# I adopted a rat yesterday



## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

I went into a certain pet chain store yesterday and there was a lovely little boy ratty in the adoption bit, they told me that rats cant be added to existing colonies and he had to be rehomed as an only rat, so the poor little guy was destined to a lonely life, my oh said I couldnt have him so I had a rant on a rat forum about it and a lovely lady from there said if I went to adopt him she would travel a very long way to get him from me. His name is now Basil and he is going to his new home tomorrow but I thought I would introduce him, he is such a cuddly boy and is starved for attention , he will be getting tons of love where hes going though.


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## Pug_D (Feb 21, 2010)

when you say adopt from a very well known pet shop what do you mean? You still buy them but they are just in a diff section?

Hes a cutie, good on you for finding him a good home :thumbup:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Pug_D said:


> when you say adopt from a very well known pet shop what do you mean? You still buy them but they are just in a diff section?
> 
> Hes a cutie, good on you for finding him a good home :thumbup:


Its an adoption section, I think sometimes they are in there because they get too old for their sales section but they are supposed to be animals that have been brought in by members of the public who cant keep them for various reasons. This ones reason for being there was 'owner couldnt cope with him' so Im a bit suspicious that he might be old stock.


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## Melysia (Feb 9, 2009)

Good on you! How can you not cope with a rat?

They are one of THE most easiest pets to have!!!

After Balders departed, I bought Cleo (little one named her) and she happily climbs around in his cage, no problem. She's as tame as anything, apart from when I'm trying to clean it with tissue paper then I'm partial to a fight or two for it!


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

he looks lovely!


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

He's so gorgeous. I will see you in the morning hun cos you have to give him to me


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

wouldnt happen to start with P and end in home would it.

Place drives me crazy the one near me aske dme to leave when i was talking to a girl who was intrested in getting a rat and i was explaining that she needed a least two but no they were obvoiously more qualified than me to be able to sell rats and was quite happy for one to be sold alone.

I waiting outside and saw the girl leave empty handed so im hoping ive passe don a little knowledge.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Thats a really great thing your doing. Am glad he's gonna get a lot better life now!! xx


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Yorkshire_Rose said:


> wouldnt happen to start with P and end in home would it.
> 
> Place drives me crazy the one near me aske dme to leave when i was talking to a girl who was intrested in getting a rat and i was explaining that she needed a least two but no they were obvoiously more qualified than me to be able to sell rats and was quite happy for one to be sold alone.
> 
> I waiting outside and saw the girl leave empty handed so im hoping ive passe don a little knowledge.


I hope she left and got some from a breeder. That would be nice


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Yorkshire_Rose said:


> wouldnt happen to start with P and end in home would it.
> 
> Place drives me crazy the one near me aske dme to leave when i was talking to a girl who was intrested in getting a rat and i was explaining that she needed a least two but no they were obvoiously more qualified than me to be able to sell rats and was quite happy for one to be sold alone.
> 
> I waiting outside and saw the girl leave empty handed so im hoping ive passe don a little knowledge.


Hmmm you know it might have been the same chain of pet shops, they are very knowledgeable I even got a little leaflet telling me how to look after rats, so that will tell me all about how dumbos and top eared cant live together and how they should just be fed rat nuggets and how they like to live alone and shouldnt be added to groups.


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

srhdufe said:


> I hope she left and got some from a breeder. That would be nice


Me2 if my litter were borna nd ready id have offerd her some more "healthier" rats but they havent been born yet 



thedogsmother said:


> Hmmm you know it might have been the same chain of pet shops, they are very knowledgeable I even got a little leaflet telling me how to look after rats, so that will tell me all about how dumbos and top eared cant live together and how they should just be fed rat nuggets and how they like to live alone and shouldnt be added to groups.


Well compared to my 5 years ( coming upto 6 years in 2 week ) of owning rats and breeding on and off and his year of working there he had to have known a lot more.


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## jellybean01 (Feb 19, 2010)

I got my first rat from a 'well known chain' & was told that as she was the last of her litter & therefore alone (which is why I got her, I couldn't cope with seeing her all alone in that little glass tank thingy) I would have to keep her alone. And being a bit dim, I actually believed this for about 5 minutes - luckily forums such as this one set me on the right track & Fluff was only alone for about 4/5 weeks tops...she now has Banoffee, who is currently running up the back of the sofa, launching herself onto my head & eating my hair, before jumping down onto the cushions & starting all over again - she's easily pleased & not all there, bless her 

My point though - I do have one  - is Thank Goodness these forums exist, you really are all a fabulous font of knowledge for dippy new rat owners such as myself. If I'd believed that 'well known chain', Fluffy would still be alone & I suspect, a miserable ratty, especially as Banoffee is a top eared rat & therefore obviously totally unsuitable for sharing a cage with a Dumbo like Fluffy  

Well done you for adopting that wee boy...he' so cute! And at least he'll be getting a decent home now 
(Sorry I've waffled on so long)


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## Acacia86 (Dec 30, 2008)

Oh what a gorgeous boy!!!

Over here we have a few pet shops (not chain ones......all independant) that sell live animals.

But only one has a ''licence thingy'' that can import rats/mice with. And they are a great pet shop.

They buy from a breeder in the UK. So if for instance i wanted 4 rats they will have to ''order'' (i hate that term!) them. So i will have to wait a while.

They will not ''order'' if there isn't enough rats wanted. So if i only wanted 2 then i would be waiting a lot longer!

They always advise 3 (unless you have existing rats to introduce the newbie(s) too) and they will never allow 1 rat to go to a home. (well if they knew you very well and you have existing ratties then maybe)

You have to know a bit about rats, and they do question people they do not know.

So its really hard to get rats here! Its not just walk into a pet shop and come out with 1 or 2!!

I wish it was the same for gerbils, hammies, rabbits, Guineas and birds......But all in all i am very proud of local live selling!! :thumbup:


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## ashleighhhhh (Jul 8, 2009)

Awww, he's lovely tdm!  Good on you for finding him a loving home!


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## metame (Sep 25, 2009)

Acacia86 said:


> Oh what a gorgeous boy!!!
> 
> Over here we have a few pet shops (not chain ones......all independant) that sell live animals.
> 
> ...


i think thats how it should be done everywhere 

but yeah tdm, hes gorgeous!


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## jellybean01 (Feb 19, 2010)

I have to say, although I was told some total nonsense when I bought the Fluffster (eg she'd have to live alone & she couldn't live with a top eared rat) the girl in the petshop chain did grill me about cage type and my rat keeping knowledge. 
I told her I was a first time rat owner so she asked me loads of questions - I assume to ensure I'd done my reasearch, luckily I had because I started to feel like I was being given a full on test. I appreciate her reasons and I'm pleased she did it, at least that way they ensure that the rats go with people who have the appropriate housing and some basic knowledge. 
I guess the 20 questions might also discourage people who have no business owning pets in the first place...it took quite a while to get myself from the start to the end of the transaction. We discussed bedding, food, toys, free-ranging, all sorts...she did tell me rat nuggets only but I just sort of did the smile & nod throughout that bit. I'm not sure if this grilling was actually a standard thing or something the girl did because she herself felt it necessary...I'd like to hope it's standard. But I may well be wrong about that.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

That boy is absolutely beautiful and I am also FUMING with this certain chain store...I've had an argument with the local manager over top ears and dumbos being kept together - they were all boys, all probably littermates. There is NO reason for them to be apart T^T


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Well it gets worse, I drove to the motorway services where I was meeting his new owner and his bottle leaked so I got him out for a cuddle and I noticed he has a little tubby tummy awwwww, I could see all the nipples on HIS little tubby tummy, I had to ring the poor lady who had travelled miles to get him that he was a she and I have serious suspicions that he is expecting, so I now have a possibly pregnant female rat. The lady who was going to be his mum has been so kind and has offered to help fostering any babies that might appear but now I need help with how to tell if a rat is pregnant and how to care for a pregnant rat. I havent even sent all the mouse babies off to their new homes yet and now there might be rat babies.


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> I havent even sent all the mouse babies off to their new homes yet and now there might be rat babies.


I am (not) sorry hun, but i am sat here rolling of laughter :lol: :lol:

Well at least his babies will be gorgeous (if they turn out like their dad) :lol: :lol:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Why do my animals always feel the need to change sex on me?


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Why do my animals always feel the need to change sex on me?


Next time you get anymore animals hun...

Dont sex them yourself, will you?! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

haha the care is pretty much the same as mice but on a bigger scale prepare for the food bill to get bigger baby rats eat like pigs lol

youll know when shes ready to drop when she look like shes eaten a whole tennis ball :S


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Ohhh TDM.... You and your sexing of animals!!!! which rattie is it?

Just want to ask... are you SURE that my mice are girls? Yorkshire Rose has checked hasnt she?!  x


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Yorkshire_Rose said:


> haha the care is pretty much the same as mice but on a bigger scale prepare for the food bill to get bigger baby rats eat like pigs lol
> 
> youll know when shes ready to drop when she look like shes eaten a whole tennis ball :S


So I will have 12 adult rats who eat like piggies and countless babies who also eat like piggies yay yipee, Should I give her more protein now and assume she is pregnant?


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Paws&Claws said:


> Ohhh TDM.... You and your sexing of animals!!!! which rattie is it?
> 
> Just want to ask... are you SURE that my mice are girls? Yorkshire Rose has checked hasnt she?!  x


Its a new ratty that I adopted for someone else and was told she was a he Yep these meeces werent done by me so you are safe:lol:


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Paws&Claws said:


> Just want to ask... are you SURE that my mice are girls? Yorkshire Rose has checked hasnt she?!  x


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I choked when i read that pmsl :lol:


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Its a new ratty that I adopted for someone else and was told she was a he Yep these meeces werent done by me so you are safe:lol:





srhdufe said:


> :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> I choked when i read that pmsl :lol:


Phew..... :thumbup::lol: x


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> So I will have 12 adult rats who eat like piggies and countless babies who also eat like piggies yay yipee, Should I give her more protein now and assume she is pregnant?


Personally i keep my ratties and mice diet the same until they give birth then up the protein, i wouldnt want the babies to get too big and them having trouble birthing them.


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Yorkshire_Rose said:


> i wouldnt want the babies to get too big and them having trouble birthing them.


OUCH!!


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## Yorkshire_Rose (Aug 5, 2009)

srhdufe said:


> OUCH!!


indeed but hope my Wabbit has no problems with it being her first litter theres bound to be one or two problems lol


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## jellybean01 (Feb 19, 2010)

Honestly, I am really not surprised they told you he was a she...after I got Fluffy I almost got her a friend from the same place that I'd bought her from - purely because she seemed to be getting depressed & despondent & I didn't want to wait to get her someone to live with. Well, off we went to that well known chain...they assured me they had girl ratties, and we had a wee look at them...they were young and so it wasn't glaringly obvious but there were definately some furry boy bits on their way to developing! Even I (in my total ignorance about such things) could see that... and another girl that worked there said, despite her supervisor  assuring her they were girls, she wasn't happy letting me go off with any of them because she thought they were boys. I'm very glad someone in that place seemed to have a clue what they were on about....just imagine, I'd have been having babies by now!!!!! (Ok, not me exactly, but I doubt Fluffster would be that impressed that she'd turned into a tennis ball!!!) :scared:


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

oh no TDM  you must be getting absoloutely sick of all those cute, fluffy, wriggly babies everywhere... I think you should share them out between us all


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Verbatim said:


> oh no TDM  you must be getting absoloutely sick of all those cute, fluffy, wriggly babies everywhere... I think you should share them out between us all


Already got mine!  x


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## Tigerneko (Jan 2, 2009)

Paws&Claws said:


> Already got mine!  x


ooh lucky you!! Wish I had space for a few... unless tdm fancies adopting a few boy gerbils so that they will turn into girls and have babies so that my Jill can have a friend


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

Verbatim said:


> ooh lucky you!! Wish I had space for a few... unless tdm fancies adopting a few boy gerbils so that *they will turn into girls *and have babies so that my Jill can have a friend


:lol::lol::lol: hahahaha x


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Verbatim said:


> ooh lucky you!! Wish I had space for a few... unless tdm fancies adopting a few boy gerbils so that they will turn into girls and have babies so that my Jill can have a friend


Hmmm Ive done hamster breeding, mice breeding, sounds like I might be branching into rat breeding, I havent tried gerbils yet so maybe:lol:.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Hmmm Ive done hamster breeding, mice breeding, sounds like I might be branching into rat breeding, I havent tried gerbils yet so maybe:lol:.


If my degu is pregnant u can look after him/her then and ull have done degus too! x


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Paws&Claws said:


> If my degu is pregnant u can look after him/her then and ull have done degus too! x


I could open up a rodent pregnancy/sex change clinic, where rodents come to relax and change sex or reproduce, trouble is these rodents dont pay well,Im still waiting for the hamsters to pay for their keep.


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## Stephny691 (Nov 13, 2007)

I'm sorry, but your posts always make me smile/laugh.
If it's not changing sex, it's having babies on you! 
They are fortunate to get such a lovely mummy though 
xx


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## ....zoe.... (Jul 8, 2009)

haha sorry Gill but i think this is a clue for you not to take the staffs sex's as the correct 

i will help as much as possible with advice for you along the way 

any chance you can post a piccie of her belly ??


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

....zoe.... said:


> haha sorry Gill but i think this is a clue for you not to take the staffs sex's as the correct
> 
> i will help as much as possible with advice for you along the way
> 
> any chance you can post a piccie of her belly ??


Its only tiny yet but they nipples are obvious, I will get a pic for you though.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Its only tiny yet but they nipples are obvious, I will get a pic for you though.


Gill......... Have you checked Henrick lately? Are you sure Henricks a boy....? :lol: x


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## srhdufe (Feb 11, 2009)

Paws&Claws said:


> Gill......... Have you checked Henrick lately? Are you sure Henricks a boy....? :lol: x


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
You will have to change his name to Henrika
Or Erika :lol:


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Right this isnt good but its the best pic I coud get, she wasnt happy about going on her back for the pic so she is a bit streatched out so she is a bit rounder than this but it shows how obvious her nipples are.


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## ....zoe.... (Jul 8, 2009)

ahhh yeh they are pretty ovious 

makes me sooo confused how a member of staff in a certain shop cannot sex an animal that is sooo ovious to be a female ! :confused1:

i went into a certain shop near me and seen a gerbil in one of the tanks with 3 others and the poor thing had quite a sore eye and a small cut


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Paws&Claws said:


> Gill......... Have you checked Henrick lately? Are you sure Henricks a boy....? :lol: x


Ive just checked him, he is definately a boy at the moment but they do keep changing sex on me so I will keep checking. If he did change sex Roxy would be devastated.


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## Paws&Claws (Aug 29, 2009)

thedogsmother said:


> Ive just checked him, he is definately a boy at the moment but they do keep changing sex on me so I will keep checking. If he did change sex Roxy would be devastated.


If he did change sex, ill send Roxie to live with you for a little while and im sure she will change sex too... then she wont be devastated  x


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Paws&Claws said:


> If he did change sex, ill send Roxie to live with you for a little while and im sure she will change sex too... then she wont be devastated  x


Ahhh now I have a moral dilemma cos I can pretend he has changed sex and I get to pinch Roxy for a while, hmmm decisions decisions decisions .


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

It could only be you!!! :lol: Now if only you could turn your magic to being able to predict the lottery numbers you would make us all very happy :lol:


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## lolabloob (Mar 30, 2010)

thedogsmother said:


> Its an adoption section, I think sometimes they are in there because they get too old for their sales section but they are supposed to be animals that have been brought in by members of the public who cant keep them for various reasons. This ones reason for being there was 'owner couldnt cope with him' so Im a bit suspicious that he might be old stock.





thedogsmother said:


> I went into a certain pet chain store yesterday and there was a lovely little boy ratty in the adoption bit, they told me that rats cant be added to existing colonies and he had to be rehomed as an only rat, so the poor little guy was destined to a lonely life, my oh said I couldnt have him so I had a rant on a rat forum about it and a lovely lady from there said if I went to adopt him she would travel a very long way to get him from me. His name is now Basil and he is going to his new home tomorrow but I thought I would introduce him, he is such a cuddly boy and is starved for attention , he will be getting tons of love where hes going though.


awww I love the adoption bits! I always go there first before I go to the other bits cuz theres no point buying another animal so the pet shop will get more from the breeder if there arent homes for the poor wee souls who have been there ages or arent wanted. I got my rabbit Willow and gerbil Corky from the adoption centre in [email protected]  they were old sale animals who got "too old" even tho they were like 16 weeks bless. hehe xxx


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