The BRODENTS! Rodent Enthusiast Thread! V2

[gamorasass]

honestly, just want to know about a few items as i know a lott about the critters already. since the hedgehog chat is dead, i might ask for names later on down the line. i reckon im getting a little girl. i like the name pebble.
do rodents have snuggle sacks/bags? and if so, what make?

Yes they can! I always bought my cage items off Amazon or Pet Smart, so you should be able to find them there. But there are loads of small companies that make snuggle sacks and the like. Try looking some up! Budget Bunny is one I can think of off the top of my head.

(note: also posted this on The Rat Thread, but it doesn't seem to be super active so I'm posting here too, hope that's okay)
Hi there! I was hoping someone here might be able to offer some advice. I've had pet rats for the past 12 years or so, and I absolutely love them. I adopted two sisters (we think) about a year and a half ago--Rena and Poppy. At the time, we had two other rats as well, Carney and Jule. Sadly, Carney, Jule, and Poppy have all since passed away, Poppy just a few days ago. It was really hard. I don't think we will be able to adopt any more rats to keep Rena company, as I'm leaving for college before too long. I've never had a single rat for an extended period before, and I'm worried about her and looking for advice to keep her happy. I have a large cage with two main "stories" and two additional smaller ones. She has igloos as well as cardboard boxes and hammocks made from t-shirts that I change up regularly. I give her newspaper as bedding, and she stuffs it where she likes. I give her a treat (fresh fruit or vegetable, or Cheerios) every day in addition to her regular pellets. I'm trying to spend extra time taking her out to play, but she has never been one to run around a ton. Any tips for other items I can add to her cage or other ways to keep her engaged and happy, short of adopting another rat? Thanks in advance

Sorry to hear about your losses. <3

Honestly, I'd suggest re-homing her if you can't get her another friend. No matter how much time you spend with them, it's not enough. They really do need a furry friend. I had to re-home my boy for many reasons, but one of which was because he was unhappy alone. Sure, in general he looked to be content, but he wasn't himself and looked just so lonely. I found him a great home in a rat rescue and he's as happy as can be.

[DragonReaper13]

Is dryed corn bad for rats, I read some where that it is bad for them, but there is a rat food that I could buy that has dryed corn in it and Im confused about it.

[gamorasass]

Is dryed corn bad for rats, I read some where that it is bad for them, but there is a rat food that I could buy that has dryed corn in it and Im confused about it.

Dried corn is not good for rats and can cause liver issues. If the food you are using has corn in it, it's probably not a very good brand. Oxbow Essentials is a great option if you are looking for another food!

[DragonReaper13]

Is dryed corn bad for rats, I read some where that it is bad for them, but there is a rat food that I could buy that has dryed corn in it and Im confused about it.

Dried corn is not good for rats and can cause liver issues. If the food you are using has corn in it, it's probably not a very good brand. Oxbow Essentials is a great option if you are looking for another food!

Ok, the food I use doesn't have corn I just saw a brand that did and was confused.
Thank you for the help ^^

[marshsiren]

(note: also posted this on The Rat Thread, but it doesn't seem to be super active so I'm posting here too, hope that's okay)
Hi there! I was hoping someone here might be able to offer some advice. I've had pet rats for the past 12 years or so, and I absolutely love them. I adopted two sisters (we think) about a year and a half ago--Rena and Poppy. At the time, we had two other rats as well, Carney and Jule. Sadly, Carney, Jule, and Poppy have all since passed away, Poppy just a few days ago. It was really hard. I don't think we will be able to adopt any more rats to keep Rena company, as I'm leaving for college before too long. I've never had a single rat for an extended period before, and I'm worried about her and looking for advice to keep her happy. I have a large cage with two main "stories" and two additional smaller ones. She has igloos as well as cardboard boxes and hammocks made from t-shirts that I change up regularly. I give her newspaper as bedding, and she stuffs it where she likes. I give her a treat (fresh fruit or vegetable, or Cheerios) every day in addition to her regular pellets. I'm trying to spend extra time taking her out to play, but she has never been one to run around a ton. Any tips for other items I can add to her cage or other ways to keep her engaged and happy, short of adopting another rat? Thanks in advance

[quote="dwarjam"]
Some rats can do okay on their own, its not in any way ideal though. You really have to keep lone rats active, training them to do tricks is one way to help make it work. ^^^^unfortunately rat rescue groups are bit hard to find and are often over stocked, depending on where you live. Adopting the gal out by yourself could prove to out her in a worse situation as well.

I currently have a elder male rat that lives alone because his friend died, he however wasn’t exactly a social butterfly most rats are. He came from a bad line of breeders so unfortunately i have little faith he’ll live long. I’m also in ni position to adopt another considering ill be moving in a year. If adopting her out isn’t an option training and extreme amounts of play time is needed. I find that bird trick treat toys are amazing at giving them something to work their brains on.

[amsie]

^^ i have to disagree with you there. please do not house your rat alone - you can never give it as much attention as a furry friend can. you cannot snuggle, play, socialise, etc. 24/7 like another rat can. even if your rat wasn't a "social butterfly", rats can't live alone. they just can't. if your rat is aggressive towards other rats, sure. if your rat doesn't seek other rats constantly, then that's still not fine.
and if your rat is from a bad line of breeders, the best thing you can do is adopt out another rat. rats without a mischief die younger, get sicker easily, etc. etc.
you can never give a rat as much love as another rat can. adopt an older rat if anything, not getting a kit/pup. that way they'll be of similar age, can bond, etc.

[Ecko]

^^ i have to disagree with you there. please do not house your rat alone - you can never give it as much attention as a furry friend can. you cannot snuggle, play, socialise, etc. 24/7 like another rat can. even if your rat wasn't a "social butterfly", rats can't live alone. they just can't. if your rat is aggressive towards other rats, sure. if your rat doesn't seek other rats constantly, then that's still not fine.
and if your rat is from a bad line of breeders, the best thing you can do is adopt out another rat. rats without a mischief die younger, get sicker easily, etc. etc.
you can never give a rat as much love as another rat can. adopt an older rat if anything, not getting a kit/pup. that way they'll be of similar age, can bond, etc.

Rats most certainly can live alone and be just fine. Is it always the best situation? No, not always, it depends on the individual and of course the world isn't perfect. As with people, some animals are more independent than others and as with people, some animals can cope just fine without a companion. Besides, not every rat is willing to be best buddies with a strange rat. So rehoming a lone rat or adopting a companion could potentially do more harm than good. My last girl lived to almost her third birthday after nearly a year passed since her sister passed away. She kept up with her same old attitude, playing with her toys, eating her favorite treats and causing mischief as if her sister never left. My friend, like most, felt that her rat needed a friend when it's sibling passed so she adopted one of a similar age and they could not be housed together without suffering from daily injuries due to them picking on each other. So while yes rats are social creatures and generally due benefit from constant companionship, this is not always the case as each individual can have different attitudes and personalities from the standard norm.

[marshsiren]

^^ i have to disagree with you there. please do not house your rat alone - you can never give it as much attention as a furry friend can. you cannot snuggle, play, socialise, etc. 24/7 like another rat can. even if your rat wasn't a "social butterfly", rats can't live alone. they just can't. if your rat is aggressive towards other rats, sure. if your rat doesn't seek other rats constantly, then that's still not fine.
and if your rat is from a bad line of breeders, the best thing you can do is adopt out another rat. rats without a mischief die younger, get sicker easily, etc. etc.
you can never give a rat as much love as another rat can. adopt an older rat if anything, not getting a kit/pup. that way they'll be of similar age, can bond, etc.

Hi, yes my little baby has an aggression issue with other rats, he had one other rat he would tolerate but wouldnt let another rat near him after the other rat died. My rat is severly inbreed and has several medical and behavioral issues that require seprate care and housing.
I will never and have never suggested to someone to buy one singular rat, but if push comes to shove housing a lone rat is at times necessary. I was simply telling the previous person some small tips on how to give a tad more entertainment.
————
A lone rat is never a good situation to be in, most rat rescue shelters are over crowded and very choosey in who they can rescue. Other areas don’t have rat rescue centers. Other adoption agencies can’t take rats or they get put down almost immediately. Depending on where one lives rehoming a rat is just plain dangerous to your belived friend. The South in the us is over run with strays and has an extremely high statistic if animals being put down. However, if the person above lived un an area with better rat rescues/low crowds and her rat was doing poor i would definitely suggest adopting the rat out. Heck, I would suggest doing anything if the rat was not doing good.

[amsie]

i think one of you misunderstood. if a rat has aggression issues, no, you don't need to house it with another rat for both of their safeties. you also don't need it to be a rescue, a lot of people sell their rats and setups since they didn't take on how much time and effort is needed for a rat/s. I don't have rats in any of my local rescues - and if there are rats, they are reserved and adopted within 24 hours.
also, @ecko, no, rats can't live "just fine" without a mischief. some animals are more independent than others - but that doesn't mean you have to take away the option. i've went ahead and found a few links to show this.
nfrs has gone ahead and answered some of your questions/statements. a youtuber has gone through this too.

[gamorasass]

A friendly reminder to please be respectful towards one another and this thread is not meant for debating.

Research and evidence shows rats do not live well on their own. There are some cases, such as aggression or medical needs, where there is no other option, but other than that, housing a rat alone is never recommended.

Moving the topic to something else, here is a discussion question for you all:
Which rodent was your first pet? Tell us about them.