Rattie Rambling
So, I've been shifting things in my room... rearranging and finding space that I didn't realize still existed. My incentive to do this is to see just how much space I have in my personal area and where. I would very much like a pair of ratties.
I've loved rats for years. When properly socialized, they're the sweetest little squishes. They have a lot of personality. They're smart. They're small. They aren't hideously stinky and are cleanly creatures on the whole. And damn, but they're cute.
A pet isn't something I could ever rush into, obviously. I'll be thinking and reading and reading and thinking for a while yet, mentally rearranging my space and trying to decide what could go where safely. A cage would probably have to be half-bolted to the wall so that the cats wouldn't be able to (easily >>; *stares at Strat*) knock it over onto the ground.
Because he would. Oh yes.
This is the cat who figured out how to open the bird cage and sat in the bottom, staring up at the petrified little cockatiels quite contentedly until we noticed that their noises weren't quite "right" and we realized the cat was getting a much closer show than he was used to. That cage was also too precariously perched on its stand and they had a blast trying to knock it over by curling and sitting and jumping on top of it. None of that, thank you. Precautions would need to be taken.
I'd also need to figure out everything I need and have all the supplies in place, clean, and ready before anything came home. The cage would have to be assembled, fully cleaned, and set up with a comfortable variety of supplies and accessories. Food would have to be purchased in bulk. Bedding would have to be on hand.
And then it would be figuring out where the hell I could find the actual rats. O_o Maryland doesn't have many breeders, and pet stores... just, no. Uh-uh. Not happening. So for now, it's research.
Genders:
Would I get a pair of girls or a pair of boys? The males tend to be more laid back and lounge-ish and content to just sit and cuddle, which I would love, but they leave little droplets of urine every few steps guaranteed. The females tend to be more active, more likely to say hello in between playing, but they don't have as much of a droplet-issue. Does anyone know how bad that actually is? Smell-wise, visually... anything?
Cage
In terms of cages, I've seen recommendation after recommendation for Martin's cages with the powder coating. Like, tons of recommendations from people who really should know something about what they're referencing. One of them would probably be the best bet. The cage size I'm most seriously considering is the powder-coated Martin's 690. It's a great size for two or three rats with lots of climbing room and space for tons of toys. It would have to be the powder-coated treatment, which is best at not absorbing urine smell and is all-around better for critters, or so I've been informed.
Example:
Food
The brand of food I see most often recommended is... lemme see if I can spell it on the first go: Harlan Teklad? It's a lab block that provides complete nutrition for rats in lab settings, but is also used and loved by a large number of rat breeders and enthusiasts on the web. This food, combined with healthy treats like fresh veggies and fruit and whatnot (and not-so-healthy but loved treats), is supposed to be great for them. Apparently most of the store-bought stuff has a lot of wasted 'filler' like alfalfa pellets, which rats can't properly digest and won't eat, and also a lot of rat-equivalent 'junk food' that they enjoy but don't get proper nutrition from.
I heart you, intarwebz. You teach me much and have many sources written by many people to cross-check facts.
Bedding
Some options I've found include CareFRESH Ultra wood pulp fiber (most recommended by some), aspen shavings, and Yesterday's News recycled newspaper. They seem to be preferred by different people and all three are reasonable alternatives. I'll just need to figure out which will work best for me and my room.
Nest Box
A flowerpot? A jar turned on its side? There are a large variety of things that can serve as nest boxes. Some recommended lining for the rats to shred include tissues, paper towels, and paper. Hmm. Will have to consider.
Accessories
I'll need a plastic water bottle for drinking, a heavy ceramic dish for the occasional play-time and opportunity to bathe themselves, hammocks, maybe some ladders or pipe/tube tunnels... bird toys are also recommended. Toys need to be rotated on a regular basis for the smart little buggers. :3 A wood block or something similar is important to keep their teefs from getting too long. If I'm going to get a wheel, I'll have to go with a Wodent Wheel, which I can get through the Martin's site. Either the Senior or Wobust wheel, depending on gender.
I've loved rats for years. When properly socialized, they're the sweetest little squishes. They have a lot of personality. They're smart. They're small. They aren't hideously stinky and are cleanly creatures on the whole. And damn, but they're cute.
A pet isn't something I could ever rush into, obviously. I'll be thinking and reading and reading and thinking for a while yet, mentally rearranging my space and trying to decide what could go where safely. A cage would probably have to be half-bolted to the wall so that the cats wouldn't be able to (easily >>; *stares at Strat*) knock it over onto the ground.
Because he would. Oh yes.
This is the cat who figured out how to open the bird cage and sat in the bottom, staring up at the petrified little cockatiels quite contentedly until we noticed that their noises weren't quite "right" and we realized the cat was getting a much closer show than he was used to. That cage was also too precariously perched on its stand and they had a blast trying to knock it over by curling and sitting and jumping on top of it. None of that, thank you. Precautions would need to be taken.
I'd also need to figure out everything I need and have all the supplies in place, clean, and ready before anything came home. The cage would have to be assembled, fully cleaned, and set up with a comfortable variety of supplies and accessories. Food would have to be purchased in bulk. Bedding would have to be on hand.
And then it would be figuring out where the hell I could find the actual rats. O_o Maryland doesn't have many breeders, and pet stores... just, no. Uh-uh. Not happening. So for now, it's research.
Genders:
Would I get a pair of girls or a pair of boys? The males tend to be more laid back and lounge-ish and content to just sit and cuddle, which I would love, but they leave little droplets of urine every few steps guaranteed. The females tend to be more active, more likely to say hello in between playing, but they don't have as much of a droplet-issue. Does anyone know how bad that actually is? Smell-wise, visually... anything?
Cage
In terms of cages, I've seen recommendation after recommendation for Martin's cages with the powder coating. Like, tons of recommendations from people who really should know something about what they're referencing. One of them would probably be the best bet. The cage size I'm most seriously considering is the powder-coated Martin's 690. It's a great size for two or three rats with lots of climbing room and space for tons of toys. It would have to be the powder-coated treatment, which is best at not absorbing urine smell and is all-around better for critters, or so I've been informed.
Example:
Food
The brand of food I see most often recommended is... lemme see if I can spell it on the first go: Harlan Teklad? It's a lab block that provides complete nutrition for rats in lab settings, but is also used and loved by a large number of rat breeders and enthusiasts on the web. This food, combined with healthy treats like fresh veggies and fruit and whatnot (and not-so-healthy but loved treats), is supposed to be great for them. Apparently most of the store-bought stuff has a lot of wasted 'filler' like alfalfa pellets, which rats can't properly digest and won't eat, and also a lot of rat-equivalent 'junk food' that they enjoy but don't get proper nutrition from.
I heart you, intarwebz. You teach me much and have many sources written by many people to cross-check facts.
Bedding
Some options I've found include CareFRESH Ultra wood pulp fiber (most recommended by some), aspen shavings, and Yesterday's News recycled newspaper. They seem to be preferred by different people and all three are reasonable alternatives. I'll just need to figure out which will work best for me and my room.
Nest Box
A flowerpot? A jar turned on its side? There are a large variety of things that can serve as nest boxes. Some recommended lining for the rats to shred include tissues, paper towels, and paper. Hmm. Will have to consider.
Accessories
I'll need a plastic water bottle for drinking, a heavy ceramic dish for the occasional play-time and opportunity to bathe themselves, hammocks, maybe some ladders or pipe/tube tunnels... bird toys are also recommended. Toys need to be rotated on a regular basis for the smart little buggers. :3 A wood block or something similar is important to keep their teefs from getting too long. If I'm going to get a wheel, I'll have to go with a Wodent Wheel, which I can get through the Martin's site. Either the Senior or Wobust wheel, depending on gender.