Sara's Rats Past & Present. <3

Well, I LOVE an excuse to show of my ratties. I think my friends are getting sick of me going on about them. xD

Anyways, I thought I'd start off with some photos of my old boy Gideon Spencer who had to be put to sleep on the 13th of April 2012.

He was a GREAT old boy. I hadn't planned to get a rat but I was in Pets At Home and there he was, all alone in a small glass tank. He must of already been a few months old because he was quite big. I hadn't realised you could introduce male rats even at an older age, so he lived on his own. I know that's bad, but I'm I think he was still happy. He loved his routine, though handling was never a strong point. As he got older he was more reluctant so he didn't get out much. Anywho, all in all he was such a great rat. I still miss him. <3





After he died, I really missed the cage noises in my room and with my birthday coming up I figured I'd ask for another pet. After how ill Gideon had been before his death I was slightly put off rats because I didn't wanna go through that again, so I'd planned to get a hamster instead. Then I kept coming across photos of rats and things and decided I'd THINK about getting rats again. I rang the petshop and they said they had LOADS of rats and LOADS of hamsters so I figured I'd see what captured my heart when I got there. When I did they only had one hamster and no rats. The guy said he'd check out back (which I thought was a little odd. How can they not know if there's animals out the back).. Anywho, they brought out a little cage with two female rats in it. And I just fell in love. I had planned to get boys cos I've only ever had boys, but these little girls were just so cute! Anywho, enough chitchat. Some pics!



^ Just got them home.



^ Edith.



^ Sybil.

And last but not least, a video of them when we first put them in their cage.
Click!

Awww lovely pics! Those pics of you with your boy are just precious!

xx

Aha, they're my favourite pics of him. <3

Sleepy sisters. <3
They really love their little house I made them. Though they've chewed a hole in it. Anyone suggest a good marterial to make them from? I wanna make some hammocks and stuff too. I do anticipate them chewing a hole in any material I use though.

Fleece or cotton make good hammocks. They will chew them though

Yeah, I figured they would. Only reason I'm asking is cos I made this out of fleece scraps so I'm gonna have to buy material in to make more. Guess I just wondered what other people use.

Also, did you get my message? I never messaged anyone on here before so not sure it sent.

I think fleece is best you can buy really cheap fleece blankets from IKEA and cheap/discount shops - also, old kids clothes from charity shops work well!

xx

Oh my! Gideon is gorgeous! So sorry that you've lost him.

Gosh Sybil really does look like Ishy same wonky blaze and all I love your little home made house

Yeah, I really miss him. I think I underestimated how much I would.
And now that I'm talking to more people that know about rats and things, I think how much better his life could of been too if I'd known some of the stuff I know now. Though I do think overall he was a happy rat.

And thanks! It's made out of different sized rectangle fleece scraps. That's why its so wonky. xD

New additions Cassie and Millie.




Well, I think Edith's dominance dictatorship was slightly overwhelming Sybil and making her very nervous cos any time she got the courage up to venture out of the cage Edith would start chasing her around the cage etc. So I thought getting another rat may make Edith's dominance less focused on Sybil so Sybil could relax a bit.

Anyways, went to the petshop and they had two and I just couldn't leave one behind. Cassie is the paler one. She's very like Edith in colouring, but Edith's ears/face look slightly more dumbo'ish than Cassie and a little darker.

Anywho, most rats I've ever owned at once!

Aw I hope they settle in well Let us know. They're really pretty

It's funny I didn't realise how nervous my mocha was til I got the other 2 and she relaxed, Renee is very dominant aswell but since I added Blue and Katana she's so busy being the boss if everyone she just gets tired. xD It's a great solution, everyone is happier and you have 2 more babies to love and cuddle x3

Well, we tried them in the bath last night and they all got along really well. No scuffling or anything. We tried the bath again today and it went much the same. So.. since there was no aggression on either side and we'd fully cleaned out the cage late last night we tried them in the top area of the cage so we could easily break up fights/take any of them out. Again they just got along like they'd always been together so we let them go about the full cage.

Edith had fun running around them all, preening them all acting like the dominant mother hen she is. Even though she's the smallest out of the four of them. Lol.

Only slightly scuffly part was when Edith had a bit of pasta and the Edith lookalike Cassie decided she wanted it. A lot of noise from Edith but no actual fighting, it was more like a bit of screaming NO MY PASTA. I don't think Edith is used to someone standing up to her that much. Sybil and Millie get along really well.

So, so far so good. I have some pics I'll post later. Keeping a close eye on them today in case anything happens.

Can't agree with having got them from the petshop but they are rather cute. Good luck with them!

xx

No where else to get them from around here tbh. I tried looking. And I mean someone has to get them from the petshop, why not someone that can cover the potential vet bills and know the risks of what they're taking on.

Ah see, this could descend into an interesting debate, but really, no-one *has* to get them from the petshop - people buying them from the petshop is why the petshops keep selling them and getting them from awful breeders, and the whole cycle continues.

xx

As long as the demand is there people are gonna provide, but me personally not buying them won't stop more novice people buying them and therefore the demand will remain. I guess there's the option of travelling to get one from a breeder or something, but I don't really have that option as I can't travel.

I guess it's always something people are gonna disagree on.

I wasn't going to comment as I don't want to offend, but I entirely agree with Laura.
I don't think it is better that someone who can pay bills and knows the risks is better, because it is just continuing the cycle. Don't get me wrong, I have contributed too, we all have at some point. But, one person does make the difference, that's 5 rats already that you've bought and will be replaced, had you never got a rat from a petshop, that would not be the case.
I understand that you're unable to travel, but I do think there were more options available to you than just buying from a petshop. There are plenty of 'rescues' out there needing new homes. And I'm fairly sure that had Laura known you were considering getting more rats you could have gone on her waiting list and we all could have helped you arrange transport.

Absolutely what Rachael said! I don't want to cause offence, and we don't want to alienate any members of the forum, but collectively we do not agree with the buying of petshop rats as we don't feel it's right - there are always other options.

http://ratz.co.uk/Petshops.html

http://ratz.co.uk/rodentfarm.html

xx

Like I said, it's always gonna be something people disagree on. I guess when it comes down to it, I don't believe you can ever stop the demand because there will be always people who don't know or don't care. And if sales drop the rat farmers may just change their target market to snake food instead. I read that rats that get old in some petshops and don't sell are sometimes given back to the rat farmers and they may kill them for snake food. I would hope my petshop wasn't like that but you never know. Though I imagine if I hadn't bought them someone else would have, cos both times I've been in recently they've just sold rats.

And tbh, I wouldn't of asked to be put on Lauras waiting list on the off chance people could help me get them. I'm just not like that, I barely like asking physical help from people I know well. Lol.

I understand where you guys are coming from, but until there are laws on farming or laws are enforced on farming if there are already laws (Couldn't find anything online)... then I doubt things will change and I'm happy in the knowledge my girls are in a good home. Sorry if that goes against what everyone else on the forum believes.

That's wonderful news also healthy competition is alright, katana and renee pin each other I would break up any biting but pinning seems ok :3 good luck can't wait to see more of them!

Well, earlier Cassie and Edith were found cuddled up in their Sputnik together sleeping. So I guess they didn't fall out over the past episode or anything. We went to check on them later and all four were cuddled up together in the Sputnik.

I'm afraid you're perhaps not quite up to speed on the realities of rodent farming Sara - rodents are farmed for snake food. The petshop trade just gets the prettier ones, or the surplus. So you are funding snake feeding anyway, if that's something you disagree with. These rodent farms make very little money from the petshop trade, nearly all of the money they make is from snake food. It's very sad that you'll always continue to buy from petshops, as you are funding this awful practice... and the only way it will ever stop is by people not funding it. It'll take a long time, it may never happen, but every individual matters massively... it's why a certain large brand of petshop in the UK stopped selling birds - they couldn't.

xx

ETA - I have no problem with people who can't travel going on our waiting list, we go around much of the country, and we are always happy to help people out with transport as long as petrol is covered

SaraBloo wrote: I guess when it comes down to it, I don't believe you can ever stop the demand because there will be always people who don't know or don't care.

Evidently you don't know or don't care.
I think if you looked at pictures of rodent farms and read about what petshops are like for five minutes you'd soon know and care, and I don't think any rational person who really cares about their pets would want to fund that business.
That's all I have to say on the matter.

Can we keep this a bit calm and civil please guys? We never want to upset, only to educate ((group hug))

xx