[Scarekrow]

First off, I'm worried about Yuki--he's started to chew his wrists in the past couple of days, and I'm wondering whether it's because he's sick or something else? Any ideas?

Secondly, Choco keeps stealing Yuki's treats--WHILE Yuki's eating them! Then he jumps all over Yuki and on Yuki's head and acts really hyperactive, and since Yuki's sick, he doesn't do a damned thing. Choco doesn't even EAT the treat--he just pulls it to the other side of the cage! It was so rude and so cute at the same time...Yuki doesn't seem to mind too much, he's always been really laid-back, but still!!!

 

[lizzydeztic]

My rats have been biting their wrists too. And waving them in circle while they stand on their hind legs. =( I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[Scarekrow]

Yuki's very sick right now, so I think that might have something to do with it. He chews his wrists when he's VERY nervous or scared, but he's a very brave rat. He hasn't done anything like this since I first got him.

 

[JennieLove]

You need to take them to a vet to have it checked out. If its getting worst and worst, its best to find out what it is so that it can be treated asap.

 

[Scarekrow]

Actually, it's getting better, it's just the damned tumor and he's being emo. I mean, he's a hooded rat too, so he has the black hair down and EVERYTHING.

(sorry, I know it's a bad joke to make about my own rat, but *I* thought it was funny...)

 

[JennieLove]

Awww, Im greatful non of my rats havent gotten tumors. Can it be removed of no?

 

[Scarekrow]

I wish. I've had more rats die of tumors than I can count on one hand. It's really common, so I'm not TOO surprised, but it's still painful to watch, and it makes it really hard for them to get around.

 

[JennieLove]

The only problem I have ever had with rats, health wise, were Respiratory Infections; from petstores and there crappy animal maint. From now on I'm adopting or buying from a breeder.

 

[Scarekrow]

I don't know, the Petsmart where I live takes REALLY good care of their pets. They don't cheat the pets out of good food and bedding just because it's a little more expensive, they give them the GOOD stuff.

Pet stores aren't always a bad place to get an animal. The rats I've had that didn't come from "accidental breeding" came from Petsmart (except for Goo, we rescued him from an abusive owner), and they've all been just fine.

The two exceptions are Goo and Bent. I bought Bent from the crappiest PetCo I've ever been in. When I got him, his tail was bent in two places at a 45 degree angle, and he didn't really like people that much. The poor guy died within the month I knew him, but he wasn't very nice.

Like I said about Goo, we rescued him from an abusive owner and he was practically feril when we got him. Towards the end of his life he got to know us a little better, but for the most part he was a mean 'ole ******* (but it was part of his charm and we loved him anyway).

 

[lizzydeztic]

i guess now that i think of it the petsmart i went to wasn't that bad. i just heard horror stories about buying from petstores and i thought i had made a mistake. socializing has been the only problem thus far but it seems to be doing well.

i hope your little yuki gets better or at least stops being so emo.

 

[JennieLove]

Yeah I think it just depends of the people working there. Seriously though, the Petsmart where I live is so horrible! I don't even want to go on about how bad they treat their animals, but whenever I'm there I find something wrong...They are alright with the cats and dogs, but the fish, rodentss and birds (those kinds of pets) they can care less about. Everytime I see the rodents they are constantly sneezing and have red mucus all over there noses and cornors of there eyes; The fish, if there not dead already they look like their about ready to die (all the apple snail's shells are messed up! I own an apple snail, so I care about those little guys!); The hermit crabs are pretty much ALL dead, they never have any water or food, they don't use the right substraight for them (very important becuase they bury themselfs to moult and if they dont they may die); The birds, my bf and I have found a few hurt ones, they keep the small birds in the BIG cages and the big brids in the SMALL cages. One time I found a stuck bird and this little boy told one of the "managers" and she told him that its not important and that she doesnt have time to help it...I got pissed! So i went up to the fruit cake and TOLD her that bird needs help! (the bird was stuck between the cage wall and a food bowl, on the other side of the cage was a conyard who could have easly pull that little bird through his cage and killed it.

All I know is that I find anymore aniamls being abused like that I'm going to call a complaint on petsmart and they BETTER fix it.

 

[Evangeline]

It's so sad, I just came back from my local pet store and as usual had a look at the rats they had. They were in the smallest cage possible with no food or water and they clearly hadn't been cleaned out recently. So I made a complaint and stood next to the cage until they did something about it lol. They loved me : D

 

[lilspaz68]

With all this PetSmart talk, part of it is the care they get at the actual store but the majority of it is the care they got at the "breeders". Most are from rat mills, meaning bad breeding, illness, weaning too young, etc. Its all stacked against them. There are some Petsmarts that don't purchase from ratmills but from what I have heard, most do.

 

[JennieLove]

Thats true, but I have gotten sick rats and have taken care of them to where they were all healthy again and if they accually cared for them the way they should, then the rats wouldn't STILL be sick. The point is, is not just the breeder's, its the people who take care of the animals afterwards thast the problem. They take kids who have no idea how to take care of these animals and give them a job they no nothing about. All the animals in the store shouldn't be sick they way they are, they say that all animals are approved by their vets? well I want to see who's looking at these animals and saying they are okay to adopt out. Almost none of the rodents, fish and birds there are health enough be be sent home with families, there just asking for health problems.

 

[lizzydeztic]

i agree, i've seen terrible conditions for small animals in petsmart and petco. i noticed at one that they took supreme care of their guinea pigs because of the potential income from a sale. the petsmart i went too though isn't the one nearest my house, it's one an old friend of mine works at. she's in charge of small animals and fish since she's going to school for vet. and those are her main interests so i trust her. i think the problem with mine was breeding. the small animal dept. was very clean. i'm so proud of her. she's a mice owner so she has the love. everytime i'd take the 2 hour journey to that location i'd see her cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. or in the training room when no classes were going on holding the pets. she's great and i wish they would employee more people like that but what can you do i guess. i notice that petsmart and petco in the inner cities are worse with small animals because of such high volume in sales too. that's why i traveled to buy from her.

which brings me to another story.

my friend [a different one then the one mentioned] was the one that turned me on to rats. she has one, gitsy, who is an albino rat. the poor thing lives in a 20 gallon tank with aspen shavings that are barely changed, and only water and food. no toys. nothing. not even a little home. she wants me to adopt her, i don't want to subject my rats to any illness. would keeping her in a different room on a different level of the house help keep germs from my little ones? i would eventually like to have her live with them BUT after atleast 4 months or so until i'm absolutely sure she's ok and socialized with me. is it too much of a challenge. my friend puts her in a small hamster running ball and calls it time out of the cage. the poor thing cant even move.

 

[JennieLove]

Poor baby! I wish I could have more rats. I have a big enough cats for quit a few more, just dont have the money right now.

 

[Scarekrow]

Well, I live in sort of a "rich" county, where everyone is stuck up and has to have everything coated in gold, so to speak. I'm not saying all the places around here are great, but that the people living around here have high standards. The people at the Petco near me know me, know my rats and ask how they're doing every time I come in.

You have to adopt that rat, even if you decide to put it in a second cage. We had two females, and we adopted Goo and put him in a separate cage. Take the poor thing out of it's misery and give it a good home.

@Lizzy: lol, you called Yuki little! Although he's getting thinner, he still looks like a giant fuzz ball, and he IS getting better. He actually came out of his cage to say "hi" to my bf today (my bf and my rats get along really well).

 

[Poppyseed]

The petsmart next to me always seems to have their water up too high for the rats to reach. So I complain when I see that. They finally fixed it!


I think petsmart has a hotline you can call if you find any complaints. I believe the higher ups will get on them if the animals aren't taken care of because that turns off customers from the store which turns off sales. It doesn't matter if a rat only cost $10, that is a potential customer for life. A $100+ cage, food, bedding, play toys. The more the customer loves and can care for that $10 rat the more their sales go up. So really I see no point in them neglecting their animals as they are in turn neglecting their sales.

Seriously go online and find the number and report their ass. If more customers do that, people will get disciplined and then the store would go towards the better. Will not help the breeding by any means but it helps the animals currently there.