Ratties - I'm a mad rat lady again!

I've always kept lots of rats, and always been known as the mad rat lady. I even have a tattoo of one of my first special heart rats on my hip!

Well, over the past few years I have not got any more ratties, I have just watched my guys go down from nearly 20 to just 1 a month ago.

The plan was to not get any more ratties, but I couldn't imagine not having any so I borrowed some very nice ratties from a friend to keep my Woody company. And since then I have gained 2 rescue boys, Merlin and Bruno, from different places, and I have two boys from a friend's litter reserved too which I'm excited about.

All these babies!!

Also, I was fostering a pregnant doe for my friend, and was excited about raising a litter again, but it wasn't to be. She just had one kit and it got stuck in the birth canal, was finally born with assistance from the vet, but was dead

But Aniesha was fine thank Goodness so can't ask for more really.

Anyone else a mad rat person?

A ratty fiend here! I grew up with rats and had about 50-odd in the house at one point! That was when I did a bit of small-scale rehoming - meant to be about 4-5 rats at a time but someone local wanted to rehome their rats and their 20 does came to me, shortly followed by about another 20 bucks! Fortunatly I had help with fosterers taking most of these as it was hectic trying to clean and socialise that many ratties.
I had a gap without rats for a while but found myself missing their little quirks and rescued several boys earlier this year Sadly lost one after an operation to remove a thyroid gland tumour but the other 3 are doing well Not sure if I'll keep having rats - OH was gutted to lose Ratchet earlier this year, as Ratchet was "his" rat, think in the future we might go for something with a longer lifespan, e.g. a couple of ferrets.

Good on you for helping with the rescues. I was always a failed fosterer, I would get the rats with no prospects lol (ie. aggressive bucks who have killed cagemates and savaged people!), and I would think well no-one else would ever want them, but within a month or two they would be the silliest lickiest rats you could wish to meet and then I couldn't bear to give them up!

I did consider ferrets too, but I don't think there's anything quite like ratties. Nothing really gets me the same.

I'm so sorry to hear about your boy, that's the worst thing about ratties, and always will be

But I always think well, there's always rats that need me and I feel a bit selfish saying enough is enough because I get too upset. I've tried to say that but I always go back for more. I just find ratties, especially rescues, so incredibly rewarding!

This thread most definately needs piccies!!
I would love to see all your ratties.

I really would love a rat, they have been on my wish-list forever but with 4 guinea pigs and 2 greyhounds i dont feel i would have the time they deserve. When my piggies have gone to rainbow bridge i will seriously be considering a rat.

I have done some very limited research as it is very early days but ould like to ask some questions as the research i've done is quite unclear... please dont laugh!

Do they need hay? my OH suffers badly with his chest currently with the hay for the piggies so any pets after our current ones need to be hayless!

What bedding do you use and where do you get your cages? I know the so called guinea pig cages in the shops can be very unsuitable (small) is this the case with rat cages too?

Girls or boys? I have heard boys can be a little whiffy is this true or another myth?

Clare x

Ah well, first of all, rats need to be in groups of two or more (I always find trios best so that if one needs to go into the vets, there are two left home for company).

Rats don't need or indeed shouldn't have hay. I keep mine on a dust extracted shredded paper bedding, with compressed recycled paper cat litter in their litter trays. All very asthmatic friendly In fact, treat rats like asthmatics and you'll find you have few problems with respiratory disease, they are very susceptible, and even spraying an aerosol can cause a flare-up with some little ratties.

The cages that are best for rats are aviaries for girls, or a big wide multi-tiered rabbit/ferret cage for boys.

I personally am finding myself gravitating towards boys more than girls as they are cuddlier (generally), calmer and have fewer health problems in their lives. Girls invariably get lumps and have to be spayed at some point, and this can really get you down when it's one after another.

I haven't noticed a difference in the smell between boys and girls, only ages. Kittens smell lots and once rats hit about 9 months to a year old, the smell gets much less and is almost unnoticeable with geriatric ratties.

I will have to get my cam out and go taking some pics ... I will also root around for some pics of all my old ratties.

Now picking colours is the most exciting thing ever - siamese has to be my all time fave colour .... although variegated are pretty awesome.

Links for cages ...

http://www.ideas-4-pets.com/small-pe...c-529_353.html

Be aware most cages marketed for rats are too small

I usually go for ferret/rabbit/chinchilla cages, but generally I think the rule is 2 cubic feet per rat .... something like that anyway.
The more space the better basically.

Thats really helpful, thank you. they sound ideal for mr wheezy bless him

in regards to colours / variations a friend of a friend let me meet her naked rats, they are pink and black (i think dumbo rats but please excuse me if i'm wrong). I'm off to google rat piccies now! Cant wait to see yours

Do you think a guinea pig cage could be converted or would they escape? The type i have are 2ft by 4ft with a plastic base about 2 inches high and a metal barred top. I wondered if i could make a shelf so they would have 2 levels?

Rats love to climb so a guinea pig/rabbit cage conversion wouldn't suit younger, more active rats. Great for oldies who are becoming less mobile though!

Love rats but more a hamster person. If my sister lives with me, when and if she goes to college in Notts, she's asked if she can ahve a couple of rats and if they stay in her room they'll be fine - OH's allergies.

I do love rats though

Over fifty ratkids here
Rat mad I guess