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Small pets

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Original poster

Yes or no to a pet rat for ds?

18 replies

Elvis · 18/11/2007 20:29

Ds2 has been desperate for his own pet for ages, so we're not giving in lightly!

His birthday is coming up and we are considering our options. At a friend's house yesterday saw their pet rat, and it seemed really friendly and is a really good pet for them...once I'd got over the tail!!!

Any experience anyone?

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Astrophe · 18/11/2007 20:32

Rats are friendly, intelligent and clean - I'd love it if my DC wanted one, it would give me an excuse! Only thing I'm not mad on is their tails, which makes me think a ferret is a good alternative, although a fair bit bigger. How old is your DS?

Hekete · 18/11/2007 20:35

Yes. They are ideal pets for kids.

Get a same sex pair. They are happier that way, and it doesn't make them less friendly!

start here, rescue ratties

Original poster
Elvis · 18/11/2007 20:41

He's going to be 7

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shoshaliteupthetree · 18/11/2007 20:41

We have had them for years, in fact we have two new females which we got in half term, as sadly poor old scabbers went to the great rat playgound in the sky.

The mindees love them, they are friendly funny and gentle, the mindees can touch them without being bitten.

They chase each other around the cage and as soon as you shake the treat box, they are there.

Definitly get DS one,

Rumpel · 18/11/2007 20:42

YES great pets I loved my wee rat but he died of a stroke. very affectionate and intelligent and so much better than a hamster or gerbil. you can teach them tricks and they will play with you in the daytime.

Original poster
Elvis · 18/11/2007 20:52

That's all positive so far!
How much to set us up with the basics?

OP posts:
shoshaliteupthetree · 18/11/2007 21:07

We have had our cages for a long time, but the neew rats were 2 for £12.00 in Pets at home

MegBusset · 18/11/2007 21:12

My BF at school had a rat, which was lovely and very intelligent.

They will get very bored in a small cage so need lots of space, plenty of stimulation and to run round the house as much as possible. My friend's dad made it a little harness and lead so they could take it for walks round the house/garden!

bubblerock · 18/11/2007 21:15

Yes, Yes, Yes they are fab!!

wannaBe · 19/11/2007 14:40

they smell.

Everywhere they walk they urinate, microscopic droplets but none the less ...

Personally I could never have one.

TellusMater · 19/11/2007 14:41

My friends have rats. They don't smell. But they do need a big cage.

OrmIrian · 19/11/2007 14:46

Yes to rats, no to just the one. They are sociable little beasts and get lonely on their own. But they need plenty of room - there is a ratty cage calculator somewhere on-line. I'l try to find it for you. And bear in mind that they need solid flooring - not just wire cage or they get bumblefoot.

Ours do not smell unless you don't change the bedding often enough. 2 or 3 times a week. The rest of the cage doesn;t need cleaning so often but the bedding is important.

DS#1 had 2 for christmas last year and they are wonderful pets.

Alambil · 19/11/2007 20:03

The outlay will be expensive: a decent cage will be near £100 for 2 rats. Then comes the bedding (NOT woodchips - this affects their breathing; paper based cat litter is best for them as it helps smells too), toys, bed, food (not expensive) and a carry case for when you clean them out.

I suggest a cage such as the Jenny Rat Cage (Pets At Home sell it too) and it is rather large.

They do make brilliant pets and they are cheap once the cage is bought.

OrmIrian · 20/11/2007 09:28

It doesn't have to be so bad lewis. I got my DS's cage for 65 last year. It's huge, has 3 levels and was originally for chinchillas. But it did have a wire bottom so we cut some lino to cover that up. We bought a sleeping pod for 4.99, a rat wheel for 7.99 (which they don't use), a food bowl and a water bottle - can't remember cost but not much. I started out determined to use reusable bedding - I cut up some old cotton sheets and towels and washed them in an old pillow case - but the rats take their food into bed with them and it's impossible to get all the bits out. So now I buy shredded paper bedding or just put half a roll of kitchen towel cut into slices in the cage. They will make of it what they will I also put small cardboard boxes and tubes in the cage for them to sleep in/play with. I confess after the wheel I don't tend to bother with toys as such - they have a couple of sticks to chew on. And they spend much of their time out of the cage anyway.
I give scrap as well as rat food - cheese, bread, raw veg. Not much but a little everynow and again.

bubblerock · 20/11/2007 11:14

We got our large cage with pod/bowl/water bottle for £15 from the classifieds in the paper. I make their hammocks from DH's shirts (shhh)

OrmIrian · 20/11/2007 11:27

I did that too bubblerock! DH did give his permission first though

Just wanted to add that if you have a compost bin, the paper bedding can go straight in there when it's done with.

LuckySalem · 20/11/2007 23:45

Rats are brilliant I had 6 of them (had to go when I got pregnant though as couldn't cope with them and cats and baby) make sure you get at least a pair (same sex as they hump like idiots)

They're really easy to look after, just make sure you clean them every day. Also try and get them litter trained. Get a litter tray and each day clean them out but put some "fresh" poop in the tray and after about a week they'll normally just poop and pee in there, nice n easy to clean out then.

Hope you get some.

Original poster
Elvis · 21/11/2007 09:15

Lucksalem, you mean like a cat's litter tray? had no idea you could train them like that!

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