[RattieFosters]

So just kind of curious about this, as I noticed a bunch of you guys have pets other than rats.....

What are your favorite species/breed of pet and why?

Also (as I've been looking at maybe getting another pet), are there any other small pets that are as friendly/social as rats?

 

[Kelsbels]

Besides rats I grew up with a lot of different pets. We often had dogs and cats, and for me personality plays a big role. I loved my cats because they were so cuddly friendly and we bonded very closely. Then later I had bonded more with my dogs when my cats had passed away. I'm an animal person so it's so hard to say I've had a favorite after having the privilege of owning so many lovely pets.

However my dad who isn't the biggest animal/pet person says out of all the pets rats were his favorite. ^_^

As for other smaller pets *sigh* rats are just very special. I've had Degus, Rabbits, and often looked after my school's Hamster and I can none of them can compare to the companionship you can have with rats. I did enjoy them, especially Mark the Hamster, but I couldn't say I forged the same bond with them like my rats, Pinky and Dragon.

Ferrets can be really fun to have, despite the smell. I personally never owned one, but I've had friends who have and loved them.

 

[artgecko]

I've heard that if you get really well bred show line mice they can be very friendly and not flighty. I don't know of any other small pets that are as social as rats. Most just tolerate handling.

My other favorite species to keep are cats (the ones with good personalities and socialization) and snakes. In particular, I love boa constrictors and carpet pythons. Both are intelligent and inquisitive snake species that like to climb. Boas are easy keepers and are generally calm if brought up correctly. They are not cuddly, but definitely interesting animals.

 

[MyrtlesMom]

Dogs. Hands down. Don't get me wrong. I love my ratties, but i have a special bond with my giant boy (90lb Shepherd mix). He's such a jerk, but soooo cute, and smart as a whip. Even figured out how to open the sliding door and run off. "Little" fart...As far as small animals go, my rabbit, who is a mini Rex the size of a guinea pig and taught himself how to come when I call his name. His favorite hobbies include head bopping laptops and chewing headphone wires

 

[moonkissed]

I have 17 rats (not counting my litter of 12 babies), 4 guinea pigs, 7 cats and 2 dogs.

My favorite animal is the cat. I am a huge cat person. If I could only have one pet in the world it would be a cat.

I have had or had experience with tons of small animals. There are always exceptions, but really not one is as social, interactive or bonds as strongly as a rat.
Most smaller animals tend to be standoffish. Some may be ok with being handled but don't prefer it or could easily live without it. Some even being quite prone to biting. I would never place any of them in the affectionate box with cats, dogs, rats.
I find rabbits and guinea pigs to mostly tolerate people rather then love us lol.

that is why I do love rats so much. They are so intelligent and much more like cats or dogs in how they relate to us and want attention.
I love my guinea pigs alot, they are awesome characters do not get me wrong but they are nothing like rats at all.

But I can not stress it enough that there are always exceptions. Some people have gotten lucky and had the most amazing, loving small animals. But I think you have to hope for it but be willing to accept that you may not get that. Like when I was a kid I had the most amazing pet mouse who truly was special and adored me. I took him all over the place with me. I would sit outside and he would run around under me but never wonder off. He was never aggressive & was so sweet.

 

[JAnimal]

I have a dog a cat and 4 rats. My rats are great for cuddling. All but one of them are lazy. I guess I got the worlds most energetic boy rat. My cat has great personality and he makes me laugh. And my dog is great in all ways. She is super friendly, and quite smart. I have had a hamster also when I was younger. I got very lucky. She never bit me and tolerated some handling. To give her credit I was 9. My favourite pets are my rats only because when they annoy you/pee on you, you can just put them back. But I love all animals. I really want a ferret but thats not happining anytime soon.

 

[KayRatz]

I've had a lot of other pets but my top four are dogs, birds, rats and rabbits in that order. If you have the time and resources a bird is a great pet, very interactive and fun but they DO bite--they are a lot nippier than any other pet I've had and can be pretty hormonal and testy! But they can also be very very sweet and fun. Their care is pretty similar, they're like rats but they fly and are louder, brattier and more expensive to care for ;D

 

[RattieFosters]

KayRatz: I love birds. I currently have a 9yr old cockatiel that I got from the pet store for my 10th birthday when I knew nothing about bird care, but somehow he's still kicking. xD

Have any of you owned ferrets? They were one of the pets I was looking into. I think they're really cute, and they seem like super playful, fun pets... just wondering how friendly they are.

 

[DVirginiana]

I have 4 garter snakes, a ball python, a box turtle, a pacman frog, a White's tree frog, 2 tarantula species, a bunch of wolfspiders that I raised from eggs, a pretty big giant American millipede colony, a giant Malaysian forest scorpion, a mouse, 2 rats, and a dog.

It's a bit soon, but I think the rats may be my favorites. They're kind of tame and adorable like a dog, but they still seem to have a little bit of that 'wild' instinct left, which is what draws me to a lot of my exotic pets. It's what I loved so much about my mice, but smarter and less fragile.

 

[Kelsbels]

Have any of you owned ferrets? They were one of the pets I was looking into. I think they're really cute, and they seem like super playful, fun pets... just wondering how friendly they are.

Ferrets are very playful. I just think they need to be handled a lot when growing up to be friendly and less bitey. An old boyfriend of my sister's had the sweetest ferret. I was 6 or 7 when I knew this ferret and he was gentle and playful. He was a lot like a monkey jumping around hahaha he'd also steal his owner's cigarette packs and hide them.

Someone stole him when they were moving into another apartment.

 

[mnyablonski]

Other than my rats I have 3 cats and dog. I love my dog but my cats especially my cat Oliver is my favorite cats just have such interesting personalities even between my 3 they are all different.

 

[RattusMaximus]

Ferrets are amazing! My mom had them and she agreed that they were awesome. I've never had one before though, because my parents wouldn't let me. First, ferrets are genius escape artists. Also, they need lots of attention. Like 5 hours a day attention. And they smell-really, really bad. You can get them deoderized, but they still reek.

I still think they're great. My third choice after them and rats would be guinea pigs. At least they rarely bite, and they are so big and adorable... You do have to socialize them well and young, though, so they aren't too skittish, which happened to my friend-they could never even pick them up.

 

[Gribouilli]

I heard degus were very entertaining to watch, and very smart too. They are loving but not like rats. On the bright side they live much longer than rats, and their pee is pretty much odorless. Also they are awake during the day, and will sleep at night- so might work better for someone who keep their small pets in their bedroom. I will keep having rats because I believe their are the best of small pets, but I also would love to get degus too.

 

[InuLing]

I have just a dog, cat, and fish besides my rats, but I really love birds. If you don't mind a little noise because they WILL talk to you and are willing to keep their wings clipped they are wonderful. To get a bird though means you have to keep the wings clipped. I've heard one too many sad stories of birds flying out the window or door and getting lost. I love how cockatiels are willing and happy to just ride on your shoulder (like some rats but less fidgety lol) while you do things around the house. I also know people who swear by parrots but as a college kid I can't make the 50 year commitment a parrot requires. My cocatiel cage is sitting on standby until I move this summer. Hopefully at that point I can put some birds in it.

 

[Daphne88]

I have experience with cats, rats, hamsters, gerbils, dogs, and some reptiles and amphibians. I currently have two cats and three rats. I truly have a fondness for just about any animal, but my top pick is probably rats. In terms of care, rats seem to be the easiest for me. They're happy at the same temperature as humans, they enjoy many of the same foods, they are low odor, and they have plenty of personality. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're so incredibly cute and soft!