[ration1802]

I have a confession to make.

I currently have 15 rats (as most of you will know) and I've been VERY good recently regarding buying new rats - as my resources are stretched enough as it is!

Well, ahem, as I've been stressed to the moon and back with my poor Katie recently I decided to go to the pet-shop to pick up some treats for the rats (yes, I don't treat myself - the retail therapy is for the rats only) and I was talking to a guy in there about two gorgeous rex's that one of the pet shop workers has reserved.

THEN he has to go say that they had an accidental litter a month ago which are in a back room...

Not only that but...

They are rex's...

And some of them are dumbos.

They'll be ready to take home in two weeks, and they'll have been quarantined before hand (this pet shop is good with QT - all of the pet centre workers are rat breeders)

Gah! I'm going back this weekend to speak to the girl we know well down there, who will show me the babies and maybe (which means I will) reserve one. But my name's on the short list, meaning I would get the original pick of them before they get put up for general sale.

doh!

Smack my wrists


Does anyone else seem to have this complete lack of self control when it comes to our beloved furballs?

 

[gemalouise]

how do you manage with 15 rats i have 6 boys and 2 girls and would love more but im struggling with the boys and there smelly cage

 

[Berks]

I guess if ya have 15, whats one more, right

 

[lilspaz68]

C'mon Ration, you can make it to 44 with willpower like that! Come join me!

THAT is why I do not go into petstores anymore, plus I try not to support animals being sold so find my supplies elsewhere. LOL

Btw you should know you have to always get babies in pairs!!!

 

[ration1802]

THAT is why I do not go into petstores anymore, plus I try not to support animals being sold so find my supplies elsewhere. LOL

I've been banned from petstores for a while now - until mum went in the other month and bought Daphne home for me. now I know she can't be trusted either, so I tend to run in, grab and run out again - avoiding at all cost the rat tanks lol.

And I would much rather take in a rescue rat - but I don't think there are any rescues in my area. Plus, I'm such a regular in this petshop, that one of the girls there sees me as a first port of call for rehoming rats that have been thrown on her (she breeds to sell to the petstore, but she's very good with rats). Half the rats I've acquired from this place I've got free, so they've not profited. Stick THAT capitalist petstore chains!

Btw you should know you have to always get babies in pairs!!!

Oh, I do know - but I barely kept my ear telling my mum I was getting one more. She'd have kittens thinking that two more would be added to the zoo that's the living room BUT! My plan is to get a little boy, chop his nuts off and throw him to the mad sisters...mwahahaha. Hopefully having a boy in with them will calm them down a little bit as they've been at each others throats recently and need something to take their attention away from their estrogen induced madness. It'll be my first nut-job *proud tear*

Anywhoo - how much do you want to bet that I come away with two anyway lol

I guess if ya have 15, whats one more, right

Exactly my logic! Another good one 'I've had 16 before, what's wrong in back-tracking a liiiiiittle?" (I think I'm getting a little too good at talking dear Mamsita around :-D)

how do you manage with 15 rats i have 6 boys and 2 girls and would love more but im struggling with the boys and there smelly cage

Lol, I struggle and pull my hair out a lot of the time. I'm being made redundant in March, so I'm trying to tighten the purse strings a little bit...needless to say that's not really working all too well lol.

They all get their attention and a little free range time every day. I make sure they all get a goodnight treat and (yes...I really do this) and tuck them into bed (ok, they're nocturnal, so they get right out again but that's not the point darnit! LOL)

I have all the rats in my mums living room too - so it does get bit smelly by the end of the week. But I clean them out thoroughly and find that if I keep their cages in check - the ones with more than 1 rat in I clean twice weekly) it doesn't get too bad. If it did, I'd be turned out on my ear by now lol

 

[madeittothemoon]

I'm the same way... I can't even let myself go into the petstore anymore!

 

[yonksgirl]

WOW!!!!! LOL!! I can not say I blame you...these darn little things are so freaking cute!

 

[twitch]

my friend is finally able to take her rat home come christmas (her hubby and i have talked this out with the landlord and are making it a surprise for christmas). her hubby told me to just go out and get Sookie a friend they could take home with her as well. well, i stop off at the store meaning only to get ONE more rat. heck, i didn't even fully intend to get a rat there at all. my original plan was to contact a rescue. i just wanted to see what the store had. if they had anyone that especially special i thought i might pick them up, maybe. well there was peaches and sweet-ums... both were so friendly, both so desparate for love. there was a quiet little white rat in there too that i felt bad for leaving behind but i could not go in for MAYBE 1 and come out for 3... the were so small too and so cute. i had to go all the way to my parents for the nursery tank i had left behind.

we had sweet-ums for not even a full week before she died from unforunate circumstances. i told the hubby striaght out but i had to tell my friend as well, which was difficult because not only had she fallen in love with sweet-ums she didn't really understand why i was calling her in the first place.

in anycase, i had to go out and get another rat baby. peaches was still a couple weeks from graduating from the nursery and as it would be unfair to make her stay there alone.... anyway, that's how we have brisby now. she's a coward, afraid of her own shadow and is probably about the exact opposite of what sweet-ums was like, but she has her own merits. the reason i got her over the others was that she was the closet size to peaches and still too young to be pregnant.

but i tell you, there was this little hairless, smeeze dumbo baby whom's ears were so big i thought for sure he was about to trip over them. and he so affectionate. but the bugger was male and i did not want to shell out another $90 right now. also, i would not be giving him away, i knew that the moment i looked at him. i have no clue where the will power came that made me leave him behind. i know that if i go back and see him i'll take him home next time though so i'm not going near that store again for a long while.

weak will power brought many of my rats too me though. Babydoll, Stewart, Ink, Violet, Sweetipie.... yeah, i think most rat owners succumb to it at some point. those faces are just so hard to say no to.

 

[ration1802]

there was a quiet little white rat in there too that i felt bad for leaving behind but i could not go in for MAYBE 1 and come out for 3...

...

yeah, i think most rat owners succumb to it at some point. those faces are just so hard to say no to.

A few months ago, I went in for a water bottle. I came out with Lily and Kitty and promised to come back for Niki and Jennie the day after. I couldn't separate the sisters (even if it did leave them in pairs).

Then again, I've been there before and seen the smallest, cutest little rat sitting in the corner wheezing away and knew I couldn't bring it home, because knowing he was sick and I don't have very good QT facilities, I couldnt risk my other babies. I had to settle for telling the store attendant, going back to the car and crying my eyes out. *sap*

 

[SammyNova]

Wow 15? My 3 keep me busy enough as it is.

 

[ration1802]

Wow 15? My 3 keep me busy enough as it is.

Compared to some here, I've got a dinky bunch lol

 

[Mana]

There's no way I would be able to say no to those dumbo rex babies! I don't even go to pet stores that I know have rats, because I have no will power at all. I also avoid Craigslist now. I'm determined to keep my rat population in single digit numbers, unless I perchance find a neutered male somewhere ^_^;

 

[Batamodel]

I know what you mean..
How can you say no to this
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/1102/00016jk3.jpg
^ my kitty rat

 

[Charlet_2007]

UMMMM very easly? Not a big fan of hairless rats *cough rat's with mange* ..On my part I've had over 70+ at one time.. you went to the back of my house and nothing but rat cages as far as the eye could see..

 

[Batamodel]

Thats a rather negative way to look at something so adorable.

 

[ration1802]

UMMMM very easly? Not a big fan of hairless rats *cough rat's with mange*

I actually have a rat with mange - and can assure you they look nothing like a hairless rat. But my hairless' thank you for the comment

 

[ration1802]

I know what you mean..
How can you say no to this
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/1102/00016jk3.jpg
^ my kitty rat

I couldn't say no. She's adorable. I LOVE the black furred hairless, they look too cute. Be careful, I might come steal your Kitty mwahahaha

 

[Batamodel]

Oh snap!
Time for a new home security system

 

[glindella]

UMMMM very easly? Not a big fan of hairless rats *cough rat's with mange*

rude much?

 

[ration1802]

*proving a point*

Mange (poor Ritchie, his furs growing back now though)

Hairless - Daffers