Almost two years ago I decided that I wanted to try my hand at having a pair of fancy rats. I had already been keeping fancy mice for about a year before I thought Rats would be fun too.
It's pretty funny actually. Because I was/am one of those people that if I see a wild mouse/rat I scream and run like a little girl lol.
But I had gotten addicted to "saving" fancy mice from my local Petco. Yeah not the best place to purchase them but still I felt I needed to save who I could. And for the record mice are much more friendly than hamsters and much more active and fun to own. They even bond to you and respond to their names.
Anyways back to the rats
.
I bought my two dumbo rex girls from a good local breeder. I wanted rats because they are a bit more interactive than mice. I often compare them to ferrets. They just don't stink like ferrets (well if you get females, male rats can be stinky) and their life span is extremely shorter than ferrets. Other than that they play, cuddle, and can run around loose (though supervised). They can also be trained to perform little tricks which is fun. They also enjoy swiming.
I have bonded so closely to my girls "Carnivale" and "Fiesta". I have had them since they were 8 weeks old and they are the sweetest well mannered girls. Though I notice that now that we are nearing the 2 year mark (they will be 2 in June) they are starting to slow down.
No longer zooming up and down their levels of their cage. Or wrestling like they used to. They spend most of their time (even at night) lounging in their hammocks.
They don't seem sickly and have no tumors developing *knock on wood* they are just simply getting old. And it makes me sad because I have bonded so closely to them. It literally makes my heart hurt
. I love my girls, and if there was a magic potion to make them live for 10 more years I would gladly pay for it. I honestly never thought I would bond so closely to two little RATS.
I have always planned that after my girls pass on I will be getting two more little girls to raise. But they could replace these girls they are just too special.
Does anyone else here have pet rats?
Here are some pics of my girls from over the years up until recently.
The day I brought them home from the breeder. (Carnivale on the left and Fiesta on the right)
Learning how to perch on a shoulder....As you can see it was clumsy work.
(A month after arrival) Cheerios = Rat crack
Fiesta perching on my foot
Free ranging
And the most recent pics (taken a week ago)
Fiesta
Fiesta. She says even a old lady can be a Victoria Secret model
It's pretty funny actually. Because I was/am one of those people that if I see a wild mouse/rat I scream and run like a little girl lol.
But I had gotten addicted to "saving" fancy mice from my local Petco. Yeah not the best place to purchase them but still I felt I needed to save who I could. And for the record mice are much more friendly than hamsters and much more active and fun to own. They even bond to you and respond to their names.
Anyways back to the rats
.I bought my two dumbo rex girls from a good local breeder. I wanted rats because they are a bit more interactive than mice. I often compare them to ferrets. They just don't stink like ferrets (well if you get females, male rats can be stinky) and their life span is extremely shorter than ferrets. Other than that they play, cuddle, and can run around loose (though supervised). They can also be trained to perform little tricks which is fun. They also enjoy swiming.
I have bonded so closely to my girls "Carnivale" and "Fiesta". I have had them since they were 8 weeks old and they are the sweetest well mannered girls. Though I notice that now that we are nearing the 2 year mark (they will be 2 in June) they are starting to slow down.
No longer zooming up and down their levels of their cage. Or wrestling like they used to. They spend most of their time (even at night) lounging in their hammocks.
They don't seem sickly and have no tumors developing *knock on wood* they are just simply getting old. And it makes me sad because I have bonded so closely to them. It literally makes my heart hurt
I have always planned that after my girls pass on I will be getting two more little girls to raise. But they could replace these girls they are just too special.
Does anyone else here have pet rats?
Here are some pics of my girls from over the years up until recently.
The day I brought them home from the breeder. (Carnivale on the left and Fiesta on the right)
Learning how to perch on a shoulder....As you can see it was clumsy work.
(A month after arrival) Cheerios = Rat crack
Fiesta perching on my foot
Free ranging
And the most recent pics (taken a week ago)
Fiesta
Fiesta. She says even a old lady can be a Victoria Secret model
