My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

Rats?

7 replies

cupcake19992110436247 · 23/10/2012 09:07

I have a pet rat and she is gorgeous. But i went to a pet shop and i heared a man saying that rats are horrible, unclean and there tails are evil. Because rats arnt like that at all.. I have Never had to wipe/wash my rat and she is really fun to play with. I was just wondering what does everyone else think of rats? x

OP posts:
Wetthemogwai · 23/10/2012 09:09

I had 2 a few years ago and they were lovey :) my mum thought the same as that man though, maybe the general disgust in them was masking a fear of them?

MummifiedBonkeyMollocks · 26/10/2012 08:34

Very nearly got some a while ago. Ds is mesmerized by them.

I just didn't know if i would get used to there tails. I have a slight fear of them ever since.one fucker got in my horses feed bin, got stuck and jumped out like it could fly when i pulled the lid off.

The other thing that put me if was the health problems they are prone too . Bad enough a short life span but having the heartbreak of a illness would really effect me

Im betting the man in the shop is scared of them therefore covering it up with being rude.

fantashtic · 26/10/2012 09:49

Cupcake, ignore the man! We have two gorgeous rats - they are sweet and friendly, come when you call them and happily sit on my shoulder all day when I'm working from home. Love them!

guineapiglet · 26/10/2012 11:04

A dear friend of mine has chocolate and brown rats, and they are gorgeous, really hyper intelligent, friendly, and very frantic - I think people confuse domestic ones with wild ones, but even they are fascinating to watch. Have just moved into a rented house where there seems to be an ongoing 'rat problem' in the neighbourhood, and I have just watched one run along the fence! - I find them really attractive to watch, from a distance, they are so clever and have such lovely faces..... oh dear, suffering from rodent withdrawal symptoms again!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/10/2012 12:31

I love watching female rat swinging along the roof of their cages like a Gladiator contendor. And jumping from one level to another (this was in a petshop, I don't have rats)

The males just curled up with their rat 'nads cooling in the breeze. Occasionally stretching out their amazing little freakily long skinny paws.


(They are gogeous but I couldn't cope with an animal more intelligent than a Guinea-Pig. And GPs "ain't the sharpest tools in the shed" according to my DD)

Grin

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 26/10/2012 12:32

Ooh and while I wouldn't say their tails are evil, there's something to be said for tailless rodents.

Benaberry · 26/10/2012 16:06

DS begged for rats, and whilst in principle I didn't mind, and on the whole thought they were funny and cute, it did take me a very long time to get over the fact that even it boils down to it, they're, well, rats

I eventually caved, and three girls were installed in a cage in the dining room - a white (with red eyes), a light Brown and white and a dark brown and white.

They're actually lovely. Will hang off the sides of the cage to have bellies tickled, know their names, and look sooo cute all bundled up together either on a shelf, in the house or in the hanging pod.

Mind you DH really isn't so keen - every time he goes near them, they try to bite (note, I have no such problem!)

I do however still try to avoid the tails. I still find them a bit creepy...

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.