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Small pets

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

Rats, the full story, please!

84 replies

Italiangreyhound · 11/07/2019 20:26

Hi, one of my kids is very keen to have two pet rats. I am not so keen. We have had a few pets (hamster and cats, not at the same time).

I am quite keen for my child to get experience of handling rats before we actually buy one, teenagers don't always know what they want.

Any advice about where to get contact with rats, be able to handle them etc before we take the plunge?

No friends have rats! Loads of friends with hamsters and none with rats!

Many thanks.

OP posts:

Thread gallery

IWantMyHatBack · 13/07/2019 23:49

Yes yes

IWantMyHatBack · 13/07/2019 23:54

Look

smartcarnotsosmartdriver · 13/07/2019 23:59

@IWantMyHatBack there wee faces! Oh they're so cute!!!

Original poster

Italiangreyhound · 14/07/2019 00:41

But three is a crowd, maybe one will be left out!

And i'm sorry but still struggling!

We have isolated our favourites though! dumbo ears!

OP posts:

Original poster

Italiangreyhound · 14/07/2019 00:42

How common are red eyes, not keen on red eyes!

OP posts:

Badcat666 · 14/07/2019 01:38

Never had a red eyed rat, those only occur in albino animals. Dumbo rats are lovely looking, bless their ickle little feet!

IWantMyHatBack · 14/07/2019 11:25

Two is fine, honestly. Three can be better, but start off with two. You can always add more if you feel you can handle them.

QueenOfCatan · 17/07/2019 15:57

@italiangreyhound I have had 15 overall (well, 18, 3 with special needs), I have 3 currently :)
2 of my special needs rats had epilepsy and other issues associated with that and had to be loners, the third was with the group but had some health and genetic issues. We knew before taking them on that they had issues though, it is very uncommon but my breeder at the time had an issue with one of her lines that didn't show until it got to the 'grandchildren' and I think there were 4 in total with special needs, I had 3 of them.

QueenOfCatan · 17/07/2019 16:00

@iwantmyhatback oh they are gorgeous! I adore your little blue, is it a rex?

IWantMyHatBack · 17/07/2019 16:01

Yeah, little silver rex

Original poster

Italiangreyhound · 17/07/2019 22:17

QueenOfCatan kind of you to take them on, or do they feel extra special.

Does rex mean very curly?

OP posts:

IWantMyHatBack · 17/07/2019 22:29

Yeah, they're a bit fuzzy instead of straight haired.

Jesslequest · 17/07/2019 22:35

Rats make great pets, they’re fun and easy to tame but do need a lot of attention and stimulation. They’re also quite prone to developing rumours.
Have you considered degus? They’re diurnal like rats easily tamed, easy to keep , social like rats so a same sex pair is a good idea. They don’t have( in my opinion, having worked in veterinary practice for 20 years ) as many health problems, and make great pets for kids, with grown up backing! They can live for a while though , so like any pet bought for a child make sure your prepared to look after it long after your child/ children have lost interest. Absolutely adore my children’s ( mine!!!)

novasglowx · 17/07/2019 22:46

Have you considered mice? I've always had females and they're lovely girls, big personalities and don't require as much work as rats, though I've had them too. I'm the mouse lady in our family 😂

Mumsymumphy · 17/07/2019 23:08

I've had lots of pet rats when my eldest DD was little. Always kept them in pairs so always had to get another one when one died. They live for around 2 years. Always had females and quite a few of them developed numerous tumours.

I don't have much else to add as you've had some very informative replies. I would recommend getting babies though. Whilst they are very quick and skittish whilst little, they get completely used to you (lots of small bursts of daily handling) and you should never get bitten. I never was. I always got mine from a rat rescue, it was a lady whose house was full of them, and I mean FULL - cages everywhere, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, lounge. She was extremely informative and what she didn't know about rats wasn't worth knowing. She did say a rat bite can go through to the bone (they can chew through bricks in the wild).

Oh and they can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps! I saw one of my rats completely flatten its body once to get under something - I was literally thinking "But where must her bones have gone then?!"
Happy rat-keeping!

BookWitch · 17/07/2019 23:16

I just wrote a long post and it disappeared!
We're rat newbies and I'd say YES! Great pets, definitely cleverer than DDog!
This is Bert!

BookWitch · 17/07/2019 23:16

Bert and his brother Ernie I mean (posted too soon!)

tadpole39 · 17/07/2019 23:21

Used to work with homeless people, one gave me a pet rat that he’d had for a while. She got fatter and fatter...... 15 babies later she was the ideal pet, she came in the bath with me would swim around then sit on my knee out of the water for a full clean. Happy days 🙂

Tolleshunt · 17/07/2019 23:22

I never got bitten by mine, they are extremely gentle. Not like gerbils or hamsters, which are much more bitey. They have way more personality, too, and are so funny and loving.

Search YouTube for rats bruxing (which they do when they’re happy), and boggling (excitement). So cute!

The biggest drawback with rats is that they don’t live long enough. You develop a relationship with them and love for them akin to a dog, but only have them for two years. It can be heartbreaking.

Tolleshunt · 17/07/2019 23:23

I’m really enjoying the rattie pics. What beautiful faces they all have 😍

Bexi3 · 17/07/2019 23:54

I had pet rats as a teenager and also let my daughter have 2 when she was 14. They are delightful, intelligent, loving and comical. Photo of Rhubard & Custard my daughter rats. They have short lives, suffer from tumours and it is heartbreaking when they pass.

dreichhighlands · 18/07/2019 02:33

We had rats when I was younger. They were definitely smarter than our current dog ( that wouldn't be that hard)
They loved eating spaghetti with their front paws.
We had a dumbo who was particularly lovely.
The worst thing about them is their short lives.
They do need decent size cages and they need clearing out regularly to prevent smell.
One escaped once when MIL was looking after them. She discovered it the next day curled up under our duvet.

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 18/07/2019 03:35

I’m only here for the rat pics; a friend of mine had dumbos and they were so cute and so clever but sadly had short lifespans.

I’m allergic to cats and dogs so I think if we do end up with family pets it’ll have to be rats, and as blunt as this sounds with a lifespan of 2-3 years they are a much less long term commitment than a dog or cat.

Here is a basic guide from the BlueCross:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/caring-your-rat%3famp

QueenOfCatan · 20/07/2019 12:15

Italian I took on the first not realising he would have to be separated, had I known that I likely wouldn't have had him as I already had two cages (girls and boys!) but he was a darling, which made me agree to take on the next two a year or so later! He's the little grey one in my hand, Ashi. Bergen DH and I we were only out of the house at the same time 2 days a week, so he spent the whole day sleeping on us. He was my heart rat, I love all of the ones we have had but he was really special.

Walney · 20/07/2019 21:11

Our various ratties over the years, loved them all

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