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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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Sheenacollada · 02/09/2021 14:40

love them. Had pet rats before, they were lovely, affectionate little fluff balls.

TheChip · 02/09/2021 14:44

I loved my little rats when I had them. They used to get so excited when I went near the cage to see them. They both developed tumours and died, well I had one put to sleep. Id not have any more for that reason, it was too sad.

I do always have gerbils though. I currently have 4 and they're the sweetest things ever.
Not keen on hamsters though as pets. They're much too boring compared to rats and gerbils.

Original poster
onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 14:48

@TheChip they are cute but they seem to move so fast, compared to my Syrian Hamster! And they need to be in a glass tank so I think thats hard to transport for holiday boarding.

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Doomscrolling · 02/09/2021 14:51

I love them! We have degus now, which aren’t nearly as ace as the rats but are still pretty entertaining. Very busy creatures, degus. Rats have lovely faces, so clever and alert. The girls were especially good pets.

My mum loathed all rodents, including hamsters and gerbils. Couldn’t be in the same room as them!

wheresmyshoe · 02/09/2021 14:52

Rats are wonderful adorable pets, meticulous in keeping themselves clean and groomed. They're friendly, funny and so affectionate. Love your cuties @CuriouslyStardust

That woman sounds rather odd. Fair enough if people don't like or are phobic of rats but not ok to allow your dog's paws on their cage and to discuss how badly you would treat them.

MrsTerryPratchett · 02/09/2021 14:57

That woman sounds like a psychopath. Wanting distress for her entertainment.

However phobias are evolutionary and hardwired. They even develop at certain ages based on need. Food phobia for example tends to develop in toddlerhood. Useful if a mobile toddler avoids unusual food!, rats, spiders, snakes could all be extremely dangerous to early humans so it's natural to be avoidant.

Lentil63 · 02/09/2021 14:58

We had a pet rat and she was the sweetest girl, I think people associate them with plague but our girl didn’t ever stop cleaning herself. Some people have phobias, I do of spiders but I do know that’s illogical. I agree with you, I don’t value one animal over another.

Plumtree391 · 02/09/2021 15:01

I don't mind rodents at all but people can't help how they feel about some animals, birds, insects and other stuff. There are some things that terrify me and I avoid seeing them, even on TV. I don't want to be like it but that's how it is.

Words won't hurt the animals. As long as no one is deliberately cruel, it doesn't matter.

DogFoodPie · 02/09/2021 15:08

I love rats they make great little pets but it's true a lot of people hate them. That doesn't mean they would be cruel to them though. I am a bit scared of all the exotic pets like lizards and snakes but I wouldn't do anything to hurt them.

Tlollj · 02/09/2021 15:11

I think they’re vile.
Why any one would have them as pets I don’t know.

RattyMamam · 02/09/2021 15:14

Love them. Beautiful, smart, loyal pets.

Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?
FreeBritnee · 02/09/2021 15:14

We went to an wildlife attraction recently where the woman infront was completely disgusted by the rat that was helping itself to the fallen food. She marched off with her children muttering all sorts of strongly worded statements about her disgust and disdain. I looked at the area after she’d left and it was a large aviary with exotic birds and the rats were helping themselves to fallen food such as fruit and seeds. I honestly didn’t see a huge issue but then again I used to own rats as pets do maybe I’m unusual.

steppemum · 02/09/2021 15:15

I don't really like rats, would not keep one as a pet. Mice and gerbils too.
I get that hamsters are cute, but also not for me.

My kids had rabbits, and they were nice, but meh.

But I think the woman in the shop was seriously out of order. Really unpleasant

RattyMamam · 02/09/2021 15:15

They are alot of work and need a lot of stimulation and attention because they are so smart.
Mine know their names and love cuddles.

Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?
IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 02/09/2021 15:16

The shop assistants should have moved her away, it's not fair for the dog to be allowed to stress the rats out

A lot of people are funny about rodents. Rodents = vermin = disgusting. I love them. Growing up I had rats, mice, gerbils and hamsters (and guinea pigs, rabbits, cats ...)

Rats make amazing pets. They're friendly, affectionate and very intelligent.

IveGotASongThatllGetOnYNerves · 02/09/2021 15:17

I'd love to have a Gambian pouched rat but my husband says hell no.

loveyours · 02/09/2021 15:18

I'd love a pet rat and I'm looking into care to see if I should get one. They're smart and clean, domesticated ones

They're tails so creep me out a bit but that's it. Don't know why people hate rodents so much, especially pet ones which aren't going to have diseases

Tlollj · 02/09/2021 15:18

Wish people would stop posting pics of them.

Original poster
onlychildhamster · 02/09/2021 15:21

@Tlollj Dogs can't be left for more than 4 hours so I suppose having a dog is quite tying- I could never do it as I quite like having the odd weekend away (and you can leave a hamster over night). My mother in law is allergic to cats and guinea pigs (and I suppose its quite common too), so can't have them as she comes over. Rabbits chew up everything in sight and you are supposed to have them free roam 24/7 these days.

This leaves hamsters, gerbils, rats for the common pets. Gerbils are quite fast and hard for little hands to handle, hamsters are nocturnal. I suppose for some people, rats can be a good option.

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RattyMamam · 02/09/2021 15:22

@loveyours

I'd love a pet rat and I'm looking into care to see if I should get one. They're smart and clean, domesticated ones

They're tails so creep me out a bit but that's it. Don't know why people hate rodents so much, especially pet ones which aren't going to have diseases

Please don't get ONE, they need to be in groups. 3+ ideally
Soubriquet · 02/09/2021 15:23

I love rats. Would love to have them as pets but dh isn’t keen so not really an option

They are incredibly clever and are actually clean animals but people know too many myths around wild rats to even begin to entertain domestic ones

RattyMamam · 02/09/2021 15:23

@Tlollj

Wish people would stop posting pics of them.
If you don't like rats it's a strange post to click on Confused

Anyways..

This is my double Rex Grogu

Do people hate pet rats/rodents that much?
loveyours · 02/09/2021 15:24

Please don't get ONE, they need to be in groups. 3+ ideally

Sorry, yes I do know small pets should be kept together so they don't get lonely. I always think of them as a rat, but you're absolutely right. At least two

Niffler92 · 02/09/2021 15:25

I know folk love them and I know logically pet/fancy rats are as similar to the wild ones are cats are to dogs, the illogical phobic part of my brain doesn’t get this.