Domestic Rats, why the taboo?

I never knew anything could be so completley miss-judged In my life until I got 2 pet Rats, they are the most missunderstod Animal In the pet community Its unbelievable and sometimes frustrating!!

I love Animals, and when I moved out the 1st thing I did was look Into what I could have.
Had Cats all my life so wanted a change, Landlord wasn't allowing Dogs which was my first choice.
I had a think, and decided Rats are a good choice, they are easy and cheap to care for and have personality.

They really are so affectionate, they bond with their owner and have unique personality's, I have 2 females, 1 Is really soppy and lives to be held, the other Is a bit naughty and hyper but they are so funny to watch!!

My point to this thread Is the complete lack of knoledge some people have towards pet Rats.
When I tell people I have Rats I sometimes get looks of disgust and shock, like I've just jumped Into a sewer and caught a couple to take home.

People just don't understand the word "Domesticated", because they are nothing like Wild ones.

reply to post by Zakka


People usually hate them because they think that they somehow actually own a piece of earth and that other animals should not trespass on their land. I wasn’t aware other animals could read land lease contracts.
I get what you’re saying and it’s very true.
But you’re never going to change people when it comes to rodents and things like that.
Just be happy that they will still be around when humans have driven themselves to extinction

reply to post by Zakka


we had rats.. good pet,, but the domestic variety are pron to TUMORS..

sad but true..

love em up while you can...

the cost of surgery made it prohibitive to keep em once they got sick..

sad but true,, ours went to feed a large Snake...

ahh,, the way of the domestic wildlife..


SEE MY PIG?????? SHE WAS DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!

reply to post by Zakka

There isn't anything wrong with pet rats that you get from a pet store.
However, rats carry diseases and are also destructive.

My sister has pet rats and a few friends of mine did.

I like rats. They are very intelligent. One of my favs would sit on my shoulder and just chill there like a parrot.

But wild rats bring disease so that's probably why humans can have a disgust for them. I mean the word vermin has a negative context just in itself.

en.wikipedia.org...

Domesticated rats are physiologically and psychologically different from their wild relatives, and—when acquired from reliable sources (such as a breeder)—they pose no more of a health risk than other common pets.[4] For example, domesticated brown rats are not considered a plague threat,[5] though exposure to wild rat populations could introduce pathogens like Salmonella into the home.[6] Fancy rats experience different health risks than their wild counterparts, and as a result they are less likely to succumb to the same illnesses as wild rats.

reply to post by darrman


Yes I'm aware they suffer from Tumors.
Hope that was a joke feeding It to a Snake, surely u wouldn't want your'e pet to die and pain an terror.

Originally posted by Zakka
reply to post by darrman

 

Yes I'm aware they suffer from Tumors.
Hope that was a joke feeding It to a Snake, surely u wouldn't want your'e pet to die and pain an terror.

sorry Zakka.. not a joke...

some things Are the way they are according to the plan of the universe..

what one eats, nourishes the body,, if only to nourish another ..

it is the way of the world... sorry if it upset you...

it would have suffered more,,, MUCH more,, to let it live Longer in tumor pain..
she could hardly walk....

no disrespect meant ...

In India (where I think rats are indigenous) some rats are sacred.
However, the snakes, that kept the rats in balance are also sacred.
I think its when rats come into the wrong environment, or modern slums, that we see them as problems.

Here is footage of a temple in India where rats are regarded as sacred (although they aren't directly worshiped, as is implied in the film).

This rat population is very healthy, and has never transmitted any diseases.

Rats outside the temple are not regarded as holy, although the town generally demands compassion from the state in dealing with them.

I saw a documentary of what is happening to the snakes in South East Asia, which are plucked from trees and sold to places for the modern shoe and hand-bag industry. It was heartbreaking and gory, and many of these big harmless snakes are skinned alive. Farmers will sell the snakes, even when they know that the rat population will explode as these creatures disappear. It's all so sad.

Although there is still a certain stigma attached to owning rats, I do not think that it is nearly as bad as it used to be. I bred hairless and rex rats for many years, as well as hairless and fancy mice, and they are wonderfully affectionate pets. I had multiple-generation pedigree records for every one that left my care, and I cannot think of a single friend of mine that could say that about their family dog or cat. As far as tumours are concerned, out of hundreds of rats and mice, very few actually developed any.

Today there are rat and mouse breeding registries like those for horses and dogs. There are even rat and mouse shows. I have had the pleasure of judging a few myself, and they were quite fun. I think that anyone arguing that rodents are dirty animals and not suitable for pets is just ill-informed. Do not let them bring you down, enjoy your new fur babies!

[color=dodgerblue]I used to work in a pet store and was appalled at the way they kept their feeders and breeders. The only time they were properly taken care of is when I did it myself. Poor things...

Anyway... Interesting story..

We had some breeder mice that had a couple of litters and someone (no idea who) was bright enough to sell one of the mamas leaving only one to care for both litters of pinkies.

I took the oldest of the two litters and put them in with one of the nursing rats and she adopted them and raised them along side of her own litter.

reply to post by Vaehne

Its more of a frustration If anything, some people can actually be fairly nasty towards It, 1 stuck-up women overheared me talking about them and said "Urgghh how can you keep Rats In your'e room, horrible, vile animals" I just Ignored her.

They are clever little critters and do have their own character.
My bro had a great pet rat years back,It was clean and tidy,and used to love sitting on my bro's shoulder when he watched TV.
It would reach up and try to tickle his chin with one paw/foot to "ask" for a treat.

The only thing that I found a bit odd was the bald tail-but thats just me I guess.

I guess if you want a food-stuff as a pet, I can't stop you... just seems odd to me. We won't schedule any playdates with my python, though.

reply to post by TLomon

Lol I get that a lot.
If you love the animal then no pet Is "odd" to keep, as long as you give It a good life.

I just had a friend round mine tonight, only came In for a few minuits, but before he was one of the "Rats as pets, are you weird?"

He came In my room and Nut, 1 of the girl Rats came straight out the top of her cage to say hello, and my friend fell In love with her, could not believe how cute and Intelligent she was, and said "Rats arnt actually bad"

Point Is that makes It a 100% track record of people who before didn't like my Rats, but after meeting them loved them!

Ahh Domestic rats are cute.
Daughter has two, but I I've had enough crap luck and heartbreak with animals I just don't fancy having anything as a pet anymore.

reply to post by Suspiria

Aww.
You should, If you give the Animal a good life and make sure you do as much as you can to reduce suffering when time of death there Is nothing to feel sad about.
You have given him/her a happy life which Is more then some people do.