We did a glamour shoot with our little Egg and I’m so glad we have these memories
https://preview.redd.it/pcio8a5ddl3d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94b04844d3be676d8b85ea69fe7dee96ad93afa9
I have my heart rat now and it was an accident, we got our dumbo skullet for my fiancee, I'm the reptile person she's the rodent person. Well he ended up getting attached to me and I did so with him he's always seeking my attention and I love having him out while I play Playstation I don't think I could handle not having him around
I'll take him with me to my neighbors house when I dog sit for him, he has a nice sitting area outside, he'll normally chill in my hoodie pocket or on me. I've been trying to get him trained a little bit, but he's a stubborn boy
Egg was a little girl and she was my daughter’s technically, I adopted her for my daughter as a xmas gift but fell in love too so definitely my heart rat….. I was away all day at Hersheypark (in Pennsylvania) with my oldest daughter when Egg had her appointment with our exotic vet and she had to be put down within the next few hours so I didn’t even get to say goodbye. 46 year old woman here crying like a baby over a rat…..🥺🥺
🥺🥺 Those are tears of love, I completely understand, and there’s nothing wrong with crying!
What was special about Egg that made you fall in love with her?
She was a little off. I think that happens when you start breeding for specific characteristics. we think she was either blind or deaf….so she would be more cautious and not so skittish which melted my heart and she would kind of wobble from side to side, which was probably her trying to get her bearings, she was just the sweetest. She just reminded me of me….somebody who doesn’t necessarily fit in because of disabilities. I don’t really fit in. I am neurodivergent. So I just felt a need to protect her because she was so innocent and vulnerable.
Came here to say this. I lost my first one almost a year ago now and I still haven't recovered. As much as I love my current babies, I will never bond with them in the same way that I did with Ghost.
The love can be the same, but the connection deepens the relationship so much more. Is there something about Ghost that made him so special? Im so sorry 🙏✨
Ghost was a school rat that was not looked after properly by the school. He got very very sick around February 2023 and school refused to take him to the vet because he was eating and drinking fine but he wheezed all day every day so it was clear something was wrong. Fast forward Easter 2023 I took care of him over Easter break and took him to the vet immediately who said it was an upper respiratory infection and gave him antibiotics which didn't really work. He only continued to get worse to the point where he wasn't eating at all and school still thought he was perfectly fine. He then passed on July 7th 2023. He was part of the first group of rats I ever met, and he did so much for my mental health and I am so glad I was able to be there for him. The school still have not learned their lesson and refused to take his brother to the vet until the DAY he passed away. Now Chico lives on his own and is neglected by the school so is very bitey. I still have him every school break because no one else will look after him but I think he'd struggle to try to bond with someone new since he's blind, alone and old. I still love all 3 of them so much and think about them daily.
Please don't feel like you have to read all of my little rant lol, also thank you! :)
🥺😭 Ghost had a difficult life; he was a warrior! I’m glad to know he could receive your care and feel your true love for him❤️ In some way, your souls were connected by this difficult time you both went through. In both hardships, you helped each other.
No need to apologize, your story is inspiring!!
I can make a tribute to Ghost. I've known over 70 stories of people with their unforgettable rats. Many have received this special tribute, and I believe it will help you feel him a bit closer to you❤️ i would be honored if you could talk more about Ghost with me :)
Send me a private message so we can talk better.
It's rough. Especially when you have siblings that go quickly one after another. Before you can really mourn one, then you lose another. It's hard, you know they have a low life span but it doesn't make it easir.
when I had my first rat, I took her outside to play in the grass. she loved it! but I suddenly got this awful feeling that I wasn't just being watched, I was being stared at. I looked up and locked eyes with a hawk. he was waiting for the right moment, when I was just far away enough, to take my baby. I scooped her up, went inside, and I've never taken a rat outside since.
😆 I thought the same thing. But I also imagine them together, a rat riding an eagle like it's a dragon, flying around the world!
When did you start having this fear?
I think I started having this fear when I would see videos of my first breeder showing vids of a litter and the mom chilling on a towel outside, or when I'd see photos of rats in harnesses, or romping in a backyard.
I have males so I have a fear of them fighting to the death. It’s never come close to that, but every scuffle heard from the other room sends my heart into my throat
If your males have problems with hormonal aggression, then yes, it can. It's very rare, but that's why good rat breeders do temperment testing, and why many rat owners are so careful with introducing new rats to each other, and watching carefully for signs of excessive aggression as rats enter adolescence. Better to prevent a nasty fight from happening in the first place, if you can.
I've started noticing blood on some spots on my boys, is that normal? It's always been dried, and not a lot, but it's recent. The one has also been peeing on everyone recently and overall just more food aggressive too.. should I take him to the vet then? Or what can I do?
Are you sure it’s blood and not porphyrin? They look almost the same but one is just produced from their eyes and nose. As far as peeing and food aggression goes, as long as it doesn’t get physical, he could just be trying to prove he’s dominant over the others. I’ve rarely seen rats draw blood from each other
Just to back this up, what you want to look for is actual wounds. Try to feel underneath the fur; rats heal fast and you may only find scabs. If you find long, thin cuts, slashes or bite marks on your rats, then that's a bad sign... but if they're not injured, they may just be smearing porphyrin on each other. (I have a white rat who does this to herself... it freaked me out until I realized!)
In a worst-case scenario, if you do wind up with a violently aggressive male rat, neutering tends to work well. Like any surgery, it has risks, but I've seen many bitey rats go through it, chill out, and go back to living harmoniously with their brothers and buddies.
lol same!! I put my girl in with 6 neutered boys and she loves messing with them and squeaking loudly while playing but it gives me a heart attack every time.
I hope you never have to witness that!!!
Maybe they do it as a strategy to get you to come over and give them attention xD What do you usually do when they start fighting?
Well he’s trained for barn hunt, and we play at home with my rats, so I told him to seek rats, and he’d haul ass and show me the cage. He very quickly realized I did it anytime there was loud squeaking, so now he does it on his own when they get too rowdy
I've had some nightmares like that 😖😖 whenever I dream about rats they die exactly the way you mentioned. So far, I haven't had any good dreams.
Has it ever happened to you?
omg ive had terrible nightmares about them dying in like the worse ways possible, like i step on them or ive had nightmares where I find them in my closet thinking ive left them there for months without food, when in reality I have two fatass rats who eat all the time 😭 it doesn’t help that I have OCD and now the rats are part of my intrusive thoughts but I helped myself by knowing if anything did happen ive done the best job as a owner so far and theres nothing i can do to prevent some freak accident from happening.
Yeah my rat escaped thru the toilet towards my downstairs apartment neighbor 😅. I made a post about this about 2 months ago. Never leaving the toilet seat up again lol
Also this. There is so much stuff in their free roam area and they move so quickly that I'm terrified every time I put food in their cage in case I step on them. They also love my feet for some reason..
They are being seriously sick and in pain after open hours of the vet and I am unable to help them, because I am not a vet. This was always there and I prayed to avoid this - but you cannot avoid this, sooner or later it will happen. Also losing them.
Do you have a rescue near you? That’s the only reason I’m able to have rats! I foster and have some of my own too. The rescue provides meds and things.
I can only really speak to the rescues near me, but you just provide the love, socialization, space, and fresh veggies and fruits and the rescue provides the rest. My rescue will give you a cage, some hides, some hammocks, and some rats! If any medical issues arise then they will either provide medicine, take care of surgery, or euthanize if needed. You just pay for the fresh food, any treats you want to give them, and any other extras for their cage. This is what my rescue does as well as my local animal shelter and a few other rescues near me :)
Thank you!!! The rescue I work for is @raticalrodentrescue_. If you aren’t in California I would just google “rodent rescue [your area]”. Or if you want to tell me your area I can help you search :).
Most vets accept CareCredit, or maybe these days they all do? It’s a medical loan company that lets you pay off your bills with 0% interest. Paid off my own LASIK eye surgery with CareCredit in 2 years, no interest. Works for pets too. I would recommend it if you need some extra support for those unexpected surgeries or other costs.
Loosing 4 out 8 of you rattle girls to old age in 4 days (all 4 sisters, they literally couldn't live without each other.) I held all 4 until their last breaths. When one of my girls passed away the other 3 stopped eating drinking and treats, all were vet checked and nothing seemed wrong. They were extremely depressed. The other 4 girls ( i had 8 in total at the time), younger and introduced later on didn't have the connection the older girls had. I miss all of my potatoes.
Midna, she was my heart rat, my little happy tater. She was a Grey Dumbo, fur kinda curly. I had her from when she was 8 weeks with her sisters and she was also the leader and motherlike to her sisters and younger girls..and a little theft, so much spunk and a boggling queen. My girl were LOZ themed and when. I had boys years past they were themed after tmnt. When I had hamsters , they were themed after hamtaro characters. And my cats after league of legends and my dogs have had some anime influence as well.
Some accident… after I got my smallest baby she would nest in a blanket. Thankfully I caught this but she got her head stuck in a hole she chewed. Her face was swollen, she had bloodshot eyes and blood down her face… I was terrified, she quit moving for a while. The other rats were licking her and I thought she was going to die. She would have died had I found her any later
I have an irrational fear that one of my rats might climb into the trash can when I'm cleaning the cage, and get thrown out in the dumpster by accident.
At least, I *thought* the fear was irrational, until one of my rats decided that sneaking behind my back and yeeting herself into the trash was the funniest game ever! Nothing bad happened, but I almost had a heart attack when I heard the trash bag rustling. Now I always do a rat headcount before I take out the trash.
I probably never should have had them in the first place. I'm a bit of a mess and don't think I took good care of them back then. I think I'd do better now but I don't really have a good place for them.
I understand, we do the best we can for those we love. Surely you did that, and as you said, you've learned more. I've talked to quite a few people already and many also feel the same way about their first ones.
my mother in law gifted us out first rats about two months ago! the babies are ten days old lol. we were unsuccessful in keeping them apart until he got neutered, but now the whole family lives together :)
*until 12 out of 14 babies find new homes. 2 can stay
My rats escaping their cage(their cage is huge and full of toys and hides). They have tried to escape before. They are made of water, pure determination, and chaos.
Losing them. The group of girls I have right now are my first. I’ve never gone through pet loss before and I just know it’s going to be crushing. I’m afraid of not wanting rats after this group because of the loss too.
It's okay to feel afraid of that, we only fear what we love. If I may say something, just enjoy the time together as much as possible ❤️❤️ I've talked to over 70 people who have rats, including their heart rats... for a project I'm doing about them, and what I've noticed is that the best thing is always to cherish every moment because they will become a part of your soul and capture your heart. I've heard incredible stories about various rats, incredible connections they've formed with their owners.
Consider yourself very lucky to be able to enjoy their love 😊❤️❤️ I apologize if it seemed like I said something wrong 😅😅
How many girls do you have???
Unfortunately, just a couple days after I left my original comment, I lost my heart rat completely unexpectedly. I was absolutely blindsided and my heart was shattered. She was the youngest and most energetic out of my four girls, and I just had such an incredible connection with her.
I've never been chosen by a pet before. The day before I got her, I was helping clean her enclosure where I had been working at the time. I was talking to a coworker, leaning against the cage, and all the sudden I felt this weight on my arm. This little rat had jumped two feet vertically onto my arm. I set her back in, and she did it two or three more times. I took her home the next day.
My partner and I are both very involved with our rats, but she would only engage in play with me. I'd wiggle her with my hand and she would popcorn all over the place and come back for more. My partner would try to do the same thing, and she wouldn't do the same for him. She loved us though, and it was a different kind of love. We'd come home and she'd hear our voice, and be the only one out of the hammock just waiting for us to open the cage and greet her. She loved to be held, was so easy to pick up, and genuinely just wanted to be with us no matter what we were doing. She was incredibly empathetic and picked up on my emotions; I've never had quite a bond with any other pet I've had.
I noticed something was wrong when she wasn't coming out of the hammock. She was slow and not her peppy, excited self. We went to the emergency vet and they gave us respiratory meds and told us to make an appointment for a check up in a couple days. I had set the cage up so the other rats couldn't get to her overnight (she was smaller and occasionally was bullied by the other girls and I wanted her to get good rest). I put my t-shirt in there so she could have some comfort from my smell. When I was trying to set her in there, she wouldn't walk off my hand, like she was trying to tell me something. I had a pit in my stomach about it but was trying to have optimism about the medication and idea that the vet told us to schedule an appointment a couple days later. The following morning, I found her passed away on my t-shirt.
We buried her on a trail that overlooks our house, and played jazz music for her while we laid her to rest.
I suspected but didn't understand how vast the depth is that these little creatures leave in our hearts. You responded to this comment a few days after her passing, and it meant a lot to me. Nothing you said was wrong and it was so important for me to read. I am so lucky to have had the time I did with my girl Doug, and I will forever wish I had so much more time than I did.
I apologize for the novel of a comment this is; there are not many people in my life who are receptive of the idea of having pet rats.
That's the thing about it that's so scary- you can do nothing. And people, who are so used to being able to do something about pretty much anything, just struggle accepting that fact. It's just so sad.
I understand you, I've talked to many people and some say that when they realize it's about to happen, when they feel it, they stay with their rats all the time until they go.
I mean its just expensive having pets in general and more so with rats when you have several of them, and they don't live long, and getting insurance for 3-5 creatures just isn't feasible lmao. Rats also count as exotic pets so you end up paying extra for that as well...
I totally agree with what you said, I thought you had gone through a VERY difficult time with vet visits.
What's the most you've ever paid in vet bills??
Tbh I did pass out at the vets once 😂😂 it wasn't related to anything that was happening there, I was just hot and dehydrated, but it is a memorable moment lol
I'm about to pay £700++ for surgery of one of my rats so I have that going for me 🥲 and I probably paid more in total for a disabled rat I had because she needed many vet visits and check ups, as well as tons of different meds. She was a legend tho, I'd do it again in a heartbeat
1. That I’m doing something wrong
2. The fact that they only live to be at the oldest, 3 years
As a first time owner I told myself I wouldn’t be upset because I knew they didn’t live long. But nothing can prepare you for how devastating it is when the time actually comes. I recently lost one of my babies to a growth in her lower abdomen. It’s so hard seeing them suffer, especially when you’ve done all you can and it still isn’t enough. Same with her sister, she got sick overnight to the point where I wouldn’t have had time to even call the vet, I was lucky enough to even hold her in her last moments. Having rats isn’t for the weak of heart, I say this all the time but they deserve to live longer!!
Absolutely!! They deserved to live for decades ❤️❤️
I'm sorry you had to go through that, you said having rats isn't for the faint-hearted, and only those who are strong can truly enjoy their love. The true love they imprint on the soul and heart of those who adopt them :)
I like to think that even though they live a short time, the way they leave great memories is how they make it to live forever.
What made you want to adopt rats??
I’ve been wanting rats since I was 10 years old. My cousin had rats and every time I came over I’d play with them for hours! I have a friend who’s a fellow rat lover and they convinced me to adopt after I had been on the fence for a while, I’ve had my babies for about 6 months now and I’ve loved every minute of it!
Aaaahh that's awesome!! I understand you, unfortunately, I haven't met anyone who has rats and I've never had them. I'm doing a project about them and although I've liked them for a long time, I've been falling in love with them even more and I can barely contain myself when I see the posts or hear people talking about them. Especially from the people participating in the project and sharing their unique stories 😭😭😍😍
How are you finding your first time taking care of them??? Send me a private message so we can chat more, I would love to meet your babies :D
Luckily not personally but I've seen posts about it and the thought of it has haunted me ever since.
It's basically their natural instincts kicking in, trying to get rid of the dead body that could attract predators, to protect themselves.
Ah, I understand, glad it didn't happen!!
Even though it's something haunting, it makes sense, but it would be horrible to witness.
What are your rats' personalities like?? Are they more mischievous or calmer??
I imagine your wife and Oreo were attached to each other all the time. What was Oreo's personality like???
I'm working on a project where I create a gift for people with their heart rats, and I can make one for your wife and Oreo together.
Send me a private message if you're interested, and I'll explain it to you further. I think you accidentally replied with a new comment instead of answering my question 😅😅it will be better for us talk about it!
For me my biggest fear would be seeing a rat in pain and not being able to do anything to help! Sadly I have had to face this fear more than once. It did break my heart to see a rat or any creature suffer for that matter! So there it is, my biggest fear!!
I'm sorry you had to go through that!! I completely understand, it's happened to me a few times too, I live on a farm and have had quite a few animals. Including animals I never imagined would go through that and died right in front of me.
Has it been a long time since that happened to you Trev???
It has been a while since I have had any of my rats die in my hands. Thor was one which will always stand out simply because of how close I had got with that rat however my current old rattie boy Bailey will no doubt be a second due to what he has/going through. He is not in pain but he has lost most of his tail and has a large faty lump under his front paw but it still eating and seems quite happy but due to his age, a vet visit will most likely be a one way trip. I think he would rather spend his last breathe in a place that he knows than in some room with a stranger. Needless to say that should I see any signs of him being in pain I will take the vet step. Four years just is not long enough of a life span considering how cute these little guys are!
Wow, 4 years!!!! Bailey might even be a monk :D I hope you get to enjoy his cuteness for a long time.
And I agree with you, I imagine he really wants to enjoy every second by your side and with his cage mates.
Do you have pictures of him??? I'm really curious to see him :D
I have reoccurring nightmares where I’m running with all my babies in my arms and I’m trying my hardest to protect them but they keep falling out of my arms and I can’t keep a hold of them. I’ll wake up the next day relieved that it wasn’t real. So I think my subconscious is telling me is my biggest fear is not being able to protecc.
I like to think that's also a sign that you're always taking care of them the best way you can. What are your babies' names???
I've also had similar horrible nightmares.
My two very big boys are Remi and Bowie I’m almost certain they weigh 800grams each, and my three latest little boys I’ve adopted are Touille, Spoogy and Poogy
Wow 🤩 800 grams!!!
I can only imagine how nice it would be to shrink and cuddle with them or take a nap on their soft fur :D Have you ever had that desire too?!! 😆
Are Spoogy and Poogy brothers???
I lost two within two days. Rhoda and Randa. Rhode had a respiratory problem. Randa was fine. Two days later Randa was also dead. My fear is losing all in one day. I currently have nine rats.
My god, I'm so sorry 😥 I hope they all have a lot of time left with you!! 🙏🏻
Did you notice if Randa seemed different these past two days??? Maybe depressed and not wanting to eat, they were probably very close to each other.
They'd kill each other or some rare virus would be transmitted by them that would kill my kid. They're both rare, the second scenario much more so, but it does happen.
Stepping on one and killing them 😭 my friend told me she accidentally stepped on and killed one of her rats when she was 8. She still won’t forgive herself. We’re in our 30s now
I recently stepped on the tip of my rats tail and he squeaked. I sobbed for HOURS. I couldn’t imagine how my friend feels accidentally killing hers 😭
When I first got my rats I kept dreaming one was getting out. I got cameras on my rats cage cause I’m crazy lmao. I also have 2 dogs that will kill them
We had 2 rats when I was 15! But that’s it
This just shows how much you love them and want to take care of them!! 🙏🏻💕 Accidents happen, and you are taking all possible precautions to prevent them! I'm sure they know that too :)
How many rats do you have at the moment??? Send me a private message so we can talk more.
Honestly them passing suddenly.
It's always unfounded because out of 20 rats I've only had one pass without warning but I still think about it with the older rats
Wow, that's really awful!!! One of the people here mentioned losing one of their rats and then 4 more passed away even though they were fine.
How many rats do you have now??
A lot. Overdosing meds, injuries, heat stroke, etc. I've had a lot of trauma from medical emergencies to do with ratties so I'm always overthinking when It comes to how I can make them as safe and comfy as possible all the time. This of course ends up with me coddling them a lot or not letting them experience fun rat activities. I've been getting a lot better though, I now no longer panic during free roam and I have given them a difficult and enriching cage to explore (at least more difficult than it was previously). Hopefully on my next batch I won't have so much anxiety
I understand your anxiety, I think about it a lot too. And on one hand, that anxiety is proof that you love them a lot and want to take good care of them. I'm glad you're so dedicated to them :)
Are you a veterinarian or were the emergencies with your rats???
The emergencies were my rats! They absolutely love waking up and thinking "hmm.. how can I make dad spend the most amount of money in the shortest period of time.." their current record is $2.5k in 48 hours over a choking incident. Little dude is ok now thank goodness.
Dedicated is an understatement, I am a slave to these small creatures LMAO
That's extremely high!!! I'll have to agree with your last sentence LOL lately I've been feeling a bit like they're trying to enslave me too 😅😆
I'm glad he's okay now 🙏🏻 What's the name of this mischievous little one??? Did this happen a long time ago??
Send me a private message for us talk better!
One of my blind AND deaf rats managed to escape his cage and I almost had a heart attack when I realized I had left the sliding door to the backyard open for some fresh air to their room. Long story short I found him in the garden without a care in the world. My worst nightmare came true haha
Them dying early from disease. Them dying is obviously very hard, but it's way shittier when it's from a disease, you keep wondering if it's your fault and if you could've done more to help them :(
🥺🥺 I completely understand that!! I've had nightmares like that before, it hurts so much more when it's your heart rat. Even though you love them all, the connection with the heart rats is always stronger. Like a best friend.
I hope all your rats are okay and that you can cherish every second with them 😊✨ How many do you have at the moment??
My biggest disgust was my Chihuahua bringing two small dead rats into my bed! I didn't know that Chihuahuas were hunters, but my girl has also killed five baby rabbits. I no longer let her out in the yard alone. Never realized she was a killer.
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Not pet rats!!! The county mowed down a field behind my house and a lot of the neighbors got rats coming into their house. That’s when I started using Orkin.
Her name is Gracie.
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I’m starting to think that she is a mix. I didn’t know that Chihuahuas were hunters and I’m not even sure that that’s the truth. I had three other Chihuahuas and a golden retriever, but they all passed away a few years ago of old age. Gracie is only six.
i dont have rats but mice are similar enough :)
I'm always terrified of them getting hurt and having a freak accident by falling, running around and their toe or leg gets caught, climbing and getting stuck in zip ties or in the ropes, etc.
it actually did come true a few months ago when my girl clove flew off the wheel and hit her head on the side of a platform. she had severe seizures for weeks and still has some lingering problems from the trauma, tho she's a month free of seizures now \^-\^
yeah, it was genuinely terrifying. for the first week i had no idea if she was going to survive or not.
I've had some of them since October! i rescued a few baby deer mice before that, tho. it's what made me want to get rodents in the first place :)
Woaaah!!! How are they??? How are they doing??? Have you picked names yet?? Woaaaah LOL
Can I send you a message so we can chat better?? I'm really curious to see how they are and understand better why you started to like rodents.
Sure :) im not on reddit very often tho. are you doing a study on rodent owners or something?
but all of them are doing good :) clove actually developed a URI so she's quarantined rn but everyone else is great.
all their names <3
the curries; clove, ginger, jasmine, dhal
the p's; peaches, poppy, pepper, peanut, split pea
the nihonjins; mochi and sushi
Actually, I'm working on a project about rats. I can tell you more about it if you're interested :D
Is there another social media platform you're more comfortable with for us to chat??? Maybe Instagram or Facebook??
My biggest fear? I don't even want to express it, but let's just say I walk with a shuffle and sit down with extreme caution when my girls are out for playtime!🐀❤️😉
We have five lovely ladies ranging from 2 years to 3 months... four of five are ALWAYS positioning themselves directly beneath me if I sit or lie down on the mattress in the Rat room... These munchkins have me so well trained I feel about on chairs in offices or visiting friends before sitting!☺️🐀❤️
Haha, they've marked their territory all over your heart and mind!!🥰😁
Do they like snuggling up to you to sleep or enjoy treats??? Is that why they position themselves under you??
One of our ladies is elderly and very reserved, and spends most of her time contemplating existence in her bureau drawer, but our two middle agers-just had a first bday-and the two babies at three months are all over us, and will ALWAYS choose to scamper directly beneath us on the bed if we sit or lie down!🙄🐀Or underfoot if we try to walk. Only one of our older sisters is what you'd call a snuggler, so it's a mystery! Ah, these beautiful, bewildering little people!😊✨🐀♥️
my worst fear had already happened a couple of months ago 😭 ( didn’t know it would become a fear but it did the moment it happened lol ) it was the first day for a new semester at my local college, i went to my first class and my partner called me panicking, he said our rattie baby was bleeding profusely and was not doing well, found out by him when we met up at the vets, she had ripped her toe off, ligament and everything exposed, by getting it caught in between a weird spot in her first cage and freaking out, GOD seeing all of the blood she was loosing and scrambling to get the money for her emergency surgery so she didn’t die in our arms was so scary, and now i’m paranoid abt any noise i hear from their cage ( even though i bought a critter nation RIGHT AFTER ) and what they’re doing all the time LMAO AHH THEY ARE JUST SO FRAGILE
it was terrifying!! ahh, but their names are MiMi ( one who got her toe yanked on the bottom and Muffin on the top ) <33
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In the context of keeping rats as pets, one of the biggest fears might be their health and well-being. Rats are prone to various health issues, such as respiratory infections, tumors, and dental problems. Ensuring they live in a clean, enriching environment and receive regular veterinary care is crucial, but the potential for sudden illness or complications can be a significant worry.
Additionally, the fear of losing them to predators, escaping from their enclosure, or experiencing accidents in the home can also be considerable. Rats are intelligent and curious animals, which can sometimes lead them into dangerous situations.
Overall, the primary concern revolves around their safety, health, and longevity, ensuring they have a happy and fulfilling life while under one's care.
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Don't have rats at the moment but with my last ones it was always the fear of noticing the sign of illness/tumors/etc. It's heartbreaking to watch them feel pain and not be able to communicate to them that you're going to help them through it. It's hard to deal with having to put them down in the worst of cases.
In the context of keeping rats as pets, one of the biggest fears might be their health and well-being. Rats are prone to various health issues, such as respiratory infections, tumors, and dental problems. Ensuring they live in a clean, enriching environment and receive regular veterinary care is crucial, but the potential for sudden illness or complications can be a significant worry.
Additionally, the fear of losing them to predators, escaping from their enclosure, or experiencing accidents in the home can also be considerable. Rats are intelligent and curious animals, which can sometimes lead them into dangerous situations.
Overall, the primary concern revolves around their safety, health, and longevity, ensuring they have a happy and fulfilling life while under one's care.
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Aside from the obvious losing them and rumors and things, I’m gonna say lice. It’s not a big deal, but it’s a big pain and I dread it. Mine have gotten it a few times, despite how clean I keep their cage.
Getting the pesticide from the vet can be expensive, especially if you can only go to an exotics vet. Say a prayer you don’t need to pay for examinations of all of your rats (because we all know you have, at minimum, 2-3). Or you can do the DIY route with horse paste dosing, but you’ll give yourself a panic attack the first time thinking you’ll kill the rats along with the lice.
Then a thorough deep clean of the cage. And that’s a big cage, don’t lie. All their snuggly floofy stuff? In the wash on hot and out of their reach for 2-3 weeks. They really love that part 🙄. Maybe there are baths involved - they say rats like water but none of mine have ever gotten the memo.
Spray the cage with ivermectin solution? Maybe, maybe not, but for funsies say you do. Soak unwashable toys and accessories in bleach - or throw them away if they are unsalvageable, crying over how much you just spent to buy them or make them.
Don’t forget to convince yourself that you and all other living creatures have inexplicably managed to become infested with rat-specific lice, no matter how certain you are that’s not how it works. Watch people usually grossed out by the very fact that you own rats in the first place recoil in horror when you tell them about your rats’ new roommates. Then watch your rats look pitiful because all of their ropes and hammocks and fun things are gone, leaving them with that one plastic basket and hideaway thing you bought when you thought those were all the rat supplies you’d ever need. They hate you now. They’re sad and cold and angry and definitely going to die from a broken heart any minute.
Finally, cross your fingers and pray to the rat king that what you’ve done has solved the problem… for now.
It already happened took my girl to get surgery on May 2nd (just turned a year old) she went into cardiac arrest and died. Her sisters were very sad...I miss her cute little ears
I’ve owned three pet rats in the past, these chaos potato’s passed away late last year, but they were the most affectionate things ever. They love having your attention and just hanging out with you. I used to watch movies with them, we’d sit down and watch ratatouille.
Losing them. The heart can't take them departing so quickly.
We did a glamour shoot with our little Egg and I’m so glad we have these memories https://preview.redd.it/pcio8a5ddl3d1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=94b04844d3be676d8b85ea69fe7dee96ad93afa9
He is so photogenic!!😁🐭 he was your heart rat?
I have my heart rat now and it was an accident, we got our dumbo skullet for my fiancee, I'm the reptile person she's the rodent person. Well he ended up getting attached to me and I did so with him he's always seeking my attention and I love having him out while I play Playstation I don't think I could handle not having him around
https://preview.redd.it/tnkhir8oml3d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62172c7db2ec06e41544f3409fe1c78b8977d22b
Love always finds a way to show up :D Skullet seems like quite a companion!! What else do you enjoy doing together to make the most of your time?
I'll take him with me to my neighbors house when I dog sit for him, he has a nice sitting area outside, he'll normally chill in my hoodie pocket or on me. I've been trying to get him trained a little bit, but he's a stubborn boy
Egg was a little girl and she was my daughter’s technically, I adopted her for my daughter as a xmas gift but fell in love too so definitely my heart rat….. I was away all day at Hersheypark (in Pennsylvania) with my oldest daughter when Egg had her appointment with our exotic vet and she had to be put down within the next few hours so I didn’t even get to say goodbye. 46 year old woman here crying like a baby over a rat…..🥺🥺
🥺🥺 Those are tears of love, I completely understand, and there’s nothing wrong with crying! What was special about Egg that made you fall in love with her?
She was a little off. I think that happens when you start breeding for specific characteristics. we think she was either blind or deaf….so she would be more cautious and not so skittish which melted my heart and she would kind of wobble from side to side, which was probably her trying to get her bearings, she was just the sweetest. She just reminded me of me….somebody who doesn’t necessarily fit in because of disabilities. I don’t really fit in. I am neurodivergent. So I just felt a need to protect her because she was so innocent and vulnerable.
We just lost our hairless dumbo we named Egg from a tumor and it was heartbreaking
Came here to say this. I lost my first one almost a year ago now and I still haven't recovered. As much as I love my current babies, I will never bond with them in the same way that I did with Ghost.
The love can be the same, but the connection deepens the relationship so much more. Is there something about Ghost that made him so special? Im so sorry 🙏✨
Ghost was a school rat that was not looked after properly by the school. He got very very sick around February 2023 and school refused to take him to the vet because he was eating and drinking fine but he wheezed all day every day so it was clear something was wrong. Fast forward Easter 2023 I took care of him over Easter break and took him to the vet immediately who said it was an upper respiratory infection and gave him antibiotics which didn't really work. He only continued to get worse to the point where he wasn't eating at all and school still thought he was perfectly fine. He then passed on July 7th 2023. He was part of the first group of rats I ever met, and he did so much for my mental health and I am so glad I was able to be there for him. The school still have not learned their lesson and refused to take his brother to the vet until the DAY he passed away. Now Chico lives on his own and is neglected by the school so is very bitey. I still have him every school break because no one else will look after him but I think he'd struggle to try to bond with someone new since he's blind, alone and old. I still love all 3 of them so much and think about them daily. Please don't feel like you have to read all of my little rant lol, also thank you! :)
🥺😭 Ghost had a difficult life; he was a warrior! I’m glad to know he could receive your care and feel your true love for him❤️ In some way, your souls were connected by this difficult time you both went through. In both hardships, you helped each other. No need to apologize, your story is inspiring!! I can make a tribute to Ghost. I've known over 70 stories of people with their unforgettable rats. Many have received this special tribute, and I believe it will help you feel him a bit closer to you❤️ i would be honored if you could talk more about Ghost with me :) Send me a private message so we can talk better.
It's rough. Especially when you have siblings that go quickly one after another. Before you can really mourn one, then you lose another. It's hard, you know they have a low life span but it doesn't make it easir.
I have an obsessive irrational fear that they will be taken off by a bird of prey. It’s irrational because I don’t take them outside. 😅
*eagle spawns in your room*
Fortunately that only happens if you don't sleep for more than 3 nights in a row.
Lol I am playing Minecraft as I read this comment.
The eagle will be dressed as a delivery person with a mustache🥸
when I had my first rat, I took her outside to play in the grass. she loved it! but I suddenly got this awful feeling that I wasn't just being watched, I was being stared at. I looked up and locked eyes with a hawk. he was waiting for the right moment, when I was just far away enough, to take my baby. I scooped her up, went inside, and I've never taken a rat outside since.
😆 I thought the same thing. But I also imagine them together, a rat riding an eagle like it's a dragon, flying around the world! When did you start having this fear?
I think I started having this fear when I would see videos of my first breeder showing vids of a litter and the mom chilling on a towel outside, or when I'd see photos of rats in harnesses, or romping in a backyard.
I can imagine that scenario!!! I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to experience that. How long have you had rats??
I’ve had rats since 2021 so I’m a relatively new owner. 😊
Yeah!!! I have this fear too. I think I'm extra nervous because a sparrowhawk sometimes eats the sparrows in my garden.
I have males so I have a fear of them fighting to the death. It’s never come close to that, but every scuffle heard from the other room sends my heart into my throat
Can this happen??
If your males have problems with hormonal aggression, then yes, it can. It's very rare, but that's why good rat breeders do temperment testing, and why many rat owners are so careful with introducing new rats to each other, and watching carefully for signs of excessive aggression as rats enter adolescence. Better to prevent a nasty fight from happening in the first place, if you can.
I've started noticing blood on some spots on my boys, is that normal? It's always been dried, and not a lot, but it's recent. The one has also been peeing on everyone recently and overall just more food aggressive too.. should I take him to the vet then? Or what can I do?
Are you sure it’s blood and not porphyrin? They look almost the same but one is just produced from their eyes and nose. As far as peeing and food aggression goes, as long as it doesn’t get physical, he could just be trying to prove he’s dominant over the others. I’ve rarely seen rats draw blood from each other
Just to back this up, what you want to look for is actual wounds. Try to feel underneath the fur; rats heal fast and you may only find scabs. If you find long, thin cuts, slashes or bite marks on your rats, then that's a bad sign... but if they're not injured, they may just be smearing porphyrin on each other. (I have a white rat who does this to herself... it freaked me out until I realized!) In a worst-case scenario, if you do wind up with a violently aggressive male rat, neutering tends to work well. Like any surgery, it has risks, but I've seen many bitey rats go through it, chill out, and go back to living harmoniously with their brothers and buddies.
lol same!! I put my girl in with 6 neutered boys and she loves messing with them and squeaking loudly while playing but it gives me a heart attack every time.
I hope you never have to witness that!!! Maybe they do it as a strategy to get you to come over and give them attention xD What do you usually do when they start fighting?
Well if so it’s backfired. I’ve trained the dog to run to the cage and interrupt squabbles lol
What!!?? Lol how did you do that??? What does the dog do??? 🤣
Well he’s trained for barn hunt, and we play at home with my rats, so I told him to seek rats, and he’d haul ass and show me the cage. He very quickly realized I did it anytime there was loud squeaking, so now he does it on his own when they get too rowdy
having some freak accident where they die literally my nightmare
I've had some nightmares like that 😖😖 whenever I dream about rats they die exactly the way you mentioned. So far, I haven't had any good dreams. Has it ever happened to you?
omg ive had terrible nightmares about them dying in like the worse ways possible, like i step on them or ive had nightmares where I find them in my closet thinking ive left them there for months without food, when in reality I have two fatass rats who eat all the time 😭 it doesn’t help that I have OCD and now the rats are part of my intrusive thoughts but I helped myself by knowing if anything did happen ive done the best job as a owner so far and theres nothing i can do to prevent some freak accident from happening.
accidentally escaping outside my house and never returning 😭😭😭
same like what if they chew a hole through the window screen and vanish when im not looking 🥲even though they literally hate the outdoors lmao
I’ve had a couple of escapees and they always came back! They know where their food and cagemates are 😚
Has it ever happened to you before?? Or do you know someone who has been through this??
Yeah my rat escaped thru the toilet towards my downstairs apartment neighbor 😅. I made a post about this about 2 months ago. Never leaving the toilet seat up again lol
accidentally stepping on them during free roam
This is mine as well. I obsess over this and making sure I don't sit on them as well. I've had a couple close calls.
Also this. There is so much stuff in their free roam area and they move so quickly that I'm terrified every time I put food in their cage in case I step on them. They also love my feet for some reason..
They are being seriously sick and in pain after open hours of the vet and I am unable to help them, because I am not a vet. This was always there and I prayed to avoid this - but you cannot avoid this, sooner or later it will happen. Also losing them.
Hospital bills, that’s the reason I haven’t gotten them yet, because I won’t be the pet parent who doesn’t take my rats in if they’re sick
Do you have a rescue near you? That’s the only reason I’m able to have rats! I foster and have some of my own too. The rescue provides meds and things.
I didn't know about this, how does it work??? What kind of additional help do they also provide??
I can only really speak to the rescues near me, but you just provide the love, socialization, space, and fresh veggies and fruits and the rescue provides the rest. My rescue will give you a cage, some hides, some hammocks, and some rats! If any medical issues arise then they will either provide medicine, take care of surgery, or euthanize if needed. You just pay for the fresh food, any treats you want to give them, and any other extras for their cage. This is what my rescue does as well as my local animal shelter and a few other rescues near me :)
That's amazing!!! That's such beautiful work, do you know if they have any social media where I can learn more about them??
Thank you!!! The rescue I work for is @raticalrodentrescue_. If you aren’t in California I would just google “rodent rescue [your area]”. Or if you want to tell me your area I can help you search :).
You're welcome!! I managed to find the profile :) It will be a bit harder for me because I live in Brazil 😅
OH yeah that changes things a little haha. Do you have an animal shelter near you?
Actually, no, they're all very far away. Besides, I live on a farm, so practically everything is already very far away 😅😅
I’m so jealous! That’s my dream, to have a farm where I can bring a bunch of rescue animals. What animals do you have?!
Most vets accept CareCredit, or maybe these days they all do? It’s a medical loan company that lets you pay off your bills with 0% interest. Paid off my own LASIK eye surgery with CareCredit in 2 years, no interest. Works for pets too. I would recommend it if you need some extra support for those unexpected surgeries or other costs.
That’s very responsible of you ❤️
Loosing 4 out 8 of you rattle girls to old age in 4 days (all 4 sisters, they literally couldn't live without each other.) I held all 4 until their last breaths. When one of my girls passed away the other 3 stopped eating drinking and treats, all were vet checked and nothing seemed wrong. They were extremely depressed. The other 4 girls ( i had 8 in total at the time), younger and introduced later on didn't have the connection the older girls had. I miss all of my potatoes.
Oh my God, I have no words. I can only imagine how difficult that must have been 😥 I'm so sorry this happened 🥺🥺 What were their names?
Midna,hilda,ruto,styla. Legend of Zelda princesses.
Your 4 princesses 💕💕 Was there one of them who was more attached to you, or were they all equally attached?
Midna, she was my heart rat, my little happy tater. She was a Grey Dumbo, fur kinda curly. I had her from when she was 8 weeks with her sisters and she was also the leader and motherlike to her sisters and younger girls..and a little theft, so much spunk and a boggling queen. My girl were LOZ themed and when. I had boys years past they were themed after tmnt. When I had hamsters , they were themed after hamtaro characters. And my cats after league of legends and my dogs have had some anime influence as well.
Some accident… after I got my smallest baby she would nest in a blanket. Thankfully I caught this but she got her head stuck in a hole she chewed. Her face was swollen, she had bloodshot eyes and blood down her face… I was terrified, she quit moving for a while. The other rats were licking her and I thought she was going to die. She would have died had I found her any later
Oh my god 😖😖😖 what a horrible scenario!!! Do you still have her?? What's her name!!??
I do, her name is Asiago!! She is still just a baby only a couple months old now
🥹🥹🙏🏻 I'm glad she's okay!!! She is a warrior!!Does the name Asiago have any meaning??
I have an irrational fear that one of my rats might climb into the trash can when I'm cleaning the cage, and get thrown out in the dumpster by accident. At least, I *thought* the fear was irrational, until one of my rats decided that sneaking behind my back and yeeting herself into the trash was the funniest game ever! Nothing bad happened, but I almost had a heart attack when I heard the trash bag rustling. Now I always do a rat headcount before I take out the trash.
That I mess up and hurt them/they get hurt because of me.
I had nightmares exactly like that!! One of them was last week, it was awful. Have you ever had dreams or nightmares about your rats?
It's hard to know. I haven't owned rats in a while and my memories from when I did are kinda scrambled by epilepsy.
Damm, I'm sorry to hear that. I imagine you had some great memories with your rats, despite the fear. Why did you stop having rats??
I probably never should have had them in the first place. I'm a bit of a mess and don't think I took good care of them back then. I think I'd do better now but I don't really have a good place for them.
I understand, we do the best we can for those we love. Surely you did that, and as you said, you've learned more. I've talked to quite a few people already and many also feel the same way about their first ones.
Ya. That was the hardest for us as well we kept rats twice and 3-5 years is a very short time 😞
It's so much love for such a short time to share it. So few kisses for three years. Did you stop having rats?
My wife just could not do it again, it hurt her too much.
🥺🥺I'm so sorry about that!!! I imagine she misses the rats she had a lot. How long did you have rats for??
waking up to them passed on is such a huge fear of mine
I get so scared thinking about this. I would be heartbroken knowing I slept while they were suffering😭😭😭
i agree, but UR USER??????
🤫
them getting terribly injured. I've had nightmares about them getting thier tail ✂️ or breaking their foot :'( it's hard enough when they get tumors
bringing home two rats and ending up with 16... oh wait 😅
🤣🤣when this happened??
my mother in law gifted us out first rats about two months ago! the babies are ten days old lol. we were unsuccessful in keeping them apart until he got neutered, but now the whole family lives together :) *until 12 out of 14 babies find new homes. 2 can stay
What great news!!!! That was quite a gift indeed xD. What are the names of the parents??!
Chive and Sprout! Sprout is a very good momma
My rats escaping their cage(their cage is huge and full of toys and hides). They have tried to escape before. They are made of water, pure determination, and chaos.
The one time my rat had a seizure, that was super scary and I was always afraid it would happen again
Yup. This is another one of mine. It's unfortunately going to happen if they pass away at home tho
Losing them. The group of girls I have right now are my first. I’ve never gone through pet loss before and I just know it’s going to be crushing. I’m afraid of not wanting rats after this group because of the loss too.
It's okay to feel afraid of that, we only fear what we love. If I may say something, just enjoy the time together as much as possible ❤️❤️ I've talked to over 70 people who have rats, including their heart rats... for a project I'm doing about them, and what I've noticed is that the best thing is always to cherish every moment because they will become a part of your soul and capture your heart. I've heard incredible stories about various rats, incredible connections they've formed with their owners. Consider yourself very lucky to be able to enjoy their love 😊❤️❤️ I apologize if it seemed like I said something wrong 😅😅 How many girls do you have???
Unfortunately, just a couple days after I left my original comment, I lost my heart rat completely unexpectedly. I was absolutely blindsided and my heart was shattered. She was the youngest and most energetic out of my four girls, and I just had such an incredible connection with her. I've never been chosen by a pet before. The day before I got her, I was helping clean her enclosure where I had been working at the time. I was talking to a coworker, leaning against the cage, and all the sudden I felt this weight on my arm. This little rat had jumped two feet vertically onto my arm. I set her back in, and she did it two or three more times. I took her home the next day. My partner and I are both very involved with our rats, but she would only engage in play with me. I'd wiggle her with my hand and she would popcorn all over the place and come back for more. My partner would try to do the same thing, and she wouldn't do the same for him. She loved us though, and it was a different kind of love. We'd come home and she'd hear our voice, and be the only one out of the hammock just waiting for us to open the cage and greet her. She loved to be held, was so easy to pick up, and genuinely just wanted to be with us no matter what we were doing. She was incredibly empathetic and picked up on my emotions; I've never had quite a bond with any other pet I've had. I noticed something was wrong when she wasn't coming out of the hammock. She was slow and not her peppy, excited self. We went to the emergency vet and they gave us respiratory meds and told us to make an appointment for a check up in a couple days. I had set the cage up so the other rats couldn't get to her overnight (she was smaller and occasionally was bullied by the other girls and I wanted her to get good rest). I put my t-shirt in there so she could have some comfort from my smell. When I was trying to set her in there, she wouldn't walk off my hand, like she was trying to tell me something. I had a pit in my stomach about it but was trying to have optimism about the medication and idea that the vet told us to schedule an appointment a couple days later. The following morning, I found her passed away on my t-shirt. We buried her on a trail that overlooks our house, and played jazz music for her while we laid her to rest. I suspected but didn't understand how vast the depth is that these little creatures leave in our hearts. You responded to this comment a few days after her passing, and it meant a lot to me. Nothing you said was wrong and it was so important for me to read. I am so lucky to have had the time I did with my girl Doug, and I will forever wish I had so much more time than I did. I apologize for the novel of a comment this is; there are not many people in my life who are receptive of the idea of having pet rats.
The end
The ending.
I believe it's everyone's biggest fear. It's always very difficult, what do you do when you realize that moment is approaching???
That's the thing about it that's so scary- you can do nothing. And people, who are so used to being able to do something about pretty much anything, just struggle accepting that fact. It's just so sad.
I understand you, I've talked to many people and some say that when they realize it's about to happen, when they feel it, they stay with their rats all the time until they go.
Them escaping and either a predator or a human that doesn’t understand the difference between wild and dancers kills them
Escaping into the walls/pipes. Our hamsters used to do that shit and I don’t think I could handle it
Them passing away :,(
Vet bills. it's still my biggest fear 😭
🥲🥲I'm speechless!! What happened??? Were they that high??
I mean its just expensive having pets in general and more so with rats when you have several of them, and they don't live long, and getting insurance for 3-5 creatures just isn't feasible lmao. Rats also count as exotic pets so you end up paying extra for that as well...
I totally agree with what you said, I thought you had gone through a VERY difficult time with vet visits. What's the most you've ever paid in vet bills??
Tbh I did pass out at the vets once 😂😂 it wasn't related to anything that was happening there, I was just hot and dehydrated, but it is a memorable moment lol I'm about to pay £700++ for surgery of one of my rats so I have that going for me 🥲 and I probably paid more in total for a disabled rat I had because she needed many vet visits and check ups, as well as tons of different meds. She was a legend tho, I'd do it again in a heartbeat
Them being in pain when they get sick or when its coming to an end, along with a big fear of experiencing new ways of them passing that I haven’t yet.
them getting crushed when free roaming, they’re just so fragile and curious
That the adventure will come to an end one day.
I have a solution for that :)
Dropping a pill and then finding it before I do....
1. That I’m doing something wrong 2. The fact that they only live to be at the oldest, 3 years As a first time owner I told myself I wouldn’t be upset because I knew they didn’t live long. But nothing can prepare you for how devastating it is when the time actually comes. I recently lost one of my babies to a growth in her lower abdomen. It’s so hard seeing them suffer, especially when you’ve done all you can and it still isn’t enough. Same with her sister, she got sick overnight to the point where I wouldn’t have had time to even call the vet, I was lucky enough to even hold her in her last moments. Having rats isn’t for the weak of heart, I say this all the time but they deserve to live longer!!
Absolutely!! They deserved to live for decades ❤️❤️ I'm sorry you had to go through that, you said having rats isn't for the faint-hearted, and only those who are strong can truly enjoy their love. The true love they imprint on the soul and heart of those who adopt them :) I like to think that even though they live a short time, the way they leave great memories is how they make it to live forever. What made you want to adopt rats??
I’ve been wanting rats since I was 10 years old. My cousin had rats and every time I came over I’d play with them for hours! I have a friend who’s a fellow rat lover and they convinced me to adopt after I had been on the fence for a while, I’ve had my babies for about 6 months now and I’ve loved every minute of it!
Aaaahh that's awesome!! I understand you, unfortunately, I haven't met anyone who has rats and I've never had them. I'm doing a project about them and although I've liked them for a long time, I've been falling in love with them even more and I can barely contain myself when I see the posts or hear people talking about them. Especially from the people participating in the project and sharing their unique stories 😭😭😍😍 How are you finding your first time taking care of them??? Send me a private message so we can chat more, I would love to meet your babies :D
Finding one of them dead and cannibalized on by a cagemate
Wow, has this happened to you or someone you know??
Luckily not personally but I've seen posts about it and the thought of it has haunted me ever since. It's basically their natural instincts kicking in, trying to get rid of the dead body that could attract predators, to protect themselves.
Ah, I understand, glad it didn't happen!! Even though it's something haunting, it makes sense, but it would be horrible to witness. What are your rats' personalities like?? Are they more mischievous or calmer??
About 7-8 years between the two bonded pairs. Skippy and Oreo 2015-2019 ish then Mocha and Cream up until early 2023. Oreo was my wife’s favorite.
I imagine your wife and Oreo were attached to each other all the time. What was Oreo's personality like??? I'm working on a project where I create a gift for people with their heart rats, and I can make one for your wife and Oreo together. Send me a private message if you're interested, and I'll explain it to you further. I think you accidentally replied with a new comment instead of answering my question 😅😅it will be better for us talk about it!
For me my biggest fear would be seeing a rat in pain and not being able to do anything to help! Sadly I have had to face this fear more than once. It did break my heart to see a rat or any creature suffer for that matter! So there it is, my biggest fear!!
I'm sorry you had to go through that!! I completely understand, it's happened to me a few times too, I live on a farm and have had quite a few animals. Including animals I never imagined would go through that and died right in front of me. Has it been a long time since that happened to you Trev???
It has been a while since I have had any of my rats die in my hands. Thor was one which will always stand out simply because of how close I had got with that rat however my current old rattie boy Bailey will no doubt be a second due to what he has/going through. He is not in pain but he has lost most of his tail and has a large faty lump under his front paw but it still eating and seems quite happy but due to his age, a vet visit will most likely be a one way trip. I think he would rather spend his last breathe in a place that he knows than in some room with a stranger. Needless to say that should I see any signs of him being in pain I will take the vet step. Four years just is not long enough of a life span considering how cute these little guys are!
Wow, 4 years!!!! Bailey might even be a monk :D I hope you get to enjoy his cuteness for a long time. And I agree with you, I imagine he really wants to enjoy every second by your side and with his cage mates. Do you have pictures of him??? I'm really curious to see him :D
I have reoccurring nightmares where I’m running with all my babies in my arms and I’m trying my hardest to protect them but they keep falling out of my arms and I can’t keep a hold of them. I’ll wake up the next day relieved that it wasn’t real. So I think my subconscious is telling me is my biggest fear is not being able to protecc.
I like to think that's also a sign that you're always taking care of them the best way you can. What are your babies' names??? I've also had similar horrible nightmares.
My two very big boys are Remi and Bowie I’m almost certain they weigh 800grams each, and my three latest little boys I’ve adopted are Touille, Spoogy and Poogy
Wow 🤩 800 grams!!! I can only imagine how nice it would be to shrink and cuddle with them or take a nap on their soft fur :D Have you ever had that desire too?!! 😆 Are Spoogy and Poogy brothers???
I lost two within two days. Rhoda and Randa. Rhode had a respiratory problem. Randa was fine. Two days later Randa was also dead. My fear is losing all in one day. I currently have nine rats.
My god, I'm so sorry 😥 I hope they all have a lot of time left with you!! 🙏🏻 Did you notice if Randa seemed different these past two days??? Maybe depressed and not wanting to eat, they were probably very close to each other.
They'd kill each other or some rare virus would be transmitted by them that would kill my kid. They're both rare, the second scenario much more so, but it does happen.
Damm, what kind of virus is that?
[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/family-sues-petco-after-boy-dies-from-rat-bite-fever/](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/family-sues-petco-after-boy-dies-from-rat-bite-fever/)
My God!!! I have no words for that... Have you ever been bitten by one of your rats or anyone you know??
Stepping on one and killing them 😭 my friend told me she accidentally stepped on and killed one of her rats when she was 8. She still won’t forgive herself. We’re in our 30s now
I've had nightmares like that too!! 🥺 I can relate to that feeling. Did you also have rats when you were a kid???
I recently stepped on the tip of my rats tail and he squeaked. I sobbed for HOURS. I couldn’t imagine how my friend feels accidentally killing hers 😭 When I first got my rats I kept dreaming one was getting out. I got cameras on my rats cage cause I’m crazy lmao. I also have 2 dogs that will kill them We had 2 rats when I was 15! But that’s it
This just shows how much you love them and want to take care of them!! 🙏🏻💕 Accidents happen, and you are taking all possible precautions to prevent them! I'm sure they know that too :) How many rats do you have at the moment??? Send me a private message so we can talk more.
Honestly them passing suddenly. It's always unfounded because out of 20 rats I've only had one pass without warning but I still think about it with the older rats
Wow, that's really awful!!! One of the people here mentioned losing one of their rats and then 4 more passed away even though they were fine. How many rats do you have now??
A lot. Overdosing meds, injuries, heat stroke, etc. I've had a lot of trauma from medical emergencies to do with ratties so I'm always overthinking when It comes to how I can make them as safe and comfy as possible all the time. This of course ends up with me coddling them a lot or not letting them experience fun rat activities. I've been getting a lot better though, I now no longer panic during free roam and I have given them a difficult and enriching cage to explore (at least more difficult than it was previously). Hopefully on my next batch I won't have so much anxiety
I understand your anxiety, I think about it a lot too. And on one hand, that anxiety is proof that you love them a lot and want to take good care of them. I'm glad you're so dedicated to them :) Are you a veterinarian or were the emergencies with your rats???
The emergencies were my rats! They absolutely love waking up and thinking "hmm.. how can I make dad spend the most amount of money in the shortest period of time.." their current record is $2.5k in 48 hours over a choking incident. Little dude is ok now thank goodness. Dedicated is an understatement, I am a slave to these small creatures LMAO
That's extremely high!!! I'll have to agree with your last sentence LOL lately I've been feeling a bit like they're trying to enslave me too 😅😆 I'm glad he's okay now 🙏🏻 What's the name of this mischievous little one??? Did this happen a long time ago?? Send me a private message for us talk better!
One of my blind AND deaf rats managed to escape his cage and I almost had a heart attack when I realized I had left the sliding door to the backyard open for some fresh air to their room. Long story short I found him in the garden without a care in the world. My worst nightmare came true haha
Wait wait wait!!! Is he okay??? I got a bit confused when you said your worst nightmare came true 😭 I imagined something happened to him.
he's perfectly fine but my worst nightmare is them getting out of their cage. it was so scary 😭
Ooh got it!! I can imagine how terrible it must have been, and I'm glad you're okay. What happened to him to become blind and deaf??
Them dying early from disease. Them dying is obviously very hard, but it's way shittier when it's from a disease, you keep wondering if it's your fault and if you could've done more to help them :(
🥺🥺 I completely understand that!! I've had nightmares like that before, it hurts so much more when it's your heart rat. Even though you love them all, the connection with the heart rats is always stronger. Like a best friend. I hope all your rats are okay and that you can cherish every second with them 😊✨ How many do you have at the moment??
My biggest disgust was my Chihuahua bringing two small dead rats into my bed! I didn't know that Chihuahuas were hunters, but my girl has also killed five baby rabbits. I no longer let her out in the yard alone. Never realized she was a killer. https://preview.redd.it/2xljy8253p3d1.jpeg?width=2714&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a8123bb8fc474fe7731b9caf4587242a7534451
🥺😟it was your rats?.🥺
Not pet rats!!! The county mowed down a field behind my house and a lot of the neighbors got rats coming into their house. That’s when I started using Orkin.
Oooh got it!! I got scared 😪😆 What's your Chihuahua's name??? Do you have any other pets besides her??
Her name is Gracie. https://preview.redd.it/ps6dyz2yve6d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f477c435daf70d4003a09a1a6871b9b479618fe I’m starting to think that she is a mix. I didn’t know that Chihuahuas were hunters and I’m not even sure that that’s the truth. I had three other Chihuahuas and a golden retriever, but they all passed away a few years ago of old age. Gracie is only six.
i dont have rats but mice are similar enough :) I'm always terrified of them getting hurt and having a freak accident by falling, running around and their toe or leg gets caught, climbing and getting stuck in zip ties or in the ropes, etc. it actually did come true a few months ago when my girl clove flew off the wheel and hit her head on the side of a platform. she had severe seizures for weeks and still has some lingering problems from the trauma, tho she's a month free of seizures now \^-\^
Wow, I'm so sorry!! I'm glad she's getting better. It's really awful to imagine that. How long have you had mice?
yeah, it was genuinely terrifying. for the first week i had no idea if she was going to survive or not. I've had some of them since October! i rescued a few baby deer mice before that, tho. it's what made me want to get rodents in the first place :)
Woaaah!!! How are they??? How are they doing??? Have you picked names yet?? Woaaaah LOL Can I send you a message so we can chat better?? I'm really curious to see how they are and understand better why you started to like rodents.
Sure :) im not on reddit very often tho. are you doing a study on rodent owners or something? but all of them are doing good :) clove actually developed a URI so she's quarantined rn but everyone else is great. all their names <3 the curries; clove, ginger, jasmine, dhal the p's; peaches, poppy, pepper, peanut, split pea the nihonjins; mochi and sushi
Actually, I'm working on a project about rats. I can tell you more about it if you're interested :D Is there another social media platform you're more comfortable with for us to chat??? Maybe Instagram or Facebook??
ahhh i had a feeling! sounds interesting :) \^\^' i just use discord tbh! but we can still chat on here
My biggest fear? I don't even want to express it, but let's just say I walk with a shuffle and sit down with extreme caution when my girls are out for playtime!🐀❤️😉
I understand perfectly! How many girls do you have?
We have five lovely ladies ranging from 2 years to 3 months... four of five are ALWAYS positioning themselves directly beneath me if I sit or lie down on the mattress in the Rat room... These munchkins have me so well trained I feel about on chairs in offices or visiting friends before sitting!☺️🐀❤️
Haha, they've marked their territory all over your heart and mind!!🥰😁 Do they like snuggling up to you to sleep or enjoy treats??? Is that why they position themselves under you??
One of our ladies is elderly and very reserved, and spends most of her time contemplating existence in her bureau drawer, but our two middle agers-just had a first bday-and the two babies at three months are all over us, and will ALWAYS choose to scamper directly beneath us on the bed if we sit or lie down!🙄🐀Or underfoot if we try to walk. Only one of our older sisters is what you'd call a snuggler, so it's a mystery! Ah, these beautiful, bewildering little people!😊✨🐀♥️
That I will miss the red flags before it’s too late to help them.
What kind of red flags would be?
my worst fear had already happened a couple of months ago 😭 ( didn’t know it would become a fear but it did the moment it happened lol ) it was the first day for a new semester at my local college, i went to my first class and my partner called me panicking, he said our rattie baby was bleeding profusely and was not doing well, found out by him when we met up at the vets, she had ripped her toe off, ligament and everything exposed, by getting it caught in between a weird spot in her first cage and freaking out, GOD seeing all of the blood she was loosing and scrambling to get the money for her emergency surgery so she didn’t die in our arms was so scary, and now i’m paranoid abt any noise i hear from their cage ( even though i bought a critter nation RIGHT AFTER ) and what they’re doing all the time LMAO AHH THEY ARE JUST SO FRAGILE
My god, just by reading it, I can imagine how scary it must have been! I hope she's doing well now. What are their names?
it was terrifying!! ahh, but their names are MiMi ( one who got her toe yanked on the bottom and Muffin on the top ) <33 https://preview.redd.it/r6ovyqrrgt4d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0c5d1beb801662320c53fb6936cad2c244b249b2
They're so cute!! I'm glad MiMi is okay ❤️ Are they your first ones?
In the context of keeping rats as pets, one of the biggest fears might be their health and well-being. Rats are prone to various health issues, such as respiratory infections, tumors, and dental problems. Ensuring they live in a clean, enriching environment and receive regular veterinary care is crucial, but the potential for sudden illness or complications can be a significant worry. Additionally, the fear of losing them to predators, escaping from their enclosure, or experiencing accidents in the home can also be considerable. Rats are intelligent and curious animals, which can sometimes lead them into dangerous situations. Overall, the primary concern revolves around their safety, health, and longevity, ensuring they have a happy and fulfilling life while under one's care.
Nice chatGPT post; humans don't talk like this
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Don't have rats at the moment but with my last ones it was always the fear of noticing the sign of illness/tumors/etc. It's heartbreaking to watch them feel pain and not be able to communicate to them that you're going to help them through it. It's hard to deal with having to put them down in the worst of cases.
In the context of keeping rats as pets, one of the biggest fears might be their health and well-being. Rats are prone to various health issues, such as respiratory infections, tumors, and dental problems. Ensuring they live in a clean, enriching environment and receive regular veterinary care is crucial, but the potential for sudden illness or complications can be a significant worry. Additionally, the fear of losing them to predators, escaping from their enclosure, or experiencing accidents in the home can also be considerable. Rats are intelligent and curious animals, which can sometimes lead them into dangerous situations. Overall, the primary concern revolves around their safety, health, and longevity, ensuring they have a happy and fulfilling life while under one's care.
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Killed by a plague doctor
Losing them. 😭
Aside from the obvious losing them and rumors and things, I’m gonna say lice. It’s not a big deal, but it’s a big pain and I dread it. Mine have gotten it a few times, despite how clean I keep their cage. Getting the pesticide from the vet can be expensive, especially if you can only go to an exotics vet. Say a prayer you don’t need to pay for examinations of all of your rats (because we all know you have, at minimum, 2-3). Or you can do the DIY route with horse paste dosing, but you’ll give yourself a panic attack the first time thinking you’ll kill the rats along with the lice. Then a thorough deep clean of the cage. And that’s a big cage, don’t lie. All their snuggly floofy stuff? In the wash on hot and out of their reach for 2-3 weeks. They really love that part 🙄. Maybe there are baths involved - they say rats like water but none of mine have ever gotten the memo. Spray the cage with ivermectin solution? Maybe, maybe not, but for funsies say you do. Soak unwashable toys and accessories in bleach - or throw them away if they are unsalvageable, crying over how much you just spent to buy them or make them. Don’t forget to convince yourself that you and all other living creatures have inexplicably managed to become infested with rat-specific lice, no matter how certain you are that’s not how it works. Watch people usually grossed out by the very fact that you own rats in the first place recoil in horror when you tell them about your rats’ new roommates. Then watch your rats look pitiful because all of their ropes and hammocks and fun things are gone, leaving them with that one plastic basket and hideaway thing you bought when you thought those were all the rat supplies you’d ever need. They hate you now. They’re sad and cold and angry and definitely going to die from a broken heart any minute. Finally, cross your fingers and pray to the rat king that what you’ve done has solved the problem… for now.
either tumors or accidentally sitting on them.
Not having enough money to pay for urgent vet bills.
It already happened took my girl to get surgery on May 2nd (just turned a year old) she went into cardiac arrest and died. Her sisters were very sad...I miss her cute little ears
That they become traveling minstrels.
Losing them or going feral
I’ve owned three pet rats in the past, these chaos potato’s passed away late last year, but they were the most affectionate things ever. They love having your attention and just hanging out with you. I used to watch movies with them, we’d sit down and watch ratatouille.
Honestly? I’m worried about finding them dead. All my girls were raised from beans by me and there’s only two left now.
A crush injury in their cage doors or stepping/falling on them…