PutYouInMyOven
125592
1599
82
Today is world rat day! So here are some facts about these adorable little floofs.
Not all rats live close to humans. Of the 56 known species, many live in remote habitats like marshlands, woodlands and fields! They commonly live in burrows, trees and nests among vegetation.
In the mid-19th century, Jack Black, the rat catcher for Queen Victoria, found several color variations of the brown rat and domesticated those he caught. Eager owners of his pet rats included the Queen herself, and it's rumored - Beatrix Potter.
Besides being useful for balance, the long and almost scale like rat tale is actually used to regulate their temperature, allowing heat to vent out through it.
Rats are incredibly sociable creatures and are prone to depression if lacking companionship, they love to be petted and played with by humans and spend hours grooming and playing and even sleeping beside (all while cuddling) other rats!
While it is a sadder part of the truth behind rats, as mammals they share a similar nervous system to our own, paired with their intelligence, this often makes them the choice of animal for laboratory experiments. Larger rats known as "pouch" rats are even used to detect landmines and help clear fields in Africa, which is a lot more than I can say for my cousins, as the only answer I can give to this little floofs question is "Cocaine"
Rats are extremely clean animals, spending several hours every day grooming themselves and their group members. They are less likely than cats or dogs to catch and transmit parasites and viruses.
Many people are ignorant to the fact that rats are truly amazing animals, their population alone is a testiment to their evolutionary prowess and survivability, they are incredibly smart, packed full of personality and just want to be loved the same as any of us, and to those of you who still think "they spread disease" well y'know what? So do humans, ever heard of Herpes?
Now a little collection of pics of my own little floofballs, loki is the brown one and Thor is the white/grey one :)
Thor loves cuddling on my shoulder while I read to him, his favourite books are the Harry Potter series.
bunnyrut
people give me weird looks when i tell them rats are better than hamsters and gerbils. cleaner, friendlier and smarter.
Manga1heart
I love my lil little fatty ratty
PrinceDamien
I used to have pet rats, loved them all.
SeriGravett2
TIL Jack Black was a rat catcher in Victorian England
zoomtothemoon
So glad to see this post <3 I kept a few pet mice as a young teen and was devastated when they passed. ;-; Their lives are just too short.
TheRealAbeLincolnsMistress
My pet rat Chewey was one of my favorite pets. So sociable and loving! He'd nibble my arm when he wanted attention.
PutYouInMyOven
Chewy because of the nibbling or named after a certain wookiee?
ItIsStillWater
What a lovely day to always upvote rats!
CallMeJerryBecauseIAmJerry
I had two rats. Dumb as doorknobs. Still liked them though.
twlcorinthian
PutYouInMyOven
Bamf
zephyriana
So miss mine. I had one (named Squeakums) that enjoyed watching TV with me. She'd get excited at the "good guys" & hide for the "bad guys"
littlegoblin
I don't know why people hate rats, they're so cute
PutYouInMyOven
Misconceptions and ignorance, I try to keep people informed and Rat day was a perfect opportunity :D
ImTheOA
I'm trying to convince my gf to let me get a rat I'm going to show her this thanks for sharing! +1
PutYouInMyOven
Let me know how it goes!
flatdeer
Two! Never get just one.
jimlovesrobots
I had a girlfriend who had pet rats. They used to like to sit on my shoulders. I felt like the pirate king of all the hobos.
PutYouInMyOven
They're perfect for that, my first rat would groom me while on mine lol
ZOMGod42
I love rats! I've got 2. Little Foot and Ducky!
StephieDZ
Cuddling one of mine as i comment. Sweetest little babies
PutYouInMyOven
Love cuddles with mine =]
PrivateOstrich242
I don't understand people who think rats aren't adorable. I mean look at those guys!
PutYouInMyOven
Adorable lil pocket dogs lol
aquatech
I got leptospirosis from a rat peeing on me at work one day and have been petrified of them ever since. :(
flatdeer
Ikr? How can anyone not love them?
flatdeer
Excellent post! Rats are little pocket dogs. They're smart, easily trained, love people. Make sure you get at least 2 as they need at least
flatdeer
one other rattie buddy in addition to human friends. If I weren't allergic I'd have a half dozen. Love love love them!
ganjapudding
I love my rattie!
AlcoC424
#6 Looks like he's having fun
noneuclidansquid
I love my Ratties - Cinderella, Snow White and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All princesses in their own right. =)
XavierOnassis
Lily:
PutYouInMyOven
Cute!
flatdeer
Adorable!
pois1
D'awwwwww!
SayWhatWhit
Is this a mouse?
liyafae
I don't mean to sound rude, but I suggest you get some linoleum or something to line the cage floors with. The wire can cause bumblefoot
PutYouInMyOven
They don't have that cage anymore, their new one is the size of a cabinet and the floors are solid lol, thanks for the tip though!
liyafae
OH my goodness! That's great to hear. I love rats and other rodentlike animals so much but I always cringe at wire-bottom floors. Sorry!
PutYouInMyOven
Nothing to apologize for =] I actually placed felt blankets down over the 2nd floor of their old cage to avoid any issues, its nice you care
liyafae
I'm one of those animal mommies that go to great lengths to make sure they're happy and healthy. It's a little sad actually xP
PutYouInMyOven
Not at all, they only have short lives so why not give them the best? the cage my rats are in cost 10x as much as them both put together lol
jaedalus
I know this is an old post but I came to the comments looking for this. THANK YOU for helping spread the info! <3
Badsequence
@OP thanks for spreading awareness of these wonderful, cute and very loving animals. I miss my rat I had when I was a teen she was chill 1/2
PutYouInMyOven
Aww, yeah as little as they are they certainly leave a huge hole in your heart when the time comes to say goodbye.
Badsequence
I've been trying to decide on either getting a guinea pig or a couple of girl rats or a Mr. Snek and its been tough trying to decide.
PutYouInMyOven
Go with rats!
humptyblargh
I vote for rats, too. GPs are a toss-up as far as personality, many are just skittish or bitey jerks. Snakes are more decorations than pets.
flatdeer
Girl rats!
beriska
I might be the only one but go guinea pig. I like rats but guinea pigs have always been my fav
Puckhog
Aw, this is heartbreaking. Unfortunately I live in Alberta, Canada where rats are illegal to own as pets. I had some in the US, and they mak
PutYouInMyOven
Aw that really sucks, I'm sorry.
MizzyBelle
Drove them all into saskatchewan lol
theothercollin
interesting. what's the reasoning behind that legislation?
OSCgal
Probably the kind of reasoning that makes hedgehogs illegal to own as pets in exactly ONE county in Nebraska.
AllieAdore
They have very little/no wild rats, and shit pet owners release their rats. They breed fast so a pair could easily lead to an infestation :(
XavierOnassis
0ali0may0
What is up with the one's eyes? Is it just chewing and causing pressure behind the eye sockets?
zephyriana
It's called bruxing. It's caused by the muscles around the eyes and mouth moving rapidly and makes a funny noise. Shows they're very happy.
PutYouInMyOven
I didn't know that, I knew about the teeth grinding part of it but not that it meant happiness, I thought stress, that's great, Thor does it
zephyriana
If you listen to the sound they make when doing it, you can imitate it w/ tongue clicks and blowing air and have them do it back to you =)
madguillotine
Rats are great pets and can get along with all kinds or other pets.
xrufus7x
My dog loved my rats. She always got super excited when we let them out.
KaleoM
Not snakes though.
LCMcG
I know a couple snake owners who keep rats as pets rather than feeders/breeders. I've been considering it myself.
KaleoM
Make sure your hands don't smell like rat when handling snakes, it will increase your chance of being struck.
ninmonkey
vegan snakes work
KaleoM
perhaps
teknrd
Ratties are fantastic creatures and very loving. They are easily trained. Mine would return to the cage when it needed to piss/shit
PutYouInMyOven
haha thats awesome, mine won't poop outside of the cage but they do leave little trails of pee here and there!
jameretief
How did you train it to do that? Did it chew wires & such? Daughter wants one, hesitant because the rabbit didn't train up at all.
FreddieBW
They WILL go for wires, they can get everywhere. I used to wake up with my rats in my bed, 2 floors up from the cage. They're fantastic pets
teknrd
Positive reinforcement on the potty training and never chewed wires. I didn't let them near wires
PutYouInMyOven
Loki learned about wires from the cable on my laptop, running around on my bed while I was using it, when he'd approach it I'd say/move him
Antermosiph
Oh god, rabbits are nightmares for pets. You just get lucky on whether or not its a good pet, and even then they chew EVERYTHING.
Antermosiph
I got tired of taking care of my aunts rabbits for a year+ so we made rabbit pot pie <_<
PutYouInMyOven
I've had rabbit before, in a stew, was quite delicious
jameretief
I threatened my daughter that if I caught that big SOB chewing wires again he would be stew. Then he died bleeding from the ass. D:
HankHillPropaneAndPropaneAccessories
' o '
xrufus7x
Rats are prone to chewing as well. They need to to keep their teeth from growing too big but they really shouldn't be out unsupervised.1/2
xrufus7x
2/2 Their small size, strong curiosity,climbing skills and collapsible skeletons mean they can get pretty much anywhere they want
PutYouInMyOven
Thor, the grey one, is like that but Loki, as big and and troublesome as he is, usually won't wonder far from me, he's a sissy bless him lol
Blamblam101
Rats: Better than Herpes.
mmmatlock
..debatable
ImADudeHesADudeShesADude
I would know, I have both
LCMcG
I'm pretty positive I'd rather have rats than scabby, oozing genitals.
PutYouInMyOven
Ew but +1 cause I'm with ya lol
Roodney
Well I never had herpes so I guess you're right
PMmeYourFeetLadies
You might have it and not know it.
Waminette
Well I want a rat now
PutYouInMyOven
Do it, do it now.
flatdeer
Get two.
Waminette
Are they like cows and need two?
flatdeer
Yep, two or more.
xrufus7x
They do best in pairs
sillyblackcat
They absolutely need two !
ShaggyRobot
Downside is that they don't live long.
PollinateMyPhilodendron
Or eat eachother.
CommisarFuklaw
There are some exceptions though, for example the rat my brother gave me before I left for Hogwarts is more than 10 years old.
LuEle
gosh, I had to stop keeping them because I had cried my eyes out one too many times :(
OSCgal
Yeah, I couldn't handle that. Even 15 years with a cat seems cruelly short.
zoomtothemoon
I had some mice as a young teen, never ended up getting more as their deaths were just too hard on me. ;-; Their lives are just too short.
Badlyphotoshopedconfucedfloofygiraff
I cried like a baby when my first and only pet ever died in my arms, a fat happy cuddly rat named Nusse.
iscaylis
Had a degu that lived six years. They're similar to rats.
NotQuiteDeadYetPool
Especially when you use them for medical research.
Imaybegotthis
Yup mine got 3 months. Needles went in them twice a day for that last month.
DandySpaceCowboy
i cried when i lost clover and danny was a week behind,,, bad week for me
flatdeer
That's why you keep several of different ages. When one passes on, you adopt another. Totally worth it.
parpy
How I learned to deal with grief after losing my best buddy to pituitary tumor - focus on the joy of introducing a new baby to the mischief
Imaybegotthis
I think i might like that. I don't know that i want a long term commitment in a pet.I never had a cat or dog so I don't have experience.
MadWhiteGurlSkillz
If you don't want a long term commitment, stay away from cats and dogs, they can live upwards of 15 years,and make sure to DO YOUR RESEARCH!
Imaybegotthis
Well i have a cat allergy so that narrows it down.
MrGrifter758
Very true.
DonaldTrumpsFlaccidHairpiece
Thats the reason I won't get one. I'd become too attached and have to say bye too soon.
imguroakley
Neither do we in the grand scheme of things
EsotericMonk
But then again, who does?
meritage
gambian pouched rats which sniff out landmines live for up to eight years, there are breeders in my country, they will lick you so much
aclarko
They're illegal in the US :(
meritage
i'm getting one, buying a kinder egg and letting young people drink all on the same day just because I can
Vectorman2
The trick is to store them in the freezer when you aren't using them to keep them fresher longer.
Godspeed89
Wtf?
LCMcG
I spy a reptile owner.
Hetuni
Well, you're supposed to let them snuggle with the snakes, it's healthy for both of them.
Vectorman2
Reptiles, hamster, cats, goldfish, small children, it all depends how big of a freezer you have!
MisterB1ack
2-3 years, tops. Worth it though.
LizardPie666
I had one rat last four years. Two long years after it ate his brothers face off..
813nick
What in the holy fuck. The whole post made me want a rat but your one comment changed my mind
LizardPie666
I would definitely get more rats! Please don't let that turn you away! They are amazing loving little creatures!
aprilludgateduire
He absorbed the brother's remaining lice force to extend his own life
FieryFarts
lice force
OohLookAPost
This is so true. Hard getting attached to something with such a short shelf life
xrufus7x
3 years is a pretty descent lifespan. More than enough to get to know them and care about them.
OohLookAPost
Yea, I've had 5 over the course of many years and I've never had one make it to a full 3 years despite excellent care ;'(
xrufus7x
That's a shame. Mine lived to 3 and 2 1/2. Miss those little guys.
aviculae
I had two sweet mice that within a year developed massive cancer lumps. One's eyes started bleeding and I had to put them down. Never again.
aviculae
It was too painful to see them suffer and die so soon.
Oregonian
2/2 Now that I think of it, make sure it's a good breeder. Not one doing it for money, find one who does it because they love rats.
Oregonian
A lot of that problem comes from buying them from Pet Stores, is what I understand, if you want to give it another shot try a breeder.
Anaticula
I had a pet mouse as a kid from PetSmart or Petco or whatever, he lived almost two years and was the most we
Anaticula
Well adjusted happy fluff ball ever.
WintyrSolstice
You know, I read the same thing about mice, but my mouse lived about 4-5 years.
BadgerWOOT
Some mice just surprisees you. I got a spinymouse and she is 4yo. And still going strong fat af!! :p
GuineaPigFriend
Sometimes this just happens! I had a hamster that lived until it was 5! Lost all its fur...but it just wouldn't die, had to be put down.
ShaggyRobot
You sure it was the same one? Maybe your parents switched it couple of times?
WintyrSolstice
Nope, it was the same little fat, happy orange and creme mouse. (And I was the one who was there the day it died too)
jameretief
My daughters mice only lived about four months (one escaped and cat found it, one was killed by the other, the last one just died).
WintyrSolstice
My other mouse was the escape artist that ultimately died at the hand of our cat, lol. The other one was content with sleeping in her cage.