# "wild" pet rats?



## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok so one of my paper stops is having a rat problem.... 4 rats are running amuck in the store and property i have seen 3 look like black and white hooded one is a cream hooded i talked the manager into allowing me to set live traps i fully beleave thease were pets that were turned loose while they run i dont feel they are fully wild what can i expect if and when they are cought? they are verry young still


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

It is highly unlikely to have those colours and markings in the wild so I suspect those rats were once pets that were accidentally or deliberately set loose at some point. As to what you can expect? I am not sure. Some people have had great success with rehabilitating 'feral' rats but I think it depends on their personality and how long they have been wild. It is hard enough taming pet rats, let alone rats who may have been wild for quite some time. I think setting those live traps is a good idea. Then you can see how friendly they are and if they are healthy which gives them a good chance of being re homed.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

they dont look verry old biggest one i saw nose to tip of tail id say maby four inches? hard to really tell but that would be my guess


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## deedeeiam (Apr 8, 2014)

PawsandClaws said:


> It is highly unlikely to have those colours and markings in the wild so I suspect those rats were once pets that were accidentally or deliberately set loose at some point.


That's true to an extent. However, the rats could very well be feral or even born in the wild.

One of my neighbors bought her kids a bunch of rats. The rats had babies. Once they were weened, the little hoodlums released all the rats into the neighbors' mailboxes (the kind that dump right into your house) and spread them around the street. It was horrible. DNR and animal control practically lived on our street to get rid of them. That was almost 7 years ago. If you drive by at night, today, you'll STILL see pet store-looking rats running around. So, while highly patterned rats aren't usually seen in the wild, their quick reproduction time means it's very possible that the rats seen are a few generations removed from what was released.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

this is the first time ive seen them or heard about them so maby there a dump im gonna check trapps tonight


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## Blackthorn (May 14, 2007)

They were most likely dumped by someone who didn't want them. They are unlikely to be feral. People "set pets free" to get rid of them all the time, thinking it's ok to do (it's not), or else not caring that it's not. Definitely live trap them and assess them then - they will probably be scared, but they're quite unlikely to be hopeless. They sound like they are just babies.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok so we got one, looks to be a female agoiti i think... she kinda looks the agouti brown but more greyish she seems friendly and not too scared she isnt dartig around the cage or trying to bite i havent tried to pet her yet she is gonna stay at a friend who dosent have rats house and go to a vet when we catch all four


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok last night i talked the manager into putting any babies cought in a large box and showed him how to reset the trap, we have two hooded agoutiish girls a black and white hooded boy and a cream boy with only one eye i will get pics when i go back to my friends house boys and girls have been seperated i used a oven mitt to do so they seem really tame im gomma go with they were dumped or set free


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

I'll be following this thread; please keep us updated.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

kk, once my bf gets up the 4 are going to the vet for a check up i dont think there are anymore but we left the trap just incase


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok we just got back from vet a bit ago everyone seems tame they took the visit well except the squirmies, we have two boys and two girls 6-8 weeks old all blood work came back everyone is clear and healthy except one boy who has a eye infection and has lost his eye i have eye drops with antibotics and stuff ill get pics later


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## Blackthorn (May 14, 2007)

Thank you for saving them.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

they are so curious, nowonder we cought them so fast still havent got pics but there amazing little things ans fast...


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Everything you describe sounds like recently dumped pets  since you separated them are you keeping all four? Names?


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Poor babies being dumped like that. Thank goodness you managed to save them. Please keep us updated and yes please pics. Thank God the store owner/ manager didn't put poison down!


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok we are gonna keep them, yes boys and girls separated and they are so young vet dosen't think they are pregnant they did blood work and stuff making sure they werent sick, my bf has been allowed to name them boys will be cupid (has what looks like a bow and arrow on his side) oden the one eyed boy bridget and elinore (looks like a humming bird on her back) i can[t do picks untill after the 27th because my phone is out of data i'll try to get some on my comp when they come home they are still at my friends house for a few days i got some new stuff to rebuild my ladys cage on the inside everything has been replaced in it so it's a bit smaller but still big enough i'm hoping for my new big cage soon


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## LittleBird (Jun 22, 2014)

I can't wait to see them! So glad you saved them!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Ah glad you're keeping them! Hope everything works out well with intros and such.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok so we have a 5th baby he looks a lot older definitely more scared and REALLY skinny, vet is checking him out later tomorrow je is a beautiful black and white hooded ether he has been there a while and gone wild or someone is wrecklessly releasing them more than once... this is soo sad...


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

i should note he is also more aggressive even squeeling at us he is gonna ne a handfull


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh boy! It's really sad. Hope he tames quickly and learns to trust.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

it seems the last boy was the last one no more have been cought after we put himwitg the other boys and he is doing much better


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

he even has let me pet him and hold him all of them are calming down and vet saya all are ok last boy waa dehydrated so we got him some high water content fruit and some juice he has been going bonkers over so hopefully they will be better soon


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Sounds positive! So how many rats do you actually have now? I've lost count


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

i have bear, cup, nuka, java, and thunder for boys and pepper, rain and cream for ladys so 8 for me my bf has buddy, ninja, N, and jake so 4 for him the other 5 are still at my friends house in quarantine but i will take 2 girls and the oldest boy my bf will het the two smaller boys... he has a thing for male rats lol, his and mine are housed separately untill my new cage is built then there will be plenty of room and he is gonna move in with me all our rats already know each other and hang out at petsmart togeather and stuff


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Awesome man... I had a ratty named pepper once. It'll be so nice when you have them all together. My hubby loves our boys, it's really great when you have a partner who loves them as much as you do. I speak from experience.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

yea its awesome were excited


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

With all of them together you're seriously going to have your hands full


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

oh yes, my boys are already a handfull thankfully mostly smugglers, and tjey have rhe whole living room for free range so i have the room i thought about putting safty shelves up where they can climb on those and be able to go up


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## CuteRat2 (Sep 20, 2013)

Keep us updated.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

i got them to my house last night ill get pics and upload them when i can


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok i decided to go ahead and burn some data here are pics in order elinore, bridget, skeever, oden, and cupid sorry for having to scruff oden it wasnt for long and i wanted both of his eyes and he dosent sit still


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

arent they cute?


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## Cyrix (May 2, 2014)

Wow, very adorable all around. You did a great thing saving them!


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## bloomington bob (Mar 25, 2014)

very cute!


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Awesome!! Reading this has made my night! It's wonderful that you've gotten all of them out of the store and are keeping them together!


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

skeever is the biggest boy he is still skittish but no bites from anyone and the babies are kissaholics... long as you kiss slow and quiet lol


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

They're gorgeous, to think these pets were homeless and running around a store. Skeeter is big. The littlies are so cute. Hope they warm up to really quickly. Again, such an awesome thing you did.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

they are slowly warming up they have learned im the lady with the rice crispies lol


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)




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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

skeever snuggled with thunder during free range today


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## Simons mum (Dec 19, 2013)

They are beautiful! You sure have a way with these critters I tell you. They're warming up so nicely and I had to giggle about your new name. Lady with rice crispies! lol


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

lol, they are sooo cute i love watching them popcorn


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Simons mum said:


> They are beautiful! You sure have a way with these critters I tell you. They're warming up so nicely and I had to giggle about your new name. Lady with rice crispies! lol


 right! Give me your gift! My rats are still have not warmed up to me.


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

i dunno hows to give it just let them run around and have lots of treats they love rice crispies and alphabet pasta (whole wheat) and i hold them and talk to them a lot


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

ok updateing! they are doing wonderfully the girls are settled in at my place boys with my bf and even skeever is learning his new name elinore escaped into my bedroom yesterday (it isnt fully rat proof) but some kissy sounds and rice crispies quickly got her attention i got some freash kale and oh boy..... it was everywhere! i think they thought it was new toys at least its cheap if they waste it but it sjure dose shread fast lol


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

The fact that you named one skeever is just awesome lol I'm glad that they're all doing well! Such an interesting rat story


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

lol my bf is a skyrim fan, they are good babies no idea why anyone would dump them, poor oden lost his eye but seems to be doing wonderfully without it he is still really young though i hope he keeps doing well


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Glad they are all doing so well! Good news


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

yea i was happy, bridget and elinore are starting to really show the fire in their agouti so lovely


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## darkiss4428 (May 31, 2014)

just updateing, they have all settled in nicly oden has adapted to the loss of his eye skeever is gaining weight and cupid is getting so big the boys are at my bfs house so i dont see them as much as i do the girls elinore is sweet but wont come to me and just hids when i have the door open and is sleeping a lot.... i think a vet visit is in order dose anyone rememberthe med that stops ppregnancy in young rats? and bridget is something else she is all over the place and into everything she is a food stasher and boy dose she have a outgoing personality


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