# Introducing O.P. the rat who need rescuing the Most...



## renay (May 30, 2007)

Hey all,
this is O.P. short for Optimus Prime... Hes my sexy rat. I didn't really want males, butttt, this called for a major intervention. To make a long story short, a guy was threatening to kill it or let it go, so I took it home..








*special thanks to taru for all the help *


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## naeby (Aug 2, 2007)

He is gorgeous! I just adore the nakies.


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## ambernd (Apr 17, 2007)

awww he is soooo cute!!! i want a hairless so bad but i have enough right now!! lol


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## Matt (Jun 14, 2007)

I love him. hes so cute. Also, I held my first ever hairless rat today at the petstore.


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## Inesita (Feb 18, 2007)

Aw, cute!


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i'd like to get another hairless someday but not until i go down in numbers a bit first. i'd like to get a red eyed female next time. OP looks like he'll be quite the character. you'll have to tell us how he does settling in. 

there's so many people on here i can't always remember, are you getting him neutered to go in with your girls or is he the first rat?


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

...I'm not quite sure I follow what you're saying, but I'm debating on whether I will get him neutered or if I will just get him a buddy, first I have to find a vet that will do the proceedure, then find out how much it will cost, i just shelled out $250 for my female kitten to be fixed. I think its pointing more towards getting him a buddy, which is fine by me, the more rats the merrier. 

I have a question about his sneezies... how come he only sneezes when I take him out? He never sneezes in his cage, but I have noticed that his sneezes have been comming fewer and fewer, which is good. I'm hoping its just the stress.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Sounds like stress sneezes to me. That or he might be mildly allergic to some scent you wear but more than likely stress sneezes.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i couldn't remember if you had other rats or not if that clears anything up. there are some people on here that have yet to get there first rats and i couldn't remember if you were one of them. 

the other comment was about my wish to one day get a red eyed hairless like yours but female. i want to wait to get any more rat though until i don't have quite as many as i do already. i'm pretty much at my limit with 10 as it is. does any of that clear things up?


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

Very much so, thank you  
yes I have other rats, I currently have 2 females, and 3 more are comming from the spca in 9 days! So like I said, I really wasn't intending on getting any males. 

Before I got him, I almost forgot that there was such a thing as a lap rat lol, males really are MUCH easier going than the females... Anyway, O.P. is probably the friendliest rat I've ever owned... But he has a few issues with food, like I don't think he's ever been fed veggies, he is really REALLY grabby when it comes to carrots and such, any tips on how to get him to behave properly?


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

renay said:


> Very much so, thank you
> yes I have other rats, I currently have 2 females, and 3 more are comming from the spca in 9 days! So like I said, I really wasn't intending on getting any males.
> 
> Before I got him, I almost forgot that there was such a thing as a lap rat lol, males really are MUCH easier going than the females... Anyway, O.P. is probably the friendliest rat I've ever owned... But he has a few issues with food, like I don't think he's ever been fed veggies, he is really REALLY grabby when it comes to carrots and such, any tips on how to get him to behave properly?


Maybe feed him from a spoon for a bit (for treats, anyways). Veggie baby food and the like?


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

that could work. but would that make him less grabby? I'm thinking the more i feed him the less Anxious he'll be to actually get the food, because to me, the way hes thinking is "HOLY CRAP, new food, I've never tasted this before and I probably never will again, better chow down fast" he's so cute though, i'm just scared that my finger may one day look like a carrot to him


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

He might of been fed through the cage bars. I bet he will get used to the veggies being a regular thing and chill after a bit.

Hobbes is a little grabby and overexcited all the time come veggie time LOL. It's so adorable.


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

Poppyseed said:


> He might of been fed through the cage bars. I bet he will get used to the veggies being a regular thing and chill after a bit.
> 
> Hobbes is a little grabby and overexcited all the time come veggie time LOL. It's so adorable.


I think he must have been, I made that mistake the first day we brought him home, I fed him through the cage bars, I didn't know it was a bad thing, now i open the door and hand it to him or take him out to give him treats, hes soooo cuddly that more often than not hes out of the cage. I hope my girls aren't getting depressed because I've been spending a lot of time with O.P. over the last two days, he needs a lot of TLC before he becomes the rat that I know he is lol. Also, any advice on how to keep him still while trimming his nails? And i've tried using a nail file, but his nails literally curl over so its kind of difficult :s


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## Taru (Jun 9, 2007)

Maybe try using a nail file to get them to a length where you can trim them. After that, you can put something rough like a stone or sand paper covered block to get him to file them himself.

Emy


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

Taru said:


> Maybe try using a nail file to get them to a length where you can trim them. After that, you can put something rough like a stone or sand paper covered block to get him to file them himself.
> 
> Emy


I took your advice and tried that last night, but like i said, His nails are really curvy and he wont sit still its really difficult... :s


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

give him something sticky on a spoon that someone is holding then you go for the feet? that might work.


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