keeping rats is quite addictive...

[Le_Petit_Lapin]

When i'm in the room with them I leave their door open so they can come out - but thats the thing with rats - they don't seek to escape or hide behind furniture, they just sniff around then go back.

Ah, like a rabbit would?

See I let my gerbils out to have a run freely about the room once. Definately not repeating that one, they just run about trying to hide in the smallest things they can find. When i got them I was told they were sociable animals and would eventually come to you when you call them. They dont, they lok about to see what thenoise was, then try to run away.

 

[Hate]

nah rats stay in their cages mostly, only for an hour or so are they allowed out

 

[Dinomania]

Well it depends - a lot of people just let their rats run free for most of the time they're at home - they can be litter-trained and everything. I probably won't, as I'll be in a shared house - but I daresay I'll have one or two on my lap or shoulder while watching telly...

 

[Hate]

I took mine down the corner shop, the only problem is that they generall only sit on your shoulder for five minutes as they are far more interesting things elsewhere

the only thing is the shop I bought them from now have 3 left, so if another pair get sold and leave a lonely rat I daresay i'll have that one too

My cage apparently can hold 8 rats, so 6 would be the limit I would put in, because my eldest is nearly 30 months old - and by the time the babies are fully grown the older ones would probably have passed on.

 

[laissez-faire]

My Rat was called Homer - he was such a top bloke.

Sam

 

[Mobius 1]

Rats are cool I thought they called the homegrown rats, fancy rats anyway? Completely different to wild rats. I cant have one as my cats would eat it i reckon.

 

[theo]

awww, this thread makes me wish i still ahd rats (they died a while back)

but basicly let them live in our conservatory as they were litter trained in their cage and put in there at night time

only problem is that you get too absorbed in playing with them ^.^

 

[Takhisis]

We're rat-sitting at the mo for a fat sod called Phillip He is on his last legs though - he's about 3 years old

Next month we'll be getting some ratties of our own - the cage we've got should take 5-6 so we'll probably look at getting 3-4

 

[Simmy]

They really are brill pets aren't they They're always doing something daft and funny. It's impressive to observe their jumping skills aswell! Lemiwinks, the brown one, has mad jumping skills! I think Geronimo, the champagne hooded rat, is slightly more cautious when jumping because having pink eyes means she can't see aswell. She's still entertaining though

Your new ones are looking very cute Hate

 

[Spacky]

So do they bite?

 

[Simmy]

No mine have never bitten me. They are very placid creatures. They do gently nibble your fingers if they think it's a bit of food tho

I think male rats cat get quite aggressive though.

 

[Thesnipergecko]

So do they bite?

Generally no, depends how theyve been handled in the pet shop.

One of my last rats used to bite a lot! i was never able to tame her from the day i bought her from the pet shop.

Shame really as she was such a beauty.

Paul ...

 

[SidewinderINC]

Why would someone keep disgusting vermin as a pet, if I seen a rat I'd stamp on it.

jeez, you really do live up to your name.

i dont think ive seen a single post by you where you haven't been abusive to somebody or something.

on topic i looked after a friends rat for 2 weeks whilst she went to russia, i loved looking after it! i really wanted to get one after it went home. but alas i never got round to it. probably because my house at uni wasnt animal friendly.

 

[Kerplunk]

Splinter, you have to have one called Splinter tbh.

 

[brocksta]

currently looking after my brothers rat Pip at the moment while they are on hol. Bit of a shame because his mate Squeak died a month or so ago, feel sorry for the bugger.

 

[Hate]

make sure you give him lots and lots of attention then, rats pine very easily.

Rats generally don't bite unless they are in pain, being territorial or guarding a nest - i've never gotten bitten in my years of keeping out of aggression.

The worst i get from mine is a submissive "eeeeep" if they are scared.

 

[SidewinderINC]

i thought my friends rat was trying to bite me every time i went to pick it up...

turns out in the end i let her do what she wanted with my hand because she kept going for it everytime i put it in the cage and all she did was grab onto it with her mouth with enough force to make sure she had a grip on it, pull my hand further into the cage and then sniff me
then she'd climb up my arm and sit with me at the computer

 

[Dinomania]

Rat-fanciers tend to advise buying from a breeder, as most of them keep a tabs on the histories and breed for temperament and health over and above colours, etc.

Also then they tend to be handled from a really early age so they're already socialised

 

[squiffy]

Rat Trivia..

What film had the rat torture cage scene?

 

[SidewinderINC]

the virgin of nuremberg