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Anonymous
Are rats good pets? And can I just buy one from Petsmart and not have it die on me in a week?
>> Anonymous
>>298306
my friend got a hairless rat about 2 months ago. it cost 20$ and i told him he was retarded. but it hangs out on his shoulder and it's doing fine. he said it will get huge.

i just don't like pets of things that i'd otherwise put traps out for if they were in my house
>> Anonymous
they are fantastic pets i had 2 for bout 2 years and they only cost bout 5 dollars and i just kept mine in a moving box and played with it alot (newspaper bedding)
>> Kun-Kun !3GqYIJ3Obs
i've had two. one at a time, but they're very social animals so unless you can play with it damn near daily, get it a friend. They're adorable.
>> Anonymous
yeah they are really good pets. easy to look after. just make sure you get a cage with enough things to keep it entertained while you're not there, and make sure you use non toxic materials for bedding. at our pet store we use shredded paper, but kitty litter and stuff like that can be used too.
>> Anonymous
>>298350
What is toxic to them? Like some types of wood? I'm own a woodshop and I have LOTS of wood shavings I could use for free bedding, but I dont want to kill the fella with a type of wood that is poisonos to him.
>> Anonymous
>>298358
I heard aspen is ok. MAYBE fruit bearing trees but not sure.
>> Anonymous
I've heard rats are very affectionate and love to sit and play with you and all that. True/false?
>> Anonymous
>>298365
true
>> Anonymous
>>298365

true but you will need to spend at least 3 hours a day playing/socializing with him/her to get them to that point.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
This is Otta. I found her at a local humane society, they had her picture on their website. She's nearly impossible to handle; squirms like a fish. If you lick your finger and show it to her, she will like it back every time. If you put her on the floor and take off, she'll chase you. Stairs and furniture are no obstacle. If she catches you sitting down, she'll climb into your shirt. If you are eating, she'll try to climb into your mouth and steal it. If you are sleeping, she'll steal the pizza off the table and eat it on your shoulder. She likes to wrestle with people's hands. If by some miracle, she tires herself out, she just -might- fall asleep in your sleeve.
>> Anonymous
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Also, Otta likes cats. A lot. I caught her mounting this one, once. It baffles me, too.
>> Anonymous
>>298358

cedar and pine are very toxic. they're the only ones i know of. probably more.

I'd just use shredded paper for bedding, and kitty litter for wherever else.
>> Anonymous
>>298365

It would be good to get a rat from a breeder rather than a pet store. that way staff or people spend more time with the rats and it is generally more affectionate. either that or ask the staff at the pet store whether they handle them or not. if they dont, get the rat at the youngest possible :)
>> Anonymous
Be weary of big name pet stores. I bought a rat from petco and she died four days later. It was rather tragic watching her gasp and wheeze for air... Later I learned my lesson and will never touch a store like that again after hearing similar horror stories of animals conditions from petco. Although, I don't know about Petsmart. I'd assume the same.
All in all, rats are AMAZING pets.
>> Anonymous
I just got my two from a breeder this past weekend. They're sweet and affectionate and seemed to love the shit out of me from the moment I got them. If you're in the PA-NJ-NY area, check out this breeder.

http://www.paperheartrats.com/
>> Anonymous
Do they poop on you or just in their cages?
>> Anonymous
>>298525

If its a baby, it will probably poop/pee on you at first, but he'll grow out of it. Adults may do it if they're nervous, but once they see you as something safe to be around, they will hold it for the cage or try to run down to the floor.
>> Anonymous
>>298306
Some pet store chains keep their animals very well. Some breeders suck dick. It's going to vary entirely based on who you visit.

Example: Where I live,
Petco: Dirty, nasty cages, animals are not always healthy
Petsmart: Clean cages, good animals, some get handled depending on the employees
Locally owned petstore: Overcrowded, animals are in okay conditions and relatively well handled

So in MY case, buying from Petsmart or the locally owned place is going to get me a good rat.. there's also a rescue organization fairly close by that is also an option.

You've got to do the research, look into the cages, observe the health of all animals present, the quality of their food and water, the cleanliness of the bedding, etc.
>> Anonymous
>>298365
Mostly true. In my experience, all rats are individuals. Most will want to spend all their time with you after you put the effort in to socialize them. Some will never require any prior effort and love you from the moment you bring them home. A few might take a little more convincing than average.
>> Anonymous
i loved my rats, but i got them from petco so they were kind of rank motherfuckers and died too early.
however, i will get more from a breeder one day.
>> Anonymous
I had a couple when I was a kid, they were "class pets" at school but they ended up being mine to keep when the school year ended... I remember them being very friendly, they loved being handled and were fairly clean. I've had rats, hamsters, and gerbils and the rats were by far the coolest and least troublesome of the three.
>> Anonymous
I got two baby rats from Petco and both died within a week. I've never had that problem getting them from anywhere else (I've had about 14 rats). Best to get them from a reputable breeder, and you can find a breeder in your area by Google search. They will be well socialized and tend to be healthier.
>> Anonymous
>>298793
Dude, I hear so much shit about Petco, it's a wonder how they even manage to stay in business.