The Rat Lovers Club! ~MODS PLEASE LOCK!

[MochaTheLlama]

People are going to breed their rats. In some ways it's wrong, but when I read Shadi's posts I never pick up on any cruelty. If her rats are still comfortable, and not going through stress, and all the babies go to good homes.. why's it such a big deal?

I don't know much about breeding, since I don't plan on ever breeding my girls, but I know a good lot about rats and they don't sound like they're in distress. Plus, this club was made for people to share their stories and pictures of rats.. not to badger each other on what they do wrong. You can voice your opinion, no one is going to stop you from that, but not everyone may agree with it.

[HellyBoo]

I agree with you, despite the fact that I breed my rats. I would rescue but there is no where around that rescues rats so I can't help that way. The only rats around are pet shop rats and they almost always bite. I drove a long way to find two good breeders just so I can breed for those pet that love rats but can drive 4 hours to pick up one.

Yes I am a teenager but I know what I'm doing and my parents have had rats for years before I was born and they know what their doing as well.

I am going to stay out of this argument as much as possible but see it from my point and the people that love rats near me.

[rachaelandrats]

Shadisin - when I said about people breeding, I wasn't just meaning you. I don't think you're one of the younger members that I mean (I don't know what age you are, but some members that have posted before are clearly really young). The attitude on this thread towards breeding is just that it's fine no matter what. That's what I don't like. You've posted all these litters you have lined up, but from my experience, breeder rats (which I have had, my first ever boys were breeder rats) aren't always better. I went to a good breeder, still, they didn't live any longer. My oldest p at rattie was Nell, who came from a pet shop at about 4 weeks old... too young and clearly really tiny.... she was obviously from a bad background, but she was my oldest.

It is up to you at the end of the day with breeding, I have no doubt that you love your rats, but the only posts I see by you are accidental pregnancies, rats escaped, pets getting rehomed.... surely you can see why seeing all those posts can be kind of hard. As for the cage thing, we'll have to agree to disagree. I use a Ferplast Mary cage for nursing, I'm in the UK though... but there are barred cages in the US/Canada that are suitable too. If it is a 1m bar spacing they aren't going to fit through that, they can't possibly. Safe and secure cages aren't hard to find. I saw a post by you mentioning using wripped up fleece not so long ago, that's where I got that from.

[rachaelandrats]

I would rescue but there is no where around that rescues rats so I can't help that way.

That's fair enough, obviously people can't rescue rats that aren't there to be rescues / rehomed. But on the other hand I don't know why you need to then breed your rats. I also had to drive 4 hours to get my first few boys from a good breeder (4 of them were from a rescue litter but had been born with this breeder), why do you then need to breed yours though, that's what I don't understand.

I don't even have so much as a problem when people keep the babies... it's not something I would do now, but when I had my first ratties, I wanted to breed my "original boy" to my first ever girl. I realised that was just selfish though and I didn't, but I would have kept all of the babies. So far with my rescue litters, I have kept all of the babies with me. I don't know how everyone goes about rehoming all these babies though. Do you post on free ad sites? People always say "friends" but there's a lot of babies in a litter, most people do just take 2 or 3. So what happens with the babies?

[Cloudsong]

Okay, this fight needs to stop D: This thread is to talk about rats, and to give suggestions and share pictures and stories. There is no need to start stupid little arguments - let's all just get along, yes? As a poster on this thread, you are allowed to express your opinions, and are free to advise people to get more than one rat or on anything else. But, you are only advising them - they will make their decision on the matter in the end, and you are not to judge them or tell them that they are a monster for doing whatever they choose to do XD Come on guys, lighten up!

Really sorry to be telling people off, but I'd hate to see the thread being closed down because of these arguments...

@Shadinsin: Please don't quit! We all love having you here, so you should stay. :3 Your rat pictures are awesome, and you are an experienced owner.

Also, since the thread is reaching 500 pages soon, and someone should remake it. I don't have time to post here, and I no longer have any rats... So I'm looking for someone to remake it. Please send me a PM if you'd like to be the one to remake it - I'm only doing this so that only one thread will be created, so that the board doesn't get clogged up! XD I'll be choosing someone who is active, and has not gotten into very many arguments in the past. We want everyone to be comfortable posting! (:

-Cloudsong

[-PLEASE DELETE-]

Cloud I sent you a pm about that already!!

[rachaelandrats]

lol, I definitely wasn't trying to argue with anyone. I was genuinely just asking about what happens with the babies. A debate if anything.

[SunShy]

just out of curiosity,
what are all your favorite rat coloration's?
I am getting a rat one day, but I can't decide what color.
I suppose temperament matters more, but I cam a cross a litter that were all sweet, but I couldn't decide which!

[-PLEASE DELETE-]

just out of curiosity,
what are all your favorite rat coloration's?
I am getting a rat one day, but I can't decide what color.
I suppose temperament matters more, but I cam a cross a litter that were all sweet, but I couldn't decide which!

I love Siamese! My baby Armageddon is a Siamese! He is the sweetest rat I've owned aside from my first one!

[.Middy.]

I personally love the cream hooded and the Siamese colors.

Im hoping atleast one of my males will be cream hooded like their daddy. Still no news on their birth though.