# I have a dilemma



## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

My dilemma is what to do with my sister's rat. 

I have an FN 142 for my two girls but am only using the top section. One of my dogs loves to attack small animals and he cant reach the top part so until I move out or put up hardwire cloth on the bottom section they are staying on the top. 

Anyways my sister has a rat who she really doesnt take care of too well (only giving her water when she noticed it was empty...usually could be days...  ) So I started feeding her because i noticed she was REALLY skinny and giving her water. She has fattened up nicely. I introduced her once to my rats and although it didnt go as well as with my two girls introduction it didnt go bad either. I would love to put her into my FN so she could have playmates and toys (and constant food and water) but my sister has decided that the rat is a "lone rat". I think she is just afraid that the rat will not be hers anymore. And I am planning on moving out soon so i dont want the rat to have a nice cage and playmates just to go back to being a "lone rat" after I leave. I have tried to tell her that most rats like to be together and that it is one cage that she doesnt have to clean and take care of (she has two hamsters and two guinea pigs also) but she doesnt hear any of it...

What should I do? :?: 


(BTW i referred to the rat as "the rat" to not confuse anyone with the pronouns...not to be mean...I am not sure of her name. I think it is milkshake though...)


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

oh how sad! do you think you could convince her to let you take the rat? i would suggest just buying her a second rat as a friend for her first one, but i'm afraid that if she doesn't check on the one often anyway, that two would just suffer more. how does she take care of her other animals? this sounds tough, i'd see if you can bribe her out of the rat. buy her a few movies or something, i dunno.


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

How old are you and your sister? Obviously your the more responsible one, so why dont you talk to your parents about it. If she cant take care of her pet and your willing to give it a better quality of life, then MAKE them give you her rat. She doesnt feed it or give it water, show it love or attention! Poor thing. Your parents really should step in, before its to late.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Take that rat away from her. If she isn't taking care of it, she doesn't deserve it. No reason for her to dictate in it's care either way. Talk to your parents about it yeah, tell them how horrible she was taking care of it and you have had to take care anyway. But yeah whatever you do take that rat from her.


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## Wench (Apr 5, 2007)

Convince her to let you take the rat temporarily. Take the cage and everything out of her room. She will forget about it, or stop caring entirely.

When you move, take it with you.


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

I have gone to my parents about Milkshake being skinny and my mom knows that my sister does not clean any of the animals (they are on a table in the family room). I usually end up cleaning all of them because I am home all day (mind you I work a full time job but it is from 2-10pm which constitues me having more time... :roll: ). My sister usually feeds and waters the guineas and hamsters and pays attention to them. 

When I told my mom about Milkshake being skinny she told me that Milkshake was now mine but NOT to tell my sister. This was before I got my second girl and my FN. But now she doesnt want to get into it...My sister is 18 and there will be LOTS of yelling...

I guess I knew that you would tell me to take the rat away and worry about her reaction later. It should be easy because she goes to school all day so I can start introducing my girls to Milkshake and see how that goes. Then if/when they get along I will move Milkshake into the FN and then show my sister how happy Milkshake is. Hopefully that will convince her to let me keep Milkshake...

Or should I keep the cage on the table once Milkshake is in my cage and see how long it takes her to realize Milkshake is gone? (as sad as that is..) 
That will prove my point that Milkshake is better off in my care!


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## Sara_C (Mar 10, 2007)

I don't get how anyone can neglect an animal. Does she not have a conscience, or does she just ignore it? Anyways, it's a good thing that you're there to step in. If your parents understand that she's not taking care of it then i'd just do what you were planning and put Milkshake in with your girls, and leave her old cage where it is. It'll prove a point, if nothing else. Your sister sounds a tad spoiled, so i'm guessing after the initial yelling she'll forget about the rat and enjoy not having to be responsible for her any more. I suppose if she's still in the same house she can still see her. She can't be that attached or she'd take care of her properly, so i doubt she'll be too upset


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

Well I introduced my girls to milkshake this morning and it went really well! There was some power grooming from my oldest and that was it. So I changed the linens and rearranged all the toys and put them all into the top part of my FN. They are all exploring the "new" area and I havent seen or heard them scuffle. Milkshake seems to like it. I have to go to work tonight so Ill let you all know what happens when I get home...


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Lol, don't forget to buy a stuffed rat to put in there XD Or just steal Milkshake and keep the cage out and when she asks tell her 'Milkshake died' If she looks into your cage tell her you got a rat that happens to be the same color of milkshake. She won't know, she hasn't paid any attention to the rat >_>

You could also use black food coloring to make her markings different XD


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## LizLovesRats5 (Mar 28, 2007)

Yeah, I wouldn't let your sister take that rat back. Put Milkshake into the cage with your girls and give her a good home. If your sister puts up a fuss, tell her to #@%* off.


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

Girls are still doing well. My sister did not mention Milkshake being gone from the table. I told my parents what I did and my dad said that she wasnt home until late tonight or tomorrow and I said but she is home now and could check on everyone. 

LOL poppyseed...a stuffed rat... :lol: 

I cant tell her Milkshake died...she gets hysterical just thinking about death. Very sensitive in that area. Ill just tell her the truth that Milkshake is better off in my care. 

Liz...seeing how active milkshake is I will NEVER give her back!


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

you'll have to tell us when she notices milkshake is gone. and of course post pictures of everyone.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*eyeroll* If she is SOOO sensitive about death, she better start taking care of her animals. At least she takes care of her others. Poor milkshake.

On another note, 'My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard...." HAH! Had to say it, just pictureing a rat being happy singing that XD


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

LOL!!!

Well my sister still hasnt said anything. Yesterday evening she fed and watered the hamsters and guinea pigs but didnt even touch Milkshake's cage. So either she has noticed and doesnt care or she HASNT noticed which is soooo sad.  I am so glad I got her out of there! 

I finally got some pictures! Enjoy!


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

Cute and super mischifeous I see shes makeing a break for it :lol:


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

Well my sister now knows....because my mother hinted at it a few times.

My mom asked her if everyone was alive and she said yes and my mom said are you sure and she started naming off the animals...guineas were alive both hamsters were alive. My mom was like and your rat? Shes like "I think so..." and was like "did you take her?" and I said "no". 
She said "I hope shes not dead." She said "I checked her this morning and she didnt come out so i thought i would check later tonight." She said something about not wanting her anymore and that I could have her. And I said "GOOD BECAUSE I TOOK HER 3 DAYS AGO ON WEDNESDAY" She was like "I fed her on wednesday". I was like well its 3 days from then...

She then told me that she said BEFORE that I could have milkshake (I would have taken her a long time ago if that was true...). :roll: 
That she doesnt want her anymore because she wants a gerbil...she's OVER rats...I told her that she is pathetic.

So that ended better then I had expected...I just wish my mom didnt hint at it....I wonder how long it would have taken for her to realize Milkshake was gone...


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

She should NOT get a gerbil at all D: I think her guneias and hamsters seem enough.


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## Holly (Dec 31, 2006)

I'm just happy to hear that Milkshake wound up in a good home, with friends to play with. The way things have always worked in my family is that, as long as a person lives with the parents, they have to obey the rules of the parents (which is a good incentive to move out, but that's another story!  ) Don't know how it works in your house, but if I were your sister, and my mom was your mom, and mom said, "NO GERBIL," then there would definitely be NO GERBIL. I agree that your sister seems to have quite enough pets to keep her busy. I would hate to see her acquire another animal, only to neglect it...


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

I don't care how 'over' rats she was. You do not treat a living creature like that, apparently hoping she would die, just so you can have a bloody gerbil! *fume* *fume* *fume*


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Gerbils always seemed a little... dumb to me >_> And they look bitey too. I used to be interested when I was little but yeah didn't last long.


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## thegrotto (May 11, 2007)

I'd say try to convince her to let you take the rat with you. She has many other animals that need her attention.


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

A person like that shouldn't own any animals, IMHO. How can you just ignore a living creature? That's horrible.


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## lvnoahsark (Apr 20, 2007)

I agree with all of you. She should Definatly NOT get a gerbil and I dont think my parents would let her. The problem is because she is 18 she could buy one herself...but she doesnt drive yet and doesnt have a job so that might stop her for a little while. 

When she said that she was over rats I said "well thats no reason to..."she interuppted and said "I know, I know not a reason to not take care of her" So i think she understands a little bit hopefully. I should tell her that I wont be around to save the next animal that she gets "over". 

On a happier note I went house-hunting yesterday so hopefully soon I will be moving out!  Im 24...its about time  I will probably take one of the hamsters also as she doesnt seem very interested in her either...

I hate people like her...get an animal and then throw it away like its nothing  AND she says she LOVES animals...

Animals have feelings too and they dont deserve to be treated badly esp since they have to rely on a person for everything...

Getting "over" an animal is the stupidest excuse ever!!! :x


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## Night (Feb 23, 2007)

I agree with you. I've known quite a few people who seem to go through "trends" with their pets. Even one of my closest friends (well, not that close anymore) does it. For a year she was extremely into her rats. She ADORED them! She bought them a huge cage, they always had new hammocks, cooked dinners, tons of playtime...

Then she got a ferret, and I started hearing less and less about the rats. She stopped taking pictures of them completely. She would only mention when one of them died, and at that it'd just be a fleeting topic in-between conversations. Like, "Oh, so and so died the other day... Anyway!"

Then she got a puppy. Again, you heard less and less about the previous animals. 

I understand people who enjoy having many pets, but if you can't or don't want to love and care for them all equally, you might as well only have one (or two if the animal needs to have a companion).


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## Sara_C (Mar 10, 2007)

How come you turned out so responsible and mature, and she turned out so uncaring and selfish? Sounds a bit like me and my sister. My parents will get her anything she wants (not animals mind you) and within 5 minutes she's bored of them.

Glad you're there to keep an eye out for everyone all the other animals, and at least Milkshake has a mansion and friends to enjoy now


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## Holly (Dec 31, 2006)

An addendum to Night's post:

I love all kinds of animals, like many of us here. However, I try to be realistic about who I can invite into my home, and exactly how much time and love and care I have to give, total. I try to think ahead, in order to insure that all of my pets have "enough" of me.

Here's an example of how I handle this sort of thing:

For many years, I kept two aquariums with Betta fish (Siamese Fighting Fish.) In more recent times, I became interested in rats, and eventually wound up bringing a rat into my life.

HOWEVER...

I am now down to one aquarium, and I am letting it "run out." In other words, I'm caring for everyone who lives there, but as they get old and pass on, I don't buy more fish. Eventually, we won't have any more tenants in the aquarium...but everyone who lives there now will have a full and happy life.

This way, no animal gets slighted. It's just a question of not taking on more than you can handle.

I mean, let's face it: who among us wouldn't adopt every single cutie-pie animal we see, and run a private zoo in our homes, if it were possible?

Sometimes, you just have to set limits.


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## Nazarath (Feb 20, 2007)

**claps* great news about milkshake I'm so happy to hear she is with you!!!! she's a cutie!! I could never hunderstand how someone could just "stop" liking an animal. I had a friend that as sort of like that, she would always feed them and give them water, she never abused them but she never seemed very intereseted in them. She would get a puppy and then want nother one and another one, same with horses and oie don't get my started. The with her dog's "I want a purebreed doberman!" me: "why not adopt a doberman?" "because I was a PURE-BREED" ok i'll stop here lol.*


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## lizzydeztic (Mar 15, 2007)

my friend wanted a rat just for the "gimmick" of having a rat. she's a classic stereotype follower and got one in hopes of walking about with it in her hoodie pocket all day. supposedly she read a story about a cool little punk girl with a mohawk that had one and just had to do that!

well the poor thing live in a 10 gallon aquarium with NOTHING but bedding, food and water. the food was a seed mix. she was terribly over weight when i got her and so unsocialized it was ridiculous. i don't know how i did it, but now she just LOVES sitting on my lap. she had her for about a year. 

i don't see how people can be so ignorant. my friend acts like she's so intelligent and i know she reads a lot, but why wouldn't she read on the proper care of a pet?! SHE EVEN PUT HER IN A HAMSTER BALL AND WONDERED WHY SHE COULDN'T MOVE AROUND! poor baby. now gitzie is happy with her sisters.

i think it's very sweet what you did for milkshake. you have a good heart my dear.


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