# Fear ?



## pitbullove (Aug 19, 2011)

I have been wanting a pet rat for quite some time now but sad to say im terrified of them so i came here to learn more,if anyone knows how to over come my fear let me know . Anyways is there any certain things a rat cage has to have ? Thanks ,i look forward to learning more about them so if i get one in the future i can care for him/her the right way .


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

What exactly scares you about them?


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## Wylie_Gizmo (May 17, 2011)

well its definetly possible. i use to be TERRIFIED of rats and NEVER touched any of my sisters or her bfs rats. then i got into an RVT program and HAD to touch rats and that was horrifying at first... But i eventually got used to doing it and my friend talked me into rescuing two rats and now i have 4 and 1 more coming!. i would recommend hanging out with a friends rat and see how they interact and respond. its what i did and then i got two of my own. she worked with me on holding them and the whats and whats not of ratz. i still get nervous every so often in the back of my mind that i will get bit, but i never have! least not painfully or intentionally. My rats are SOOOOO SWEET. i always worked alot with baby rats so that helped too. and they really are amazing lil creatures!! and i would never have known this unless my friend helped me out!! im not a pro and have a long way to go but definitely getting the experience before and now has helped alot. GOOD luck and dont give up!! you just gotta trust that you wont be bit.


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## pitbullove (Aug 19, 2011)

Okay thanks,everyone i know is scared of them too and i dont know anybody that would have one, the thing that scares me the most,and i know its funny but there tails freak me out,i have a hamster and it dosent bother me and im sure a mouse wouldnt either,its just the rats ???


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

why does the tail freak you out, exactly? it's skin covered in soft hairs... just like your arms, legs, face, and the rest of your body. they're sort of like velvet - soft if you stroke towards the point, but rough if you go backwards. you find yourself drawn to them when they're near you. i tend to pick up their tails and let them run through my fingers a lot, and i know other people that do too.


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## prairieorchid (Jul 19, 2011)

Hi there, I'm pretty new to rats myself. My mom has had them for awhile but I've never had much to do with them other than watching them interact with each other. Now I am getting 2 ratty boys of my own, they will be coming home on Tuesday. I am afraid of being bitten. In fact, I got bit yesterday while trying to pick up one of my mom's boys. The first time ever. It didn't actually hurt until about 1/2 hour later, though it did bleed abit at the time. I don't want to be afraid, in fact I love the way the folks on here talk about their ratties licking, and nibbling on ears and even wanting to investigate their mouths, but I don't know if I'll ever get there myself. I have been a wildlife rehabilitator for 30 years and have been bitten numerous times by raccoons (extrememly painful) but something about rat bites scares me to pieces! Hopefully I'll get over this with my babies, I'd hate to miss out on those wonderful interactions! I must say I do love their tails, though!


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## pitbullove (Aug 19, 2011)

im not sure why their tails freak me out,they just always have ,im terrified of them i honestly am but i dont want to be,they are so cute and im sure they are nice but im affraid of being bit also , my hamster has never bit me but he does lick i suppose its were they are so big and im not sure why i dont like the tails ? 



Im thinking i should start off with a mouse first , which im a little scared of too but not that bad , and to be honest i dont even know if i could pet a rat i just want to over come this fear !


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

rats do not bite unless they are poorly socialized or are hormonally aggressive (ie. from a pet store, mill, or backyard breeder). you always want to get your rats from a proper breeder or rescue where the animals are well socialized around humans. it is not a guarantee that you will not have temperament issues, but it's far less likely than if you picked one out of a bin at a pet store. any animal can and probably will bite you if they are afraid of you or if you startle them.

mice are completely different than rats in many ways. they are not as social, they tend to be more skittish/aggressive and so more prone to bite, and have a lot stronger smelling odor than rats. males cannot be kept together as they will fight. it's not uncommon to hear of males killing each other if kept together. they are adorable and amusing, but one of those pets that tend to be ones you just look at rather than actually play with and handle. of course, there are exceptions, but it's uncommon. 

getting mice will not really prepare you to own rats. that would be like getting a chicken to prepare yourself to own a parrot. haha.


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## A.ngelF.eathers (Jul 6, 2011)

Jaguar said:


> i tend to pick up their tails and let them run through my fingers a lot, and i know other people that do too.


Haha, I do that. I like to twirl my fingers through my hair and if one of my rats is just in my lap it's like an automatic response.


But I do know a lot of people who are a bit weirded out by their tails. Most people compare it to a worm or say it looks spiney.

When I first started out getting pocket pets I started with hamsters, quickly learning that they're basically the epitome of "bite, eat, poop, sleep". With the occasional wheel run. I couldn't put them in the floor, I couldn't hold them for very long. Just something to cautiously pet and look at.

Then I graduated to a mouse. She was a nice little pet, easy to care for, didn't take up much space. She ran on her wheel and squeaked at me, but she was very flighty and while she never bit me, holding her was difficult and keeping her in my sight was even harder. And, as Jaguar said, they smell, possibly even worse than hamsters. They're also one of those pets that tends to leave a very noticeable trail of urine wherever they go. They're cute but, they're nothing like a rat.

I always told people I didn't like rats, I didn't think rats were cute, I would never have a rat. I was afraid of them. I thought "Their tails are scary and they're bigger than hamsters" and I thought surely I would be bitten and it would hurt even worse than a hamster. Years of watching The Secret of NIMM and Ratatouille made me curious.

Rats rarely bite. It's generally if they're very frightened or due to bad breeding or something along those lines. Rats are friendly little creatures, and I best describe them as tiny dogs with bald tails. They can be taught tricks, they love to play and snuggle. They're very social and love to be with you. 
Here's a video of what rats can really be like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lHx7dp230w

You won't regret a rat :]


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## pitbullove (Aug 19, 2011)

A.ngelF.eathers said:


> Haha, I do that. I like to twirl my fingers through my hair and if one of my rats is just in my lap it's like an automatic response.
> 
> 
> But I do know a lot of people who are a bit weirded out by their tails. Most people compare it to a worm or say it looks spiney.
> ...




I know and after watching that video i really want one ! I just wouldnt know where to start if i was to get one , like cage and stuff so im searching for some things on this site ,but the tails still scare me


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

I suggest you first get over your fear before you adopt two (one is too lonely) so you can handle them. The more hesitant you are in handling them, the bigger the chance of getting bitten as you may panic and possibly scare them. It will be more fun to enjoy your pets than being afraid of them.
Find a way to get to know them and to handle them under supervision before you get two. It will be so worth it.
By your username I guess you love Pitbulls. Well, tons of people are afraid of them wile they are such awesome dogs. if you don't handle a dog well, you also can get bitten.


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## pitbullove (Aug 19, 2011)

Yes i love pitbulls and own them and they are so sweet and dont bite like so people think ....oh i see what ya did there,im sared of rats when they are actually nice if handled and some people are scared of pitbulls but if they knew how they really are they wouldnt be ?



Haha wow that was a good way to put it ! And if i get one it will be at least months before hand,i dont have an idea of anyone aroun with rats except the petshop which isnt like othersits where i got my hamster and its owned by the man who runs it,he raises his own animals so maybe i could hold one there,if i get rid of this fear !


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