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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / January 2008New Rat?
Well, dispite everything all my friends say, I believe when I return home I will begin looking for a new rat to join Scoot. As nice as it is to have less mess to clean up, Scoot does seem a bit sad, and since my daily schedule doesnt seem to be changing anytime soon, I'll have to find someone to be with him. Also, I noticed that he has little scabs on one side of his body. I belive its because he is scratching because he is stressed, as well as the fact that he cant clean himself the way another rat can. But, my problem is that there are no breeders in my area, so the only rats I can get are through the pet stores, and they are never bred for pet reasons, but for food. I want a healthy rat this time. I want one that isnt evil, and I want one that is happy and one that I dont have to worry about Scoot getting sick because they are sick. Any idea's of other ways to get a rat? > Well, dispite everything all my friends say, I believe when I return home > I [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > getting sick because they are sick. Any idea's of other ways to get a > rat? pet stores are okay. you just have to make sure that you get a really young rat. 4-5 weeks would be ideal. when they are that young, you can really shape their minds. it's the conditioning that they get from living at pet stores for an extended period of time that causes them to be anti-social. a rat needs to be handled frequently at a very young age in order to be the best pet that it could be for the human. i could almost guarantee you that any rat you that you buy from a pet store who is only 5 weeks old or younger would become a good pet, with time. as a disclaimer you should know that i sell to pet stores so i may be biased. my rats are all handled regularly almost right from berth and are ready to rock as soon as they get to the store. but even if they are not handled much, at five weeks there is still time. honestly, and it's open to debate for sure, i think that even at 6 weeks it is almost starting to become too late. you can still get them to be friendly, but you'll never get them to be awsome. So I just got home a few days ago, and I have called around and as of Thursday I'll get my new baby rat. I called PetsMart and they have a rat breeder (not a breeder for feeders) who breeds pet rats, and I went and saw them today. They are so cute! And one of them looks a lot like Scoot. so i'll go pick him up hopefully on Thursday. Unfortunatly the store wont hold him for me, so I'll have to just have to get there really early that morning to get them. The store got the rats yesterday, but they keep all new rats in the back for at least 5 days to make sure they are healthy and whatnot. The other good thing is that they also pay for any medical treatments for the next few months. Scoot is going to really love him, and he is so hyper (which I'm taking as a good thing since the last little baby rat I got was not hyper and died within a few hours of me getting him). Scoot is doing well as well. He has these odd scabs on his back. I think these are probably due to him trying to groom himself and him biting himself too hard. I am taking him to the vet tomorrow and hopefully they wont see anything wrong, but if they do I'll have time to fix it before I get the baby. I dont know what I'll name the new guy yet. Congrats. New babies are fun. As far as Scoot.... I'd ask the vet to check to see if he has mites. I haven't seen any of my rats give themselves scabs from grooming unless they had mites. They're very bendy and seem to be good at reaching all of their spots. Good luck! -Marlo > So I just got home a few days ago, and I have called around and as of > Thursday I'll get my new baby rat. I called PetsMart and they have a rat [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > anything wrong, but if they do I'll have time to fix it before I get the baby. > I dont know what I'll name the new guy yet. Are cat mites the same as rat mites? My kitten had mites, but I didnt think they could be transfered It's my understanding that the mites that live on rats can't live on other animals and vice versa, but I could be wrong. Maybe someone else here knows? Your vet will know. > Are cat mites the same as rat mites? My kitten had mites, but I didnt think > they could be transfered I called the vet and they cannot be transfered, but to make sure that things are going to be okay when I introduce the two I am taking him into the vet today just to make sure. According to the store they may be letting the little rats out to be sold tomorrow, so I might be getting him tomorrow. I just hope that they get along quickly since I have to work tomorrow afternoon, and would hate to have to keep the baby in the bath-tub while I work. We will see though. The baby will be use to having company around, but I'm worried Scoot will re-act badly. Hopefully he wont see it as another animal incroching on his space, but as a new friend who will help him and be his best friend. I'll have to post some pictures soon! Well, the rats seem so be doing okay. The baby rat seems to be having some issures, and I dont know what is going on. He doesnt seem to be interested in exploring the cage or anything. I dont know if this is stress, or if he just isnt interested. I really dont know! Basically he stays on whatever level I put him in. I haven't seen him drink any water (though that doesnt mean he hasnt) and he only eats what I put on the bottem level of the cage. I'm just waiting though. He doesnt seem to be having any breathing problems or anything like that. Though his poop smells so bad! how long has it been? have you seen any improvement since you posted this? > Well, the rats seem so be doing okay. The baby rat seems to be having > some [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > problems > or anything like that. Though his poop smells so bad! Well, he is eating, and drinking. Still very shy though. Poops any time I hold him, pretty much consistantly, but its not runny anymore, its solid. He is a weird rat, unlike any I've ever had. He hoards food, which none of my other rats ever have done. He just isnt active, and typically sits in the same little corner and doesnt move around. Now, I dont know what he does while I'm gone, but if he stays like this I dont know what to do. He doesnt bite, or anything like that, but I'm still worried. Any ideas? > Well, he is eating, and drinking. Still very shy though. Poops any time > I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > doesnt > bite, or anything like that, but I'm still worried. Any ideas? You have to give your baby rat a chance to get to know you and his surroundings. He will fear poop and lots of poop when they're young. You would probably go through the same thing with another new rat. Give him a chance and love him. i would just be guessing but it seems like he might not have been socialized at all by the breeder. or... he could be mentally challenged or... he could possibly have been abused by a human at some point in time. i had a little guy like him once. i ended up giving him back to the pet store. i'm not saying that i think you should but that's just how i dealt with it. maybe try giving him a couple more weeks and see if there is any change for the better. > Well, he is eating, and drinking. Still very shy though. Poops any time > I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > doesnt > bite, or anything like that, but I'm still worried. Any ideas? Well, I made a decision, and I am keeping him. I like him, and he is really cute. I also like that he matches Scoot as well as he does. And they like eachother (even though Scoot is way bigger than he is). He is now all over the place, but they definatly claimed their own spots. Filbert has never gone onto Scoots hammoc. Scoot is a jerk sometimes and will go and flip over Filberts little igloo and sit in it. Its so funny! But they really like eachother, and Scoot's scabs are all gone now that he has someone else to clean him. I wish they would start to sleep on the hammoc together, but I did find them last night all curled up in a big ball on the ground of the cage. They were so cute! > Well, I made a decision, and I am keeping him. I like him, and he is > really [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > did find them last night all curled up in a big ball on the ground of the > cage. They were so cute! :-) I'm pleased you have decided to keep him, they will share a hammock in time. Mine sleep together sometimes, but right now mostly scrap, they are all around the same age and full of male hormones, sometimes their scrapping worries me so much I consider giving them all some tardak :-) Scoot will be so much happier with a friend and the more you get to know Filbert the more you will become attached to him. Well, things are awesome at this point! They are best friends, and Filbert has turned around completely! He sat outside of the cage and cuddled with a friend of mine for hours last night without pooping. He is sweet and loving. I'm really glad I kept him! That's awesome! I'm very happy for all of you. -Marlo > Well, things are awesome at this point! They are best friends, and Filbert > has turned around completely! He sat outside of the cage and cuddled with a > friend of mine for hours last night without pooping. He is sweet and loving. > I'm really glad I kept him! |
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