# Rat Realities- Pros and Cons



## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

There's no good Pro/Con thread on ratforum that I've found...until now...help me out with it!

So I thought this might be a good thread for people who are researching if rat ownership is right for their lifestyle BEFORE they adopt them. Indeed, if you do a google search on 'pros and cons of rats' you'll find, perhaps like I did, that the answers are so 'light' and 'generic'. "Rats are Clean!" an article will claim. Okay...I agree they clean themselves quite well....but they also have no qualms about pee pee in their sleepy hammocks then rolling around and snoozing all day in it. This isn't to dissuade people from owning rats, but to give potential owners a true account of some of the lesser known realities of their regular care. 

*Describe the honest realities of rat care, the pros and cons, if you will. Talk about your own experiences. Give this thread the nitty gritty! Even give an account of your cleaning routine in a week. Describe your costs.*


*CONS:*
I used to have girls that would spray the wall behind their cage.
Rat pee dries into a sticky maple syrup stuff that needs to be soaked/scrubbed off the cage. At least one of my boys marks the ceiling of the cage.
Hammocks need to be washed once or twice a week. They retain a slight odor over time, get chewed up, and ultimately need to be replaced. I replace hammocks 3 or four times a year?
Plastic will retain a stink over time.
Dishes in the cage need to be washed weekly for me (I use crate cups, so they stay much cleaner than placing them on the floor of the cage)
All my rats have been markers, even the girls. 
They're loud at night when they bounce around. I will never be able to sleep with the cage in the bedroom.
The waterbottle noise is annoying. And for that matter, waterbottles break, are hard to clean, and are annoying. But the water stays clean.
I had a rat bite go through my fingernail.
I like like the critter nation best, but doing a deep clean is not convenient. Cage design could still be improved.
Not always easy finding a reputable breeder.
This seoul virus thing....ugh
It's best to get 2 rats at a time so they can be in quarantine together.
Rat tails get gross and a good soak does wonders.
OMG rat balls, your friends will always point out the rat balls. Children will point out rat balls. Children may cry at rat balls.
Soft poop stuck to the paws and then your rat jumps on your head.
Short life expectancy
I've had bad experiences/tough times with rats from rescues....I only get baby rats from reputable breeders now.


*PROS:*
I like to sew new hammocks....all nice and clean and unchewed!
I enjoy decorating their cage.
That thing that rat does when he snuggles against my neck and his whiskers tickle my chin.
They are SMART...I like making smart toys for them.
I like having an animal I don't need to attend to right away. I can come home, relax, eat and THEN go to the rats. 
They are amusing to watch, fun to pet. It's awesome to have a group of them (as opposed to just two).
Personalities are very distinct (unlike hamsters...sorry...I dislike hamsters ALOT)
You learn to modify the cage to best suit your needs to keep the rats healthy and happy and be able to easily maintain the rats.
Rats clean themselves quite well....but seriously, they do like to sleep in their pee.
I compost their litter....except now with the seoul virus thing going on....I don't know...
It's best to get 2 rats at a time so they can be in quarantine together.
Big giant squishes.


*MY COSTS:*
CN Cage: $170 for a double that was on sale
Bedding: $12 for 3 months for Aspen
Food: $40 for 6? months?
Accessories: $100? (water bottle, bowls, fleece, decorations, toys, stuff, cloroplast)
Neuter: $100 plus a $45 initial visit
Vet for URI: $50
Rats from a Breeder: $20-$40 each



I wish we could edit our posts tomorrow....because I have 300 more things to go on the list that I haven't thought of.


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## Rattielover965 (Apr 26, 2016)

For spraying...can't you put up some kind of waterproof barrier between the wall and the cage?


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## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

I don't have those girls anymore. I did ultimately put a shield up, which helped the nastiness on that side.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

I wish my costs were that low....
Hint! Don't get a million rats lol
Bedding- about $20/month
Food- $70-$100/month
Toys, cages, hammocks, health care- ?? Hundreds? Thousands? It adds up fast.... lol



Cons
Anyways... all pets are messy things. You have to clean up after them. Cages do not clean themselves. Even if you are busy or sick or don't feel like it, you still have to clean and care for them. 
Vets can be difficult to find that not only will treat rats but have any type of real experience at doing so.
Renting may be difficult because not all landlords are accepting of rats.
Friends/family may not see rats as pets and be rude.
Rats truly should not be kept alone, and you have to realize that if one passes it is not good to leave that one alone, this may be a life time commitment lol
Good healthy food can be more difficult to get, you might not find the brand you want in a local store and need to order it online.
Rat's can have sharp nails and leave red scratches all over your neck lmao
You suck and forget to pick something up when the rats are out and they chew it up 
You started with 2 but somehow you keep getting more and everyone calls you a crazy rat person....

Pro:
They are funny, silly, adorable, sweet, loving, fun, smart pets that bond so deeply and wonderfully to you and make it all worth it <3
Plus yeah decorating cages/play areas is alot of creative fun!


And yep hamsters are evil lol


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## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

moonkissed said:


> You suck and forget to pick something up when the rats are out and they chew it up


Or your spouse puts your hand knitted scarf on top of the cage for whatever reason that made sense at the time.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Con: When you find chicken bones in your sock drawer and carrots in your pillow case.


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## sammyterror (Feb 22, 2017)

Asiposea said:


> Or your spouse puts your hand knitted scarf on top of the cage for whatever reason that made sense at the time.


Did this with my top sheet on my bed. Had my cages in my room because it was the only warm room in the house. Made the mistake of letting the sheet get to close to my ladies cage when I was fixing my bed... I had just bought the sheet set


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## Coffeebean (Jan 6, 2017)

*Cons*

No clothes, posters, or anything within a mile of the cage.
They are pretty greedy little things, lets be honest.
Marking behaviors can be a nuisance.
Expensive vet bills.
Pricey setup, and they will put holes in their own furniture/hammocks.
Washing hammocks every 2-3 days uses a lot of water here.
Very sensitive respiratory symptoms.
Worst con is short lifespan. 
*
Pros*

Highly trainable.
Very emotional and intelligent.
Diet is very close to humans.
Lots of research on them so there is a lot of information out there.
Strong and individual personalities, no 2 rats are quite the same.
Nice size, can fit in a small house/apartment.
Virtually silent, good apartment animals or for people who are sensitive to noise.
Super portable, can ride on your shoulder or hang out in your pocket.
Very social and affectionate pets, have been found to feel empathy.
Fun and playful or lazy couch buddies, you can find both.
After setup, purchase per rat is low.
Many cute fur types and mutations available in the fancy.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Pro: when they stick their nose in your ear.


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