# Rats - Males or Females?



## Ratty man (Apr 15, 2012)

Just wondering what the general opinion is and which sex people prefer.

I have 5 boys and the general rule is that the boys are more docile and a bit like couch potatoes and the girls are smaller and play a lot more and don't sit and relax on you like boys would.

Of course I know their are exceptions to every rule


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

Boys all the way. have 31 atm.


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## bewitched (Jun 9, 2010)

Boys every time for me!
I love girls but boys just have that special something something


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I have both sexes (Im talking about the rats here, Im not a hermaphrodite ), I cant say which I prefer, my girls are hillarious and keep me on my toes, they are constantly busy and wanting to play. The boys are my cuddle monsters and just want to be loved and held. I really dont think I would ever want to be without either sexes.


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## babytarragon (Dec 28, 2010)

I have owned boys and girls and boys are much more suitable for me. They sit on my lap for hours at a time, it's really lovely. 

The girls on the other hand never seem to sleep! And their poos are smellier... XD


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## Ratty man (Apr 15, 2012)

I think for me it boils down to the males being great to hold but watching in the cage, it has to be girls all the way.

My boys are quiet boring in that respect, though i love them to bits


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

I'm a girly girl all the way!

I just love watching them dart about- they crack me up so much. Plus it means I get to make them all kinds of girly things


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Girls definately! I love their smaller size and lively but still holdable attitude, plus I just have a preferance for female animals in general, usually cos their smaller and 'daintier'


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## chrisd (Aug 25, 2011)

I've only ever owned girls so obviously I prefer them 

I don't really think I would want them sitting on my knee the whole time. I love the fact that the girls climb all over you and climb up your legs when you're on a chair. Also I'm pretty sure my Binky holds the ratty world record for the long jump


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## LynseyB (Jan 30, 2012)

babytarragon said:


> I have owned boys and girls and boys are much more suitable for me. They sit on my lap for hours at a time, it's really lovely.
> 
> The girls on the other hand never seem to sleep! And their poos are smellier... XD


I actually find quite the opposite....my boys stink!  Their fur also smells "boyish", whereas my girls smell like fresh linen 

I adore my boys, but I find it easier and more entertaining with girls. At some point down the line I think I'll probably go back to having just girls (and perhaps a neutered lad or two, should one ever become available)


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

i love the musty smell of male rats.


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## LynseyB (Jan 30, 2012)

CRL said:


> i love the musty smell of male rats.


Two of my lads smell quite nice whereas two are a bit over-powering at times 
It's their poo etc that really is bad though. My girls also frequently get out of their hammocks to use the shelf or litter tray. My boys just go where they are and the hammocks always need changing!


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## Guest (Apr 25, 2012)

I have both here, and like TDM I can't really say which is best :tongue_smilie:


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

I prefer girls. I like the way they play like mad things when they're out and come to check in for a few minutes for a snuggle before they're off again.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Boys for me. My household is all boys.
Except me of course!

But you can't beat the smell of a musky adult male rat.


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

Hi,

I cant decide either way.
I have 4 girls at the moment and they are fantastic as i have a 3 year old who loves watching them being mental all the time, i had males until the middle of last year and my toddler thought they were boring as they just slept all the time.
So i think for my toddlers sake females are better for me at the moment, however when he's older and wants to handle them males would be better.

But to be honest i dont care either way... A rats a rat regardless! And i love them all.


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## Ratty man (Apr 15, 2012)

I tell ya my 5 male rats weren't boring tonight as they were jumping round their palace trying to hump each other lol.

They won't get far but it was fascinating all the same lol.


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## CoyoteMule (Apr 25, 2012)

LynseyB said:


> I actually find quite the opposite....my boys stink!  Their fur also smells "boyish", whereas my girls smell like fresh linen
> 
> I adore my boys, but I find it easier and more entertaining with girls. At some point down the line I think I'll probably go back to having just girls (and perhaps a neutered lad or two, should one ever become available)


I have two girls and my question was do you think the boys smell more? As I have heard that before. The gal i got my girls from said the boys were more of coddling type but hers had a odor to them. I love my girls the are so sweet!


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## Claireglynn (Dec 9, 2011)

I know all rats are different but all the boys i've had were very active up until about 6 months then they turned into slob's (they must of been taking notes from my husband). Which i loved but my toddler didnt.

Dont mean all boys are boring in my earlier post, just from my sons point of view.


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## LynseyB (Jan 30, 2012)

CoyoteMule said:


> I have two girls and my question was do you think the boys smell more? As I have heard that before. The gal i got my girls from said the boys were more of coddling type but hers had a odor to them. I love my girls the are so sweet!


In my experience, boys do smell more and mine are just typically "boyish" and messy 
If there's one thing I've learned it's that every rat is very different and I have one lad who is so lazy that he will just wander back to the cage during free range to lie in his hammock, despite all attempts from me to get him to stay out and play  His name's Charlie and not surprisingly, he is the only one who is overweight. He's just the sweetest big lad though and loves a cuddle.
My other three boys, two in particular are playful and nosey, but not to the extent of my girls.

I suppose it all comes down to personal preference. I think I will probably just keep girls in the future but when that time comes, I'll miss my boys terribly.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2012)

CoyoteMule said:


> I have two girls and my question was do you think the boys smell more? As I have heard that before. The gal i got my girls from said the boys were more of coddling type but hers had a odor to them. I love my girls the are so sweet!


Boys have a musky smell to them, girls smell of pee


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> *Boys have a musky smell to them*, girls smell of pee


I love that smell & regularly have a sniff of my boys
Same can't be said of the girls though, the smelly tarts


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

i have both and like both i think i'll always keepa few of each once my numbers go down. just enough to keep them in an explorer half each. (3 or 4 maybe) 

i lovethe musky popcorn smell of boys aswell!


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## LynseyB (Jan 30, 2012)

B3rnie said:


> Boys have a musky smell to them, girls smell of pee


:laugh: Do you really think so? My girls smell lovely, like they have a natural perfume.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2012)

simplysardonic said:


> I love that smell & regularly have a sniff of my boys
> Same can't be said of the girls though, the smelly tarts


Me too, I'm always having a sniff :lol:



LynseyB said:


> :laugh: Do you really think so? My girls smell lovely, like they have a natural perfume.


My girls like to marinate in their own pee :lol:


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## bewitched (Jun 9, 2010)

I'm soooo glad I'm not the only one who sniffs my boys :lol:
Clearly I'm not as strange as I thought


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## chrisd (Aug 25, 2011)

I sniff my girls regularly too while giving them kisses! I quite like it. I must say, though, I probably wouldn't do half the crazy **** I do with my rats if it wasn't for the influence of you mad people!!


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Now it's not very often I do this but when I have bathed my rats I just love the wet rat smell. 
Does anyone else like wet rat?
I also like wet dog smell.


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2012)

blade100 said:


> Now it's not very often I do this but when I have bathed my rats I just love the wet rat smell.
> Does anyone else like wet rat?
> I also like wet dog smell.


I LOVE WET RAT SMELL :blink:


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> I LOVE WET RAT SMELL :blink:


Oh bernie thank god I'm not the only one. Hubby thinks I'm strange.
It's lush.


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## DumboRatLove (Mar 6, 2012)

when i go to the breeders i will decide about gender, i like the sound of girls but now im convinced i should smell them first


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## LynseyB (Jan 30, 2012)

DumboRatLove said:


> when i go to the breeders i will decide about gender, i like the sound of girls but now im convinced i should smell them first


I stand by the fact that my girls smell gorgeous!!


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

LynseyB said:


> I stand by the fact that my girls smell gorgeous!!


Yep I'm with you on that, mine smell gorgeous as well!:smilewinkgrin:


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