# So where do you take your rats? :)



## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

Just curious to see where people take their rats! Do you take them to public places? Just curious to see, I want to take my rats out of the house, but so scared of the reactions/getting in trouble :?


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

I never take them out of the house. When they spook they can jump off you and who knows what will be happen then.


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## distancel (May 14, 2011)

Yeah, I would never take mine out of the house either. My girls like to be near to their territory. Even though they might be happy sitting on me for a while or having a little sleep in my hoodie, they usually get restless after about twenty minutes and want back on their play area. 

It may be because they are girls, as I had a male rat when I was a teenager who would happily go to school with me. I would just bring his water bottle and food and he would mostly just sleep on my lap during class, and travel around sleeping under my shirt or up my blazer sleeve. He was an older rat at that time though and I'd never recommend doing that as it was a bit irresponsible of me to do. It was because his cage mate had died and I didn't want him at home by himself all day (and probably also because i had no friends, lmao). No teacher ever noticed though, he really was a well behaved and lovely boy and kept me company.


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## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

Oh Ok, because I saw in some peoples' post that they take them places (i.e. pet stores), so was just curious.


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

Pet stores are the last place to take your pets too. If you need to quarantine a new rat what are you doing taking your healthy rat into a place that is probably teaming with bacteria and viruses you don't want. 
Just as dangerous as taking an un-vaccinated puppy into the vet's office where all the sick animals congregate.


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## Qku. (Apr 29, 2011)

Heh, I don't think I'd ever take my rats out of the house, they're way to active for that. If I had a very relaxed lap rat that could sit in my sweater for hours.. Maybe I would then. But my girls are way too active, jumpy and curious to be brought into a place where they can just run away like that.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

i have only ever had one rat i could trust enough outdoors not to spook or run away, and that was my first rat, miles. i would never take a healthy rat to a pet store - as someone said before, your rat could easily pick up parasites, viruses, and other pathogens while there =/


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## HuncaMunca (Dec 29, 2010)

I took my first rat Bull's Eye with me on car rides and would sometimes wait outside the store for my mom with her on my shoulder. She was a very calm rat and I even took her once or twice for 'show and tell' when I was in fifth grade. But other than her I never really took my other rats out in to public places, for fear that they might get too scared or something else happen. Lately I've been taking Lumi out on my balcony and she sits on my shoulder looking around, she's pretty astounded with outside world, but that's as far as I feel comfortable with right now.


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## wheeljack (Mar 17, 2011)

There are very few places that are safe for both the rats and other humans to take them.
-Petstores that sell live rodents are a disease risk as was already stated.
-Any place that you normally wouldn't expect to see animals isn't fair to people who may have phobias or allergies
-Obviously any place that sells food is out
-'Maybe' if you could find a petstore that didn't sell any live animals and your rat was very, very calm you could get away with it, but I would never risk it.

Rats could easily become startled at any point and jump or fall from your shoulder or hoodie OR worse they could startle someone with a phobia who might harm them as a reflex. There was a case in my city last year where someone had a tiny little ball python wrapped around his wrist at a book store. Someone with a snake phobia saw it, yanked it off his arm and killed it before either person realized what had happened. Extreme fear or revulsion of an animal will make an otherwise rational person do whatever they can to make the animal go away and this instinct can kick in before they realize what they are doing. It is never worth the risk to take them out in public unless they are in a secured carrier in my opinion.


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## halfmoon (Mar 29, 2010)

I can only trust one of my rats outside. I've taken him to the mall with me, to the library, to friend's houses, and sometimes when I go out to eat. I always have a carrier with me, just in case something happens. The only place I'll let them all out at is in my backyard, where I set up a little barrier so they can't run too far.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

There was a woman who brought her rat to a library reading for kids, and brought home SDA virus. She lost all but 2 of her rats to it. Mine got to the vet, new homes, etc. only.


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## noMoreFaith (Apr 28, 2010)

^That sounds terrifying. I ocassionally take each of my 4 rats around in my neighborhood-there is a tiny empty playground near my house and I sometimes let them free range there. Once, I let my rat Salem to walk freely there and when she wanted to go, she just climbed back on me. They're too scared of being left alone in the outside, so I have no fear of them running/jumping off me. They prefer to be inside my blouse and on my shoulder. Now that it's summer, I'd like to have them take some fresh air (not being in my room all the time). I've started with short walks. I'll see if they can get used to it ,as I don't want to force them. I also took Salem to school once, and everyone wanted to stroke her-she pooped everywhere. Since then, I've never taken her to crowded places. People often stop and stare and ask me about them. 

Also, when I'm out with her, and she wants to pee, she becomes nervous and restless until I get her home and then she runs in the cage to pee!


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## jadeangel (Jan 7, 2009)

I'll take mine to campus  I only take the ones I trust, and I haven't had one I really trusted since Shiva passed. But I'll take them with me to campus on days I don't have class and sit outside and hang out with friends. It's always hilarious to see people walk by who either stare or walk quickly by and some of my friends used to argue over whose turn it was to hold her.

She would also go to games with me, as I'm an avid LARPer, and almost all my characters had a pet rat or something xD I'm hoping to get Anya to this point one day as she's definitely the most laid back out of my girls, but they'll stay at home until I'm 110% sure that she won't bolt/jump down.


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## leesha (Feb 15, 2010)

My rats only get out to go to the vet and every once in a while outside for a few minutes of supervised play.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

My oldest boy, Romeo, was shoulder trained when I got him at 5 weeks old. He can now safely go anywhere, no matter the noise level, activity level, or scary objects. He is, in essense, a "bombproof" rat.

Some of the places he goes (he hasn't gone anywhere lately)-

Fairs and festivals: He is unphased by loud music and crowds and actually seems to enjoy it. He knows that if it's too loud I will cover his ears and he does not pull away if I do that.

Petstores, before I knew better. He doesn't go there now, and hasn't since he was 6 months old. His last trip was the one to get Snitch.

Stores in general: if I can get him in, he goes with me. That's how it works.

Registration: When I registered for 9th grade, Romeo went with me to registration. It was a mile walk and I wanted company. 

The ice festival: There is a festival in the mountains here, and he goes with me to it if we go. He hides in my hood when he gets cold, and he is a fan of hot chocolate.

The festival of lights: It gets cold here, too, and he sits in my hood and steals my hot cocoa and cookies.

Restaurants: If they have an outdoor seating area and dogs are allowed, he goes with me. He does like to eat my food, but ah well. I have not had a problem with this, usually everyone loves him. One time, a very grumpy rich lady got pissed at me for bringing vermin out to eat, but what does she matter. She could have sat inside. Oh, oops, no she couldn't, she had a DOG. Hypocrite.

Appointments: He accompanied me to many conselling appointments when he was younger, and that is how he was trained to shoulder ride. They were safe, calm and quiet and he was taught there before being taken other, less calm places.

He really does go anywhere. Hehe. Snitch goes places, too, but he is not as calm as Romeo and he sheds. Rosebud is too high energy to go anywhere really demanding, but I have taken her to the tack store and various other quiet places, where I can watch her.


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## Spider (Mar 19, 2007)

Theres a creek that runs through my town and in the summer on hot days I put the rats in the travel cage grab a water bottle and a beach chair, maybe a blanket and walk down the street to this quiet shady place next to the creek.
I sit on the blanket with the cage next to me the door open, they usually take a curious peek and sometimes play on the blanket. But mostly just take a drowsy snooze listening to the creek flow by and get some fresh air on a hot stuffy day.


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## RatMan141 (Jun 17, 2011)

I have an old aviary in my backyard that I often put my 2 older rats in. It's safe from predators so nothing gets in and nothing gets out. Beyond that I don't think I would ever take them anywhere, just to many "what ifs."


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## windyhill (Apr 19, 2008)

I take my males with me to petsmart and a few other public places.
My males are much more laid back and unlikey to jump then my females.


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## ratspal (Jun 15, 2011)

Sometimes I take my rat outside but she usually runs for the door. I even tried to go on the other side of our house but when I put her down she hops all the way around the house and until there's the turn for the door she stays on the sidewalk! Then I open the door and she jumps right in. Sometimes I'll carefully race her from one end of the sidewalk to the other!  Usually I will just let her sit on my shoulder outside until she try's getting down.


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## sonoma (May 26, 2007)

The only place mine go is to the vet.

I used to take my first rat out to pet stores, the mall, school, etc., but knowing what I know now about viruses I wouldn’t risk it. I don’t think my current rats would enjoy it anyway.


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## noMoreFaith (Apr 28, 2010)

My rats are finally used to being outside. Especially my rat Salem-I take her every night between 11 and 12 at night, when it's quiet, have her on my shoulder for a bit, and then I let her walk down. She usually free-roams in a small playground, and now I've also found an abandoned garage, where she can run around safely (of course, i'm always next to her). Also, I let her explore other houses' balconies, fences, etc. wherever she can climb safely. Sometimes stray cats follow us though 

Turns out the problem at first (when she was scared) was because I was a little too far and it looked like I had abandoned her. Last time she pooped herself, some weeks back, she couldn't see me and she was about to run away. Now, she's understood the way it works: she can walk along with me, and whenever she wants to go, she jumps on my shoulder. I feel it's a big achievement because I always wanted them to explore new places ;D

My other rats have liked it too. If I have time, I take all fours one after other for a walk.


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## Rattymonday (Jun 22, 2011)

Out of 6, I only have one "traveling rat". 
I got my Westley rat back last year when I was dating someone who lived a couple hours away.. I got him there, and the 5-6 weeks old babeh made the two hour trip back home with me, riding in my inside coat pocket the entire time! Ever since that first trip, where we all bonded to him greatly, he traveled with me several other times back up there for the weekend, then back home. Once, he even got to go home with "mommy Bekah" (Now ex-mommy.. But eh...) and stay a whole week with her until I came to get him the next weekend lol. 
We would take him to the park, to her friend's houses, and once he got to go eat at a restaurant with us on the deck .
He loved going with us. 
And I think he misses getting to go.. We still get play time every day, but I haven't taken him outside or anywhere in awhile.


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## hshelton (Feb 23, 2010)

I only take darla anywhere with me. She's so good and she just sits in my pocket and occasionally peaks her head out. I've taken her to walmart, starbucks, work, walgreens and occassionally the pet store. I had a friend who worked at starbucks and when she went with me, I let her have a little of my whipped cream off of my coffee so my friend gave me a whole small cup of whipped cream for her, of course she was only allowed to have a little of it but she enjoyed it. She loves the attention. I let a few of my rats outside to play but only one at a time and always supervised.


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## TucciGang (Jun 25, 2021)

My 3 boys have been going to work every day with me (mon to fri) since we've had them (approx 7-8 weeks old and now almost 1 year).
I work in a container depot with trucks and loud noises and all day different people coming into the office. 
All 3 are "shoulder trained" and though they do have a proper cage at work, the door is left open and they can free rome all day (9 hours). Their cage sits on its own desk / free rome area off the ground.
If i left the office, I used to close them into the cage, but now almost a year later, they can be left for hours without any issue (most of the time they'll still be in the same sleeping spot as when i left lol).
They love meeting new people, and get pats from very surprised faces to see rats as pets! My co-worker brings his dog every day too and its now a morning ritual where she sits down, puts her head on the desk and doesn't move till the boys come over and boop her nose.
We've now found that if theres a long weekend and they dont go to work, the next day they are practically bouncing to get into the carrier to get to work!
My partner and i can take them on weekend getaways now they are so used to being in the car and seeing new places every day. 
They love exploring and even though they are shoulder trained, if we were to take them out on a walk, we will still use their harnesses every time! 
This is more to do with my fear though of a bird plucking them up or a cat or something just pouncing from nowhere, then it is about the rats being spooked.


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## ratbusters (Aug 28, 2020)

distancel said:


> Yeah, I would never take mine out of the house either. My girls like to be near to their territory. Even though they might be happy sitting on me for a while or having a little sleep in my hoodie, they usually get restless after about twenty minutes and want back on their play area.
> 
> It may be because they are girls, as I had a male rat when I was a teenager who would happily go to school with me. I would just bring his water bottle and food and he would mostly just sleep on my lap during class, and travel around sleeping under my shirt or up my blazer sleeve. He was an older rat at that time though and I'd never recommend doing that as it was a bit irresponsible of me to do. It was because his cage mate had died and I didn't want him at home by himself all day (and probably also because i had no friends, lmao). No teacher ever noticed though, he really was a well behaved and lovely boy and kept me company.


Classic. I can imagine it. 
We had an older male rat who loooved being carried around, and was very gentle and quiet. He came with us to the pet supplies store a few times (they sell supplies, not live pets) and the staff loved him. We just carried him, and he would wear a little harness. But we did have a cat carrier in the car in case he became upset at any time. Seems to be a personality thing. One of our goofy boys seems to love just being held, and is happy just to hang out on your knee, while his brother is more silly and playful and would rather hand wrestle and popcorn around.
Our girls are a different story. They love climbing on us during free roam time, but as someone said, they can spook at something and ping off anywhere.


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## Verucasdad (Aug 31, 2015)

Several of my rats (past and present) are leash trained. I have taken them to the pet store and they have ridden on my shoulder with their harness and leash attached. They never go on the floor. It's a great way to promote rats as pets. Not for everyone though.


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## 0nikio (Sep 21, 2021)

ASkelton said:


> Just curious to see where people take their rats! Do you take them to public places? Just curious to see, I want to take my rats out of the house, but so scared of the reactions/getting in trouble :?





sonoma said:


> The only place mine go is to the vet.
> 
> I used to take my first rat out to pet stores, the mall, school, etc., but knowing what I know now about viruses I wouldn’t risk it. I don’t think my current rats would enjoy it anyway.





ASkelton said:


> Just curious to see where people take their rats! Do you take them to public places? Just curious to see, I want to take my rats out of the house, but so scared of the reactions/getting in trouble :?


I usually just take my oldest rat out to shopping centres, I have social anxiety and when going to public places it can really scare me so I bring my rat sometimes as an emotional support animal. I always have him in my shoulder bag that's mostly unzipped with a blanket and icepack so he would be comfortable and not get hot alongside with snacks and water. The security guards and employees always say it's okay as long as he stays in the bag and doesn't go running in which he wouldn't. He's met a lot of people so he's use to being around a lot of humans so he doesn't get spooked. He's also very sleepy so most of the time he's with me he just sleeps. I do have other rats but their younger and much more active so I tend not to bring them.


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## Creepy McSteezerson (Dec 30, 2020)

I only bring certain ones to small friend get togethers . I've socialized them all (over 30 at this point-not all are still with me, but all were rehomed successfully) but some are just better suited than others. Only the shoulder and/or in shirt inclined rats can go with me and only for a few hours. I've taken them on multiple day trips with a carrier but no longer than 3 to 4 days. The girls usually like to move around too much for these types of outings, especially anything involving the outdoors (i lost a young blue dumbo which was my second rat because of this mistake and will never do it again), but I've had a few who are great with it despite their curiosity. I have a good handle on who can go and who can't now, but just to make sure if it's a rat i haven't taken before i do a few test runs first when i do quick walks with my dog. It's a good way to tell how they'll react. I live on a main Brooklyn road where dumb kids have loud cars. They hear it from inside constantly so (with the right rat) it usually doesn't scare them outside either. I haven't lost one yet doing trial runs and they're kept secure during them. Etsy sells these interesting little bonding scarves. I use them for young and babies mostly but it can fit a small adult too. Jumbos will NOT fit nor will most large males. I am still seeking a better alternative for the big boys as that's the majority of my mischief and they're usually the best for travel. if anyone has a link please lmk.


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