Re: If you don't like rodents you might not want t... - Page 2

Kalli · ‎03-11-2010

@J Town Girl I loved reading about your adventure! I'm not as big a fan of rats as I am other animals but I'm glad you and your husband cared about them and took the time to take them to their new home.

I had a few white lab rats as pets after school projects. They were females. I had a 4 tiered cage and they loved chasing each other up and down. They were playful and active. Sadly the females were prone to benign mammary tumors. One had them so bad I actually took her to a vet who operated on her and removed them. She passed a month later of old age.

Citrine1 · ‎03-09-2010

What an uplifting read your story was! I love that you and your husband did that. Sounds like these babies were precious and adorable. I've never owned a pet rat, but have thought about it of late. I guess I don't really know where to begin to get the process started. I've never been a fan of getting animals from pet stores. Sorry, didn't mean to go off on a tangent, haha.

Glad you enjoyed your experience.

blueroses47 · ‎03-09-2010

I had a short experience being a "foster" mom to a rat once, some years back.

Our neighbor's daughter took home a pet rat from her school at the end of the term. Somehow, the rat escaped and made it's way to our house. I saw it scurrying across our patio and into a hole at the base of the garage wall. At first, I didn't know what it was, but later the facts came out.

The rat lived in our garage for a month or so, during which I contacted online rat rescue organiszations, etc. to learn about pet rats (our neighbor didn't really want it back, sadly).

Every night I went out to the garage and bonded with this little creature. It was so cute, it ate from my hand, nibbling the food in front of me. I loved everything about it, except for it's (obviously) very "rat-like" tail. It's front paws were adorable.

I couldn't keep the rat, so I found a nice young man online who wanted to adopt it. He came to our home to pick it up, and he named it "Nathan". He sent me photos later of Nathan's new home, and I was astonished to see a huge and elaborate cage with many toys, etc.

I had a dog that would never have tolerated Nathan, so I just couldn't keep him.

It was a nice experience, though, getting to know what domesticated rats are like. They can be wonderful pets.

Glittergal · ‎05-12-2010

I love this post! Thank you for helping them. I am a rat lover too. Over 4th of July week my husband and I trapped 15 lab rats that had been dumped. We intended to take them to a loccal rat rescue where I had adopted my own. They had no space, so I brought them home and I'm fostering them. They are such sweet and wonderful pets. I wish more people would get to know what amazing creatures they are.

J Town Girl · ‎06-13-2011

@Glittergal wrote:
I love this post! Thank you for helping them. I am a rat lover too. Over 4th of July week my husband and I trapped 15 lab rats that had been dumped. We intended to take them to a loccal rat rescue where I had adopted my own. They had no space, so I brought them home and I'm fostering them. They are such sweet and wonderful pets. I wish more people would get to know what amazing creatures they are.

Hello to a fellow rat owner. I rescued my first rat when she was brought into the vet clinic for a mammary tumor removal. The doctor did the surgery and everything went well but the owner just abandoned her. I was doing her post-op care and just fell in love with her. After a week, the vet said why don't you just take her home because I know you really like her. That was probably around 1986.

Since that memorable rat who was named Snick, I've had rats ever since. I can't even count how many I've had since then but I do know that they are the sweetest little creatures.

Thank you so much for rescuing those poor ratties. You sure have your hands full with taking care of so many. Usually I have 2-3 rats at a time but there was one time that I had as many as 9. Someone had left a box with 6 babies at the front door of our vet clinic and since I was the resident rat lover they all came home with me.

I've never understood the fear and dislike that people have for rats. I guess you just have to own one to appreciate how nice they are.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

I would never have guessed there was such a thing as a rat rescue. I mean, who would want to rescue them? I learned something new today, thank you.

blueroses47 · ‎03-09-2010

@J Town Girl wrote:
@Glittergal wrote:
I love this post! Thank you for helping them. I am a rat lover too. Over 4th of July week my husband and I trapped 15 lab rats that had been dumped. We intended to take them to a loccal rat rescue where I had adopted my own. They had no space, so I brought them home and I'm fostering them. They are such sweet and wonderful pets. I wish more people would get to know what amazing creatures they are.

Hello to a fellow rat owner. I rescued my first rat when she was brought into the vet clinic for a mammary tumor removal. The doctor did the surgery and everything went well but the owner just abandoned her. I was doing her post-op care and just fell in love with her. After a week, the vet said why don't you just take her home because I know you really like her. That was probably around 1986.

Since that memorable rat who was named Snick, I've had rats ever since. I can't even count how many I've had since then but I do know that they are the sweetest little creatures.

Thank you so much for rescuing those poor ratties. You sure have your hands full with taking care of so many. Usually I have 2-3 rats at a time but there was one time that I had as many as 9. Someone had left a box with 6 babies at the front door of our vet clinic and since I was the resident rat lover they all came home with me.

I've never understood the fear and dislike that people have for rats. I guess you just have to own one to appreciate how nice they are.

If I hadn't been introduced to a rat accidentally the way I was, I would never have known how lovable they are.

After I found a permanent home for "Nathan", I missed him so much that I would go into our local PetSmart that was near my supermarket, and I would visit the rats they had for sale there.

I had a real sadness when I had to let go of the rat I was fostering, but he went to a very good home.

J Town Girl · ‎06-13-2011

@ValuSkr wrote:
I would never have guessed there was such a thing as a rat rescue. I mean, who would want to rescue them? I learned something new today, thank you.

There are many rescues devoted to helping all varieties of animals. Many of my rats have come from a rescue as have my guinea pigs. If you look online there are hamster, gerbils, rabbits, ferrets and even hedgehog rescues.

Many of these animals are severely mistreated and tossed aside when the novelty of ownership wears off. If it wasn't for the good people who run rescues these poor creatures would end up losing their lives in a deplorable way.

I have an article that I keep on my desk, it was sent to me by a rescue. I'm not familiar with the writer but it describes exactly why we need to care for our animal friends.

"Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind's capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because they have rights or power or some claim to equality, but in a sense because they don't, because they all stand unequal and powerless before us".

Glittergal · ‎05-12-2010

It's been a delight to show them love and let them enjoy things that all rats should--cozy hammocks, hiding places, spacious large cages, and treats. I can tell they never had these things in the lab (I hate animal testing!). It's going to take more time to show them that humans can be kind, but it's going well so far. They are so sweet and curious!