The Rat Lovers Club! ~MODS PLEASE LOCK!

[heartleafed]

Yeah, the blowing thing is rather effective. I've never had the biting problem with my rats (they're actually surprisingly well behaved for being pet store rats), but we do the same thing with the dogs when they get on us as we're eating, and they stop as soon as you do it.

@Rabbit: It is a horrible thing to hear. I'm not going to go into detail, but it's usually blood curdling.

We went to the store yesterday because my rats and rabbit both needed more food. I really wanted to get another rat from there, I don't know why. I decided against it though, if I do talk my mom into letting me get another rat, it's going to be adopted/rescued.

[maxlet]

I haven't posted here much, if at all, but I have a quick question.

Is it normal for rats to have long nails, or are you supposed to clip them? I've had a woman that owned many rats tell me to take baby finger nail clippers and just trim them. Also, if you do have to clip them, is there anything I can do to get them to sit still long enough without me hurting them? They're both really squirmy and just want to go explore.

[Nindeanwa]

about nail clipping, I wrap my girls in a towell so they can't see what's going on and work on their nails, you have to be careful about how far you clip though because you don't want to hurt them, I trim claws because I have contact dermatitis when ever I hold them and it itches like a mother.

so I have had my three girls getting along for the past month, then just yesterday my oldest tore into my youngest's ear. I have the oldest seperated from my younger girls now in a different cage but it makes me sad because I don't want her getting depressed again when I'm not around. what could cause a sudden regression like that? and how should I take care of the tear? it looks bad but it appears to have already closed up and healed (the fighting happened in the middle of the night when I was asleep, I kinda just moved my bigger girl and scolded her then passed out again before running off to work right when I woke up so I didn't see her ear until about 7pm last night) I don't want to hurt her more but I have a feeling it's too late for skin glue

[TheForumFairy]

wait..yah i heard it once...when my rat and hamster were bent on killing each other and they were in the wall they exscaped bot at once and then u heard them screaming

no clipping is a bad idea you should just put a large round stone they can't get thier jaws on and supervise them they will climb on it slowly wearing down thier claws,or another rough surface but not to rough gentle rough

[MoonfallTheFox]

I finally got around the screaming. Wet cat food, they love it, and they all wolfed down the medicine this morning without any fuss.

Yay!

[Lierre]

About the nail clipping- I would only clip the tips of the nails with baby nail clippers. You don't want to clip too much. If you accidentally cut the quick(which is pretty visible in rat nails) get a smooth, clean cloth and apply light pressure to stop the bleeding. It may hurt for a while, but it'll heal. Unless it gets infected you won't need to go to the vet.
<:3OO---

[MoonfallTheFox]

If you cut one too short it will bleed like nuts, but if you gently push cornstarch in it that will make the bleeding stop. They will squeal when you push it in, but you have to pack the nail. Sometimes you have to do it again if you cut it REALLY short, because it will start bleeding when they walk on it.

[Sadies]

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Username: Wolf_Therian_Sadies
Have you ever had a rat?: Yes, I had two. Saddly they died buy they were awsome.

[TheForumFairy]

epic another feedable and breedable pets member

[maxlet]

Thanks everyone :3

I do only get the tips when I trim them, but I can only get a couple before they squirm. I will definitely try using a towel, keeping in mind the corn starch if I cut too short ^-^