Other - Pets. What Are The Downsides Of Getting A Mouse Or Rat?
Other - Pets. I've Already Asked Several Questions About What Sort Of Pet I Should Get, And I Guess A Mouse Or Rat Would Be Best. What Are The Pros A
Other Pets : What Are The Downsides Of Getting A Mouse Or Rat
I've already asked several questions about what sort of pet I should get, and I guess a mouse or rat would be best. What are the pros and cons? Is getting a ball for them to run around in better than getting them a wheel? I think a wheel would be better though. and they don't stink, it's just their poop. the only pets that stink other than dogs from being wet is nearly always from their poop. ~~~ littlepig_9 ~~~
Best Answer To Other Pets Question
They can smell if you dont clean often and get a male. They urinate often and will coat everything with it since its the main way of finding there way around. Rats have to have large, strong, all metal cages or risk them chewing there way out and getting in your home. Rats from pet stores are not always bred for optimum health and longevity. They often are interbred and bred in wholesale facilities with little regaurd to there health since most are being sold as food anyway. They are not always proper socialized either and can deliver nasty bites. So best to do some research on rat breeders if your going for a rat. Be sure if you get more that 2 rats they are of the same sex or risk being over run with rat babies, and where ever you buy from be sure they had the females and males correctly seperated. I raised Pied masked rats for years and always made it my duty to totally socialize the babies and they were bred for optimum health and vitality. No vicious biters, nippers, or weak were sold as pets. Rats if bred and raised in a clean enviroment, do not carry diseases. Its if they are in contact with wild rats during there lives. A rat breeder would not let disease rats be sold if they are a good reputable breeder. Wholesalers are a diffrent story you dont know what you get when you get one of there rats. Rats can be bathed. Mice can not. Some all white rats will yellow with age, and some people dont like that. There is no way to get around it, its common and happens in all white rats. Mice are not long lived and the females dont tend to smell as bad as the males. With mice however you need to handle them daily or they will get kinda feral and not trust you if you lack in socialization every day or as often as possible. Mice are also escape artists and so be careful in choosing cageing. Some hampster cages have bars in them and if the bars are not placed close enough together they can escape. Though the cages from Critter Trail are pretty good for adult mice a baby mouse can slip through the bars. I have a critter trail city for some of my adult mice but found that with the plastic tubing i had to wash everything tubes, cages, toys, dishes, is a weak bleach solution every week or the urine would get splashed around and all over and stick to the sides of the plastic. It was kind a pain in the but to wash all those tubes. Granted I had 30 mice at any give time in my huge critter trail city. ADDITION: I had both the ball and wheels in every cage. Dont buy plastic wheels as they will chew them to bits just metal ones. After a few washings the metal will squeak when they are running in them. Just use a bit of vegtable oils to coat the joints after every washing and they wont make any noise. I also got creative and built a huge maze out of plexiglass and PVC, had removable and additional parts to vary and add onto it. It was fun to watch them and they got lots of exercise and stimulation. My rats and mice both. I had one named Templeton (i know it wasnt too orginal) that I trained to sit still on comand, she was a all brown agouti dumbo rat and was huge, so i would play tricks on friends and stuff and when they were sleeping i would put her on there bodies and then have her sit there. I would wake the people up and they would see this gigantic rat sitting there. After Templeton had a few flights off the couch or bed i retired that trick since I didnt want her hurt. It was funny though!!!
All Answers To Other Pets Questions
Answer 1they stink!!!! and if you get bit it hurts, and they aren't very cuddly..they just want to run around like their crazy lol
Answer 2try a hamster or guinea pig,
Answer 3Pros: cute smart hairy Cons: good at escaping, ravenous eaters
Answer 4They poop a lot, but they don't make much noise. You will have to clean their cage. You will need to get them a ball to run around in. They aren't bad pets, and they actually move instead of just sitting there like guinea pigs or rabbits. Don't get a guinea pig, they "scream", mine wakes me up at 4 or 5 in the morning sometimes, it is annoying. And hamsters have short life spans. I would get a rat over a mouse, b/c it is just like a big mouse and it will live longer. If you buy a rat from a pet store, u shouldn't have to worry about diseases.
Answer 5Cons first: they stink and are very messy. Mice and rats poop CONSTANTLY and need their bedding refreshed at least twice a week - or more often, depending on the sensitivity of your nose. They will also poop and pee on you while you're handling them. If you're comfortable with this, it's not a big deal. On the other hand, they require little food and are amusing to watch.
Answer 6theyre mankey, get a snake!!!
Answer 7well i wouldnt keep a rat for a pet cause you might not know that rats does carrying diease plus theyre can be evil sometimes if you dont take care of it . but having a mouse or even a hamsters or guina pig for pets good ones to take care of and you can also gave them little chewing toys and play with them . theyre more easlier to clean up.
Answer 8biting, and the smell. but you can't really give them bath cause of their fur or somethin like that. hm,
Answer 9They can smell if you dont clean often and get a male. They urinate often and will coat everything with it since its the main way of finding there way around. Rats have to have large, strong, all metal cages or risk them chewing there way out and getting in your home. Rats from pet stores are not always bred for optimum health and longevity. They often are interbred and bred in wholesale facilities with little regaurd to there health since most are being sold as food anyway. They are not always proper socialized either and can deliver nasty bites. So best to do some research on rat breeders if your going for a rat. Be sure if you get more that 2 rats they are of the same sex or risk being over run with rat babies, and where ever you buy from be sure they had the females and males correctly seperated. I raised Pied masked rats for years and always made it my duty to totally socialize the babies and they were bred for optimum health and vitality. No vicious biters, nippers, or weak were sold as pets. Rats if bred and raised in a clean enviroment, do not carry diseases. Its if they are in contact with wild rats during there lives. A rat breeder would not let disease rats be sold if they are a good reputable breeder. Wholesalers are a diffrent story you dont know what you get when you get one of there rats. Rats can be bathed. Mice can not. Some all white rats will yellow with age, and some people dont like that. There is no way to get around it, its common and happens in all white rats. Mice are not long lived and the females dont tend to smell as bad as the males. With mice however you need to handle them daily or they will get kinda feral and not trust you if you lack in socialization every day or as often as possible. Mice are also escape artists and so be careful in choosing cageing. Some hampster cages have bars in them and if the bars are not placed close enough together they can escape. Though the cages from Critter Trail are pretty good for adult mice a baby mouse can slip through the bars. I have a critter trail city for some of my adult mice but found that with the plastic tubing i had to wash everything tubes, cages, toys, dishes, is a weak bleach solution every week or the urine would get splashed around and all over and stick to the sides of the plastic. It was kind a pain in the but to wash all those tubes. Granted I had 30 mice at any give time in my huge critter trail city. ADDITION: I had both the ball and wheels in every cage. Dont buy plastic wheels as they will chew them to bits just metal ones. After a few washings the metal will squeak when they are running in them. Just use a bit of vegtable oils to coat the joints after every washing and they wont make any noise. I also got creative and built a huge maze out of plexiglass and PVC, had removable and additional parts to vary and add onto it. It was fun to watch them and they got lots of exercise and stimulation. My rats and mice both. I had one named Templeton (i know it wasnt too orginal) that I trained to sit still on comand, she was a all brown agouti dumbo rat and was huge, so i would play tricks on friends and stuff and when they were sleeping i would put her on there bodies and then have her sit there. I would wake the people up and they would see this gigantic rat sitting there. After Templeton had a few flights off the couch or bed i retired that trick since I didnt want her hurt. It was funny though!!!
Answer 10I've never known anyone with a pet rat or mouse. I'd guess something you should consider is the stereotype that has followed rats/mice in the past. If you're seriously considering it, might be a good idea to get information to share with family/friends that can help them understand your choice.
Answer 11Rats (and mice, but rats particularly) are super smart and good at escaping. They're a lot of fun to watch, but they don't ever really become all that tame, at least not as compared to other critters. Also, because they're nocturnal, they can be very noisy at night while not being very entertaining during the day. They need to chew constantly because their teeth are constantly growing and they need to wear them down. They like tubes and tunnels (paper towel and toilet paper rolls are favorites, though they will chew them to pulp within two days).
Answer 12I had 2 large rats as pets and they are good at escaping and hiding. Took me several days to catch mine after they got out. The cage does get bad oder alot. they are fun to have once they are tamed and use to you
Answer 13I have owned several rats over the past few years so I feel somewhat qualified to answer this question. The biggest downside is that they can develop tumors and they just keep going with them. One of my rats had one so big she could hardly walk and it actually burst open. I have had a total of 8 rats over the years. Male and female and all but one of them died from these tumors. They are really horrible. Rats usually live around 3 years. Right now I am down to my last 2 rats and they will be my last rats. They were interesting pets but do require frequent cleaning of their cage and then they got these tumors. Right now they smell really bad (you can smell the cancer) but I will continue to care for them until they die as that is the committment I made when I got them. One of them was 3 years old last month and the other one will be 3 in June.
Answer 14Well, mice bite lol. Rats just nibble, thats their way of smelling you and seeing what your made of. Ive had rats before, they are very nice and they do make good pets if handled well. If they dont like you, you will know. Bad side to rats is that whenever you are sick, they can catch it and die. So many people wonder why rats die so quickly. They are alot like humans. If you are sick your rat can get it from you. If they are left wet and not dried, they will get sick, if they are put by a window, they will catch a cold. That type of thing. Becareful with them. They're NOT JUST rodents.
Answer 15I really haven't found any cons in owning a rat. I do have this to say, though...make sure you know the temperment of your mouse or rat. I bought a male rat in September, and another male three days later. The first one, Templeton, is a biter, but George, the second one, is the sweetest one. If you're planning to get two, be sure you know the sex. I've been told that male mice do not co-habitate well, and anyone can guess what happens when a male and a female are together, lol. I don't know what you're planning to keep your new pet in; mine are in a 25 gallon aquarium. About the ball or wheel part you mentioned: I bought a wheel and my boys didn't like it. A friend let me borrow the ball she has for her ferrets, and the boys weren't too keen on that, either. So I guess it depends on your pet. Hope this was helpful in some way!
Answer 16They smell disgusting
Answer 17Rats are easier to handle, are much smarter and are very affectionate if you handle them often as babies. Mice dont do much of anything.
Answer 18Both a good pets. Rats are better for handling. You can hurt a mice too easily. But mice are cool because if you give them paper and stuff. They build thinks. I accidentally have had a few, that my snake or what ever I had at the time would not eat. So they windup as pets. Hey I never new they were such good pets. Plus there cheap, and die after a couple of years.
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