Experience and First Rats

[coffee]

My desire started when I was only a child. My mother allowed my sisters and me to have a couple of mice. Soon after, our caravan became a breeding haven for mice! A friend of mine had rats, and I soooo badly wanted one ( or 10 ) but my mother was completely against it. Then as we grow up, our priorities change, as do our interests, and I ventured away from the rodent scene. Then about 12 years ago, I was given a baby rat who became a big part of our family. He lived for over four years..... the rest is history!

I am like Miss Kooky, whom I actually do know from a reptile forum, and I also keep reptiles. I have been known as the snake lady as well as the rat lady, and have been thought of as "weird" because I keep strange animals. My hubby and I also keep tarantulas

I will be honest with you, I do breed rodents for food, but I also have "pet" rats. I could never feed my pets to a snake. My breeders are my 'rattikins', and if they've bred enough, or become aged, then I find loving homes for them. I love all animals and believe they should all receive the best of care, no matter their purpose. All in all I have over 400 rodents (mice & rats) and every single one of them can be handled. Even nursing mothers can be handled.

I am a great believer in an old saying, "you can never have enough information". I think rats are just like any other animal, you can always learn something new.

[oldratmum]

It's great that there is a wide variety of members here

I can see how much has changed since I last kept rats.

I'm looking forwards to getting informaion from you all

oldratmum (christine)

[chickweed]

I always research to death before I get any new type of animal.

[jaimi]

We did a bit of internet reading prior to getting our first rat, but also learnt a lot along the way and I'm sure still do have much to learn about them.
The process of the babies growth absolutely fascinates me and the speed at which they grow is incredible. I've taken photos from day one through to when they leave to go to new homes and the daily changes are just incredible.

[silver]

I read everything I possibly could about rats before getting them. I had mice and hadn't done a lot of research before getting them, so I was researching on a rat and mouse forum, and after I learned everything I could find on mouse care I started reading about rats and needless to say I fell in love.

I even made my rats their own cage before I got my first pair- even though it kind of fell apart a few months later =P . I had always wanted rodents since I was a kid though. I even knew all about hamster care at one point before I knew we didn't have them in Australia.

[nattyrat]

I did a little research before I got my lovely girls, although I can't remember why I decided on rats. I have had cats all my life and to me, rats remind me of minature cats

And being on forums like this and talking to other parents (owners!), I can't believe how much more I have learnt - thank you!

[wulfyskingdom]

lol you must have nice cats! My rats resemble dogs, because all the cats we've owned are like "Talk to the paw, i dont have time for your crap!" hehehe

[abbyjas]

My son is about to get his first rat/s so we are researching now! The internet is wonderful, we've learnt so much already.

[chelleyau]

I'm learning now before I get any! so lay it on me!

I was shocked to find when I first started searching that the first site that came up was the one that wanted frozen rats....

yuck yuck yuck!

[alissadee]

Well I did have pet rats when I was about 8 but I more or less learnt from my mum and my boyfriend. but on the same hand I also did and still do alot of research everyday and try and find out something new for my ratties. ;D

[carolyn]

I'm have research mania.
We don't have our rats yet (hopfully in 6 or seven weeks). So I am researching like a crazed woman to make sure I have every thing properly ready.

I've had lots of other pets including breeding rabbits for most of my childhood. So I am fairly confident that every thing will work out OK.

My children having been begging for a pet dog for about two years but I didn't want to make such a long term commitment right now. I heard that pet rats are similar in temperament to dogs so I started investigating the idea. The more I learn about rats the happier I am with the idea.
There is a lot of information online and this forum is also helping a lot.

[jackalheadrats]

My first experience with rats was when I worked in a petshop. I worked there under a boss for 4 years, then owned the place for 2. I had learnt to look after rats from my boss, who, as it turns out, didn't really know how to care for them.

I met a lady on a horse-riding forum who drove 45 minutes to come visit me in my petshop. She is a huge rat fan and educated me on how they should be kept. Now I teach other people and I'm one of only 3 fancy rat breeders in South Africa.

[missdownunder13]

i had researched for months it seemed before i got the girls (mainly because i had to convince my parents to let me get rats in the first place)

it really frustrates me on other forums how someone will buy a rat/s without knowing a single thing! and then ask all the questions.

[maesie]

I had mice as pets as a youngster, so I knew a little about them. I also tried to learn as much as I could before I got them, but found some wonderful forums and information on the internet since, and am enjoying expanding my knowledge.

[minniecarrie]

I cringe when I think of my first ratty... poor little Ike. I was told she was a boy but she certainly didn't have testicles so she certainly was not a boy!

I was given her for my 15th birthday from a friend. She bought her to school in a plastic fishtank for me.

I kept her in a guinea pig cage and fed her bird seed.

I was SO uneducated. It makes me want to cry now. But I was not cruel or purposely neglectful, just completely ignorant.

She used to spend most of her time in my room free ranging, and her favourite food was yoghurt. She used to come everywhere with me, in my sleeve, even to school sometimes.

It's sad now looking back that I didn't know how to look after her better, but gosh I loved her! I was simple uneducated.

Now I am a vet nurse and whilst I just work with dogs and cats mainly, our practice shares a building with the Brisbane Bird and Exoitics Vet Services so they specialist in rats so I'm properly educated now... but I feel sad for poor little Ike. I wish I'd known better. I loved her enough to have done anything for her... I just didn't know any better