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sweek0 posted:Liberta Happy House looks really good actually. If you like it, then grab it definitely. A thing to note is that with the stand, it's nearly six feet tall. There's lots of little doors on it that any escape-loving rats might try to get through; I'd suggest clipping them shut if they seem at all like the rats would be able to open.
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Jul 12, 2012 12:32
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We just ordered some food from Rat Rations. Slightly alarmed by the warnings that rats should be given a vitamin D and calcium supplement. Is this them trying to sell stuff or is it genuine? Rats:  
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Jul 12, 2012 19:33
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woah! killerwhat those lil dudes are adorable  I've never heard of rats needing special vitamin supplements, but that might explain why rat treats are generally yogurt themed
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Jul 12, 2012 20:20
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I've got a question for those who use fleece. Do you guys just put it down on the bottom of the cage and just them pee and poop on it to their hearts content or have you got them trying to use a litter tray? (I tried that before, they ate their food on it and peed under it kinda defeating the point) And if you just line the cage, how do you go about keeping it clean? Scooping up the poop I can understand, but how often do you change or deal with rat pee? I'm just asking because I use Carefresh now. I love it as it keeps the cage smelling really clean and I can change it once a week easily. The rats prefer it to the Aspen I was using, but their breeding is terrible (bred at the pet store in family groups and never socialised) and the dust is causing them to sneeze constantly so I want to move to something better for them.
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Jul 14, 2012 02:02
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Windy, I use fleece over a couple of sheets of newspaper, then have a corner litter tray in which I use recycled paper litter. They poop in there very reliably, but at least one of them pees outside the litter box (I know one pees in there though!). I just dump it all out when I change the cage, every few days, or since rat poop is pretty benign sometimes I'll just change half of it or leave it another day if it looks fine. The paper litter is very absorbent so it doesn't smell or get super wet in that time. Unfortunately rats like their own pee so you can't always reliably get them to pee in the box. Mine pee under the lining, between fleece and newspaper, too. Which is why I need newspaper, I guess 
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Jul 14, 2012 12:16
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Lord Windy posted:I've got a question for those who use fleece. I feel like I should start being paid by the company for how many times I've posted about this litterbox, but it's really great and it fixes both of those things. They can still mess it up a little bit, but not nearly as bad as the old one I had that just had some crappy hooks and no cover. The rats still eat on it sometimes, which is a bit weird, but they very consistently only poop there. Pee, not so much, but that's how rats are. Pans get wiped down every 4 days or so, so it's not a problem. Picture links through to the company website, but I bought mine at Petsmart. Litter-wise, I use a mix of Carefresh and this (thought I'd give it a try, still on the first bag), but I've heard great things about walnut bedding and I'll be switching to that when the carefresh runs out. 
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Jul 14, 2012 15:55
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Guys, I have a rat problem. I got another. Four really is better than three. I also got them a new (bigger) cage, set them up with the food setup like I've seen here (stick they can climb onto to get to a food bowl) because they need the exercise. Planning on getting them more things to climb on and chew, as I can (can't dip into emergency vet funds, so I've spent what I can this check really). I just want to thank this whole thread, really. You guys are fabulous in how much you know, and I appreciate everything I've learned even if I lurk more than post. I'm sure my rats thank you for all the cool toy ideas and the homemade veggie/grain mix they get instead of lab blocks. I will try to grab some pics of the new boy (Felix) later this evening.
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Jul 14, 2012 19:55
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roads posted:
I think some girl rats are just like that. Mine at least were always acting like hyperactive lunatics as babies, and only slightly calmed down when they grew up. On the plus side they have never, ever bitten anyone, even people they don't know, so I think you're probably safe on that count if your only reason to worry is their hyperactivity. One way I could get my girls to play with me as babies was to go into the bathroom and let them sprint around the floor there with me watching. There's nothing there of interest to them, or anything chewable. After they'd mapped the place out and gotten bored with OMG NEW ROOM they would always come back to me and wrestle in my lap :3 Still, with them I was always second to OMG EXPLOREEXPLOREEXPLOREXPLORE no matter how many treats I gave. It was just in their nature, and I don't think it means your rats dont love you or something silly like that. They just love running around more. And they know that you'll still be there later after they've done their manic sprinting.
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Jul 15, 2012 01:13
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I think I've lost some of my progress in getting the boys to let me pick them up and cuddle. My friend who was pet sitting was afraid to lose one under the furniture and so he didn't take them out much, and I was gone for almost two weeks. They're not back to hiding as much as they did when I first got them, but they're definitely not as tame as they were when I left. Oh well. I'll just build back up like I did before, I guess.
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Jul 16, 2012 02:22
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Baby rat webcam
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Jul 16, 2012 11:07
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Noooooo I've got things to do today!
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Jul 16, 2012 11:10
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Poor Wiley is home from his neuter and feeling a bit miserable (he is being spoiled with warm baby cereal)  He REALLY wants to go back in the cage but I'm worried he'll just start a fight straight away. Vet told me to wait until morning so I reckon he'll just have to suck it up, poor baby. Big Bug Hug fucked around with this message at 08:02 on Jul 17, 2012 |
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Jul 17, 2012 05:52
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After not owning a rat for a few years, I have a rat named Captain James T. Kirk (I didn't name him) who is probably the most affectionate rat I've ever had. He has a few personality quirks I've never seen in other rats I've handled or owned. 1 - When he's out of his cage, he does not wander very far from me. When I move or make noise, he races right back to me. Other rats have done this with me before, but he does it like clockwork. 2 - He's extraordinarily affectionate. When I handle him, he nuzzles right up near me or in my lap and keeps looking up at me. He loooooves getting his fur scratched and gets this blissful eyes half closed look when I pet him. He will very often fall asleep on me. He is unusual in that he really goes out of his way to nuzzle up to me - I've never had a rat that was this eager to bond with me. His favorite spot to fall asleep is nuzzled up near my chest when I'm laying on my bed or the couch.3 - When he is feeling comfortable around me and not sleepy, he is hyperactive and playful beyond belief. He will chase my hand and spaz out like mad, playing tag with my fingers and darting around in circles. But he always darts back to me to nuzzle up in between going nuts. Normally the rats I've owned, while they do display affection, they are often more preoccupied with exploring or other things. This guy seems to want to nuzzle up to me more than he wants to do other things. It also helps that he's a large rat who is a big fuzzy soft well-groomed fluffball. Money shot:  The camera in this shot kinda made him look smaller body-wise than he is. He's a very large rat. Spacedad fucked around with this message at 01:42 on Jul 18, 2012 |
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Jul 18, 2012 01:34
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The boys have decided the best place to poop is right in front of their ramp to the top level, which is the single most inconvenient place in the whole cage to put the litter box 
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Jul 18, 2012 02:49
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RazorBunny posted:The boys have decided the best place to poop is right in front of their ramp to the top level, which is the single most inconvenient place in the whole cage to put the litter box Well, you just have to keep at it. Move their poops into the litterbox every day, multiple times a day if you can be bothered. If they're especially persistent, try putting a food dish there. I also have some litter (from petsmart, should be easy enough to find) that is supposed to attract them, but who knows.
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Jul 18, 2012 02:52
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I'm debating whether it's worth it. The fact that they're all pooping in one spot does make it easy to just scoop out the poops in between cage cleanings, even if it isn't in a litter box. I took the litter box out before I went on vacation because my pet sitter found it kind of daunting to have to move all their poop, and they went from pooping all over the cage to just this one spot in that time. Rats are weird. 
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Jul 18, 2012 03:04
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I was having issues with random poops, especially in two corners, when we moved the baby rats in. Seriously, all it took was putting food dishes there for them to get the message, immediately.
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Jul 18, 2012 03:20
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Gimme dat rat. Edit: Took me too long to reply 
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Jul 18, 2012 03:29
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Times posted:
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Jul 18, 2012 10:35
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Invalid Octopus posted:I was having issues with random poops, especially in two corners, when we moved the baby rats in. Seriously, all it took was putting food dishes there for them to get the message, immediately. I'll give it a go, definitely. I'm just not going to be too disappointed if they never get the litter box idea, I guess.
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Jul 18, 2012 12:12
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Hey everyone, I haven't checked in in a while but I was hoping someone could enlighten me on a matter we're dealing with. A few months ago, back in February, we had a double surgery for our little tumor factory, Pau. She was spayed and had her 4th and final tumor removed. Recovery went well and like every surgery she's had, went back to being an insanely adorable ball of energy. However, during the last month, she appears to be growing a new mass in her genital region. I will post a picture up later, but it's got pretty large already, about the size of cherry tomato I guess. Is getting your rat spayed not entirely reliable in preventing mammary tumor growth? She's already going to be two years old this August, so I'm not sure if, even though she was a trooper during her last four surgeries, she'll be able to undergo another one due to her age. I am really sad and worried for her, she is already showing some difficulty of walking with this huge thing in between her legs, but otherwise seems healthy and playful as always. Does anyone have any ideas what kind of tumor it could be? Is it another mammary tumor? Any advice on how we should handle it (leave it alone/take her in/etc.)?
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Jul 18, 2012 19:47
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Mongoloid Joe posted:Hey everyone, I haven't checked in in a while but I was hoping someone could enlighten me on a matter we're dealing with. I'm sorry I have no experience with female rats but males commonly get sterile abscesses after neuters, often months along. I wonder if its similar with girls. Have you taken her to the vet, or know anyone who might be able to reliably identity it for you?
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Jul 19, 2012 09:41
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Mongoloid Joe posted:Does anyone have any ideas what kind of tumor it could be? Is it another mammary tumor? Any advice on how we should handle it (leave it alone/take her in/etc.)? Once a female rat starts to grow mammary tumours, there is always the chance of more, spayed or not. My understanding is that spays are most effective before 12 mos of age. Afterward is debatable. Regardless, I would get her looked at to rule out abscesses or something else.
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Jul 19, 2012 12:13
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Folly got chosen for a rat experiment today, to see if the bar spacing on this cage is too wide (it's 1"). Insert one rat into a cardboard box with a 1"x2" hole cut in it, try and tempt rat through hole with praline. She got as far as her head before she started protesting and gave up. Don't worry, the Saddest Rat was given a bit of praline for her efforts. I think she'll have a lotta fun digging and stuff when we pick it up .
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Jul 19, 2012 19:00
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Yeah, that's a smart rat. "I bet if I pretend I can't fit through these bars, that fool will use it for a cage. I will be able to escape whenever I want, and I bet I'll even be rewarded for my efforts!"
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Jul 19, 2012 21:37
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Haha. I'll likely end up picking up chicken wire and a staple gun, just to be on the safe side. Folly's just been driving me batty lately, though, I've just about run out of places for her to run around free. All the other rats are, of course, still happy with their usual haunts.
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Jul 19, 2012 22:23
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     Nah, they didn't eat literally half the bone. But I am impressed they managed to split it!
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Jul 20, 2012 20:13
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 I really hate your rat photo posts! They make me want my rats nowwwwww  How many rats do you have? And what are their names?
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Jul 20, 2012 20:30
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Aww. I have four. The himalayan dumbo is Angela, hooded agouti is Liza, black berkshire is Folly, and the last one is Gypsy. I'm not really sure what her coloring is, but if someone more educated wants to chime in, here's a better picture of her: Liza's the oldest by a couple months – we adopted her and Patti from a guy on craigslist who didn't want them anymore, since he was getting a doberman puppy. Liza was always jumpy – a lot like Gypsy, though not as bad, but has really mellowed out with age and now will sit with you and give lots of kisses. Angela is my BFF and she always starts bruxing and boggling when I take her out, or just say hi. She cuddles with me on the couch and is definitely the sweetest rat. She is also fat (though not enough that the vet says we should worry about it). We got Folly and Gypsy right after Patti died, in March, so they're the youngest (Gypsy is maybe a week younger, if that). Folly is trouble. She's very cute and lively and fully of energy. All of the other rats are fine with running around on the couch for out of the cage time, but within 10 minutes Folly will be jumping off. We got a rolly ball for her to run around in when we clean the cage, and she'll go on little adventures in that (though I don't think she really cares for it all that much). Gypsy has always been a bit of a spaz, though she's gotten a bit better. She's still pretty not okay with being handled, but she'll come up to you if you open the cage or have her out. I imagine she'll end up like Liza. She and Liza are pretty good buds. Angie and Folly are great friends too, though when we first introduced the babies to the grown ones, that's where all the friction one. Now they're best friends! Angela gets along with all rats. Here are some baby photos! Couldn't find any good ones of Folly when she was super teensy – she's always been a blur.      edit: the lighting on this pic sucks, but I think Gypsy has such a cute pose here that it's worth posting. 
Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Jul 20, 2012 |
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Jul 20, 2012 21:12
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They're all gorgeous, I'm so jealous! I have no idea what variety Gypsy is - she looks like a silver or blue combo'd with agouti, somehow. Weird, but very cute! I'll probably be able to picspam in a couple of weeks, as I'm looking after my friend's two girls for ten days. I'm hoping that a) I enjoy the experience, obviously, and b) my dogs don't try to eat his rats. Hm.
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Jul 20, 2012 22:00
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Hrm I could be wrong but Gypsy looks like a very rusted mink to me!
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Jul 20, 2012 22:18
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Probably a poor blue agouti; more pics w/good lighting would help.
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Jul 20, 2012 23:17
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        First two are from when she was younger, second two were taken in the last month, last four I took right now. edit: one more 
Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 00:48 on Jul 21, 2012 |
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Jul 21, 2012 00:24
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So a pet store near me recently got a buttload of rats in. I didn't buy any but I did take a picture of a rat that was eating on top of her sleeping friend's head the whole time I watched her.  There was also a female dumbo who had 11 babies. They were all adorable but I couldn't get a pic.
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Jul 21, 2012 01:07
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God, I saw the cutest baby boy rats playing at a pet store a couple weeks back. One was standing on a ledge and another kept yanking at his tail to pull him down . edit: question. If I got an outdoor hutch for the rats, should I worry about them digging their way out? They wouldn't be in there for more than a few hours at a time, but I could put chicken wire on the bottom I guess. Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Jul 21, 2012 |
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Jul 21, 2012 01:17
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Invalid Octopus posted:God, I saw the cutest baby boy rats playing at a pet store a couple weeks back. One was standing on a ledge and another kept yanking at his tail to pull him down You probably want hardware cloth for that; chicken wire's going to be a bit too open for that sort of thing.
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Jul 21, 2012 01:53
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Invalid Octopus posted:
Oh, yeah. dinosaursforsale was right, she's a mink with a lot of rusting going on. Looked like she had ticking in the first pics but no.
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Jul 21, 2012 01:57
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I'm about to start BYBing the poo poo out of rats again. I have a variberk with a very exploitable headspot I can use to get high whites:  but I dunno the source of his headspot so I'll have to do a couple of test litters before I know if it's safe or not. If it is, I can be rolling in BEWs by Christmas 
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Jul 21, 2012 02:04
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Superconsndar posted:I'm about to start BYBing the poo poo out of rats again. What pretty markings. And a patient puppy.
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Jul 21, 2012 07:03
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Big Bug Hug posted:And a patient puppy. Trauma + the formation of A Complex are happening itp
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Jul 21, 2012 13:49
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