So I was interested in getting a rat they seem sweet. I thought about a cat but I’m super worried about them because they can have massive vet bills that I’m worried about.

I noted that rats don’t need vaccines. So I have enough to take care of them and spoil them but again I’m quite concerned about medical bills. I guess my question is should I still expect medical bills with a rat?

I am new to owning rats but not rodents. I love my little ratties so much already (it’s been like 3 months). But they STINK. My Guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits never had the musk these little guys do.

I have done my research and I understand that we can’t use scented cleaners because of their sensitive respiratory tracts. I’ve tried wiping the cage down with vinegar and also using a steam cleaner, but it still smells so bad.

Today I put the rats in their tiny cage and took the big cage outside and blasted it with the pressure washer and put the hammocks and felt in the washer with a lot of vinegar. Also, I don’t think the felt is the issue as it’s a new addition in the last 3 weeks and the stink was there before. Previously we were using cardboard to cover the wires but they kept ripping it up so I was worried they would hurt their feet and switched to felt. It’s minimally better so switching back to cardboard isn’t out of the question.

It’s worked way better than anything. But this isn’t going to be feasible twice a week once winter hits where I live.

How do you clean their cage and get rid of the stink? The entire lower level of my house smells vaguely of rat.

I'm just curious if this is a common practice, and if it is worth doing. At what age would they normally get neutered and any idea of the cost? I've heard they are more cuddly and mark less when they are neutered, plus of course that they can't procreate if they somehow got in touch with a female (or if I wanted to adopt one later on). But I also don't want to put them through surgery if it isn't a good idea.

I’m preparing for my first rats and thought I’d got my cage sorted but I’ve just found I’d ordered the ferret nation instead of the critter nation by accident! Luckily it hadn’t dispatched yet so I’ve managed to cancel it — but now what?

The proper critter nation says it could arrive anywhere between the end of December (too long to wait is it is) and the 11th of March (insane!!), which seems suuuuper sketchy. Like amazon are trying to sell me something they don’t actually have access to.

Can’t find anything else with proper doors in stock anywhere! Ideally I want the storage shelf too bc I want to do a dropped base.

I’m based in east anglia and don’t drive so I need something shipped. HELP.

Hi,

I know what you're thinking. No I don't want to force my lifestyle choices on my boys.

The truth is I got my two boys a couple of months ago (brothers and there were only two left we are hoping to get more)

They are such adorable little critters and so social and intelligent.

My worry is theyre not gaining weight very quickly. Now as the title mentions I am pescetarian. This means we hardly ever have meat in the house unless we have guests over.

The boys do get eggs, safe fish, tofu etc for protein and I sometimes give them meat based baby food but I'm worried it's not enough.

The issue is any meat I do buy will be largely wasted bc of how little I would need for them and of course no one else in the house eating it.

Does anyone know any dog food brands that are safe for them to get meat maybe? Or have any solutions for how to get more protein into them?

Im absolutely fine having meat in the house and preparing meat - Im largely just vegetarian bc of some insensitivities I have to meat in terms of digesting it myself but I am happy to do whats right for my pets! I just want to minimise waste while doing it!

For reference I'm in the UK and in a VERY small town so it would need to be something I could get from a supermarket or maaaybe order online if theyll deliver to us.

I love exploring subreddits about topics I have no clue about hello. Rat ball deluxe

edit: who tf downvoting this. i love this subreddit u guys

I put together this image in a picrew image creator. I've been drafting out a rat-sona because i myself feel awfully rat-ish so I'd quite like myself to be represented as one of these cuties. What would this pattern be called..? Is it like a form of hooded or Berkshire?

Hello everyone. Right now I am crying, i have love lost my rat. I keep blaming myself because i think I am a bad parent. I really don't know why he died today.
His name is "Jirniy Brain" what means "fat Brain" on Russian. At 1 of p.m i was working and i listened some weird, loud and scare sound. It’s as if the person is suffocating. Then one more sound. I thought these sounds of my black rat, but i really don't know what that was. I blame myself because i didn't check my fat Brain, i thought he was sleeping. He was HEALTHY, just a little bit sneeze. My workday had ended and i went to their house. And i decided to check why fat Brain wasn't walking. And i touched him. I didn’t believe it and ran to my husband. He said that it's true.
It's my nightmare for today. And nightmare which will escort me all my life. Now i don't want to be a parent of rats. I want to avoid to be scared of death again. I have 3 rats. And it will happen 3 times.

I pinned some photos of him. He was very cute.
I'm very bad for my English, im not good in English definetely.

UPD (after 5 minutes of posted):
We have prepared him to be buried. I can't believe.

My poofy boy Homer Simpson has decided to be a terror and so he is losing his balls privileges. In the meantime he is in rat jail so he does not hurt his brother

that’s it. that’s the post.

He just turned 5 months and has been such an asshole these past couple weeks 😭 Currently separated from his brothers.

I’m a vet tech at the clinic and the dr is letting me assist! Bonus I get to keep them. Going to display them proudly

Help??? I thought rats couldn't throw up??

My elderly rat has been on antibiotics for a few weeks for sneezing and puffiness. The vet noted possible neurological issues because he kept falling over, and suggested looking into palliative care (like steroids) after the antibiotics.

He was improving, but took a bad turn today:
- He became much more unresponsive than usual.
- He started chasing, biting his tail, and grooming excessively.
- About 10 minutes ago, he tensed up in a strange position while boggling and bruxing in an obviously uncomfortable way.
- He is now sleeping in an odd position.

I feel like he might pass away tonight. I'm willing to pay for medicine, but I don't want surgery or treatments that will just prolong his suffering, and my vets haven't been very helpful.

Should I take him into the vet tonight or just focus on making him comfortable at home? Any advice is appreciated.

That cartoony face... I took this picture yesterday in his usual spot🩷

the drama of getting his paws wet for a pea 🙄

Should I be concerned about this? Her tail does behave normally aswell but she seems to have a preference to curl it like a corkscrew.

I rehomed her 6-7 weeks ago and she’s around 6 months old so don’t know if she ran on wheels before coming to me,also she only seems to have started doing it within the last week or so. Seems fine otherwise but I haven’t noticed any of my other rats doing it before so it does seem abit odd to me

Early today I decided to euthanise one of my extremely loved rats after two different vets gently urged me to. I had to decide between euthanasia or surgery (which the vets were very uncertain about the outcome and my rat had a small chance of a traumatic development causing him to die in the wait for the surgery)

This rat was only 10 months old. I feel so bad because I know that there's a chance that the surgery may have worked. Im worried that Santi (this rat) will resent me and be confused when he realises that I decided to euthanise him. I just didn't want him to experience any more suffering. I don't know how to cope and i feel guilty.

Does anyone have any experience/advice on coping after euthanasing a heart rat?

My heart Rat, Kiwi passed away peacefully in her sleep today.

She was the sweetest little soul. I’ll miss her terribly. 🩶🤍

I just wanted to share my favourite photos of her.