[Shine]

The owners of the apartment in which I live have recently contacted me and informed me that I am not allowed to keep rats. I'm really sad and worried, and I desperately need to find a good place for my buddies to stay so that my human friends and I don't lose our home.

The thing is, I really love my rats, and I really don't want to permanently give them away. I need to find someone I can trust to hold on to them temporarily until I can find a more permanent solution to our problem. I've already tried asking people I know in person, but none of them have been able to for various reasons.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures to show, but the rats in question are both male, one adult and one baby. Their names are Amadeus and Gem. They are buddies and love to play together, so I'd rather not separate them, but if I can't find someone willing to keep them both, I will do whatever is necessary.

If you live anywhere in the general area and have the extra space/ are willing to babysit some rats for a while, please contact me, either by commenting or sending me a PM. My friends and I would all very much appreciate any help we can get.

 

[Phantom]

I wish I could help, but I live in Florida. D=

 

[Rat Daddy]

Although I'm out of your area, I've done my stint as a landlord.... Although I've had an apartment completely destroyed by a tennant who had cats and no litter box... Yes imagine... no litter box and indoor cats... Whatever comes to mind, imagine 10 times more disgusting...

But even I suppose I could be persuaded to allow certain animals for a big enough pet deposit.... If your rats don't do any damage, you get your money back, if not your landlord gets new carpets on you. Seems like a fair deal.

I know a fellow who rents bungalows to people with dogs, he charges a pretty hefty pet deposit (about $2000.00), but he has a great occupancy rate and usually winds up with new carpets and other renovations between tenants on their dime. Everybody wins.

Best luck.

 

[Rat Daddy]

You might also be able to get a renter's insurance policy that would cover pet damage the landlord might accept. I haven't looked into it, but renter's insurance is usually dirt cheap. Most landlords don't hate animals, they have just experienced the massive damage that animals can cause.... And by the way, I've had rats that ate wires creating a fire hazard, you better believe I'd require a pet deposit and insurance for rats, if I were your landlord.

Again best luck

 

[Shine]

Our apartment requires pet fees (pretty expensive ones compared to other apartments) but they only allow a maximum of two "pets" (by "pets" they mean dogs and cats. Smaller animals they say have no limit other than "be responsible") but no rodents.

According to what they told George, no rodents of any species are allowed (including things like hamsters and guinea pigs) because they are afraid they will multiply quickly and overrun the apartments. This is completely ridiculous, but it's a rule, and I doubt they'll budge on it. These people don't seem very rational to me. :I

 

[Rat Daddy]

I doubt anyone has offered your landlord a pretty substantial pet deposit for a small animal before and you might be able to set a limit on rats of a single sex for example. I find money and insurance makes people more reasonable.

I've seen the kind of damage my free range rats can do, except for the fire hazard, it's still less than dogs or cats can do. But single sex rats can't breed and if your apartments already have wild rats for your rats to breed with... well that's not your problem, that's already theirs.

And if they think you would cause your rats to breed intentionally like a hoarder, you can set a mutually agreed upon limit and reasonable inspections.

I know this can be an expensive option... but it might work. I have to admit I once declined a tenant who bred bird eating spiders... We got as far as; How many babies do your spiders have..... 2000 at a time: And how big are the babies... the size of pinheads... Yup 2000 pinhead size tarantulas growing up in the walls was too much for even a pet deposit. I lived in the apartment downstairs... and that just wasn't going to happen in my house. I was able to get past his snakes and a single big tarantula might have been OK after we sealed all of the cracks and gaps around the plumbing at his expense... but I know how hard it is to get rid of bugs when they infest your house. I don't know, maybe I was being unreasonable...

 

[nanashi7]

Going along with Rat Daddy, maybe you can offer a non refundable pet deposit (what I've always had to pay) with a vet check which will guarantee health and sex (and maybe a letter proving they can't mate because their both males). I had to pay $200 but I never mentioned how many rats or what gender I had until they visited me at move in. I didn't get my money back, and I'm okay with that as rats did some damage.

 

[Shine]

I still haven't been able to find a place for my buddies to stay, and rent is due tomorrow. When we go to the office to pay up and ask about the maintenance issues that still haven't been fixed (things that were already broken when we moved in), they are going to ask if we still have rats, and I don't know what will happen if we still have them by then.

I'm so worried. :I

 

[TanyaB]

So wish I could hold them for you but I am just too far away. Good luck.

Did it say in the contract when you first moved in that you can't have rodents? If not then surely they can not hold up doing required maintenance work because you have them. In fact, even if you are in breach of your contract I am pretty sure there are some repairs that they have to do no matter what.