Pet Rats

[zeke22]

rats

I just wanted to ask how do people go handling their pet rats and then the snakes? if you wash your hands enough does it totally get rid of the scent?

would like to have a pet rat, always wanted one but just wasn't sure about having a snake and a rat!

 

[Sidonia]

Two of the three adults I have are really really sweet and they wont be fed to snakes until they die of old age; the other adult is not very nice at all, so she will be culled once she's big enough for my snake.
I'm keeping one of the mean rat's babies to raise for another breeder and the rest are going to be snake food.

This is my favorite rat, her name is Vahana and she just had her first litter (only 5).

She's so sweet, whenever I open the cage she has to climb up on my shoulder and make little ratty noises in my ear.

 

[xenathepython]

I'm getting manx rats!!!!!yay!!!!!

 

[Hetty]

I've bred some interesting looking babies lately, was going to start a rat appreciation thread but remembered this one -

Black Butt the Pirate-

Goth-

and these new pinkies-

Should have some really nice stuff in the next generation or two I also have plain black eyed white rats but I thought these guys were more interesting

 

[tanyaac]

this is the only hooded girl i've got

the white bits look like she has wings ,so cute!

 

[xenathepython]

Hetty Is there anyway for me to steal your bubs...lol

 

[the-lizard-king]

this is missy she is pregnant babys should be due in the next week or two hopefully

 

[Ashleigh:]]

Awwh they all look so cute, makes me want to rush out and buy one.
However, if i were to keep a rat/mouse in the same room as my snakes, how would that affect them??

 

[Hetty]

Xena, I do sell rats, if you're in Sydney I'll sell you some

Ashleigh, if your snakes can smell the rats then they'll be more likely to bite you.

Those mice have great ears Saz

 

[miley_take]

I have my rats up one end of the room, near an open window, and my snakes down the other end...haven't noticed any difference in my snakes...but i do say if you kept them within cm's of each other there would be a differnce

 

[Snakebuster]

They only live 2 years, I only like pets that live at least........8-12 years.

 

[xenathepython]

aslong as the rats are clean than there smell won't be as strong

And hetty I'm in rocky (DAZZIE on rats forums) but If you freight In the future I would be very intrested in your fancy ones and even your feeders as they sound so healthy!!

 

[rodentrancher]

I've never really considered rats as pets until a close friend of mine got them and now I love them. They are so cute and are very friendly and will just sit on your shoulder for ages which amazed me to start with, cause I thought they would have taken off like a shot.

I had to go to the pet shop last night to actually get some frozen rats for my snakes and I was checking their live rats out and these 2 little guys kept coming up to the glass and they were just so cute that I couldn't resist them. I already had a cage, cause I bought one a little while back to use as a bearded dragon sunning cage so I just had to get a few little bits and pieces and I was all set up. They are both boys and they are brothers so they get on really well. I decided to call them Tom & Jerry, not very original I know but I'm getting to the point where I'm finding it hard to think of names.

I just love pet rats! Haven't got one at the moment though. I used to have a lovely little girl called Turbo(she was soo flat out), just like the one on the right in your 3rd pic. She died of old age I think, but didn't get fed on. Just might take another weaner rattie one day and have another pet. Have to look out for "Bluedog" our crazy Aussie Cattledog girl as she likes chomping mice etc out in the backyard. I would hate for her to chomp a pet rattie. Cheryl

 

[Hetty]

aslong as the rats are clean than there smell won't be as strong

And hetty I'm in rocky (DAZZIE on rats forums) but If you freight In the future I would be very intrested in your fancy ones and even your feeders as they sound so healthy!!

Oh, hi DAZZIE :lol:

My 'fancy' rats all have feeder blood in them. Rats bred for pets tend to be so unhealthy! I'll let you know if I start freighting rats, I don't really think it's worth it because the freight costs more than the rats though.

 

[centralian11]

Hetty do you realise just how special your rats are . OK i breed feeders but my rats are also special . They are great pets , my future breeders all come inside for my wife to care for so they are quite when they go into the breeding shed. Less bites that way .
Barry

 

[Hetty]

Yes, I do. They're black-eyed whites (except the one with the dove patch, that's a ruby eyed white).

I'm going to make some with big black spots and stuff. Most of my black eyed whites have some black on them, but I'm going to muck around with them a bit once I've outcrossed them with feeders. I haven't been working with them long, those are my F2 generation. I'm breeding some nice capped and headspot/blazed rats too.

My rats don't bite, and I don't think people should breed from rats that bite either.

 

[xenathepython]

I think the rat fanciers should stop and take a look at what they are breeding and outcross them with feeders. at the rate fancy rats are going they won't even live for a year.

And hetty I so love your rats and I do really hope you will freight them in the future. :lol:

 

[Hetty]

They have such crappy immune systems. I'm often tempted by what they produce but it'd be too much work for me to buy pet rats then out-cross them with feeders, and what I'm starting to produce in terms of patterns is just as good as what they breed anyway, and that's just in my F2 generation. I'll have great rats in another couple of generations.

 

[xenathepython]

most of mine are pet shop rats and they are always getting myco flare up but the one feeder rat I have is so healthy and she is well over a year, put the dam thing won't get pregnant again.

I think the BEW are the best find yet, because of all of the cute spots!!! and the markings on Goth's face

 

[Hetty]

I don't know, I'd kill for a siamese rat. I'll work with these for a while though, BEWs are good for producing really good berkshires and capped rats as well as the interesting things with black spots.