Rats as pets, recomended???

[Sammc]

Hi my boyfriend has mentioned a few times he would love a pet rat but im not so sure. Can anyone offer any general advice, etc..

How long do they live?
do they enjoy human contact?
Is it best to have more then one so they have company? What size cage do they need and can they be left to run free the majority of the time?
How are they likely to be with other animals specificaly a dog and parrot?

We love animals and would have a house full if possible but im trying to be practical!
Thanks

[Therema]

Well i cant give you loads of advice, we had 2 femalesin the same cage * mother and daughter* and dad in another cage the best pets we've ever had i gotta say, they love human company also you can teach them tricks and answer to thier names, we used to give them the run of the sittingroom *supervised*, i miss them all both females died within a few weeks of each other, both with tumours which are quite common i believe, also we didnt have any other animals at the time so i cant help you on that score but go for it get them, theyre fantastic

[whiffy]

They are extremely intelligent and very affectionate. Get two so they keep each other company. If you can get over the psychology of "rat" (especially the tails!) then they are delightful pets and companions.

I recently babysat for a pair called Basil and Sybil.

[cherrypoker]

Hiya!

I have 2 male pet rats called George and Fred.
They live in the same cage as they enjoy each others company. George was 1 years old before i introduced Fred which was a bit tricky but worked out in the end. It would probably be best to buy 2 together.
Female rats tend to be very lively and wirey, where as male rats tend to be much more laid back. Pretty much like men in general lol.
Every rat is different but on average they usually live to between 3 and 4 years.
You need to handle them every day as they love human contact. Plenty of affection.
They also love being groomed (mine love a bath), being brushed etc.
I let mine out for a couple of hours on a night in the sitting room. However you must rat proof everywhere because rats love wires so they will chew throught things like computer wires, phone wires etc. I usually unplug most things and move them out of their way.
I also have a cockatiel (cliffy|) and they climb up his cage onto the top which doesn't seem to bother the bird too much. I also have 2 lurchers called 'Rocky' and 'Shep' who also don't seem to mind them running around.
I have to watch my old lurcher Rocky at the moment though because he is very poorly so is obviousy grumpy.
I would recommend rats as pets to anyone. They are adorable little creatures and so intelligent. Watch for them yawning it's so cute!
Good luck, hope this helps you a bit!!

[Sammc]

Thanks for the advice everyone thay do sound brilliant. cherrypoker - Ha George and Fred - are you a harry potter fan by any chance?!!
Are there different breeds? Saw some with massive ears once which looked adorable.
Ive got to think about holidays also. My dad has the dog and bird but might be pushing it a bit with rats as well!

[jedimistress]

I cant add anything more or disagree with the above.

They are beautiful animals to have around. Very sociable and intelligent. Mine used to run up to me and scale up my legs to my shoulder whenever I came home.

They love humans, but take marginally longer to bond with you if there are a pair, as they have each other. But they do like each others company for the times you are not around.

I'd compare their personalilties to those of dogs. Mine have always had a fondness for sweetcorn.

[cherrypoker]

Hello again!

There are various types of fancy rats.
American blue.
Hooded.
Siamese.
Dumbo.
Manx (hairless).
Husky.

All make lovely pets. George is a black and white hooded and Fred is a white husky with dumbo ears.
My 3 kids named both of them, i never asked where they came up with the idea of the names but now i think about it Harry Potter is a strong possibility. lol

Thanx

[numptyjames]

rats make great pets for children and adults alike keep them in pairs i.e two males or two females
plenty of toys i found that large glass marbles are great
please make sure that there sleeping box is big enough for two adults cardboard shoe boxs are great