I have some rat questions. ?

Question

So, I really want to get a rat. My dad heard from someone that they had one and it bit them all the time and it smelled really bad. I've tried to show him all of the research that I've done, but he thinks I wont have enough time (and he can't get over the whole rat thing) I've said that the cleaning part wont even be a big time consumer, and it's not like I have 5 hours of homework every night.

So, anyone have any advice? I've done all of my research and I told him that I would pay for all that start up cost. Also, anyone who is a teen that has a rat or anyone who had a rat when they were a teen, can you please tell me your experiences (and if it interfered with homework or anything)?

Answer 1

I have 3 rats, they are really great pets, mine have never ever bit me, they are very sweet and tame, also i used to work at a pet shop where I handled rats constantly, and never got bit by one, a rat needs a lot of attention, as they do crave and love it, but if you get 2 female rats they will have constant companionship.

They should not interfere with your homework, they are not like puppys, they do not need constant supervision and training and exercise. rats are very clean, and as long as you clean the cage out 1-2 times a week they do not smell.

You can train them to do tricks and possibly use a litter box.

Answer 2

Um..Use Rat Poison. Just spread it around all over the place where you think the rats are. Me and my dad we had a rat problem and we would shoot them with Pellet Guns if they weren't already dead =D

Answer 3

Wow, your story sounds a lot like mine! I myself am 14, and got my first rat in December last year as a Christmas present. I probably started to talk to my dad around September or October, when I saw the cutest rat at the petstore! At first, my whole family was stubborn, because of the rat's whole reputation, you know. But soon enough my mom and sisters absolutely fell in love with her (Alice, I named her at the petstore even...haha) and all that we needed to convince was my dad. Being a dad, he absolutely couldn't think of any way that a person could actually think a rat was "cute" or a good pet, but really rats are the best pets probably out there! I presented my dad with powerpoints, e-mails full of information, and I tried to persuade him as much as possible. And....it worked! (after about three months) My dad and I were out shopping and he said we had to stop by the pet store to pick up something for my mom.........but really we were picking up Alice! She was a very good Christmas present.

Anyways...I seem to be rambling, if you really want to convince your dad, tell him all the good things about rats: MINE don't bite, and neither do most, that rat you talked about must have had an issue because rats usually never bite, they are such gentle creatures! They also don't smell that bad, as long as you clean their cage 2-3 times a week. Rats LOVE to play! They love to cuddle too, and when I first got Alice, she was so used to me that, after an hour of play-time, fell right asleep on my chest. XD

I now have two rats, as I can't get enough of them! They are like miniature dogs mixed with miniature cats. Rats are also VERY SMART! There are some websites that say they are even smarter than kittens! They learn their names, and when it is supper time, Alice and Bella (my newer rat, I got in February) always know when its supper time by the crinkle of their food bag and come running to the front of the cage! Rats really aren't too expensive either, themselves should only cost around $5-10, but their cage may be, depending on how many rats you have and how big it is....for example mine was $90.

Sorry I'm writing so much!

It may take a while...but trust me, your dad will soon fall in love with rats and let you adopt one, my dad loves the girls now! :D

Good luck, hope this info helped!

Answer 4

well im 16 and my family has always had a lot of pets... and a rat has always been one of my favorites... they NEVER BITE (they nibble, and clean your nails... my rat graps my finger with her teeth and tries to take my hand into her cage) they are really awesome pets... males smell, because of their musk... but females are very clean and don't really smell bad... rats LOVE same s*x friends so if you get one it might be nice to get another one (or else you will have to give them more attention).... rats sleep during the day and play at night so as long as you don't go to night school a rat should work with homework...(i do my homework with my rat on my desk)... but however mice aren't as friendly and they DO bite..

if you get a male:

they sleep more, and they get A LOT bigger than the females.

if you get a female:

they love to explore and are FULL of energy, they stay thin.

BUT rats only 2 to 3 years, and if you get one GO to a breeder.... because all the rats i have ever gotten at a pet store have had medical problems.

Answer 5

Having a rat is not very time-consuming, but they do smell; the more rats you have, the more they smell (obviously). This is one main reason why my husband and I decided not to have any more rats (we had 4 at one point). They are very fun, but the smell was just too much. And they are social animals, so you really don't want to just keep one if you can help it at all - it's better to keep at least two of them.

I personally found mice much easier to keep; they are cute, curious, entertaining, don't require as much space as the rats, and don't smell much (if you get females). Perhaps your dad would be more amenable to you having mice? And once you've established yourself as a responsible pet owner, perhaps he will relent and give keeping rats a second thought.

Keep in mind that the biggest cost in keeping pets is vet expenses. You may end up with a $5 rat who has a $100 medical problem. If you or your parents are not prepared to shoulder vet bills, you need to re-evaluate keeping pets - any pets.