Rat companionship

Wanna Hamster · 10-22-2015, 04:39 AM

Hi all!
So recently, you may have seen my other thread (Hamsters vs Rats) and I have decided to get rats. The thing is, I would really like to get a pair of males, but my mum says that would make the cage super stinky and they wouldn't give me as much attention and "cuddle time" when I took them out to play. I would try my best to litter train them, but if that didn't work I would spot clean the cage everyday and do a big clean once a week. The cage I have is big enough for them to get away from each other if they needed it. Also, I would would probably be able to take them out three hours a day (in the early morning and late evening) and have some quality time with them. The question is, how can I convince my mum that I should get two?
Any feedback will be greatly appreciated!

Shannonmcn · 10-22-2015, 04:43 AM

Rats absolutely 100% no questions need another rat friend. It's as simple as that. Syrian hams need to be solitary, rats need a friend so it's either two rats or no rats! If your mum doesn't believe you then a 5 second Google search will tell her as much

Wanna Hamster · 10-22-2015, 06:18 AM

Thanks Shannon!
My mum is now convinced. We going tomorrow afternoon to a got breeder near us to pick up two ratties! Yay!

Shannonmcn · 10-22-2015, 06:29 AM

Yay how exciting!

can't wait to meet them!

hrl20100 · 10-22-2015, 09:29 AM

Gonna say, rats need companions-even males!

Glad to hear you have persuaded her! I can't wait to see photos!

Nancy's Hamsters · 10-22-2015, 10:36 AM

You may also look into neutering the males as this cuts down on thier hormonal need to scent their territory and will cut back on some of the odors common in unaltered male Rats.

Some males come neutered from Rescues and you can house a male and female in this situation.

Good luck on your Ratties

Wisper · 10-22-2015, 03:25 PM

Personally I wouldn't put rats through neutering just to get rid of the smell. Small animals just don't do well under anaesthetic, not worth the risk. I had three males and while its true they did smell a bit with regular cleaning it wasn't an issue.
Actually over cleaning caused them to scent mark more, I only found a smell with their soft furnishings like hammocks which I just put in the wash once a week and that was fine. I quite liked the musky smell of the rats themselves but I did have a couple of old hoodies I wore when handling them so my clothes wouldn't smell too ratty.

Wanna Hamster · 10-23-2015, 03:48 AM

Thanks guys!
Later today, I'm leaving to go visit a good breeder and pick out two ratties! I'm super excited!

I'll try and post some pics of them soon enough, but I don't want to stress them out with the camera. I might try to get a few shots with my phone, but they may not be the best quality. Anyways, thanks again!

Amethyst_ice · 10-23-2015, 03:35 PM

Rats and hamsters are both wonderful pets in different ways.

Do not put them through any neutering, you don't need to. You can litter train them but boys are boys and will be lazy and go on hammocks if they can't be bothered to move lol They smell just as much as the environment you keep them in (ventilation etc) and substrate you put them on..so no different to any other pet.

Avoid meat products and fatty seeds. A good base rabbit food with lots of fresh veggies is good..I also do a starve day for mine.

Lots of down your top cuddles when you get them to build up the trust

Good luck with your new little companions x

hrl20100 · 10-25-2015, 03:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst_ice

Avoid meat products and fatty seeds. A good base rabbit food with lots of fresh veggies is good..I also do a starve day for mine.

I have to disagree with this...
Rats are omnivores, meaning they are designed to eat a wide range of foods ranging from fruit and veg to meat. They require between 16 and 18% of protein in their diet and this is mostly souced from a good quality rat food (shouldn't be a muesli based mix). Mine are on PetsAtHome rat nuggets and every other day they get additional foods such as cooked chicken, meal worms (which they love) and boiled egg.
Rabbit food is not suitable for rats, especially the pelleted kind where its made up of alfalfa and other hay/grass based foods. This is a source of fibre which is a huge requirement in a rabbit's diet.
Not trying to sound rude in anyway, just trying to raise awareness that rats need a protein based diet.