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Anonymous
Rat thread! RAT THREAD! RAAAAT THREEEEAAAAAD!
>> Anonymous
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Rat thread!
>> Anonymous
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Rats! Rats!
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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My rat, Crumb.
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
>>225447

I don't think they count.
>> Moo !XBOXgikTFw
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>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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AJAX!!!!
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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lol, rats
>> Anonymous
you do know thats not a rat right?
>> Anonymous
>>226029
wow... whut it is?
>> Anonymous
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>> Anonymous
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Peach. :D
>> Anonymous
>>226047
i thought it was a sugar glider,but im not sure
>> Anonymous
Rats owns! best animals ever.I want moar xD
>> Anonymous
So, tell me. I'm thinking of getting rats (other than the bastards that are creeping inside the walls, this being an old house and it being a cold winter). How many should I get? I hear it's better to get females than males. What are the bare essentials I should get, and what else?
Oh, and I've been thinking, how big should the cage be at least? And at what level should it be placed, floor or higher?
And anything else worth knowing would really help too. Thanks.
>> Anonymous
>>226082

As a starter rat owner, you should get a pair of two males. Males are laid-back and relaxed and easy to handle, and females are hyper and energetic and playful. Depends if you want something lying on you while you watch TV or playing on your lap. I find males are generally easier! Bare essentials: Lab blocks (NO SEED MIXES, they should be grey blocks), fresh water every day, Carefresh bedding (or something like that, don't use cider or pine, Carefresh is expensive but absorbs odors amazingly). Treats are always good, they LOVE peas, and if you're going to give them a wheel, make sure it's a solid surface. Some of them don't like wheels, and sort of just...store food in it. If you want short nails, make sure to put a rock or brick in front of their water battle so that they have to step up to drink, it wears down their nails. The cage should have at least two floors, and should be large enough to fit two ferrets in there, considering some rats get nearly as large. The cage shouldn't be placed on the floor because people look more intimidating when they're so big from the floor opposed to the table, so it may make them more nervous of your precense. I can't think of much else, besides the fact that you shouldn't burn incense or spray any sort of air freshener near their cage, and that you shouldn't give them peanut butter or anything sticky, because they have a poor gag reflex. Always make sure to keep the cage at a comfortable temperature as well, rats are sensitive to those things. Well, enjoy your rats!
>> Hawera Bifrose
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>> Anonymous
>>226087

Oh, and the reasons you don't use cedar or pine is because they react terribly and develop serious resperatory problems. Make sure not to get an aquarium, and never pick them up by the tail unless you absolutely need to, and if you NEED TO, pick them up by their base. Males will scuffle, remember, but don't seperate them unless they're drawing blood or seriously fighting. NOW that's all...I think. Hehe~
>> Bifrose
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This is Otta. She chases people and eats the crumbs out of your teeth. If you jump on a chair, it won't even begin to slow her down.
>> Anonymous
>>226087

Actually, rats have no gag reflex at all. They can't throw up because they lack the rather complex connection to brain that is required to vomit. They can regurgigate, though.
>> Anonymous
>>226087

I see, thanks. It seems it doesn't go like it goes with dogs - which is probably the mistake my friend made when telling me females are easier. But yeah, thanks, now I just have to find the suitable critters either from a store or an ad. And I doubt anyone can help with those.
But yeah, thanks.
Oh, and one thing (which I could check out myself were I not so lazy). Do rats need any sort of shots?
>> Anonymous
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>>226091

Ah yes, that's right. Thank you for reminding me.


>>226095

Rats do not need shots, no. However, they may need a shot when they develop myco - a very, very common cold in rats. You'll know they have it when it looks like they're bleeding from their nose and eyes. My rats had to get shots in the belly. Make sure if you get rats from a store they're babies, do NOT get teens or adults. All of the babies I've raised (I've had eight rats, got six babies) end up being sweethearts, but the two adults I got were vicious. They were my first, so I was a bit newbish to rats. I got two feeders, and they ended up being my sweetest babies! So try babies or baby feeders first! But I recommend checking a pound or breeder or ad first, since pet store should be a very last resort. Rats in pet stores usually are not bred for health, so get sick rather easily.
>> Anonymous
God damn, this is making me miss the two male baby dumbos I was looking after last year. An agouti and a black one... Bub and Murdoc.
Excuse me whilst I go and cry in a corner.
>> Anonymous
>>226100

Thanks! I kinda have the principle of buying only as young animals as possible, seeing it's easier for them too to get used to the owner that way.
Also, how well do rats take to being alone, say, five to ten hours a day? I imagine I should get them during a vacation so they don't have to be alone right from the start all the time, though.
>> Anonymous
>>226104
If you have two rats, they will be FINE being alone for that long. As long as they're taken out for half an hour to an hour a day (minimum), they will be just fine. It's when you have one rat that you should worry about it.
>> Anonymous
As anon said just above us, check out a breeder first and foremost. There's also a really great forum full of friendly rat owners on fancy-rats.co.uk. Plus that site has heaps of info on keeping rats.
>> Anonymous
Whoa, a 4chan board that's actually helpful. Thanks!
A weird note: I just went downstairs and my mother told me she found a rat pup jumping up and down in the trash at the stables. Killed the bugger.
I suppose it's not bad, though, seeing we're talking about regular, wild rats. It's not too nice to kill, of course, but it's not like they're cute and fine pets. The wild rats, I mean.
>> Anonymous
>>226109

I wouldn't have the heart to kill a wild rat, especially not a baby one, even though it's necessary. Kudos to your mom, ahah.
>> Anonymous
>>226109
>>but it's not like they're cute and fine pets

Outside of lineage (fancy rats aren't even truly domesticated) and the viruses/bacteria they've been exposed to there isn't a whole lot of difference, and considering that 'fancy' rats are the same species as the common brown rat I'm not sure why anyone would consider one 'cute' while the other not. Behaviorally, if you get one young enough, you won't find much difference either. A wild rat would probably be less likely to develop massive tumors after a few years than those you buy from a pet store though.
>> Anonymous
>>226124

Yeah, I know. I was mainly referring to the whole vermin thing. I probably wouldn't have killed it myself, though, but I can see why my mother did. They really aren't too beneficial to have around, what with diseases and all.
>> Anonymous
Don't be so quick to write off rats from pet stores. I agree that you should find a rescue rat before everything else, but with private breeders and pet stores alike, the quality is going to depend on the individual..

You could easily find a really shitty home breeder, or a really fantastic pet store.. the key is to research and be extremely observant. Obviously in the case of a rescue rat you might not be able to do so much in the way of research, but.. in a pet store or with a home breeder, take careful note of their surroundings, the cleanliness, and the health of all animals present.

My best rats came from a single pet store, supplied by a single company. They lived very long, healthy lives. The two I got from a more mom and pop place ended up having health complications towards the end.
>> Anonymous
I got a new rat companion for my other female a little while ago.
She was an older rat who just weaned a litter(not sure if the store bred her or was pregnant when they got her) and she's the sweetest thing. Not hyper, but active. I've turned three other people over to the rat-side with her.
>> Anonymous
>>226047

It is the majestic shaved squirrel.
>> Anonymous
>>226100

I think that's more like a shaved squirrel.