If you were going to be getting a small pet anyway, would Christmas still be really wrong?

[parrotonmyshoulder]

IF we manage to move house next week as planned, we will be in a position for DD to have pet rats. She is 6. DH and I are quite prepared for them to be our pets really, and we had rats ourselves until a few years before we had the DC. We're very much looking forward to having them again.

So would it be a dreadful idea to get DD the cage, accessories and rats for Christmas? We'd be having two rats.

Go for it. Sounds like she'll be thrilled.

On the other hand are there likely to be unwanted Christmas present rats around in the new year that may need rescuing and be grateful of your home? Maybe that's more of a puppy thing?!

I was planning on rescues anyway and an empty cage with promise of rats would be a bit disappointing on Christmas day!

Small caged pets won't really know the house is unusually cluttered/busy (it's not like introducing a kitten or puppy)l. As as you're experienced owners, I really cannot see why not.

We got ds a rabbit last year. No different to getting it at any other time of the year. Go for it

I suppose I'm a bit worried about giving the message that pets are a novelty, disposable thing to be given as a gift. Obviously that's not what I think!

I wouldn't want to give the message that animals are Christmas presents - why not give the cage, books about looking after rats etc and then get her excited about choosing her special pet

Most places won't rehome over Christmas (are you looking at Rescue or breeder?)
The Rescue we got our pigs from don't rehome after Dec unless it;s a neutered boar who's waiting to be sterile and has been reserved, or a bereaved pig who urgently needs a cagemate.

Could you see about getting the Rat Babies earlier if you don;t want to wait till after Christmas. Then they'll have settling in time.

But , sadly if you do wait, there will be an influx in Rescues waiting..........

I think if you plan everything, it doesn't give the impulse gift idea , it's when I see children in a Petstore asking their parents for "A Guinea-Pig" I have a moral duty to point out just what they're letting themselves in for.

Definitely not an impulse. New rats have been planned since before she was born, we've just been biding our time and waiting for the right circumstances. But, there's nothing she really wants for Christmas and if we're ready for rats anyway it seems a good time for her to get them.

I'll see what local rescues expect to have available.

I'd go with getting a book about them for your dd for christmas rather than the rats themselves, I'd worry about giving her the idea of them being disposable too.

Some rescues may be open over Christmas. My breeder runs a rescue too and I know she had a couple of people picking rats up on Christmas Eve last year, they were babies though.

I must admit, I impulse bought our boar. I was thinking a while (our sows were a bit meh without their mate).
I suggested to DH, he was "Oh, ok if you must "

I phoned the Rescue to see if they had a likely lad and.............along came GP6

Much loved, by us and the females.

You seem to have everything in hand, see what's out there

Will be a brilliant Christmas present, go for it.

I just don't understand why any child who has been brought up in a household where animals were respected would get the idea that animals are disposable, just because they got one for Christmas.

I would go for it. I remember the kitten I got for my birthday, it was the most wonderful present ever. I had that cat for nineteen years and loved her to bits.

Obviously chaos and coming/going wouldn't be good for a puppy but I can't see that bothering a rat tbh, it will have a safe space to be.

Go for it Parrot! You are clearly desperate to get some new ratties and are experienced owners, so I don't see a problem.

Will she put them on a Christmas list? Could you get a book before Christmas and discuss all the things they need? She could write a letter to Father Christmas saying she would like them and promising to feed, clean out and pay them attention etc.
You are clearly not getting them on a whim. The only issue I can see is of timing. (Rats being available exactly at Christmas!)
Enjoy! Rats are ace pets.

Thanks everyone.

You do all realise that this Christmas present is...really for me, don't you? Poor DD. I thought she and her brother would be good rat substitutes but no, they've proved completely inadequate, especially with their lack of tails and twitchy whiskers.

You know that you'll have to change your username to ratonmyshoulder, yes?

Can't wait for that neck cuddle and stroky tail!

I did gather that they were really for you. I know how you feel, my DDs are completely inadequate rabbit subsititutes.

I don't know how you've lasted without them to be fair, I'll be gutted if I had to be without ratties, I even miss them on holiday

My concern about them being gifts would be more the culture of pets as gifts, I remember my best friend getting a snake for her birthday and I then remember how neglected it was too as she got bored quickly, horribly I never thought that there was anything wrong with that until I was older so my experience of gift pets probably colours my thoughts. Obviously a different situation here though given that OP is really the one they are for ;)

Never mind the tail it's those amazing little skinny feet that amaze me when I see rats

And when I load my trolley with all the veg (kale? chicory? spring greens? ) it's my furbabies not my human babies that eat them.
DD wanted hamsters, guess who persuaded her to Go Guinea

You need to get them in good time to get them used to their Christmas hats for the obligatory photos on Small Pets

Sadly, house move is looking less likely to happen before Christmas now. DH is all stressy about mortgages, kids' schools, surveys and all that shit. I'm thinking 'but what about the rats?'

:(