[Dimitrius]

Hello, everyone!
I'm 21 years old, male, and I am in college. I've been in the dorms for almost 4 years now, and this summer I'm getting an apartment where I'll FINALLY be able to keep small pets! I've done a lot of research, and rats look like the pets for me! I don't have any rats, yet, but in about 2 months, I will be getting some! I've already contacted a breeder, and she's having a litter being born in early April. This is perfect for me, because by the time I get all moved and settled into my new (rat friendly!) apartment, they'll be 6 weeks old and ready to be adopted! I'm still having trouble deciding what to get, however. I think I want boy rats, because their personality seems like it would suit me a little better. I'd imagine playful girl rats would be fun, but I like to cuddle, too, and big fat lazy boy rats seem like more my style. I have a few concerns about this, though. For one, I've read that lots of males like to scent-mark with their urine, has anyone had any success in training them out of this? Or is it something you have to just deal with? Also, my roommates are cool with me getting rats, and I know they'll play with them and spend time with them just like I will (just the same as I play with their bunny and spend time with her) but they are really disturbed by male rats' huge testicles. Also, this "buck grease," is it a smell you could learn to like? Or is it one of those smells that's always gross? I know most if not all of these problems could be fixed by neutering, but I don't want to subject my pets to something like that unless it's necessary. Do any of you have experience with rat-rabbit interactions? We obviously won't be housing the rats and the rabbit together, but is it particularly dangerous to let them play together, as long as we're there with them and keeping an eye on them? I know rats will attack and kill animals that are smaller than them, but do I need to worry about them attacking a rabbit, or a rabbit attacking them?
I can't wait to get my pet rats, and to move into my new place with my friends!

 

[Nazarath]

My buck Naz has "buck greased" for what feels like forever lol. It could be just me but i haven't notied any smell with him. I've never hurd or really training them not too. I would honestly just live with it, Naz only really gets going when my girls are in heat. When things are mellow he doesn't scent at all really. I use to let my Rabbit and Naz just chill together because i would clean their cages at the same time and they got along fine. Naz jumped onto Zev (rabbit) once and there was no blood or anything but i've just stuck away from it since. If you keep their cages together and they kinda of "live" with each other like that i think it would be fine for them to have supervised play time together . Zev never attacked Naz but it's always best to be careful . Can't wait to see your little ones!!! you have to post pics when you get them . I love to cuddel with my little... well BIG boy lol and i love my girls but they don't cuddel as much as him. I've hurd of females cuddeling as well so it just depends on the rat .

 

[JennieLove]

I love my boys! The first two boys I had (RIP Beavis and Butthead), I never had a probelm with marking anything; however, the two I have now (Jay and Silent Bob) were so SO bad that they even pissed on each other! I was also having a hard time with aggression. I finally made the decision to have them nuetured. I do feel bad for doing it, but in the end it was best; most vets recomend males to be fixed. I know it sounds weird...but I miss those gross things LMAO and I'm sure they do too. Haha, anyways, I'm not for sure about the whole rat and bunny thing, but I'm sure like any other animal, its something you want to take caution with. You'd be suprised what a rat can kill; small animals yes, but also birds and other things like that! Well, Welcome to the forums and I hope that when you get your babies dont forget to post some pictures! I can't wait to see them.

 

[fallinstar]

i had a lone female rat who was very cuddly and now i have a lone male and 2 other males who are also very loving and cuddly, both sexs are amazing! as for smell either there isnt a smell or you learn to live with it! i dont notice any smell so! lol hope u enjoy your futer ratties!

 

[Dimitrius]

Thanks for all the replies, guys, I feel a lot more confident about getting boys, now! You can be sure there'll be lots of pictures in a couple months, one of my roommates was an art major when he went to school here, and he loves to take pictures!
I'm so excited to get my ratties, I hate not having pets!

 

[JennieLove]

I couldnt live without pets. I grew up with them my whole life starting with my first kitty cat (sammy) who's still alive and kickin! LoL Shes 20 years old just like me.

 

[Nazarath]

thats is a old kitty cat O.O Doesn't even look 20! from the pic anyways lol

 

[JennieLove]

I know! But shes getting a bit thinner and lost a couple teeth, other than that shes doing great. That picture was taken less than a month ago!

 

[Dimitrius]

That's awesome! My parent's dog isn't even 10 yet, I don't think. It's crazy to think how old he is, whenever I look at him, I still see a puppy! I've had a dog ever since I was 3, before that I had a bunny, but I don't remember it very well, and I don't remember ever petting it or playing with it, I just remember it being in a cage outside. The last 4 years, I haven't really had any pets, just the ones I have at home, but I hardly ever see them, once every 2-3 months. So I'm really excited for my ratties. *Scritches Sammy* She really doesn't look like she's 20!

 

[radical]

I have three boys, but they never seem to smell. I don't think you can train them out of it. However, I don't think I could ever get one of my boys neutered.

Anyways, yeah boys are great.

Good luck with the future appartment and rats!

 

[cyrescaer]

the smell, as far as scent marking goes, depends on the rat. some of them don't do it at all, some do it on rare occasion.. it really differs between each rat. buck grease also kind of goes along the same kind of idea.