15 Reasons(count 'em: 15) Why Rats RULE!

Rats are awesome pets, but SOME people don't like them. If someone in your household needs a little persuading, then print out this list and hand it to them!

1. Rats are personable. They love humans and are social pets that don't hide in their sleeping houses and be shy. They always want to say "hi" to any humans that pass by, rat-lover or not! They also have unique personalities that make them great pets.

2. Rats are affectionate and loving. Yes, affectionate! Rats are sweet, snuggling creatures. Rats have natural instincts to be with each other and they will love to sit in your lap or on your shoulder and lick you. Unlike hamsters, they really want to be with someone.

3. Rats are clean. People think rats are dirty, filthy, diseased creatures. Wrong! Rats groom often, and like cats, they have a second germ-free saliva that foams at the lips while grooming. It acts as a soap to clean their fur and tail. Another way they are clean is their waste. They keep urine and feces in one corner of their habitat and don't leave it scattered all over a room. They can also be litter box trained so they don't even need a cage nearby for playing, just a small "rat-box" in a corner for him to have access to.

4. Rats are easy to care for. Rats don't need a lot of care. Even if you don't have time to play on some days, rats will be happy to explore a safe room while you do house-chores or homework. Everything else is a breeze. Water and food can be replaced every other day. Cage cleaning is simple: every two weeks. Rats don't need as much cleaning care as other pets. The only thing is playtime. Rats shouldn't have a plastic ball. Instead, you should have fun activities for them(cucumber slices in a bowl of water, blanket tunneling, outdoor harness) and especially one-on-one time.

5. Rats are inexpensive to have. Rat owners only spend the most when they first get the rat: probably about $90-$100 max. The rest of his life is very inexpensive. Food lasts longer and is usually only $6-$8 dollars. Cages don't need to be replaced. Accessories like training items, toys, and harnesses don't need to be bought right away.

6. Rats are smart and trainable. Rats are the most common animals used in labs and college psychology
studies. Some people create "Rat Olympics" as school events, and even owners can train rats to spin, sit, speak, open things, fetch, stay, stand, jump......as much as a dog can be taught! Service rats are used to find bombs and even physical problems with people using their astounding sense of smell. Blind use rats to guide them. Children with down syndrome and autism have rats as loving pets for snuggles and to help them learn. Rats are very amazing creatures when it comes to training and intelligence.

7. Rats are great with kids! Rats never bite or scratch and are safe for young children to pick up. They are sturdy, tolerant pets that don't try to "get back" at a grabby toddler. In fact, they want to be petted. Surprisingly enough, rats are perfect pets for kids in hospitals that have cancer or have had surgery. They are therapeutic animals that make you love them forever once you see their personality towards you.

8. Rats are cuddly and huggable. Rats are soft creatures that are good for hugging and loving on. They will love back!

9. Rats are quiet.  Rats are VERY quiet. They don't bark, hiss, or screech. They don't keep you up at night. People who had rats in a room whenever the landlord or their rodent-negative friends came to visit were never heard of or noticed.

10. Rats don't take up much room. Pet rat cages are usually no bigger than 4 feet tall. Living rooms or bedrooms are great places to keep rats, since the cages look modern and cool in those environments.

11. Rats don't need shots or many medical visits. Unlike dogs or cats, rats don't need expensive check-ups unless they are obviously hurt or sick. Spaying and neutering costs $20 per rat, but make sure it is a rat-savvy vet.

12. Rats are loyal. Once a pet rat owner had an unexpected seizure and the rat climbed out the cat door, climbed the top of the fence, and squeaked loudly for the next door neighbor. Rats are loyal, caring pets that care about their owners greatly and will even lose their lives for them.

13. Rats are entertaining and great stress busters. Rats are extremely fun pets to watch and interact with. A simple idea like a tissue box turns into a million ideas for a pet rat! 24/7 your pet rat will be doing something that will be fun to watch. Pet rat enthusiasts take rats to rehabilitation and nursing homes and let everyone watch the rat(s) play and even interact with the people! After a long stressful day at work, pet rat owners can play with their pet rats to relieve stress and anxiety, along with plenty of relaxation.

14. Rats come in all sorts of colors and styles. Rats aren't just white, they come in plenty of colors, sizes, and shapes to fit your needs and likes. Rats can be used for show in 4-H and other animal showing organizations to show off your rat's unique colors.

15. Rats are animals you will get very attached to. Karen Robbins, a rat owner, says: "I used to have goldfish. They were pretty, but when one died, I didn't get sad at all. They were simple to replace, and nobody felt bad." She recalls the day she got her rats. "My mom didn't want anything to do with them, but after a few days of having them, she loved them! She told me they were great pets and that she couldn't believe her feelings about them before." Having rats as pets is rewarding and satisfying. There are many great things about these misunderstood pets that people should know. "These little angels are the greatest." Robbin says. "Each of the many rats I have owned have given me so much love, affection, and joy - more than i could ever ask. I cannot imagine living my life without them."

Keeping a Routine

Rats are highly intelligent and observant creatures, so even a slight change will make a rat confused and worried. If someone, for example, passed away in the household, especially if the rat favored them, the rat could become depressed and even die too. But the things you can change whenever you like should be in an organized way. In the mornings, you should do what you normally do for your rat. Perhaps you give it a crumble of toast or a nibble of dry cereal. In the afternoons, you most likely will go to work or school. Around the evening, right when you come home, spend time with your rat for at least half an hour. Later on, you should spend another half hour of time with him. Be sure to include at least an average of 10 minutes of "ball time"(or when you put your rat in his exercise ball) and training time, if you want to. Rats don't like "whenever", they like it if you are planning on doing it every day. In the wild, rats went in packs, like a colony, and every day they scavenged the same area they always went to. Domestic rats are like this. There's a time to eat, sleep, and play. This is how a rat's normal day usually is.

A Rat's Normal Day


Scurry around
Nibble on food
Climb on cage bars
Take naps
Wake up
Drink water, eat...
Take more naps
Owner comes home
Wait
Owner gives treats
Owner lets me out of cage
He lets me explore room(or even house)
He gets down
He plays with me
I go in rat ball
I get out and go in cage
I eat, sleep, play in cage
Owner feeds and waters me
Training time
Owner does his own thing
The end





Usually all rats are different, so they do things differently, and so do their owners, so try to   "go with the flow" and observe your rat's routine!!

Keeping your Bunny away from Boredom!

A rabbit's choice of housing is important. Daisy has a big area to play and groom.

Playtime is a very important thing for your big-eared furry friend. You can't just buy a bunch of toys and pile them into the cage, figuring they'll play with the toys while you are gone. You have to take your bunny out and physically interact with him or her. Rabbits are very social creatures that instinctively know that play is a way to learn how to interact with their environment, to keep their bodies in shape for things that they do everyday. But what if you have a rabbit and you simply do not have enough time to sit down on the floor and play with the bunny every single day? You shouldn't get rid of your bunny, but get another one! Two or three rabbits have a few pros and cons. They will live longer, be happier, and never get lonely during those long hours when your away at work or school. Of course, this doesn't mean you can hide the cage somewhere in a dark shed, or leave the cage in a place where cannot observe and pet your bunny(s) from time to time as you walk from room to room. The location of your bunnies' play space should be where the rabbit likes to be. Does Flopsy enjoy a high-traffic area where you are a lot, or does she prefer a quieter, low-traffic area, such as a living room or bedroom? Another thing to ponder is: Where will the bunny play? A place where the toys are, surely. A poll on a rabbit website stated that rabbits like homemade toys the best, but even more than that, they love their humans. If your bunny loved you that much, and trust me, he does, wouldn't you want him to be in a place where he wouldn't be neglected? Rabbits love attention from anyone, and many say their rabbits love to be where house visitors come in. Without a proper "play area," bunnies can get bored, and even aggressive.


ENOUGH PLAY! 

Given the fact that rabbits are unable to vocalize their thoughts, feelings, and emotions to us,  rabbit owners must know their bunnies well enough to realize when enough is enough in regards to playtime. Overexertion is the last thing we want our bunnies to experience. Keep a close eye on your pet's body language and vocalizations during play to keep it fun!!!!

1 Times up! Though laying down is
usually a sign of contentment, if you've been playing with your rabbit for awhile, and he proceeds to lie down, it may be a sign your pet is hot and tired and wants to rest.
Supply fresh water and keep the cage in reach just in case the bunny needs to hop in, in order to relax.

2 Boxed in    Rabbits see their litter-box as their personal space, and 50% of the time, they're sitting on it. If your bunny hops into his litter-box during playtime, it means they're done playing for the time being.

3 Grunt, Grunt   Have you ever heard a grunting sound come from your rabbit's throat? This is another way rabbits vocalize towards people or other rabbits when they're trying to tell them that they want them to stop. If your bunny does thing, leave him alone, as he may be a little tired of you shoving toys in his face(in his point of view).

4 Catch ya' later    Sometimes your rabbit will not do any of the above; he'll simply hop away and leave you in the dust. At times like these, playtime is over. Attempting to chase him and continue the game may lead to angering your rabbit. Allow your pet to do what he wants, as there is really no such thing as telling him what to do; rabbits are extremely stubborn, so if you do own a rabbit, it may be the other way around.

Daisy enjoys a toy I bought her

Rabbits love toys they can tear up--especially if there's treats inside!