Please everyone answer this?

Question

ok so im getting two rats, but i am worried they will turn out like my birds did.

i got birds about 6 months ago and well i am scared of them and they are so untamed the are super scared of me too if i walk by there cage they fulluter all around they are super annoying and i just never got to take them out of there cage because they won't let me the destruct everything and i just need help so this doesn't happen to my rats

i do want rats unlike the birds i didnt want them, i know i will like rats better because they can't fly and they walk so i think that is better, my cousin had a rat and it was so cute but it would bite you if you put your finger in its cage, but i don't know if that is just because he never got out of the cage therefor making her untamed??? but i just need to know how to do everything so please tell me as much as you can tell me!

thank you,

dylan

'

p.s. do tell me not to get one, it will get taken care of!

Answer 1

Dont take this the wrong way but you need to do your homework, and look at what rats need, and want, and whats healthy for them to be near, etc.

They're not low maintenance, they require and hour outside of the cage MINIMUM.

and if their cage bars are spaced to far apart then they could escape.

Dont buy some from a petstore, try getting ones off craigslist or something. If it comes down to it go to Petco/Petsmart and chose SAME s*x pairs, and make sure they are tame, they should not bite, but curiousity nip is okay (A bite that does not draw blood).  Make sure you are allowed to hold them and pick them up etc; Or you could try a rat rescue in your area.

As for your birds just sit there for a while and offer them treats; You can socialize them it just takes time.

Good luck! :]

Answer 2

The best advice I can give you is to NOT buy them from a pet store unless you are SURE they have been socialized, if you get them from a PET rat breeder, they generally socialize their rats and get them used to being handled before adopting them out, and they breed them for health and longevity.

For lists of breeders, check here for one in your area.

http://www.ratzrealm.com/id24_htm.htm

http://www.justrats.com/breeders/

Answer 3

i've taken in quite a few rats some that were even abused and starved. they aren't ever mean for life. they just need trust training if it came to that. do yourself a favor and join the rat fan club group you'll get a lot of good info or at least look at the site ratfanclub.org. never feed through the cage bars since then they'll bite your fingers thinking they are food. your cousin's may have been depressed if s/he was never played with, especially if s/he was alone. rats are social, so it is very good that you are getting two. normally just handing them isn't too bad. be prepared though unless they have been handled a lot you may get pooped on quite a bit in the beginning. but they calm down quickly. and that is the worse i have come across. i've had hurt/scared/neglected ratties snap at me but i just let them hide and pet them and spoke soothingly while i did this and they were fine. all animals are different and some may need more time than others, but if you are patient and do your research so that you are a confident owner, your new ratties should do nicely.

Answer 4

Well...the  best way to bond with rodents such as Rat's, Mice, Hamster's, and Guinea Pigs it to pet them if they bite don't jump just lighly say no...don't scream just talk-it!

Treats are another way to win him/her just buy some treats and they wil like you and also make sure that you can be able to take care of it...play with it every day and it will become tamer!  :))))

Answer 5

well if u dont like like rats or are scared of them then just dont get one and get a different kind of pet

Answer 6

I'm sure you will take good care of it, but I'm pretty sure the same taming procedures would work for rats as they did for my 6+ hamsters.

Yes, some are just horribly mean, they look very cute and act nice in the store, but then they turn into monsters.

I was unable to tame my one albino (RED-EYED o.o) hamster and it eventually died which made me pretty sad.

Others, you just have to love them no matter what.

Even if your rats bite, you need to keep taking them out and playing with them.

Put up with the biting for a few weeks or a couple of months, but if you don't play with them enough, then I'm sure they will be mean.

If your lucky, you'll get friendly ones and you shouldn't have problems.

Sorry, I'm not too informed about rats, but I hope that taming advice helped!

And be gentle ^^ I'm sure you will do fine.

Answer 7

first of all good on you for getting two! thats a good start as rats love to have a play mate. as long as you spend at least an hour a day with them then they should be very tame. make sure you get a big cage with lots of toys and ropes for them to play with. they get bored really easy and need lots of stimulation.  wash your hands before you touch them to get rid of any food smell. they shouldnt bite you unless they feel threatend or if they are ill. i have three rats and they are really cute and love to be handled. im sure yours will be just fine.