Any rat owners on TB?

Evil Undead · #1 02-21-2011, 03:59 AM

I brought my two baby rats home yesterday, both male, 10 weeks old. They're brothers so they're bonded with each other.

I could use a little advice if possible.

Ever since I got them home they've pretty much stayed in their little house, and they come out maybe once an hour, drink for ages, and then go back in again.

Is this normal behaviour while they get used to their new home? I'm a bit worried that they drink for so long, but perhaps that's because they get dehydrated from staying in their house for so long?

They also occasionally make a sound like they're blowing air out fast through their noses... not sure if it's a sneeze or not as I've never owned rats before, only gerbils.

Otherwise they seem to be healthy, eat like horses as baby rats do, and the usual healthy amount of formed (but not hard) droppings.

Anyway, any advice would be gratefully received! Thanks

MIJ-VI · #2 02-21-2011, 04:32 AM

IIRC rats are highly social and intelligent creatures.

How to raise rats.
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&so...=Google+Search

Rat psychology
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&&s...hology&spell=1

And of course...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZWUW...eature=related

champbassist · #3 02-21-2011, 05:05 AM

This one?

i_got_a_mohawk · #4 02-21-2011, 05:22 AM

They are just unsure of the new surroundings. They are really sociable animals and will make great pets.

One thing, when I had my rat, it was advised not to have more than one male, as they'll tend to fight (so I was told at the time), and if having multiple rats, to stick with females (unless you wanted hundreds of baby rats, in which case chuck a male in there). I don't know how true that was (re males fighting) and it was about 10 years back that I had my one.

bassrique · #5 02-21-2011, 05:24 AM

Were do you plan to keep them? Are they going to the vet?

Evil Undead · #6 02-21-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassrique

Were do you plan to keep them? Are they going to the vet?

They're in a huge cage (3' x 1.5' x 1.5') in my apartment, and will be let out to run around every day once they settle in.

No plans to take them to the vet at the moment as they seem healthy apart from the odd tiny sneeze.

I've just had them running around inside my sweater, and they seemed to be happy enough

Phalex · #7 02-21-2011, 06:47 AM

I had rats when I was a kid. You sure they're both males? One thing I learned when I had them was that a guy with 2 rats is soon a guy with 10 rats..... They breed like, well like rats!

Handle them frequently. The more that you have them out of their cage and interacting with you, the nicer they are going to turn out to be. (BTW, a baby rat that has never been handled before can bite you sixteen times before you can put the little sucker down,)

Evil Undead · #8 02-21-2011, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

I had rats when I was a kid. You sure they're both males? One thing I learned when I had them was that a guy with 2 rats is soon a guy with 10 rats..... They breed like, well like rats!

Handle them frequently. The more that you have them out of their cage and interacting with you, the nicer they are going to turn out to be. (BTW, a baby rat that has never been handled before can bite you sixteen times before you can put the little sucker down,)

Definitely both males... the gonad to body size ratio is extremely impressive

I'm lucky that they haven't bitten me yet. Pooped and whizzed on me plenty though.

The thing I'm bothered about is that when I pick them up, they cling on to my sweater and I don't wanna hurt their feet.

Phalex · #9 02-21-2011, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evil Undead

The thing I'm bothered about is that when I pick them up, they cling on to my sweater and I don't wanna hurt their feet.

You will NOT be successful if you try to trim their nails!! I don't recall having that issue. Can you get a hamster wheel with an abrasive surface? I know their teeth grow continually, and you need to give them stuff to chew on to help wear them down.

MatticusMania · #10 02-21-2011, 02:23 PM

I used to have a grip of rats. When I was little we had 2 females and a male, they bred like crazy! When the babies got old enough we'd sell them to the pet store at $1 per rat.

Sorry, I dont have anything more to add than what the others have said.

Chris K · #11 02-21-2011, 02:29 PM

My boys had rats... new rats were a bit shy and if they were from a pet shop they were thirsty as well...

Did they already hear you play?
That should rock their giant ratty gonads, I suppose

MIJ-VI · #12 02-21-2011, 03:09 PM

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_rat

Quote:

Laying computer link cable

By being trained to carry a string through holes in walls, a rat can help economically wire a building for the Internet; afterwards, people use the string to pull the computer link cable through.

machine gewehr · #13 02-21-2011, 03:31 PM

Rats? Seriously? Do you mean hamsters or really rats?

?

Ziltoid · #14 02-21-2011, 04:07 PM

I have a little sister...

Kipaste · #15 02-21-2011, 04:11 PM

Is there anything specific you'd like to know about?

Rats are great, smart, active and interesting. Good luck with your new pets.

MatticusMania · #16 02-21-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by machine gewehr

Rats? Seriously? Do you mean hamsters or really rats?

Lots of people have pet rats in the States. We figure, if we can't keep them out of our homes, we might as well enslave them.

macaroni tony · #17 02-21-2011, 04:17 PM

At first I thought this may be a joke...but apparently rats make good pets, huh?

And Matty...I went to that sausage place last night. Fanfreakintastic. Had a duck, jalapeno and bacon

MatticusMania · #18 02-21-2011, 05:11 PM

Awesome! Im glad you liked it! My (soon to be) father-in-law raves about that place. No rat on the menu, so far as I could see!

Rats are pretty good pets, but I havent had one in about 15 years. I stepped up to bigger rodent fare, I love my chinchilla!

UnsungZeros · #19 02-21-2011, 05:41 PM

I've owned mice before, but not rats, but I'm going to assume the behave in a similar fashion. Anyway, mice (and I'm guessing rats) are nocturnal in nature, so that would likely explain they don't seem to be doing much. Wait until night, turn off the lights in the room and then come in later to see if they come out.