# Are male rats worth it?



## herper64 (Dec 31, 2009)

I have a freind who has 2 male rats up for adoption and i was wondering if all the smelliness ect is worth it? although i want rats who cuddle i dont want rats who will pee all over me and will make me mad having to change the cage every 5 days. 

what are your opinions on male rats? what are the pros/cons of male rats?


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## Nekopan (Mar 18, 2010)

I love my boys. I don't find they're any smellier than girls, and while they do like to pee on me/things, I find it's not bad at all if you put down old towels and wear old clothing when you play with them.


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## CheshireLili (Mar 12, 2010)

Personally I think that male rats are much more enjoyable than females as cuddle buddies. I've had both genders and I've had one female that I really bonded with, but the rest for years and years have been male, just because of their more laid back personalities!


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## Lokirat (Mar 20, 2010)

Im agreeing with the rest on this one. Im a fan of bucks, down to the cuddliness, bonding and size. 

My first Rat was a girl- Angelina. She never stopped! dig dig, run run, explore, jump, tidy, make nest, dig dig, run run....

one thing girls do is wiggle their likke ears, in the teen years. 
However, My boys all wagged their tails during scritches and cuddles in youth....aww.
not know a girlie to do that...? 
i also love that ratty smell, especially after a wash....mmm fresh Rat. if only you could get a rat purfume


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## sheathepanda (Feb 10, 2010)

I've had females most of my rattie-owning life, and recently got males as well, and am absolutely loving it.
My females don't stop moving and exploring until about 2 years, and then only a few of them calm down and become my cuddlebugs.
I haven't had a problem with my males pottying on me, despite their young age. They've had small accidents when they get scared, but nothing more.
I actually haven't noticed much of a stink from my males.
If anything, my females smell worse.


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## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

My male is neutered and my girls actually smell more than he does. And he is the biggest lover ever!


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Males do urine mark, some more than others. Some females urine mark too though so I wouldn't choose a certain sex based on that.



sheathepanda said:


> I haven't had a problem with my males pottying on me, despite their young age. They've had small accidents when they get scared, but nothing more.


I think the OP may have meant urine marking people and everrrrrything (lol the little buggers) opposed to properly weeing on them.


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## sheathepanda (Feb 10, 2010)

Stace87 said:


> I think the OP may have meant urine marking people and everrrrrything (lol the little buggers) opposed to properly weeing on them.


Ah, true. I've never had any rats that really marked on anything. Well..except maybe my hairless female. You have to watch out for her during playtime.


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## jeffanie96 (Mar 15, 2010)

Lokirat said:


> Im agreeing with the rest on this one. Im a fan of bucks, down to the cuddliness, bonding and size.
> 
> However, My boys all wagged their tails during scritches and cuddles in youth....aww.
> not know a girlie to do that...?


my female karen wags her tail like crazy during scritches


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## Xposure120 (Apr 1, 2010)

My name is Karen.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

I have two boys, and I love them to death. They are very loving and bond like crazy, definitly worth the marking, in my opinion. [:
I've neevr had a female, but I would say go for it if you want friendly critters. Mine both love to play but they've bonded and they follow me everywhere ^^


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## Yukki (Dec 13, 2008)

I've owned female rats for most of my rat-owning life, (which has been most of it. I had my first rat when I was 5 or 6...) and they are definitely extremely active and less cuddly, though I have had very cuddly, social females before too. I've only ever owned one male rat, and it was so long ago that I can't remember really if there was a huge difference between him and the girls. I don't remember really him being any smellier or anything like that.

Reading up on male rats now, I think I definitely want males next, since the laid back cuddly personality is more to my interests right now. The marking I have no problem with, and I have had females who practically dribbled everywhere, especially ON me, so really I think it's more individual rattie personalities than just gender alone that determines these things.


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## VictorianVanity (Mar 18, 2010)

Yeah, one of our little girls marks EVERYWHERE, especially on me and my fiance, but the other two almost never mark on us. I wouldn't really be too concerned about it. And anyways, you get used to it.


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## vivianelizabeth (Feb 24, 2010)

one of my females aallwwaayyys marks my hands.

The other one poos if you REALLY scare her... more so when she was a wittle one.

never had boys though, but thinking about it.


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## tuppence (Apr 1, 2010)

i hope male rats are worth it i am picking my 2 new little boys up at the end of the month, it was recommended to me toget boys by my breeder, they will be my first


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## lilangel (Mar 26, 2009)

i have both males and females(rescues) and love them both. And to be true no matter what sex you most likely will clean every 3 to 5 days anyways lol Males do tend to mark but you can solve it my neutering them if you like and some females do it also. But like others just put old blankets and such 

Good luck.


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## Capistrono (Apr 12, 2010)

Males are definitely calmer but the one female I had would sit at the bars and beg me to take her out, it was very cute. As soon as I opened the cage she would jump out onto my arms. ^^ There are pros and cons to both, it really comes down to personal preference.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I love all my squishy boys!
I love my girls to, but in the future I will only have boys.
Especially after the accidental litter I had which is the reason I have so many rats.
MY boys are cuddle monsters


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## Raynes Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

TOTALLY ;D


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