# Free roaming



## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

I always thought a pet rat free roaming around your entire house was a crazy idea until I got my lil bub Rice, he's a sweetheart and has no problem with it, he's so curious and comes up to everyone and comes when called, he was so scared to even touch the tiles separating the hallway and my room for awhile haha, but slowly we helped him overcome his fear of the forbidden hallway and now he goes everywhere. And then there's Link, oh boyyy. She does great free roaming in my room, a gentle sweet baby all the way but decides shes a wild rat in the rest of the house. It's so frustrating! She gets so scared and hides for no reason! I don't want her to be this way because I want her to trust us and feel safe and secure--- which she is 100% but it's never gonna happen. I'm not even gonna ask how to get her to be more open about it because it is in her personality to be skittish, and you can't change a rat's personality so that's just the way it's gonna be with her. I have 3 more babies that im currently working on with that too :--) Does anyone else let their rats go about their day in their entire house?


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I personally wouldn't do it. There are risks in doing that, from lots of damage to furniture, walls, carpet, clothes...to chewed wires that could start a fire. They will start doing nests in your mattress, sofa...it will attract all kinds of pests like ants or moths...Rats will pee everywhere in your house, it will be very difficult to keep it clean if possible at all. I restrict my rats free range time to my bathrooms, playpen, and protected sofas. I didn't protect my sofas at first and nothing happened for months, but suddenly they decided it would be fun to start chewing it


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## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

Oh my, I'm sorry for your terrible experience with it Rice is not a chewer at all and I trust him completely. The other one definitely is and I don't let her out anymore, personally it's been good for me with rice obviously lol. Only have to put him back when people are eating because he's a burglar


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I just had a few small holes in one of my sofas, I never free ranged them, lol. I was able to hide them ok with a black sharpie (the sofa is black but the stuffing is white, well black now). I just wrote what other people free ranging their rats experienced. I'll buy new furniture when I move so I'm ok with it for now I live in a condo so I'm also responsible for people living around me and chewed wires can definitively be a fire hazard.


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## rottengirl (Mar 16, 2016)

My house isn't 100% rat proofed, I also don't own it (I live with my dad), so I can't completely free roam. However, I love introducing them so safe zones around my house. 

I remember the first time I let Marley and Kara roam out of their usual free range habitat...they were bruxing non-stop! It was adorable.


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## JAnimal (Jul 23, 2014)

A member on her Catty-ratty free ranges her rat Anga and Rat Daddy free ranges all of his rats. It really depends on the personality or your rat and if they are chewers. I can't do it because i have a dog, cat and they would eat them. I also have two guinea pigs and the bars are 1 inches so the rats could squeeze through into their cage.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

I let my rats free range my entire apartment. I supervise them of course. I have elevated all electrical wires up high so they can't chew them.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

I sometimes free range them in my living room area as I have epoxy floors and brick walls so no damage possible (furniture have metal legs) and super easy to clean- BUT always under supervision that is I keep them in sight at all times. Were you talking about free ranging under supervision or free ranging all the time without supervision? Both are very different things. I definitevely would never do it 24/7.


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## Toxicat (Jan 18, 2015)

My boyfriend wants to dedicate a room just for our rats. Basically, he wants to rat proof it and treat it as one big cage so they can free roam the room. I'm not too keen on the idea of letting them do all that unsupervised though so it's for sure not gonna happen. I think we're just gonna make it a big play area when I take them out and play with them.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Like J Animal said, I have one rat that free ranges my entire house, 24/7. I also have 3 that free range the bedroom. I have one rat that stays in the cage. She is still young, so free range is not out of the question. 

While free range is not unusual, it's definitely not common. There are a few things to consider before making a decision. Some of them have been mentioned. Other things I have found out as I've gone along. For a time, I had decided against letting Anga free roam. When I met someone at Wal-Mart getting fleece one day, she told me that her rats free roam without any problem. I decided to give it a go. 

Some things that I consider absolutely necessary before even thinking about free ranging

First of all, make sure your rats are litter box trained.
*
MOST IMPORTANTLY.........
*
You and your rat(s) MUST BE well bonded. Period. If you have any question about this, stop right there and keep them in the cage. If your rats are not well bonded to you, I don't think you can teach them about no-nos. I had to be pretty dramatic with Anga. Loud and scary! A rat that wasn't bonded to me probably would have been scared to death of me for the rest of its life and I would have lost a pet. 

If I had to rat proof my entire house, Anga wouldn't be free roaming. Your rat needs to be smart enough to understand what you mean when you tell him/her something. Anga understands the difference between things that are absolutely forbidden, and things that just annoy me. Surprisingly, electrical wires have not been a problem at all. I have only found a cord that was chewed on twice. The first time I found one, I can't positively say my rat did it. I have caught kittens chewing on cords from time to time. I have a cat that that was a kitten at the time I got Anga. The other cord was obviously chewed on by the bedroom rats. Keeping them off of the floor has kept that from happening again. 


_*Some things will be damaged. *
_
For these things, you will have to decide for yourself how much you are okay with. My rats that stay in the bedroom have taken over my sock drawer. I'm okay with that. It's just an old night stand with two drawers. It's not something I mind losing. My other drawers, I would not be okay with that. 

Don't buy expensive sheets or pillows. My rats like to sleep in bed with me. Pillows make great places to burrow and pillow cases get shredded. I'm going to have to salvage my feather pillows because they are coming apart. If your rats like to get under your shirt, plan to wear old t-shirts to bed. 

Before making a decision, think about the things you have that you know you absolutely don't want them getting into, in addition to the obvious things, like electrical cords.

For me, it's been:

-My bedroom closet. Getting under closed doors is no problem for a rat. Figure out a way to keep them from getting under the door. 
-All of my other drawers. If your drawers don't have a panel blocking access from underneath the dresser, like my nightstand, drawers and your clothes make a great place to make a nest. 
-Under the kitchen sink where I keep cleaners. 
-Linen closets. 

All the damage I've had to deal with are things that aren't a big deal, _to me_. Make sure those things that are important to you are secured. 
If you're a late sleeper, your rats will wake you up during the night and early morning hours. 

One of the biggest benefits of free range with Anga, is that she is MUCH calmer now. She sits in my lap where she had too much pent up energy to sit still for a second before. Seeing her interact with the cats and dogs has brought tons of laughter that just wouldn't be possible with her in a cage. She chases the cats and dogs, wrestles and plays hide and seek. She harasses them! She has taken showers in the kitchen sink, cleaned the dogs teeth, steals cat food. A couple of days ago, I was giving my cat Mia a slice of cheese. Anga ran up and snatched it right out of her mouth and pounced off with it. One of my cats is afraid of Anga. It's hysterical to watch Anga chase her around the house, especially because there is no place she can go that Anga can't follow! 

Some of the more annoying things are trying to type or doing anything with my hands when she wants to know what's going on. I'm frequently correcting typos or trying to distract her with something if I'm making coffee. She taunts me by lurking near the back of my computer when she's not getting enough attention. I have to eat in hiding. She has no qualms about stealing food right out of my mouth! 

Free ranging is definitely not for everyone. It's it's an individual choice. For me, I'd rather have a couch I don't mind replacing if my cats claw on it than get rid of them or declaw them. I've had to find ways around a lot of problems with keeping pets, from finding in-obscure places to put cat boxes to certain fabric blends that fur doesn't tend to cling to. But all of those things have been worth it to me.

Cleaning the dogs teeth



Napping in my lap




Spooning with my cat, Ben



Hanging out under the desk


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Yup, I haven't a clue where Misty is right now.... she'll turn up for the dinner bell though. She cut a few wires and had an obsession with killing my orchids, but we had a meaningful conversation about it... think me ranting and screaming and pointing at what she had done... and she got past her issues with destruction, pretty much the same day. You almost need to catch your rats doing something bad to teach them never to do it again... Which is both good and bad.

We've had several free range rats now... some better, some worse than others... Max went free range at about six weeks old and lived all of her life cage free... She never damaged anything.... well until one day my wife accidentally kicked her and didn't apologize... the next morning almost every wire to my wife's desk was cut... one heck of a coincidence.


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## Mene (Mar 13, 2015)

My ratties free range in our bedroom. They go through phases of slightly destructive and curious behavior, but really not so bad. Although they can go wherever they please, they limit themselves to "their" dresser, the modified martins cages and dcn (we took off the doors). When my older girls (currently about 18 months) were first given their freedom, they went nuts and chewed through lots of stuff and left trails of poop in the craziest places.After about 2 months, they settled down. My younger ones now have been free range living for about 6 weeks and they're already becoming less frantic. In fact, one girl never strays from her cage and the dresser. Don't get me wrong, my babies have destroyed quite a bit, but if you are patient, they will settle down. But, get ready for a strict cleaning schedule!


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

I have the master bedroom, so there's also a bathroom attached to it. I don't have the nerve to let them free range when I'm not home, but as soon as the dogs are walked and dinner is cooked, the boys get free run of the master suite. But it is true that they need to be bonded to you. I can't really let the girls out of their free-run pen atm because there's no guarantee I'd ever see them again, especially after I had to spend the better part of four hours and two would-be bites trying to get Daisy, my problem child, back in the CN. The boys are easy - call them, give them their cheese nip, and then toss them in the cage.


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## Bookwormjess (Dec 4, 2015)

Id love to free range my girls while our place is to cluttered with to many places to hide at the moment I am trying to let them out on our huge table and train them to come and what not while im also working on organizing and decluttering. Are there any tips on what i can be doing with them now on the couch and large table to get them ready to possibly free range later?


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Put a widget on the table with them. Start teaching them to stay away from it so they learn what 'no' means.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Rat Daddy said:


> She never damaged anything.... well until one day my wife accidentally kicked her and didn't apologize... the next morning almost every wire to my wife's desk was cut... one heck of a coincidence.


There's a reason they say rats are smart!


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Bookwormjess said:


> Id love to free range my girls while our place is to cluttered with to many places to hide at the moment I am trying to let them out on our huge table and train them to come and what not while im also working on organizing and decluttering. Are there any tips on what i can be doing with them now on the couch and large table to get them ready to possibly free range later?



I'd try decluttering one room and start there. My mother and I went from a 2000 Sq ft house to a 600 ft apartment, so the only room in the house that's clear is mine.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

This was Fuzzy Rat's idea of free ranging...





























And yes, that little white speck in the distance, next to the trash can is her going back to the car on her own.










Indoors she was often bored and she destroyed stuff on purpose to get attention and cut me off from technology...
















It's not that she didn't know better... she did, she just parsed my words better than the other rats... when I told her don't cut that wire... she didn't.. she just went after another...

One day. I was listening to music, when she snipped the cord to my headphones... I got the soldering iron our and started to fix the wires, while I was stripping back the insulation.... cursing under my breath... she slunk onto my desk, snipped the plug off on the other end of the wire and ran off with it. She even disconnected my phone calls by snipping my phone wires if I was on the phone too long. Once she learned I was more bark than bite... she pretty much did what she pleased... 

I became very good a soldering very thin wires...


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Rat Daddy said:


> when I told her don't cut that wire... she didn't.. she just went after another...


At night, I solve Sudoku puzzles in bed before going to sleep. Pebbles is obsessed with stealing my pen or pencil. I tell her not to take my pen, so she grabs the pencil instead. I have to be quick to get it back from her!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I once told a friend that I had to get off the phone and take Fuzzy Rat to the park before she cut my phone cord and she insisted that my rat was holding me hostage... She might have been right.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

She had you wrapped around her tiny paw!


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Be super careful with the wires, be it a house wire, or heater wire, or computer wire...it can start a fire! You don't want to come home from work to a burnt down house and dead pets. I believe I already said it, but free ranging rats when you're not home is a real danger to your house and neighbors- especially if you live in an apartment/condo complex.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

Also if you do come across any chewed cables, make sure the powers off before you unthinkingly go to snatch it of your rats. It seems obvious but once you've owned rats for a while it becomes a reflex just to grab things off them, sometimes you just don't think, you do it instinctively. I got shocked doing that. Never in a million years did I think I'd make such an obviously stupid mistake, and yet I did.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Fu-Inle said:


> Also if you do come across any chewed cables, make sure the powers off before you unthinkingly go to snatch it of your rats.


Yeah, I got electrocuted when I was a kid. I was unplugging the television and got shocked. It threw me across the room! 

I'm super paranoid about plugging and unplugging things. If I'm changing out an outlet, hanging a ceiling fan or hanging a light, I turn off the ENTIRE house. And I STILL test for current. I'm not taking any chances. Getting electrocuted is no fun.


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## Fu-Inle (Jan 22, 2015)

catty-ratty said:


> Yeah, I got electrocuted when I was a kid. I was unplugging the television and got shocked. It threw me across the room! I'm super paranoid about plugging and unplugging things. If I'm changing out an outlet, hanging a ceiling fan or hanging a light, I turn off the ENTIRE house. And I STILL test for current. I'm not taking any chances. Getting electrocuted is no fun.


Well technically you weren't electrocuted, you were shocked. The very definition of "electrocution" is death by electric shock. But yeah, its scary. Quite a shocking experience. *bad dum tiss*


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Fu-Inle said:


> The very definition of "electrocution" is death by electric shock.


Didn't know that. Hm. Kind of like using 'then' and 'than' interchangeably.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

catty-ratty said:


> ...Kind of like using 'then' and 'than' interchangeably.


The English teacher within me just had a good meltdown.

This is why I left the education system.


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

I have to ask... I see it al the time. "Rats have no problem getting under a closed door"...what kind of doors do you have? Picture, please? Not even a mouse gets under any door here..cockroaches would struggle if we had any..

Electric wires are scary.But don't you have that safety-device thing that cuts power off if stuff go wrong and too much power gets used on the same circuit? (like a hot wire ''bleeding'' power or getting cut off). It's standard here. Which I'm happy about because we have wild rats in the barn and probably house at times.Not that I've ever noticed any damaged wires, they don't seem interested. My pet rats only chew thin, non-power wires like headphones...but even that is rare.

As for free ranging, I have a rat proofed room. They can be there unsupervised - no wires within reach, no doors they can get under, couch is secured so they don't get under it (and if they would ruin it I'd survive.I just don't want them to build a nest and get squished in it), I've put a frame around the computer desk so they can't get up to my electrical and expencive stuff there (a T-shape an they can't get a grip of the edge) and hardware cloth around all wires below it. Since Spell disappeared I've secured the escape route - instead of meshing the whole desk I just covered that one hole in the wall (and yes she came back). They can hide in there..but they can't get out.
I love to be able to do paperwork on the computer, watch a movie or read a book and just let them be there and come up to me when they feel like it, rather than dedicating a short while where I have to focus constantly on them and watch out so they don't jump down from the couch or something. Just being there and then give them attention for 5 minutes - return to my book - play with rattie a few minutes etc feels more natural to me.


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Zanie said:


> I have to ask... I see it al the time. "Rats have no problem getting under a closed door"...what kind of doors do you have? Picture, please? Not even a mouse gets under any door here..cockroaches would struggle if we had any..


Not sure exactly where you are, but I grew up in a 1890's farmhouse in the southeastern US. The whole house had settled funny, and the foundation probably needed to be jacked up to be level. We used to have marble races in the living room since the whole floor sloped. There were also gaps between the bottom of the door and the floor about 1.5" high.

I also lived in a cheap house in Miami, FL, where they had put these borderline cardboard quality doors in, and they had a good 2 inch gap under that door. I didn't have rats then, but if I did, that would have been awful to free range them. (I was pet-sitting four cats.)


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

RatAtat2693 said:


> Not sure exactly where you are, but I grew up in a 1890's farmhouse in the southeastern US. The whole house had settled funny, and the foundation probably needed to be jacked up to be level. We used to have marble races in the living room since the whole floor sloped. There were also gaps between the bottom of the door and the floor about 1.5" high.
> 
> I also lived in a cheap house in Miami, FL, where they had put these borderline cardboard quality doors in, and they had a good 2 inch gap under that door. I didn't have rats then, but if I did, that would have been awful to free range them. (I was pet-sitting four cats.)


I'm in sweden. We don't have any gap whatsoever beneth the doors.. There's a 'stair-shaped'' wooden piece under all doors. Between rooms, any walk-in closets, bathrooms...I'm not sure I've ever seen a doorway without one. google picture: http://www.rm.se/upload/_products/locks/117/medium/troskel-fonsterdorr.jpg


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Well, Zain, there's a reason America loves Ikea. 

We have weather stripping under the outside doors, so most likely they wouldn't make it outside. But the older houses, particularly in the south where it can hit 35-46 °C with a crap-load of humidity, were built to breathe.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

In older homes, it's customary to cut off the bottom of the door to make room for carpeting, in time the carpets get replaced or removed... The days of thick pile or shag carpets are pretty much gone leaving gaps under lots of doors. 

One day I watched as our part wild rat deflated herself... her ribs spread and she became flat like a pancake... literally almost as flat as a real pancake. Then she just slipped herself under the door like an envelope. I've never seen a domestic rat get nearly as flat, mostly I think they are too fat or just don't know how to do it. She was a real treat to watch, she always tried to do the spooky things she did when no one was looking, but sooner or later I would catch her in the act. One day she put her back against a file cabinet and walked straight up a semi-gloss painted wall. That was pretty amazing too... She also had a not so neat trick of leaping through closing doors behind people to get from one room or one place to another unnoticed... she unfortunately misjudged one jump, and that's what got her killed... That one still hurts because it could have been prevented. Misty just learned the same trick, and yesterday she got her head slammed for her sneakiness... Thankfully I've learned to close doors very slowly when rats might be around, it was a very hard lesson.

As to electric wires, I was shocked to learn that Fuzzy Rat could strip the insulation off both sides of an extension cord without stripping the insulation between them; and I mean literally shocked when I went to move the cord... It blows my mind how rats can strip or snip wires without getting zapped themselves.


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

This is a picture of the bottom of the door to my studio. 








The gaps at this house are bigger than anywhere else I've lived. 

I've also lived in houses built at the end of the 19th century. Those houses, built long before central airconditioning were built differently. They usually have trams over the doors to let the hot air out, but little or no gaps at the bottom to keep cool air in. 

I also lived in a house built around the time that window units were popular before central air existed. Those houses had no trams, but they did have the strip of wood under them. I hated those things. Can't even begin to tell you how many times I've stubbed my toes on those things! 

But I digress...

The purpose of the wood strip was to keep cool air inside the room with the window unit. 

Architecture tends to vary by region concerning heating and cooling efficiency, especially in the 'olden times'. Here in Texas, there are some pretty interesting old homes I've done designs for.


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## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

Rat Daddy, it's astonishing how you are able to take your rat OUTSIDE without her trying to run away!! oh my gosh that sounds like a dream of course I'd never try that but that's really, really cool. I want that type of relationship with my darlings ;/


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## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

I'm officially a big fan of miss Fuzzy Rat


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Thank you... Fuzzy Rat was every bit amazing... and special in so many ways... I wish I could take the credit, but I might have learned more from her than she learned from me. On the other hand all of our rats have been special, rats are more alike than different, and your rats are very special too, I can say that without even knowing them.

Rats don't run away outdoors because they love you and they are part of your family. Rats naturally live outdoors in packs and they stick together... it's just what they do. The first real secret to training a shoulder rat is to really bond with him or her. When it's afraid it will run to you an not away from you. That said, people go places no wild rat would ever dream of going... the stress level a true shoulder rat faces being surrounded by people or going into stores is phenomenal. This is why they have to be trained to become accustomed to the high stress they will encounter during your excursions, so they can become more comfortable doing what you do naturally. They have to be able to withstand being in open places, which wild rats never do and they can't panic. When a rat panics it bolts for cover, any cover under anything or into anything... that's how it gets lost or killed. That's why I train all of our true shoulder rats at a safe site... a huge 40 acre park with water on three sides and some decorative plantings for the rats to explore or hide in if need be... It's an outdoor controlled environment where the rats can get used to being outside, I can work with them and they can panic and wash out of the program without getting killed... A safe site is a must if you want to take your rats outdoors... 

Fuzzy Rat had a Thorazine personality, nothing spooked her, nothing panicked her and very little upset her. She loved to explore, so pretty much the first thing she did was run away from us when we took her outside, but then she came back all on her own. Because she was always calm and thinking, she never got lost or got hurt. Because we knew she would always come back, we could let her do things we wouldn't let other rats attempt... like let her climb tall trees or swim in the lake, or lead us back to the car or the house.... or yes... and I'm sorry to say it happened, take a nap on the park bench while she was off exploring and visiting friends... She was so calm and relaxed people wouldn't be afraid of her, and some times I actually had to worry about getting her back.... but people are mostly nice and won't steal your rat, so we always got her back... eventually. I wrote a thread on shoulder rats and outdoor activities, it's worth a read if you are considering training a shoulder rat, but for the most part... taking rats outdoors is dangerous, not many rats are cut out for it and it takes a lot of time to train and test a shoulder rat properly. We've had four so far. Maxie Rat, Cloudy Rat, Misty Rat, and the truly one of a kind Fuzzy Rat, each one different and each one special... there have been a few close calls... but it's been a lot of fun too. 

In the immortal words of the counter girl in the crowded highway fast food chain store to the lunch crowd in line behind us... When the entire staff came up to the counter to meet Fuzzy Rat... "You people will all have to wait... we don't often get a rat in here!" And everyone looked confused, but waited patiently... and a rat doesn't often get that kind of respect... and a rat trainer rarely gets a funnier experience or a better story to re-tell. Pretty much every normal outing becomes an adventure when you are wearing a rat.


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

Thanks for explaining doors to me  I figured it was a differense but it's not like it's a detail frequently discussed...

Since we have like 11 months of rain each year, our houses need ventilation too. We used solved it differently with vents and stuff, I guess. Some fifty years ago people started building more airtight homes to save heat, but those get mold..such a moldy house may be the cause of my asthma and allergies (deteced it just before we moved out.) So back with airflow 

Fluffy carpets here were simply cut around the treshold so when they got replaced it's still no gap beneath the door.

I do see how very warm areas would build differently, but I was thinking ''hmm...all of the US is not desert?" *lol*

Catty-ratty: You need to lift your feet... *lol* Growing up with them, I can't remember ever stubbing a toe on thresholds.... but I see the risk *lol*

Rat-daddy: Yeah I know how they flatten out. I've seen barn rats. Even my rabbits could just pop out of impossibly small gaps (not like a rat but still), but doors here have no gaps at all  














Ratatat : hehe, Ikea is awesome for ratty stuff


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Zanie said:


> ...I do see how very warm areas would build differently, but I was thinking ''hmm...all of the US is not desert?" *lol*...
> 
> Ratatat : hehe, Ikea is awesome for ratty stuff


XD Yeah - no. Where I live, in Vermont, it's all mountains and snow/rain and trees. "Vermont" from what I understand, is French for "Green Mountain," which I think is the least creative name possible.
The first photo is Emerald Lake, VT. 

Then you have places like Utah (#2), which are indeed desert. Deserts and canyons. And a salt water Lake.

And you also have the Plains and then "sky country" like Nebraska and then Montana. (#3 & 4) Nebraska is a nice state if you like fields and a complete lack in variety. Har-har-har.

But, in the true spirit of diversity, you also have the Pacific Northwest, which I would imagine is about as close to Swedish terrain as you'll get while being on another continent. Cascade Mountains, lots of rain and lakes. (photo #5)

So, while our politics are unmentionable, and by that I just really don't want to talk about them at all, the geography is enough to keep me busy for a lifetime. (And it probably will if I don't have to evacuate in 2017.)

And maybe one day I'll be able to afford Ikea and splurge on rat stuff. (Like a designated free-range rat room with ferret furniture.)


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Zanie said:


> I was thinking ''hmm...all of the US is not desert?" *lol*


Just for the record, Texas is not just dessert. Actually most of the dessert area in far West Texas. And yes, they do actually have tumble weeds and miniature tornado's twisting down the roads! LOL

I've met a few people who think we all wear 10 gallon hats, boots and ride horses everywhere we go. And that Texas is nothing but a big dessert.

Actually, Texas has nearly every kind of habitat you could think, in addition to desserts. The Gulf of Mexico is on eastern side of Texas,, but so much mud pours out from the Mississippi River that nearly the entire Texas coast line a grayish-brown color. It does get better the further south you go, but you'll never see clear blue water like you would in Hawaii!


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

catty-ratty said:


> ...I've met a few people who think we all wear 10 gallon hats, boots and ride horses everywhere we go. And that Texas is nothing but a big _dessert_...


You mean you don't?! My whole life, _I've been lied to._

Must be sweet for those living in a "dessert." ;D


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

Haha! I believe you. Just like Sweden is not all snow..*lol* (down here where I live, in scania, it's slush or rain.)Not a whole lot of mountains either, I think that's Switzerland and the alps... people do tend to confuse us. But I guess we have a few tall rocks up north. Someday I'd like to go up to our north, whiich is more like wild nature...and reindeers..but then I remember I'd have to walk and what a bad shape I'm in  (because I wouldn't see the point in just going to nice nature in a car... I've been up in Norrland as a kid, but that was just in Luleå and all I remember is snow and town..) And sweden's just a small speck on the map anyways.
The first photo looks more ''home'' to me  Even though I don't quite live by a lake... just woods (pine or beech) and fields. 

These are from my neighbourhood..the snowy ones were taken an early winter morning (being winter that's like 10am when the sun decides to show  ) in my ''back yard''..you see our house in one of them. The one with the pond is also from there. The summery ones are me riding 3-10km from home... 'fraid most are from when I still rode my horse 
































I've been to Florida once. Was amazed by the moss-thingies hanging from everywhere, giving a mysterious sense to all places. I'm easily amazed..*lol* And aligators and turtles and vulptures... all very exotic to me. And oranges...exotic indeed. Tasty too. 

I think we're straying from the original topic..I hope nobody minds...


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Well, it is called "Free Roaming," but I'll post something in the lounge for those who want to compare where they live. I've always said, "If -insert presidential candidate here- gets elected, I'm gonna have to move to Sweden/Canada."


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## catty-ratty (Feb 21, 2016)

Zanie said:


> Haha! I believe you. Just like Sweden is not all snow..*lol* (down here where I live, in scania, it's slush or rain.)Not a whole lot of mountains either, I think that's Switzerland and the alps... people do tend to confuse us. But I guess we have a few tall rocks up north. Someday I'd like to go up to our north, whiich is more like wild nature...and reindeers..but then I remember I'd have to walk and what a bad shape I'm in  (because I wouldn't see the point in just going to nice nature in a car... I've been up in Norrland as a kid, but that was just in Luleå and all I remember is snow and town..) And sweden's just a small speck on the map anyways.
> The first photo looks more ''home'' to me  Even though I don't quite live by a lake... just woods (pine or beech) and fields.
> 
> These are from my neighbourhood..the snowy ones were taken an early winter morning (being winter that's like 10am when the sun decides to show  ) in my ''back yard''..you see our house in one of them. The one with the pond is also from there. The summery ones are me riding 3-10km from home... 'fraid most are from when I still rode my horse
> ...


OMG! I'm SO JEALOUS! 

And those mossy looking things in Florida are call Spanish moss. They are actually bromeliads.


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## Zanie (Dec 30, 2015)

Ratata: I vote for Sweden 

CattyRatty: Nah, don't be  It's nice a few days, the rest is rain and mud xD
Oh, interesting


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I'm sorry, but I haven't been following the election... but are you implying that there is actually someone running that doesn't make you want to burn your voter registration card and move elsewhere?


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

I've spent loads and loads of time training and bonding with all the rats I've had so that they can go running around inside and outside with me. For the most part I've had my rats have full range of the apartment basically 24/7 and I'll second a lot of what's been said. If this is what you want you have to accept that some furniture will be ruined, and almost all surfaces they can get to will be marked. 

The more freedom they have, the more competent they will become. And you might find that nothing is safe. I think anyone who would say otherwise is lying lol. You also have to realize that this is their nature, it comes with the territory. It is fun having people over to be greeted by our "house rats" (who several times asked if they were real rats or wind up toys). But yeah security deposits will lost and furniture will be ruined. It's not something I necessarily regret, because it's a different kind of relationship you end up having with them. Honestly though, I'm not sure that moving forward it would be the smartest financial move for me. I'm much more resigned to the supervised play time in a designated room  for the moment anyhow.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

I've got to say, I've done pretty well house proofing rats... but for sure I'd be lying if I didn't admit that most of the wires in my house are soldered and taped.. or said there are no holes in the carpet... and the list continues.... Yes, as your rats get more competent they destroy less and less stuff, eventually they become pretty much house safe, but over the lifetimes of several rats your things do take a beating.


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

I actually meant that the more freedom you give your rats the more competent and confident they will become. Because of this they will literally figure out how to get EVERYWHERE in your house (top of refrigerator, under the sink, behind the oven etc). Places you'll never even think of until it happens, and it's near impossible to rat proof everything in your living space. This is why it's so important to make sure they have a strong recall!! While you can train them, things will still happen. Rats chew. Some more than others, but it's something you can't fault them for. Much like marking. 

I'm not trying to discourage people from this, but it's not going to be perfect. I just want to give a logical perspective to people who have never done it and might have an idealistic view of how having house rats will go. It's awesome to be able to interact with your rats throughout the day, have them play with friends who come to visit, and see how intelligent and trusting and sweet they are. This can all happen if you don't free range your rats too, it's just a different experience if you do. Not better or worse, just different. But on the other hand you could lose your $500 security deposit and owe $1000 after move out for repair fees, and as a college student that can be stressful. There's many rewards but there are also risks!! I don't regret it in the least, just trying to represent things renters may not fully consider because it was honestly something I didn't until we had committed to having house rats.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

BlackAce said:


> I actually meant that the more freedom you give your rats the more competent and confident they will become. Because of this they will literally figure out how to get EVERYWHERE in your house (top of refrigerator, under the sink, behind the oven etc). Places you'll never even think of until it happens, and it's near impossible to rat proof everything in your living space. This is why it's so important to make sure they have a strong recall!! While you can train them, things will still happen. Rats chew. Some more than others, but it's something you can't fault them for. Much like marking. I'm not trying to discourage people from this, but it's not going to be perfect. I just want to give a logical perspective to people who have never done it and might have an idealistic view of how having house rats will go. It's awesome to be able to interact with your rats throughout the day, have them play with friends who come to visit, and see how intelligent and trusting and sweet they are. This can all happen if you don't free range your rats too, it's just a different experience if you do. Not better or worse, just different. But on the other hand you could lose your $500 security deposit and owe $1000 after move out for repair fees, and as a college student that can be stressful. There's many rewards but there are also risks!! I don't regret it in the least, just trying to represent things renters may not fully consider because it was honestly something I didn't until we had committed to having house rats.


I agree on the issue of renting and having free range rats. They will destroy things. This is a given. If you own your place, you can do whatever you want but please don't make it worse for people who are renting and want rats. Rats are probably the least liked of all pets if you ask landlords- so please don't make it worse. Think of the people who will have to give away their rats if you messed up your rented place. Don't give pet rats a bad reputation.


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

Okay I'm sorry to keep spamming this but things just keep coming to me. Additionally you might want to consider your rats' safety as your house and all the appliances are big and powerful compared to your rat. Things the bf and I always made sure we did was check fridge before we closed it in case a rat slipped it while it was open, look before you open and shut any doors or toilet lids, check in the oven before you turn it on (you never know, rats are small agile and smart!), watch your step while you walk and before you sit, check the washer and dryer before use etc. 

This thread has a lot of good ideas and I'm sure I've missed some other safety issues, hopefully it might jog someone's mind though!


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

BlackAce said:


> Okay I'm sorry to keep spamming this but things just keep coming to me. Additionally you might want to consider your rats' safety as your house and all the appliances are big and powerful compared to your rat. Things the bf and I always made sure we did was check fridge before we closed it in case a rat slipped it while it was open, look before you open and shut any doors or toilet lids, check in the oven before you turn it on (you never know, rats are small agile and smart!), watch your step while you walk and before you sit, check the washer and dryer before use etc. This thread has a lot of good ideas and I'm sure I've missed some other safety issues, hopefully it might jog someone's mind though!


Check your dirty laundry before throwing it into your washer. Don't let your washer door open with dirty laundry in it. Rats LOVE to sleep in piles of clothes!!!


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## BlackAce (Apr 18, 2013)

Gribouilli said:


> Check your dirty laundry before throwing it into your washer. Don't let your washer door open with dirty laundry in it. Rats LOVE to sleep in piles of clothes!!!


Haha yeah and if the clothes aren't already dirty they'll make them smell like themselves


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