mine were way too fat and lazy to scurry Grin Unless I had prawn crackers Hmm
Seagullsstopit · 02/09/2021 14:31

@CuriouslyStardust

Oh yeah fancy rats are just awful. With their cute little noses and how easy they are to handle. Let alone how smart, affectionate and social they are. Literally the only time I've gotten bitten by any of our 6 rats was when one of our old boys thought my finger was his favourite treat. Rats over other rodents anyday imo.

Vile little beasts... think we need two more Grin

SQUISHES! I had 10 at one point Grin
Vanda189 · 02/09/2021 14:31

It’s the massive bright yellow teeth that put me off…

Neverrains · 02/09/2021 14:32

@CuriouslyStardust

Oh yeah fancy rats are just awful. With their cute little noses and how easy they are to handle. Let alone how smart, affectionate and social they are. Literally the only time I've gotten bitten by any of our 6 rats was when one of our old boys thought my finger was his favourite treat. Rats over other rodents anyday imo.

Vile little beasts... think we need two more Grin

I can look at that picture and acknowledge that they have really cute faces. But imagining it scurrying around makes me shudder. I know it’s not rational!