No not the wild ones!!! We have poison down for them.
I need some information on Pet rats as we are probably getting a rescue one tonight :) :)
I have had hamsters, rabbits, etc etc for years, but this will be our first rat.
We have a cage, and know they need getting out daily, but can anyone give me any tips.
Do I give them veg like we did with the hamsters??
Anything you think might be of help.
(the one we are proibably getting is a cream Dumbo Rat thats 4 months old and very handelable :))
Lea :) :)

LOL Lea did I never tell you I used to breed and judge them and my ex is a bigwig within the rat fancy? ;) ;) I'll see if I can get you a copy of his book -it's pretty old now but still relevant as far as care goes.

Is there anything you havnt bred and judged PML :D :D :D :D
No wonder you knew what I was on about on saturday :)
That would be great thankyou :) :)
(and yet again I now know someone I can call on to pick brains if I have a problem, like with the hamsters LOL Be afraid, very afraid :D )
Lea :)

Erm I think answering questions is nothing compared to towing people's cars for 50 miles and driving us home from hours away.....!!

Its what friends do, but think Pete is scarred for life being attatched to a white van driven by a woman!!!!!! LMAO
Lea :)

Really you need to get him or her a friend as they are very sociable. I've just lost my last two girls and am having a break as sadly their lives are all too short.

Fancy Rats is a good forum to join:-)

I agree with the last poster. Rats are very sociable and you should have at least two. I had rescued rats for years and always had between 2 and 4 so there was never one left alone-- they grieve for their friends. It's great fun watching them inetracting with each other as well. There lives are so short though, and respiratory problems and tumours which need vet tretment are very common. they are adorable, but also heart breaking. Also agreee that Fancy Rats forum is great .

Certainly need a friend - they are great pets I have ... lots of them :) :) Awesome little friends they are :)

Will take on board about another Rat. Will have to look out for another younger one if so LOL
The only Rats I have ever held are wild ones, by the tail to bop them on the head!!! LOL
So holding this one tonight was an experience!!!
Fiesty littlke fella, got his way out of the small animal box, then he was put in Guine pig box and looked as if he would get out of that so the box was put in a rabbit box. I really thought we were going to have Ralphie running around the car by the time we got home. But he got out of the Guinea pig box and stayed in the rabbit box PHEW (25 mile trip!!!)
He is now here and better than I expected LOL
Lea :) :)

Well if you are looking for pals for him :-D

http://www.freewebs.com/lincolnratrescue/ratsneedinghomes.htm

Were the boxes cardboard? I gave mine cardboard boxes filled with tissue paper and food to chew through, went through them like hot knives through butter!!

I swore I wasn't going to look at any rat topics but I just can't keep away!!!

> Fiesty littlke fella, got his way out of the small animal box, then he was put in Guine pig box and looked as if he would get out of that so the box was put in a rabbit box. I really thought we were going to have Ralphie running around the car by the time we got home.

Bless!
He would probably have been happier hiding in the sleeve of your fleece or jacket (if you were wearing one).

Yes it was paper boxes!!!. I was going to take the hamster carrier we have but as it was a surprise for my son (He did know he was getting one but didnt know that day) I couldnt sneak it out LOL
He Sat on the back of my sons neck cleaning himself within an hour of getting home, and at the store he kept going down mine and sams back so that was my fear, :- Hello Mr Police officer, yes I was driving iractically due to a rat running up and down my back!!!!! :D
I did see those boys, but I think 3 rats is a tad tooo many, especially as the cage is not huge (but big enough)
I very quickly made him a hammock last night and thats where he is sleeping even though he has a box.
Think I will make him a few other bits and peices later, Now where are the boys fleeces to cut up :D :D :D
Lea :)

Aw, I used to have fancy rats, wouldn't have the time now or would like another hamster actually.

Sounds like he's landed on all 4 paws :-D Any chance of a pic? See I can't help myself

Um Pm me your email address and I will send you one. We have only got one at the moment :)
Lea :) :)

My daughters rats love most fruit and veg treats, dried pasta is another one of their likes, I do know she just "googles" a food if she is not sure what to give. When she comes to stay she comes with 3 of them, after not being keen on the thought of them,I have to say they are very much time wasters ! watching them interacting with each other is great and I am now used to handling them. She has just paid £130 for a tumor taking off one and I dread to think when she looses it !

I've had rats for about the last 9 years now - currently we have Susan and Holly, and Leonard and Sheldon (separate cages!).

I would always recommend more than one, two or three is a good number and if you have one now you would be best placed getting two young boys and introducing them - cage size guidelines do vary and obviously they do need enough space BUT, boys require in my experience quite a bit less space than girls, they are a lot more idle (and because of this make the better, more handleable pet).

Most fancy rat people feed a mixture rather than one standard product - usually a mixture of a good quality dry dog food, a rodent food (a high quality rabbit muesli is often good, not one that contains alfalfa though, it won't do any harm, its just wasted as they won't eat it) and then dry pasta.

Usually thats fed as the basic daily food - mine hav etheir bowls filled up each morning, and then they get fresh food, human left overs etc in the evening. Mine eat most of our left overs, nothing too high in salt or fat or sugar, but theres v little they don't like.

They SHOULD have some meat in their diet (hence the dog food element of the mixed food), they CAN be given cooked bones as they gnaw so splintering isn't an issue.

Its easy to get sucked into buying expensive hammocks etc (and there are some REALLY nice ones around, look at Fuzzbutts.co.uk) but they will be just as happy with hammocks made from old teatowels, cut off legs of jeans etc.

Finally - never use sawdust, if you haven't been told that already. Paper cat litter is an ideal substrate and some of the horse beddings work well too (aubiose is good i think) though these are only really practical if you have a lot of rats!