I want a pet rat (or a pair), but my parents think that rats are going to spread disease and that they bite and stuff. How do I convince them that those are just myths? And what else do you suggest? What can you tell me about the care of rats?
Thanks in advance.How to convince my parents to get a rat?
Actually...rats are very intelligent and are also very social to people. Tamed rats do not bite and can do learned behaviors. Rats are always looking for a treat so try looking for rat food at your local pet store..or ask a pet store employee for homemade food. I would recommend homemade food because...I have heard it is more organic for rats and other pets....but if you do not want to cook homemade rat food...then I would recommend a pet store.
And your little friend has to have a place to live so if this would help I have put some rat cages below on the ';What's your source?'; section.
If you are looking for a rat cage...then try to get something size medium..'cause every rodent needs space...(hamster, guinea pig, rat etc.). Get a cage that includes a wheel, water bowl/water bottle, spot to place food...you also don't wanna make your rat bored..so try to put some toys in his/her cage...like balls, ladders, chew toys, tubes...you can also make homemade toys..like on the link on ';What's your source?'; section.
I also remember you said ';How to convince my parents to get a rat?';.
Well...remember rats are a big responsibility so...before you want to get a rat..just keep in mind that these things aren't just toys that you play with and throw them away when you don't want them anymore...these things are real animals who need love and care...so are you sure you want these pets? OK, well you asked for it...if you wanna convince your parents to buy you a rat then....try doing some chores like setting up the table, cleaning your room, doing your homework, listening....and also try to put a few rat pictures around the house and maybe in a few weeks they'll relize how cute and harmles they are. Also tell your mom and dad some fun facts about rats. And from about 1-2 weeks from now they might say yes...but they might change their mind if you keep bugging them and bugging them all day long. I hope you get your rats...
~ Natalie =]
Down below in the ';What's your source?'; section are links to some rat tips.How to convince my parents to get a rat?
Simply have your parents go to the CDC (that's the Center for Disease Control) webpage:
http://www.cdc.gov/HEALTHYPETS/browse_by鈥?/a>
Here you can click on a type of pet and the page will tell you what diseases the government worries might be spread from that species to humans. You will see that pet rats (under ';pocket animals';) present only two risks. Both cats and dogs present over a dozen! Comparatively, you are much more likely to catch something from a cat or dog than a rat!
Note: This does not apply to wild rats and your rats may have diseases that you can't catch but that hurt them. That's why every pet (including rats) will require a ';new pet check-up'; with a veterinarian skilled in treating THAT pet.
well i have 3 ratty girls and they deff do bite. if yo really want a rat then yo need to be able to have a big cage with lots of chew toys. time to devote to them. when i got mine they hated people still do a little. when you get a rat make sure when you get it that they were raised right as babies meaning they were held and that when you go to the cage they go to the cage door or wall as well. they do not take a lot of care. they eat veggies and you should add vitamin drops to the water. should have constant chew toys as their teeth constantly grow. you need to call all the vets in your area and make sure they take care of rats just in case some thing ever happens. they live only about 3 years.
i suggest doing a search and finding as much reasurch as you can and then going to your parents with it all set up and ready to go. make it a big thing that you have planned how to take care of them and that you know how. domesticated rats dont really have a lot of disease to spread. but one point to put out there is that they are deffenatly easier to care for than a dog and they are just as easaly trainable as a dog. mine are litter box trained and leash trained.
ADD- rats do best in pairs of the same sex and females do not smell as bad as males do. you should really get 2 from the same store that are used to living together
Rats make great pets because they are easy to care for, don't take up much space, and are friendly. Also, if they are socialized properly from the time they are babies, they will not bite unless they are provoked.
The best way to convince your parents is to take an hour or so, and do solid 'rat research'. Research everything that pertains to rats; How large should their cage be? How long do they live? What kind of food is safe for rats?
After your research, type a essay using your own words, about why getting rats is a great idea. Write in the essay that you'll do ALL your chores on time, you'll clean up after the rats, feed them, clean the cage, and you'll keep your room and surroundings clean. Also offer to help with vet care expenses, food, and supplies
Print the article and give it to your parents to read. If they say 'no', do not cry or whine about it, because in a few months, they might change their minds and agree to getting rats. If they say 'we'll think about it', do not pester them, or beg, but give them some time. Maybe 2 weeks or so. If 'yes' is their answer, remember to keep your promises, so they don't regret the rats.
Oh, one last thing I'd mention....do not say mean things to or about your parents as they would definitely not want you to get one. And, if they say a firm 'NO' even after a few months, wait till your next birthday. Then, you can tell them that you want a rat for your birthday. They would probably give in then. During that time, do a lot of research on rats, and show them cute pictures....that might work too:))
Whatever you do, don't cry to them about it, or it'll show you are NOT responsible.
All the best!
OK, here we go,
First, tell them firmly that it is important to you and is one of your goals that you will work to achieve.
Next, make sure they know that you haven't forgotten about wanting a rat the next day.
Third, go online or to a library and research things on rats, take notes. (Library is best because your parents will know you are going there and will see you reading the books)
Now either rewrite the notes you took in an organized way, or type them up and print them out. Show your parents this and they should begin giving into your needs.
Talk to your parents nicely and use your notes as weapons against things that your parents may say like ';Rats caused plagues!'; You might say something like ';Rats didn't cause the plagues, mosquitoes transferred the diseases to them and humans.';
Keep doing this and you will get a rat sooner than you expected!
Remember:
Do not EVER whine or complain. Parents HATE that.
Be patient. Good things come to people who wait.
Good Luck!
Well, you could do research and get educated on rats and find out if those are really a myth.Getting educated is also a way to show that you are responsible and serious about getting a rat.Offer to pay some of the supplies and costs.Also, try taking the rat ( if you get one) to the vet and he can tell you more about it.But remember, rats have lots of needs, and some people think there easy to take care of, but really its not all that easy.Again getting research on rats can teach you how to care for them.I think you should use carefresh shedding, heres a link:
http://www.petco.com/product/14454/Caref鈥?/a>
its safe, healthy and has fun colors.It also is colorfast and non toxic,has long fibers for your rats sensitive skin, has extended odor control, enviromentally friendly becuase it BIODEGRADABLE! i love this shedding and reccomend it to lots of people. heres a link for a cage:
http://www.petco.com/product/106171/PETC鈥?/a>
heres a link for a toy:
http://www.petco.com/product/100637/8-in鈥?/a>
heres a link for food:
http://www.petco.com/product/106689/8-in鈥?/a>
remember, everything depends on your ANIMAL! these things might not be right for him so check with the vet and your parents and your opinion.Theres lots of choices so make sure you make the right one for your rat.
HOPE I HELPED!! best of luck on getting one!
P.s. they need constant chew toys or because there teeth are always growing.they do bite so be prepared.Also make sure theres a vet in your area to take care of rats in case of emergency. rats only live about 3 years. I BELIEVE RATS DO BETTER IN PAIRS. get some of the same gender from the same litter)
I used to have a pet rat named roxy.
How do I convince them that those are just myths? You can do some researching and have alot of papers in your hand then one day go up to them and tell them you want thyem to read it. Every day you should do this. You should save up money and make ur parents see that ur saving money for the rats bed,toys,etc...
And what else do you suggest? I suggest that if you want a rat as a pet its a lot of responsibielity. If your parents doent like the smell than every day clean the cage. You have to give them water,food,play with them,clean their cage,check up on them make sure there okay,and mostly always be there for them. You should go to the vet atleast once a year. You should make sure their nails ar cliped.
What can you tell me about the care of rats? You can feed rats-
fruit: apples, cherries, grapes, banana, strawberries, other berries, melons, plums.
vegetables: broccoli, potatoes, peas, carrot, cooked sweet potato, kale, parsley, bok choy, squash.
cooked liver, other very lean meats (cooked)
whole wheat pasta and bread
cooked beans (including soya)
yogurt (especially with live cultures)
brown rice
unsweetened breakfast cereals
mealworms
small dog biscuits
some leftovers from your meals are okay in moderation, but avoid fatty or sugary scraps and items off the list below.
special treats (given only occasionally): whole nuts in the shell (almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts), sunflower seeds (high in fat), carob chips
What Not to Feed
Avoid feeding any of these items to pet rats:
chocolate
raw beans
raw sweet potato
cabbage, brussel sprouts
green potatoes
sweet sugary treats, any other ';junk food';
caffeinated beverages
carbonated drinks
Sorry for making it a long list. But I hope this helped. I thin some day your parents will get a pet rat for you and you will do great with it :-)
Make your parents read reports you research on rats. I did this I through in tidbits of information I learned. Rats are rather simple to care for and this is mostly what you need too know. SORRY IT'S SO LONG!
Owning rats
In my opinion rats are one of the best animals. I have 3 males as of right now and though they stink it is worth it for the most part. If you are thinking of getting rats than this could be helpful.
Lets start with supplies though cheap, rats are rather expensive. You need approximately $70 in just supplies. That doesn鈥檛 include cage! Rats need big cages, like ferret nations and such. Which can be pricey, some people make cages, and claim they鈥檙e the best. I have bought all my cages, but often have to replace them. I have been wanting to make one, but am rather building inclined. I have never even tried, I am creative but not with wood or metal or three dimensional objects. The only reason I am writing this is because when I got rats I knew nothing, since then I research almost constantly.
WITH RATS LITTLE THINGS CAN BE BIG MATTERS, BEDDING ESPECIALLY!
GOOD BEDDINGS
CAREFRESH- rather expensive, soft, absorbent, barely dusty.
ASPEN- messy, cheap, somewhat absorbent.
YESTERDAYS NEWS- can be pricey, very absorbent, contains odor well, hard pellets.
NEVER EVER USE THE FOLLOWING
PINE
CLAY CAT LITTER
CEDAR
SAWDUST
With some stinky rats you may find it necessary to get Marshal Bi-odor, you spray it in their water, and it helps stop odor, it really works. You can also get this spray at Wal-Mart called Fresh Results, you can clean the cage with it, spray it on the beddings, and it really works. Contrary to what some people say, rats are not really that clean. Sure the rats themselves groom a lot, but they will trash the cage. I used to have to clean the cage every day. That is a lot of bedding! Then I started using BI-odor and the spray. Now I clean it 1-2 times a week, I use yesterdays news.
Well, rats being intelligent need toys, to keep their mind stimulated. Parrot toys work well, climbing ropes are fun, boxes are great. WHEELS- often a waste of money, it is rare a rat will run for more than 5 minutes. Rats are smart and often won鈥檛 even waste their time. Mine found it more entertaining to go to the bathroom on it, than to run on it. Now cages can be difficult, rats need 2 square feet each, more is much, much, much better. I like cages that have large doors and easy maneuvering shelves, rats need to climb to be happy, and hammocks are a great investment.
Though I have 3 rats I recommend only two. Rats require a lot of time out of their cage, which can be hard with a lot of rats. Free ranging especially, to keep head count with more than two can be hard. Yes rats need to be able to leave their cage. You will need a room or large area to let your rats be free in. With careful supervision, rats are naturally curious and always want to get into everything. Rat proofing a room is simple
Make sure no cords are around
No holes
No low furniture
Few hiding places
Safe
No dangerous plants
Doors are sealed
SUPERVISION IS A NESSESITY
Food is an important aspect of life for a rat. It is best to get a specially formulated rat diet block. If you go to a store to get rat food and come back with seeds, you got the wrong thing. Seeds are high in fat and low in nutrients, not only should seed be treats only, you must also give fresh fruits and vegetables. Rats should have food available to them all day. Good foods are easily found online. I only know a few off the top of my head, those are carrots, peas, apple slices, corn, raw pasta, cooked meat, cooked pasta, whole grain rice, avocado with no skin, ripe bananas, water melon rinds, water melon, cantaloupe fruit only, strawberries, blueberries, and cherries with no pit. Bad food include raw meat, banana peels, raw potato, potato skins, raw sweet potato, dried corn, lettuce has no nutritional value to rats though it won鈥檛 hurt. Rats can be given the occasional dark chocolate chip. It is believed to ease breathing.
Like all pets rats need to have veterinary care also, in getting a rat you are promising to be responsible for a life. Though I completely understand if you have a rat that never gets to see a vet. My mom thinks rats are disposable pets I tried to explain that their not, but she said no vet for the rat. If it is suffering than I will pay to have it put to sleep. So I will not complain if you don鈥檛, I think of it as if you hadn鈥檛 got the rat it would be snake food. So there fore you saved the rats life once already.
No rat hater knows the bond rat owners share with their rats, if only they could see that the relationship is like family. If anyone says rats are gross to you or, they say haven鈥檛 you ever heard of the black plague. If so say have you ever heard of what really caused the plague, or do you have a dog or cat? If they say yes than say, than you should know fleas caused the plague. Not to
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