# need some advice on my rats



## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 7, 2012)

Yes two rats can be fine together (although a trio is always better), but I am sitting here open mouthed that you are seriously considering splitting a bonded group (with NO issues) just so your friend can have two....... :incazzato:

As for the rest, every rat is different just as people are different. As the babies came from another pet shop they could have come from a genetically skittish line, or it could just mean they are girls that like to keep themselves to themselves.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

No you can't split the group! Rats particularly bond really well in groups. It would upset them if they were split.

Am not commenting on the rest...meh!


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 7, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> It's not just so my friend can have 2. Like I said I have literally just set up working for myself. That means I have to sort everything out myself, and it's difficult to find the time for everything, especially when I have dogs and other animals to think of as well. As for 3, well I have learned my lesson about not keeping one on its own, but it will only be 2 in future (wouldn't be allowed more than 2 again anyway).
> 
> Why are all 3 skittish though? They're not rescue cases who where badly kept, they've been handled regularly since they were 7 weeks old. Twinks isn't too bad, Wispa is ok, but Astrid literally dives from your grasp, backing away as if she's scared of you.


If you have time for two (as you say you free range in the shed so 4 take up no more time) then you have time for four.

If you don't have time for them well you know my answer to that one....

They all 3 came from the same place, most likely litter mates or from the same/similar lines. Pet shops don't care about genetics remember


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

You don't have time for them? Well maybe you should of thought of that before you went out and got them.


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## Tomskrat (Aug 11, 2011)

how old are your girls? remember that babies and does don't always like sitting still and have more of a go go go attitude (this can mellow with age). how have you tried taming them? i usually sit (or stand if they like to run away) with them on my shoulder, in my hood, or in my hoodie pocket for about twenty minutes 2-3 times a day. This allows them to see you as a safe place.



> Is there too many of them? Are they in like a little group so aren't bothered if there's anyone there or not? Would they improve if seperated?


 its very difficult to have too many rats :laugh:, separating them will do nothing, i have had large groups in the past, and all were lovely and tame.



> I don't think I will buy rats from that petstore again whatever, I'll stick to [email protected] or a breeder.


 The small store would have got their rats from a similar place as pets at home, where rats will have had no handling, or human contact. GOOD breeders are always the best bet for rats that are tame and handled from birth, but rememberer any rat can become shy if not handled enough/correctly. Rescue rats can also be lovely and tame.


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> It's not just so my friend can have 2. Like I said I have literally just set up working for myself. That means I have to sort everything out myself, and it's difficult to find the time for everything, especially when I have dogs and other animals to think of as well. As for 3, well I have learned my lesson about not keeping one on its own, but it will only be 2 in future (wouldn't be allowed more than 2 again anyway).


thats the biggest load of crap ive heard in a long time. i work, i work bloody hard in my job, its exhausting mentally and physically. i travel 15 miles to work and then another 15 miles back again, i do shift work in a elderly care home, yet i still have time to run my own flat, pay the bills and look after 28 rats. i have rats who are cage aggressive and bite when you put your hand near them, i have others who run when i come near the cage but will sniff my hand when i stay still, i have others who hate being held, ones that squeal when i pick them up, others who flock at the cage door to see me and give me kisses, ones who climb up the bars to sit on my shoulders. rats have different personalities, many rats dont like being picked up, you just perseveir. you dont just give up and keep threatening to give them up because they have different personalities. 
i wonder how you are with your hamsters and if you threaten to get rid if them too. there cages take up more room and it takes more time to freerange individual hamsters. 
i think you need to grow up and actually think before you get these animals that need your time and care. by all means give them up, we wouldnt expect any less.


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Like all animals rats are individuals and some wont' want cuddles whereas others will. The fact that they weren't handled properly at a critical age will be making handling socialising harder, it's all just down to perseverance and patience, just as it is with any animal. 

As for using the excuse of not having time with your new business as a reason to rehome them, I for one don't find that acceptable and I'm sure most people would agree. Most people who think about going into business for themselves properly will have taken many months to plan it before even considering taking that step. And in that time you should have considered allowing the time needed for your pets. Certainly, given that you only got these rats in March/April, I would have imagined that you were at least considering a business at that point, so you shouldn't even have considered adding more animals until you decided what you were going to do. Now that you have these animals you have a commitment to them and 4 rats do not take up anymore time than 2, if you can find the time to let one cage of two rats out to freerange and be handled, cleaned out and fed etc in one night, then a cage of four rats will take no longer to deal with given that they all live together and can be dealt with at the same time. If you find that your new business is taking up so much of your time, I certainly hope that you don't plan to add any new additions, which is something that you seemed interested in doing not that long ago with accaia rats. Many people have numerous small and large animals and work well beyond normal UK working hours (whether working from home or an office or what not) and still manage to find time for their menagerie. Take my vet for instance who works a minimum of 50 hours a week and yet still finds time for her ferrets, cats, gerbils and all 40 odd mice, not counting all the litters she breeds and the pregnant groups she is taking in to help out a rescue. It's all about setting your priorities and managing your time properly.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

I am gobsmacked too Laura!

I work 4 nights a week 10 hour shifts.
I come home and get all 7 rats out in the rat room for half an hour while I feed them and do waters up. 
I go bed then get up and do what I need to do then at 7pm all the rats come out again!

Girls are more on the go it's just there nature to not sit still.
You can't really keep one of the youngsters becuz Tia is 15 months old when she dies your left with the youngster on her own. This is why 3 is better than 2.

As for the pet shop you bought the 3 from did the owner or breeder of the rats tell you if the mum and dad rats he bred from came from healthy back ground? Did he show you the paper work as to which rats he's used in the past and the ones who have suffered with respiratory infections or tumours? No? Well this is why most good rat owners go to a good reputable rat breeder so that you get healthy rats! This is the reason why you shouldn't buy from pet stores.

Laura I've lost 4 rats this year all from pet shops two were from pets at home and they died of a pituitary tumour on the brain and the other one had a massive tumour on his side which burst! Now if I had gotten these 4 from a good breeder they would still be with me now no doubt. The youngest was 13 months old!
I shall never buy from pet shops again, I have two rats here from a breeder and they are fine. 

If you really are serious about giving two away becuz you haven't time for them then I'd suggest letting all 4 go!
They must have such a close bond by now and you want to go in and split the group up just because you can't manage 4??? 
Advertise them on fancy rats forum rehoming and let someone else take all 4 on.


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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

Yer, but you have to consider the chances of change before ou get an animal


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> So even though I've held them from 7 weeks old, they still missed out on socialisation? How young should you buy them then?
> 
> I obviously was considering my business in April, but didn't know how much time it would require and stuff. *Also, I was sort of left with little choice in getting more rats after the kind members here insisted on me doing so. Business or no business I had to get more rats!*
> 
> Yes I was looking at acacia rats, but that was before I'd properly gotten started with my work and knew what time I'd have. I am no longer considering them nor want them.


Now why was that again.... Oh yeah because you decided to go out and acquire one rat to "See if they are for me or not"

Maybe it has turned out that rats aren't for you then, maybe just stick to the hamsters and mice that you seem to rave on about being so good all the time..

Why is it these days that as soon as life starts getting a little bit difficult the poor pets are the first ones to be rehomed/got rid of (pick whichever one applies), why can't people just accept their responsibility? You buy a pet, then you care for that pet until they no longer need you.

Yes there are real genuine cases of animals needing to be rehomed due to certain circumstances, sorry Wobbles dearest your excuse isn't a valid one to split your bonded group up. And quite frankly considering you told me that you are older than 18 (it's a shame the thread where you said you were younger has been deleted huh?) your attitude towards your pets disgusts me....... :thumbdown:


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

no i would not get rid of half my rats. i have half of those rats because people like you couldnt look after theirs properly, so people like me, and many others on here take them on instead, most of the time in awful conditions with illnesses that cost alot to heal. 
but thats alright, because a silly little girl on a forum wants me to get rid of half my rats i will just give those rats up again, shall i? :rolleyes5: :rolleyes5: :rolleyes5: :thumbdown:

ive bought some of my rats from breeders and some from pet shops. but many are rescues, some that i travelled 280miles to get. 

a few years ago me and another breeder who rescues travelled to rushden to get 21 rats from a women who got 3 rats from [email protected] and let them freerange together resulting in babies, she then let them freerange together again and have another litter. they had 27 rats that her 6 year old son was looking after, but the reason she gave them up was because she couldnt afford to feed them. when we came they were on sawdust so soaked with urine it was a mass of it, the only toys they had were a tube each which was so chewed they wouldnt play in it. there were 8+ rats in a mary sized cage, all were so tiny they would have been mistaken for 8 week old rats. they were 6 months old and older. 
i took 6 of those boys myself, made them healthy, feed them, cleaned them, gave them what they need. 

i got 1 boy from my vets after another customer dropped him off after finding him in her garden. the owner had let him loose. they knew i had male rats so they gave him to me to foster until the owner came forward, they didnt so a year later i still have the cage aggressive, rat aggressive rat. 

or the elderly boy i have who i got from a 'rescue' who had over 125 rats due to hoarding, and had to give half her rats to another rescue as she couldnt cope. i took the lone male on, he is rat aggressive while showing no signs of hormones. 

or the pet shop boys who they couldnt sell because they were older and skittish, they dont like being held and run when you try to touch them. 

or the rescue that was given to a breeder who was dominating to other rats, human shy and aggressive. now he will come to the bars of the cage, let me stroke him, pick him up, and he lives with the 2 pet shop boys above. 

or the other rescue i have were a young boy suddenly decided to get 2 rats from a store, 4 weeks later he decided he couldnt look after them, didnt have the time, so he wanted to get rid. i ended up with them, 1 died at 5.5 months, the other is now just over 1 and living with a group of breeder bred and pet shop boys. 

ive got plenty of other stories i could tell you about the rats ive rescued, and you think i should just give up on them :thumbdown: you simply have no idea at all do you? do you know that there are other people out in the real world who pick up the pieces after people who suddenly decide to go and get a pet on impulse, then they pick up the pieces and the bills that go with it. 

you want ideas to help you with these rats? spend time with them like everyone else on here does.


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2012)

As usual you fail to see the point, your obviously not thinking of the rats best interest if you're considering splitting them up 

I will put it in simple terms because maybe I'm not explaining myself properly...

If you don't have time for your rats then rehome the GROUP together, if you're not willing to do that then man up and deal with the fact life changes.

Personally I don't get why your first thought was to split an already bonded group that live in one cage, rather than a few of your multiple hamsters that live in INDIVIDUAL cages that can't be free ranged together. It just doesn't make sense to me, in fact I will even go as far to say that to me it looks like the ONLY reason why you considered the rats was because they didn't fulfill YOUR needs (i.e. they don't snuggle up to you like you want them to) so might as well get "rid" huh? :incazzato:


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

i was jobless for 4 months before finding a job working 6 hours a week for £33. i had 20 rats when i was jobless and also when i was working for £33 a week. i didnt give up on them then either.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

People on here made you go and buy more rats? As in frogmarched you to the pet store & stood there whilst you bought 3 pet shop rats? If you didn't want to take their advice you didn't have to go to the pet shop and buy more rats. You could have ignored the advice. You have ignored advice before so what was different this time. Things are never your fault are they? I feel sorry for your animals, I really do. You have an attitude that beggars belief.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## MrRustyRead (Mar 14, 2011)

well everyone has struggles but we get by, ive had to go without a lot of things i needed while i was jobless so i could carry on with my driving lessons and give my animals what they needed. do i mind? no, as to me my animals come first and id rather go without than they go without.


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

oh woe is me! 
if you hadnt gone and lied to your parents and staff at [email protected] in the first place and ignored one of the most basic pieces of rat care then you wouldnt have been in the situation of having to get 3 more rats at advice of members on here. you have yourself to blame, noone on here lied to get you those rats, you did that yourself.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

CRL said:


> oh woe is me!
> if you hadnt gone and lied to your parents and staff at [email protected] in the first place and ignored one of the most basic pieces of rat care then you wouldnt have been in the situation of having to get 3 more rats at advice of members on here. you have yourself to blame, noone on here lied to get you those rats, you did that yourself.


Amen to that.....reality check required Wobbles, you are soiunding like a petulant kid.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

then its not a good rescue. no rescue would give anyone 1 rat on its own. even pets at home ask you if you have other rats. 
i have 2 lone rats. both are rat aggressive and 1 is also cage aggressive. that is the only way you would have a lone rat, and even then neutering can help with that. 
your way of blaming people on here for the way you are with your animals is rather childish. seems you need to grow up a bit and take responsibly for YOUR actions.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

no i wouldnt assume that was the right thing to do. when i got my first 2 rats i hadnt researched them at all, i bought a book at the same time as buying them, yet i still bought 2 rats. i have bought 1 lone rat and then added it to another lone rat whose cage mate had just died, 2 days later i got 3 more rats and added them to the group.
its just another excuse to think that getting 1 rat from [email protected] would be ok. 
you have complained about them not liking to be held. what would you have done if you knew nothing about rats yet one of your 2 new rats had cage aggression?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

Rats and biting
have a good read.

cage aggressive rats dont like anything in their territory. if i were to stick my hand in rileys cage he would see that as invading his territory and attack me. that is what a cage aggressive rat is.


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## Guest (Nov 8, 2012)

This thread has gone exactly like many, many other threads of the OP's.

I'm giving up now as I'm fed up of hitting a brick wall.

Wobbles YOU are the only person to blame for the numbers of animals you have, if YOU hadn't lied to get your lone rat (without even bothering to research rats first :angry then YOU wouldn't of needed to get anymore.
In fact think about it for a second if you had followed some of the advice (rehome the lone rat to someone with company) then you wouldn't have needed to get any more rats at all.....

Take responsibility for YOUR actions, just because you keep saying "I've made mistakes" that does not mean you have actually learnt anything. All that means is you know what to say to apease the situation.

Going by your posts you haven't learnt a single thing since your first post here, because you are still coming up with down right idiotic ideas.....

I won't be replying anymore because I've had enough and have enough of my own **** to sort out, but please feel free to list your usual ranty, excuse ridden reply...


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## chrisd (Aug 25, 2011)

I haven't posted on here in a while but have been reading occasionally. Every thread that I see 'Wobbles' as the OP it has the numbers 1..2..3..(Last Page) after it and I could genuinely dictate what was the contents of the thread.

I hope for the animals sake that Wobbles is just a severely committed troll. People like this should not be allowed to own animals.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

If you are struggling to find time for the rats then definitely rehome all of them together. Out of my rats from [email protected], one is sweet and snuggly,one is constantly whizzing around and won't be held for more than 30 secs and the last one is fine being held but much prefers climbing. My rescue rat hates being stroked, is still slightly cage aggressive, is scared of free ranging.. .I have no idea of his background, suspect he was from a pet shop . I have just moved house and this morning had an operation and am in hospital. ..no way am I parting with any of my rats. Oh and I also have a gerbil, 2 Syrian hamsters, 2 roborovski hamsters, 3 mice, typical fish, 2 cats and a dog. And 6 kids. And I work evenings. So I doubt very much you have less time than me. It sounds more like you just want to get rid because they're not cuddly. Oh and incidentally, why don't you let your hamsters out to play? Mine come out to play in a supervised play pen.

ETA of course I meant tropical fish lol


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

You have to put the effort into making your rats trust you and in return they'll be more cuddly. Now that's not to say every rat will be a cuddler but don't forget the age difference between your rats- the other 3 are still babies and will probably settle down more as they age.
Any rat can be tamed into be handleable- to say Lola was horrible is an understatement. There are no forum-friendly words to describe her- she was aggressive to rats, to humans, in the cage and out of the cage. I bear many Lola scars.
Gradually she learnt to trust me but would still be aggressive to others and now she is such a cuddler. She loves sitting in our laps and watching the tele with us.
Yours aren't even aggressive, just slightly timid- that really won't take long to fix you just need to put the effort in.
I know you're saying you don't have time blah blah but a lot of people have less time and more rats than you. The great thing about rats is they're so easy to please- I bet they would absolutely love to run around and explore whilst you're having a shower/filling in paperwork etc and you can spend individual time with them when watching tele or whatever else you do in your free time. Heck, rats even enjoy 'helping' with the housework.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

My baby rats have really sharp nails too. They love climbing on my neck and shoulders and chest and tbh I just put up with it.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Unfortunately ratty nails are painful. There's a reason I own so many scarves....
You can try clipping them with nail clippers (though be careful not to cut too short-little toes bleed a lot) or give them a quick file.
I used to file them down but with 17 now I just put up with it!


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

How about the bath? Pop a towel down and put them in. You could even get in with them for extra bonding. 
Ours chewed the tele cable so can't run around the living room anymore but there's nowhere for them to go or anything to destroy in the bathroom.
Failing that you could get a collapsible rabbit playpen or get some pieces of correx off eBay (very cheap!) and make a playpen from that.


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

You could try blocking off the spaces under the bed so they can't get there. Or try blocking off an area of your bedroom they can go in. Mine love my bookcases. I know some people have made play pens out of correx which can fold flat. Or you can try the bathroom. Have you tried activities with them such as pea fishing, hunt the treats, tunnels made with socks, letting them use you as a climbing frame, obstacles to climb over and under and through, teaching them their names? Mine love sitting on my shoulders and playing with my hair.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Wobbles said:


> The bath's a good idea, will try that! I do let them run about in the shed, but it's getting too cold and wet to spend ages out there. Also I suffer from SAD's so being in a dark, cold (for me, not them) shed does little to ease it, in fact it makes it worse as it is a stark reminder of how different it is compared to in the warmer months.


Doesn't your shed have heating or lighting then?


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> The bath's a good idea, will try that! I do let them run about in the shed, but it's getting too cold and wet to spend ages out there. Also I suffer from SAD's so being in a dark, cold (for me, not them) shed does little to ease it, in fact it makes it worse as it is a stark reminder of how different it is compared to in the warmer months.


Surely if it's getting too cold for you then it's getting too cold for them too??


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 9, 2012)

If your SAD has been diagnosed then you will have proper lights that you can use (you may not see how they work but from someone that has been diagnosed they do work to an extent), or is this another sell diagnosed problem?

If you really think you suffer from SAD then I suggest you get it diagnosed so that you can actually help yourself.


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 9, 2012)

Yes I suffer from it, and yes lights help.

Have you been diagnosed?


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## Guest (Nov 9, 2012)

House lights aren't the same, they are a completely different bulb.
If you really think this is what you suffer with then you need to get on top of it but the problem is that many people just guess that they suffer when in reality they just have the winter blues, which isn't the same thing at all.


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> Some of my relatives are medics, they have told me I have it when I asked them why I always feel worse and 'different' at this time of year. It can't really be anything else as I never have a problem in the summer months. I said no to a light, as I really didn't think it would do anything ( house lights don't!)and I don't know anyone personally who suffers from it to ask. Perhaps I should go back to the doctors and ask about one again.


I do. And yes, the PROPER light does work. You should also get it properly diagnosed so that you can get given the up to date medical advice. I know how rubbish you'll be feeling but at the end of the day having animals isn't all fun and games. They still need the same time spent on them as in the summer - they don't know that you aren't able to sit out there because it's winter! 

Or why not bring them in the house over the winter months? You could surely have them in your room seeing as your willing to bring them in to free range in there? Would save on the electricity costs for heating the shed...


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Just my opinion but if I'd known beforehand that I wouldn't be allowed to have my pets in the house, I don't think I'd have taken them, as I don't think it's fair to keep sociable animals like rats away from company most of the day. My daughter's gerbil and the dwarf hamsters really don't care if they play with us, they just want feeding, but the rats love attention and I often get one out for a cuddle(a different one each time). I can't imagine having to go out to the shed to see them.


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## salemsparklys (Jul 26, 2012)

So, if one of the rats was ill it would have to stay outside


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

This is why I hate having my lot upstairs but at Xmas I'm buying myself another cage for my boys to have downstairs either in the lounge or in the dinning room (have to walk through dinning room to get to kitchen) cuz I don't get to see them all the time upstairs.
And they love interacting with me..... Oh I love my stinky boys.


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## Laura123 (Aug 6, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> Sorry for not replying, my internet has stuffed up all afternoon
> 
> No I know it isn't fair on them, I think I'd better go and make an appointment with the doc, see what he advises. I'm not allowed to keep them in the house, they're allowed in for a run, but not to stay in. Putting them in my room is out of the question, for one thing I'd never be able to sleep with the noise they make bouncing around the cage!:yikes:


Why are they allowed to visit the house but not to live there, seems a bit strange. So it's ok for them to run about in the house but not stay there in their cage. This makes no sense to me. I don't understand why you would buy them if you knew this. Why not wait till you had your own place? When I was younger I was desperate for a pet but was never allowed more than a fish but got rats when I got my own flat. Probably the reason you don't have them as tame as you want is cause you don't want to sit in a shed very often. If they were in the house they would be out more often and more tame and if they were out more often they would be more tired at night and less noisy.


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

polishrose said:


> Just my opinion but if I'd known beforehand that I wouldn't be allowed to have my pets in the house, I don't think I'd have taken them, as I don't think it's fair to keep sociable animals like rats away from company most of the day. My daughter's gerbil and the dwarf hamsters really don't care if they play with us, they just want feeding, but the rats love attention and I often get one out for a cuddle(a different one each time). I can't imagine having to go out to the shed to see them.


A properly laid out, insulated shed that's been set up with the rats' needs in mind is fine IMO.

I know of several people who have proper rodent sheds that are airy in summer & warm in winter.

They are pretty much like another room in the house & the rats are well loved, cared for & get plenty of socialising.

If the person has the knowledge, time & money to put the work in then I don't have a problem with sheds. However I don't have the same opinion of someone just bunging them in an uninsulated shed, popping in once a day or whatever & hoping that is adequate, because it isn't


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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

simplysardonic said:


> If the person has the knowledge, time & money to put the work in then I don't have a problem with sheds. However I don't have the same opinion of someone just bunging them in an uninsulated shed, popping in once a day or whatever & hoping that is adequate, because it isn't


and if it is the latter then they will cause the rattie to have life long debilitating issue like my reid does


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## kodakkuki (Aug 8, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> The rats are allowed to run about inside, but I'm not allowed to keep their cage inside as they kick all the bedding out, would make a racket at night and they smell a bit. There is nothing wrong with the shed for them, it's right next to the house not at the bottom of the garden, and its properly insulated. I have kept all sorts of rodents in there with no problems.


its not the quality of the environment that anyone is talking about- you have a great wee setup there- its more so the socialization differences between rats and most other rodents. they really do crave attention and stimulation- watching their owners keeps them entertained!
my boys sleep pattern is slowly changing and has been since they arrived (i suppose if i had a regular sleep pattern it would have sped up the process) and they would sit by the bars and just watch what me and the dogs are doing; sometimes it feels like i'm putting on a show for them and they just sit critiquing me! but now when i go to bed, they settle down Very quickly where as before when i first got them they slept all day and came awake for the night...


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

Wobbles said:


> yes they are very people orientated, and possibly would benefit from being around people more, but they can't live in the house,and I can't spend all my time out in the shed with them, but it's not practical. If it was up to me they would be in the house, but it aint my house and aint my rules so I make do what I can with what I have.


And that was my point earlier-you KNEW they wouldn't be allowed to live in the house and yet you got them anyway. Had you done your research you would have quickly found that this would not be a good situation for them.Hamsters etc are different-none of the other rodents crave human company as much as the rats do.And actually I can't even begin to imagine what you were thinking seeing as you bought just one rat and presumably kept her in the shed BY HERSELF until forum members alerted you to the fact that this was wrong.
But I shan't waste my breath, I see by going over other posts that you often get given advice and totally ignore it. I do genuinely feel sorry for your rats and am not at all surprised you are having trouble taming the little ones, given how little time you actually spend interacting with them.


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

What worries me is that fact that you are talking about getting more hamsters?! If you can't find the time to spend with 4 rats then I really don't see how you will be able to spend any extra time in the shed with a new hamster?!? Just seems to me that they are a fascination for a while and then the reality kicks in that they aren't just going to be lap-lovers without work. If you get a new LH hamster then what is going to happen with the rats? Will their time with you go even less??? 

I really think you should consider rehoming all 4 of them. It is cruel to think of splitting them (Yes, i know you have said you aren't now) but it is also cruel to just leave them with no human company, seeing as you have already pointed out one of them loves coming out for cuddles. There will be someone out there who will spend every waking moment they can with them and then you will also have more time and space in your shed set up for at most, 1 more LH hamster. 

I'm not trying to have a go at you but I am just voicing my opinion. Our rats crave out company, and are hardly on there own because someone is mainly here. It is only going to get colder and darker, and lets face it, the amount of time you are going to want to spend out there is going to get less and less as the days go on. I'm just trying to point out the harsh reality of the situation.


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

what i want to know is what would happen if something went wrong in the cage and you didnt know because you didnt have time to check them. 
if they attacked each other. or one was dying, or had breathing issues. you wouldnt know because you dont check on them enough. 
currently i have a rat down my top that is dying. i am here to give him comfort. it is calming him knowing im here talking to him. if anything happened to your rats they wouldnt get that comfort cus you would have no idea it was happening


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## R4360 (Nov 1, 2012)

CRL said:


> Rats and biting
> have a good read.
> 
> cage aggressive rats dont like anything in their territory. if i were to stick my hand in rileys cage he would see that as invading his territory and attack me. that is what a cage aggressive rat is.


Good reading. I experienced the "accidental biting" about 30 years ago with one of my rats. They lived in a large pet carrier and I would occasionally feed through the bars. One of them actually bit my finger when I stuck it through to pet and wouldn't let go! He was trying to pull; my finger into the cage! It only happened twice, but hurt like h*ll!


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## polishrose (Oct 26, 2011)

CRL said:


> what i want to know is what would happen if something went wrong in the cage and you didnt know because you didnt have time to check them.
> if they attacked each other. or one was dying, or had breathing issues. you wouldnt know because you dont check on them enough.
> currently i have a rat down my top that is dying. i am here to give him comfort. it is calming him knowing im here talking to him. if anything happened to your rats they wouldnt get that comfort cus you would have no idea it was happening


{{{hugs}}} CRL


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

CRL said:


> what i want to know is what would happen if something went wrong in the cage and you didnt know because you didnt have time to check them.
> if they attacked each other. or one was dying, or had breathing issues. you wouldnt know because you dont check on them enough.
> currently i have a rat down my top that is dying. i am here to give him comfort. it is calming him knowing im here talking to him. if anything happened to your rats they wouldnt get that comfort cus you would have no idea it was happening


Sorry to hear about your little guy. 
(((hugs)))


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## R4360 (Nov 1, 2012)

Just MAKE time for them and enjoy your little guys. Don't get rid of them and don't ignore them. You chose them not the other way around. They had no choice in the matter. Therefore you have made yourself responsible for them. Something else you really SHOULD do is READ READ READ! Find out what makes your critter tick and work with it to make them happy. That should make you happy too if your heart is in the right place


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

............


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## Laura123 (Aug 6, 2012)

I don't think that there are that many people who keep their pets in a shed and the only ones I've seem have been purpose built ones.


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

You lot should know better by now than to rise to this. Come on Wobbles, you are a right wind up merchant


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## Micky93 (May 15, 2012)

Wobbles said:


> I'm sure I haven't said I'm asking for more hamsters I really don't know where you've gotten that from?
> 
> I'm sure loads of people keep their small animals in sheds if they don't have the space inside the house. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a spare room or a utility room to keep them in.


You have said you are planning in getting a long haired Syrian but on another forum. I got confused between the two.

I didn't say anything was wrong with the shed. I was pointing out the fact that YOU said that being out in the shed in the cold and dark wasn't nice in winter... Seeing as its getting dark from about 5 now I really don't see how you are going to be spending enough time with them that they need. I don't have a spare room just so you know. My hamster lives in the bedroom and the rats are in the study just off from the hall. So it's not about spare rooms.

What annoys me is you have been offered a vast amount of advice coming from all angles and yet you seem to have an answer for everything? Why bother posing on here if you are just going to argue with everything people have to say!


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## salemsparklys (Jul 26, 2012)

Pringle lives in the lounge where I spend most of my day popping over to chat to him, offer him a nibble or two and stroke him if hes in the mood. Mice live in my daughter's room so i pop through throughout the day to check everyones well and happy, have a poke if no ones been moving for a while etc. I know breeders keep their mice/rats in sheds sometimes, but the ones I know about spend hours in there every night and all day on their days off.


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## koekemakranka (Aug 2, 2010)

I can't understand why you would want to keep so many rodents in the first place if the circumstances are not suitable. It is not your house, not your rules, but still you insist on keeping all these animals and are considering getting even more? Really your parents should put their foot down. Please stop collecting more animals and stick with what you have and enjoy them.


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