Experience and First Rats

[Kim]

This poll is just to see how many people actually do get rats without knowing anything about them.

When I got my first rat 18 years ago, I knew nothing at all about rats and it seems to be pretty much still the same these days.



So vote and then post to explain your vote if you like.

[christie]

I had wanted rats for a while before i finally got them. When i was younger i had wanted them as pets and did a lot of research. But then as i got a bit older i sort of forgot about them as pets. But a few years after i moved out on my own i decided i REALLY wanted to get some. I did a little research again before i got them.
But i know WAY more now than i knew when i got them. I still read forums to get more info.

[bebhionn]

i researched for a while before i got them. i knew i wanted ratties as pets but i wanted to be sure that they were right for me and that i could take care of them properly before i took on the responsibility.

[Colleen]

I'm a bit of a research freak. i researched for hours about rats, health, temperament, what to feed them, how to look after them, breeders around my area... etc.
and it really payed off. i think this Australian rat forum has helped me out a lot too!

[cjcolla83]

I always wanted a rat as a kid (a friend had them) but my parents flatly refused! A couple of years ago i bought my snake, and as a bit of a (white lie) excuse he he i asked my hubby if i could get a pair to breed for my snake food (as if i could ever do that, and he knew it too)

These days my whole family love my babies. Even my 3 year old loves to get them out for a cuddle, and i've managed to conform even the toughest of critics! (except my mum and dad lol)

[Leeann]

I got into rats courtesy of a then 16yr old

She was told that if she wanted them, she had to read and talk to people that already had them as pets.
I also did alot of reading and asking questions too.

[dreamer]

I researched them before I originally got any but as my first rat was about 14 years ago the info I found was limited to a few small rat & rodent books. I have had rats off & on over the years (all my rats are lifelong pets but I tend to wait before I get more when they pass on) Now that I want to get some more I am trying to research everything I can on the breeds avaliable in Australia & any health issues those breeds might have.

[rani]

I had a sick mouse and took it to the vet who suggested that rats are a great pet and really lovely.

I knew bits and pieces but not much but as soon as I got my first rat: RSPCA rescue - beautiful big hooded agouti - old man he was - I joined as many forums as I could and did as much research as I could.

Now - one year on I do rodent rescue in my state and currenly have 14 rats with another 4 on the way.

Rani

[horsegirl]

Im just getting back into rats after not having one for about 4 years and ive been OBSESSED with researching them hahah. I've definitely learnt more already than i knew back when I last had a rat......the internet is a wonderful thing!!!

[Colleen]

omg... same! that has happened to me too!
i have be rat deprived, and now I'm obsessed, and I'm keen to get more!

[travntill]

It just happened, I had no idea how to care for rats. It's just my first rat (Tilly) was in a pet shop that gave her horrible living conditions and I just couldn't leave her there! So I took her home bought all the stuff and spent the whole night in a panic on the internet trying to find out how to care for rats It all worked out though, and she was the most amazing pet I have ever had...I miss her so much, but she left her legacy behind....she's got me obsessed with rats for the rest of my life!!!! lol

[scarborough]

My mums friend has a snake and they had babies and I fell in love with one of them so they let me keep her. I called her scampers because she runs all over the house. I had to leave her behind in perth though because we are renting here and can't have pets.

[misskooky]

I haven't got my rattie babies yet.
I only decided I wanted them about two weeks ago, and have been binging out on research about caring for them since. And I mean binging. The amount of care sheets I have injested is phenomenal.

How? It may come as a supprise as I've noticed there is a bad rep for us reptile keepers in the rat keeping world (don't get me wrong, I understand why).
I have a pet python, Shiva (she's soooooo gorgeous) and while I was hanging out in my snake forums a thread popped up called something like "the best of both worlds", showcasing the little ratties that were peoples beloved pets, and not anything else.
I totally fell in love with their absolute cuteness, and realised I don't have to just have reptiles or just felines or just rodents. I don't have to pick a side if I care for all my babies equally and don't neglect anyone.
SO now I'm creating a rat mansion and am going to adopt some cuties from the rat rescue in Brisbane when their house is ready in a few weeks!
Before anyone asks or flames me, I couldn't possibly ever EVER hurt another living thing. It's totally against my nature and these ratty babies will be safe as socks for their entire lives. And I plan on spoiling them rotten.

[wulfyskingdom]

I'd be worried about one accidentally getting out and harming the other! I dont know which is more devious, but im guessing that if given the chance the rats would cause more mischief if they managed to escape. Hopefully if they did they wouldnt be able to get into ur snakes cage or vice versa.

Sounds like you'd ensure you have a good secure home for both though.

Do you feed ur snake frozen food?

[Kim]

Hi misskooky,

First of all welcome to the forum.

Second, no one on this forum is allowed to flame anyone else, its in our rules.

Third, there are a number of people in the rat world who own both Snakes and Rats as pets and love both equally, the same as people who have both Cats and Rats.



Mass breeding and breeding rats for reptile food in general does upset a number of rats owners, including members on this forum, but most of us respect peoples rights to do those things, even when we dont agree with them.

And so because you do own a snake you may find some people may be a little less warm towards you. Even though you are not a mass / feeder breeder.

Of course as I said I know a number of reputable rat breeders around Australia who own both Rats and Snakes and do love both equally.

Its great that you have been learning about rats before getting them and its even better that you are taking in Rescue rats.

One thing I would say though is just remember when it comes to learning about rats.....

There are a lot of things about rats that people completely believe as fact but are either myths or half truths.

Such as the myth that female rats need to be bred by a certain age or their pelvis fuses and they have difficult or deadly births if breed after that certain age.

A female rats pelvis does not fuse but a female rat should not be bred before the age of 6 months and after 16 months its probably better not to breed.



Another myth or rather a half truth is that rats can not live alone....

It is better for rats to live in same sex pairs, but some rats are solitary and can not live with other rats, of course you can not say well this rat is going to be a solitary rat, you have to have tried them with other rats first for a while and know that the problem isnt hormonal before you can be sure that you have a solitary rat.



Another half truth is that any female rat you have should be spayed unless you plan to breed because almost 80 - 90% of females unless spayed will develop tumours at some point in their lives and to avoid this you should get them spayed before 6-8 months of age.

Now yes females are more prone to tumors, especially after the age of 18 months due to the drop in hormon levels, some rats are also genetically prone to tumours.

Yet in the last 10 years at least I've only had 3 rats with tumours, 2 girls and 1 boy. The boy and one girl had lived together all their lives, were not de-sexed and had never had babies. Both had tumours and came to me that way. They had never been take to a vet even though the girls lumps were huge.
The other girl came from a breeder, but luckily I got her as a pet so she was never bred.

But in the last 10 years rats I have breed have not had any tumours so its false to say that 80 to 90 % will develope tumours if not spayed.



So yeah everyone needs to just remember that so things are not completely true when it comes to rat facts and most of the people who go around giving out these facts have never tried to see for themselves if they are true or not.

Personally I prefer not to believe anything unless I can prove it to myself first.



Sorry this post was so long.