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Original poster

Enter the Ratcave

71 replies

Kaloki · 10/11/2009 15:26

Any other rat owners on here, or just rat lovers?

We've (Kerriko and me) got 4 rats currently. Two albino boys called Hugo and Ralph who are rescue rats from the RSPCA. They are giant animals, and are about a year old. And we've got two tiny little girls who are about 3 months old, Clio is chocolate brown and Lillith is white with a coffee coloured stripe down her back.

There are pictures of them all on my profile

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Original poster
Kaloki · 26/01/2010 13:15

Zemo's lumps were removed on Friday, they are back already

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Original poster
Kaloki · 08/02/2010 19:51

Ralphie just died. We didn't even know he was ill.

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heQet · 08/02/2010 20:16

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I love rats but they are SO prone to cancer, aren't they?

My fave are rex rats. I had a pair and they were so friendly, even by rat standards {grin].

It's upsetting when they die because you get so close to them.

Original poster
Kaloki · 08/02/2010 20:18

We don't even know if it was cancer, he had no lumps. Unlike Zemo, who is on her last legs now. I was expecting her to die, not him. I was so relieved to come back and see her eating so seeing Ralphie dead broke my heart.

I have to confess, he was my favourite, he was so sweet and used to groom me

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belindarose · 08/02/2010 21:32

Lovely, lovely rats. Sorry to hear the bad news from some of you. We haven't had rats for a few years - stupidly got all 'grown up' and thought cats were a good idea. Can't wait till baby DD (5 months) starts asking for a pet of her own because it'll definitely be a rat. Our last one was the friendliest creature imaginable.

Demonseed · 08/02/2010 21:41

Ratties are by far the best little pets We have 3 girls and I talk to them incessantly when in the house....is that a worry? Each has their own unique little personality and they are such characters. I would never have thought of having them as pets but my husband introduced me to these furry little bundles,ahh.And seeing them nibble on a cheeky breakfast treat of a slice of banana brings a smile every time.;)

NellyNaggBagg · 08/02/2010 22:31

I love rats, and am desperate to have a couple. DH, however, is convinced that they will wee and poo all over the house. Can you please reassure him that they are very clean?

The DCs are nearly 8 and nearly 6, which I think is a great age to be involved with rats.

Would it be better to get two males or two females, if I can ever persuade DH?

Original poster
Kaloki · 08/02/2010 23:54

They are very clean, I mean, obviously the live in a cage, so all mess should be confined there. (Unless anyone has managed to litter train a rat?)

All of ours have very very distinct personalities, and they are so cute when they eat and wash, I love their little paws!

demonseed I hold conversations with ours

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belindarose · 09/02/2010 07:48

Males always seemed friendliest for us, Nelly, but you do of course have to deal with the fact that they have extremely large and obvious bollocks as adolescents! They get furry and more hidden later on!

haggisaggis · 09/02/2010 11:23

Well, after losing Fudge back in November, Brownie is also not too great. He had a fall in the cage about 2 weeks ago and has now lost the use of his back legs. THe vet doesn't think he's in pain and he is still eating - but without being able to support himself he can't use his front paws so is not eating as well as before. I am hand feeding homemade soup and porridge! He is still very cute though. Chocolate is still extremely fat - but at least does seem to be looking after Brwonie and grooming him. They both ignored Fudge when he was sick.

shivster1980 · 09/02/2010 11:23

I love this thread. We had issues TTC and I filled our (two bedroom flat) with animals to compensate. We have had six rats in total in the last few years. Always in pairs apart from a two males (bought at separate times) which I felt sorry for because they were all alone in the pet shop.

Sadly two of our females died under 2 years old due to mammary tumours - they were removed once and grew back and the vet said not to operate again

We have one of a pair of rescues left at the moment. The other had breathing difficulties when we brought her home and despite all our efforts she died. Lou Lou who is left is not at all keen on being handled (again an issue with her being a rescue). She is crazy!

Our first rat, we named Ratfink and thought was a boy (we were knew to the rodent game and believed the pet shop) 'He' was home for 2 days and then bit my DH one night during a cuddle. While we were asleep that night she gave birth to 8 little pink sausages. All bar one we returned to the pet shop and were compensated for. The were a very s**t pet shop! It wasn't until we got our first male that we realised how easy it is to tell the gender!!!

Living here at the moment are myself DH DS a rabbit, a rat, and a bonkers labradoodle.

OrmRenewed · 09/02/2010 11:43

Ratophile here. I have 3 female dumbo rats. Two are white and one is white with grey markings. They are the lovely.

I don't share them with anyone who dislikes rats only those love them too - IME that is most people I know. I have the best sort of people as my friends

Original poster
Kaloki · 09/02/2010 11:47

haggisaggis Sorry to hear that

belindarose The boys are definitely cuddlier, the girls just seem to be constantly hyper, and up to trouble

shivster Haha, you really can't get boys and girls confused can you!

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Original poster
Kaloki · 09/02/2010 11:50

Orm I have very little patience with people who dislike rats, if they are scared of them then fine, but as soon as I get they "eurgh don't they carry the plague"

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shivster1980 · 09/02/2010 12:38

Kaloki My DH informs me we had 12 babies! It was quite a few years ago.

That pet shop was close to my work which was a bit of a problem. I kept coming home with rodents I had felt sorry for when I went in on lunch breaks and therefore we ended up having mice and an absolutely demonic hamster from them too.

One of the mice was also a pregnant 'boy'. I was very very angry that they had done it again. The tiny baby mice were very sweet though. When we took the babies in (once they were weaned obviously) the girl charged with sexing them was picking each one up and saying "Erm...well...boy??? I think...what do you think?" How the bl**dy hell I was supposed to know if the so called "experts" didn't is beyond me!

Original poster
Kaloki · 09/02/2010 12:54

Awww!! This is why we aren't allowed into pet shops that sell pets, only the ones that sell food. We cannot resist, we only popped out to get a bag of food and came back with two girlies.

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shivster1980 · 09/02/2010 13:00

I agree with your boy/girl temperment comments too.

The boys are definately more friendly. The girls are always up to something. Chewing a hole in the corner of the 100 pound cage, pulling the new curtains in and using as bedding material etc etc etc.

Our boys in particular the dumbo boy were just gorgeous and soft natured. We also hand reared a girl from tiny. She was my DH's favourite!

Iklboo · 09/02/2010 13:49

I adore ratties. We're hopefully getting some more later this year. Before DS was born we had 4 girls - Millie, Paige, Honey & Muffin. We had to give them away when DS was born as we wouldn't have had any time to look after them properly and it wouldn't have been fair. Broke my bloody heart.
Agree girls are naughtier (and more intelligent!) than boys. I want a pair of dumbo boys next time

trice · 09/02/2010 15:16

We have one ancient rat left. dd is rather keenly waiting for him to pop his little ratty clogs so that she can get some new babies. I will miss him, he is one of the family. Dh insists that the next lot are girls as our old rat zig likes to pee on the remote control to assert his dominance.

NellyNaggBagg · 09/02/2010 19:06

LOL at bollocks, belindarose!

Thanks for the gender advice, rat-fans.

Original poster
Kaloki · 09/02/2010 21:46

Does anyone who owns rats also rent? Have you noticed the weird thing of letting agents wanting to know which caged pets you own? Like it makes much difference?! They're in a cage !!

I had one the other day who said that he'd be ok with gerbils but not rats, my MIL has gerbils and they are messy and destructive things (even if they are cute) So

Also, more bad news, Zemo (who had the lumps) is struggling to eat/sit up/drink, we are hoping she goes in her sleep tonight, if not we're taking her to the vets tomorrow. Devastated to lose 2 so close together, and they are/were such sweet affectionate little things.

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