Ratmas Rats
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Ratmas Rats
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Posted 2022-12-01 09:51:00 (edited)
Things to keep in mind before getting rats: • Rats must be kept in same sex pairs at least or better yet, in a small group, they are super social and humans can't replace other rats for them. Rats can also be neutered and spayed if you want to have a mixed group. • Rats need big well ventilated cage, it can't be a tank or anything like that, because that traps ammonia and rats are prone to respiratory illnesses. Make sure to do your research about the correct cage! • Rats need a lot of enrichment in their cage, things like foraging toys, ropes, hammocks, chewing toys, hides, cardboard boxes, dig boxes, ladders and so on. Their cage needs to be busy basically. They also need to have at least 1-2 hours of freeroam time in a rat proof room or in a rat proof playpen. Freeroam area should have enrichment as well. (Peafishing is one of my personal favorite freeroam time activity.) • Rats are prone to health issues, things like tumors, respiratory illnesses, dental issues, cancers, hormonal aggression etc. So be prepared to take your rats to the vet when an issue arises, they are prey animals and will usually hide their symptoms as long as they can, so when you notice that something is wrong you need to take them to a vet. And you need to have a vet who is experienced with rats, because most regular vets aren't. Vet bills can get expensive. • Rats have a short lifespan 2-2.5y is considered average lifespan for them. Of course some will live less or more. • I would not recommend getting rats from a pet store, pet stores, especially big chain pet stores get their rodents from rodent mills where they are bred in awful conditions. Buying from a pet store will sadly just support it. Pet stores will also usually give out wrong or even harmful information on rats. Where to get rats from? Look for rescues, look for an ethical breeder (try to stay away from backyard breeders obviously) or look for rehoming ads. These are just some things to keep in mind if rats capture your attention and you decide to look. Now to the fun part, meet my rats! 🐀🐀🐀🐀 ❤🐀🐀🤍 Let's start from the beginning. My first 2 rats were Monty and Jasper. 🐀  They were 2 husky brothers (husky meaning their coloring). They were the best 2 boys to start my rat journey with. I got them from someone who was rehoming them because of allergies and they were around 5 months old when they came home to me. 🐀    Monty was definitely my heart rat, he was so affectionate and loved to sleep on me and loved to be near me. It's hard to describe the bond we had, but I'm sure people who have experienced their own heart rats will know what I'm talking about. Sadly, a pituitary tumor took him from me way too early, but I'm so glad he was mine, even if it only lasted a bit over a year. 🐀    Jasper was such a fun and sweet rat. His eyesight was very poor, rats do have bad eyesight, but his was even worse. That didn't bother him, just meant it took him longer to get used to freeroaming in a new place and he would try to take jumps that just did not work lol. But he was so loving and would clean my hands and would clean his cage mates all the time. He was a little clean freak. Sadly, cancerous tumore recently took him from me. But even when we were driving to the vets to say our final goodbyes, he just kept giving me little ratty kisses the whole way there. 🐀 Now, onto my current 4 boys, Olly, Winny, Romeo and Zorro. They came to me from a breeder this year in May. A bit before I lost Monty. They were introduced to my older boys, but I cut the first intros short, because that's when Monty went downhill. After having to let him go I went back to introducing Jasper to the little boys, because I didn't want him to be alone. He was obviously grieving, but the young boys helped him in his sadness and he took them all under his tail (wing) and showed them the ropes of being a good rat. He basically became like a big brother to them. And he loves them all, but him and Romeo became best of friends and would often sleep together. 🐀  My biggest rat, Olly, he's the current Alpha rat in my mischief. He loves back scratches and will groom you in return when you do it. From the 4 boys, I feel like him and I have the closest bond, he's just such a big goof. He does have a habit of chomping on my butt, but I know he just wants the pants and accidentally will get me. It doesn't hurt, but I tell him off anyways and then he acts all moody. 🐀 Winny (Winston) is from the same litter as Olly. But he isn't as big as Olly, though that doesn't stop him from pinning is chunky brother down when they are wrestling. Winny loves head pets and is a very outgoing rat. He likes to wrestle and play with other rats and me.  🐀 Romeo, he is my smallest rat in size, he is from the same litter with Zorro and they are half brothers to Winny and Olly, being couple of days younger than them. Romeo is a more of a shy rat, he likes to stay behind the others and waits for more confident ones to investigate new things first. But he enjoys playing with others and likes to make nests with toilet paper.  🐀 Zorro used to be the smallest when the new boys arrived, now he's the second smallest. Zorro likes to be in the annoying little brother role, he likes go bother the other rats and steal treats straight from their mouths. He likes to be tickled on the belly and he likes to play with my hand, he starts to pounce around with happiness after getting tickled.  🐀 More cute pictures:  (Zorro, Winny and Olly) 🐀  (Romeo) 🐀  (Smol Winny) 🐀  (Smol Romeo and Zorro) 🐀  (Romeo, Zorro and Jasper) 🐀  (Smol Olly, you could not tell that he would turn into a chonk lol) 🐀  (Romeo and Jasper) 🐀  (Jasper with the smol boys) 🐀  (Jasper and Zorro) 🐀  (Jasper and Romeo) 🐀  (Olly) 🐀  (Zorro and Jasper) 🐀  (Zorro, Jasper and Olly) 🐀  (Romeo) 🐀  (Monty) 🐀  (Monty) 🐀 🐀 🐀 🐀 Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with rats, but so are most rat parents haha, would love to see other peoples rats here as well, or if you can't share pics, then stories of your rats. Happy Ratmas! ❤🐀🎄🎁🐀 |
 🐀🌷Astrid🌷🐀 #13846 |
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Posted 2022-12-01 13:04:15 (edited)
this is Socrates (left) and Ben (right) when they were just little babies. Socrates ended up being a bit of a chonk, and by far the biggest - and spiciest - rat i have owned. Ben was such a sweet and soft boy, despite always stealing treats  i believe Socrates to be albino although i could be wrong, i do know however that Ben was black Berkshire. he totally didn't make me become obsessed with Berkshire rats 😂  and then we have the twins, Oskar and Neill. Neill is on the left, sporting his very impressive (at least in my opinion) shoulder patch and racing stripe. Oskar is on the right. where he lacks in black on his back, he makes up for on his tummy and chest. i dont have any good pictures to show that tho  neill was by far the closest ive ever had to a heart rat, although shy little oskar was equally very special to me. they were the first rats i ever trained, and had Neill doing a chain of agility tricks. i was very proud of my boys for learning so well and so quickly. i wish i had videos of them doing their agility work but unfortunately the closest i have is a video of them chewing holes in my socks after a training session 😅 ill have to find that and show pics of that sometime! anyways, merry ratmas to you and every rat parent out there :D i hope that this year is a good one for everyone!! ♥ |
 blazdeu #64989 |
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Posted 2022-12-01 13:54:39
Only things I've thought my rats were spin, paw, coming to their name and Monty learned how to pull up a sign, it came kinda naturally, so I guess he was just talented, becauseon the first try he just pulled it up. He even got a spot in last year's Shadow the Rat's 12 Days of Ratmas collab with his sign pulling. Current boys are bit of bumheads and I'm still working on teaching them to come when called and to spin. 😂 Maybe if I get creative, I can make some sort of agility course. Would be fun to try it out. And Merry Ratmas to you too! ❤ |
🐀🌷Astrid🌷🐀 #13846 |
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Posted 2022-12-01 22:53:00
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 Sunspot Forest-On hiatus #35648 |
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Posted 2022-12-15 15:49:32
In spanish, Zorro means Fox ,-, (this is meant to _.-=;~ /_ be a fox, lol) _-~ ' ;. _.-~ ' .-~-~`-._ _.--~ --.____88 ____.........-- . .' . . _..-------~~ _..--~~~~ .' .' ,' _.-~ . . ` ,' .' :. ./ .: ,/ ` ::. ,' .:' ,( ;. ::. ,-' .' ./'.`. . . /:::._______.... _/:.o/ / ./'. . .) . _.,' `88;?88| ,' . .,/'._,-~ /_.o8P' 88P ?8b _,'' . .,/',-~ d888P' 88' 88| _.'~ . .,:oP' ?88b _..--- 88.--'8b.--..__ : ...' 88o __,------.88o ...__..._.=~- . `~~ `~~ ~- `.;;;:=' ~~ ~~~ ~- - - - |
⊰Cleo⊱ #109717 |
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Posted 2022-12-15 15:51:45
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🐀🌷Astrid🌷🐀 #13846 |