# What response I get while on a walk with my rats.



## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

So I live in the small town of conneaut lake Pennsylvania. I always take my rats on walks down to the lake ( I have a private beach two houses away. i dont let them on the ground or anything but they stay on my shoulder) so on my way to the lake a ton of people stop me who know I have rats and hold them and pet them while they stay on my shoulder. So I am walking and my one neighbor ( who I never liked) looks at me and her jaw drops. She says " is that a.... RAT!?" my response is " yes it is I actually have two. They are very nice if people would give them a chance" then she says " aren't they supposed to have disease?" I explain all their health history. She then turns and walks away with a disgusted look on her face. I shrug and walk away. Has anyone ever had an experience like this? If so please tell about it.


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

I take my rats out all the time with me, provided it's not unusually hot or cold out. I once had a guy ask "Is that a chinchilla?!" *Facepalm*

Other than that, mostly I get strange looks but nothing worth speaking of. When I bring them to the pet store with me, you do get the odd "Is that a RAT?!" but beyond that, most people are indifferent or just assume I'm carrying a very large hamster around with me.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Yes... that's why I don't take my rats out or recommend it any more. The last thing I want is someone reacting violently and hurting my rat/me. It's just not worth it


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

Oh my goodness Jaguar! Has someone actually attempted to do that?!


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

Jaguar said:


> Yes... that's why I don't take my rats out or recommend it any more. The last thing I want is someone reacting violently and hurting my rat/me. It's just not worth it


 oh my goodness! I don't want that! I wouldn't think anyone in my area would do such a thing. That is my first bad response to my rats. Oh and Babs, a chinchilla? Really?!


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

> Oh and Babs, a chinchilla? Really?!


Sadly, yes. Chinchillas look like mutant bunnies, I think. Cute in a weird way, but not my thing. Rats are frickin adorable no matter what you're into.
I've also gotten "is that a hamster or a rat?" and the classic "how would you tell the difference between that and a wild rat?" 

Not that I mind answering questions on my rats, but...come on. Give me some common sense to work with!


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

"Fuzzy little Chinchillas with satallite dish ears"
Thats what my hubby says, LOL! 
I think they are freaking adorable too...LOL, mutant bunnies...


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

ive never had an issue, i take mine everywhere as long as the weather is ok for my babies  i let them up on my shoulder if i think the ppl around would be ok with it lol but once i forgot roxy was asleep in my hood and while i was walking down a grocery isle a lady was talking loudly into her phone so roxy decided t pop up and say hi! haha the lady kinda shrieked and looked at me weird and scurried away. i was mostly woried that id get the place shut down because of a rat infestation so i put her in my giant purse and went home! i usually get "is that a mouse?" more then anything ha and most ppl r curious but scared of their tails, which i think is strange... my bank where i go every week knows both my rats by name and i take them in to get pets and actually a mother who banks there fell in love with roxy and went and bought her kids 4 rats because of meeting her


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

Every time I bring one of my boys out I always get: "That doesn't look like a rat."

I don't know what rats are expected to look like but long scaly tails, big ears, long whiskers and tiny hands always screamed rat to me.


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

hahaha Maiden, i get that too! maybe they think they should look all long black and sinister with green oozing disease coming out of their mouths?? oh lol


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

Iheartroxyrat said:


> hahaha Maiden, i get that too! maybe they think they should look all long black and sinister with green oozing disease coming out of their mouths?? oh lol


I have gotten that too....and LMAO at Iheartroxyrat!!! 

I had an elderly woman say "Is that a rat?!" 
me: "yup! this is Pip"
her: "it just sits on your shoulder like that? doesnt try to run away?"
me: "nope, he is a good boy and likes going out and about"
her: "its not what I expected a rat to look like...he is kinda cute. Can I touch him? He wont bite?"

Then she actually petted him and exclaimed she 'never thought in a million years she would be willingly touching a RAT!'


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

what, thats how movies show them! haha, ive had a very similar convos with ppl about them running away and biting... or rabies lol


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

I brought him to an event and almost no one recognized him as a rat! it got to the point where this was the conversation:

Person: "What is that?"
Me: "A very good boy."

And then they would pet him and all would be well.


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

hahaha i love it! a very good boy  yes i do the same with my doberman pinscher!! ppl cross the road to stay away from him, and hes the biggest sweetheart whos scared of his own shadow lol


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

It was funny how people just didn't care what he was as long as he was "A Very Good Boy."

The event was The Renaissance Festival, I even dressed him up ^-^ His Costume


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

I like that costume! haha! You are always gonna get reactions like that unfortunately. But you also get ones that are on the total end of the spectrum. Alot of people start out nervous but come around when they ask to hold my rats. When I take them(mostly Korra) out, I make sure to keep a good distance from people and let them notice her on their own. Sometimes people are surprised but as long as a stand at least 10 feet from them I don't have a problem. 
Most people eventually come around when they see how much Korra and my dog love each other when they are in their bag together.


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## Keelyrawr (Mar 7, 2012)

Whenever I used to take my rats out the first reaction from people would be "IS THAT A RAT?" then they'd look sicked out, and walk away.
When I had Checkers my Grey/White Rat I had someone ask me if it was a baby opossum. *Face palm*
Sad how bad of a reputation these little guys have..and how they get mistaken for.. Chinchillas and Possums..


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## PitterPatter (Feb 28, 2012)

I love bringing my rat out. My girlfriend had hers out the other day while she was showing her parents and a guy walked by and was staring hard at her because of Mearlin being on her shoulder.
She's worried one day someone might try and hurt him; if someone can bring their parrot downtown - we can bring our rats. They're cleaner, anyway.


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## Babs (Jan 26, 2012)

> She's worried one day someone might try and hurt him; if someone can bring their parrot downtown - we can bring our rats. They're cleaner, anyway.​




I get worried about that too, so if it's one of my large lads I'm taking I usually try to make them keep their harness on in case someone knocks into me or something. I tend to keep my distance. And LOL at the thing about them being cleaner than parrots. I say that when I see people bringing sticky handed toddlers in somewhere - my rat would do less damage to stock!​


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Rat lover said:


> Has anyone ever had an experience like this? If so please tell about it.


Been there done that, not everyone wants to take the time to understand why I care for my rats. Good to know other rat owners have to deal with this, rat's have a bad reputation and most people don't want to look at them with an open mind.

I never really liked rats before I got mine, but after reading and learning about them, I've discovered that they are very rewarding to have as pets.

My two girls are usually called "disgusting" and "gross", and the people who say that didn't even want to take a look at them before they made a judgement.


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

My neighbors are actually pretty good about it. Except the one i told about. Once again never liked her. They all pet my girls and one of my neighbors actually got 2 girls because she met mine!


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## SamIAm (Feb 22, 2012)

So is it pretty safe to take rats out? I'm always afraid she might catch something and become sick. So either get a harness or like a dog bag? Can you take rats into businesses that allow dogs in? I have always wanted to take her when I got face paint but worried she will scare people. Should I but those travel cages the little ones with the white bars over the top. I love everyone's stories! And the rat chain mail is so cute!


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

I've never had it happen personally, no. But I have heard horror stories of rats who have gotten smacked off shoulders onto the floor or spooked by an unfamiliar scent that made them jump off and get lost.

Generally rats are still considered disease ridden vermin. You will get in a LOT of trouble if you bring them somewhere food is being handled, like a grocery store, restaurant, or even a convenience store. We all know how clean they are... cleaner than humans even... but some people just don't get it.


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

i agree with jaguar, i have only taken my rats into a grocery store once on accident lol but i was just in petco and my bank today with my rats. petco doesnt mind just as long as your rat doesnt bite or attack or mingle with the other rats! lol i actually had three ppl say yuck, but two of them, a mother and daughter decided to talk to me about them and told me they had owned gueina pigs in the past and they eventaly pet roxy and left laughing about her silly squaking and drama queening about! haha and i had a family stop to pet them, one girl was scared then decided she loved them and the parents went and looked at the rats for sale after that  only one lady stood far behind me in the line and made a rude comment about how she'd poison my rats if they came near her cuz they r pests, but the petco manger told her that rats make good pets and pretty much she should be nice!! ha made my day! the ppl at my bank keep treats for my rats and for ppls dogs  i love when ppl r open minded! tho i did have a moment of wanting to take somebodies puppy away, she had her ears and tail cropped, and her tail should have been done when she was born, and her ears not cropped for a couple of months and jammed into into a cup of noodles cup! i could see blood dripping out!! they wanted to have my full grown dobe come paly with her, and they bragged about her having champion blood lines and getting her from missouri... well if thats what the breeder did to their pup at the wrong age, i doubt they were good breeders at all! meh! oh days at petco! at least i spent about $200 on my ratties there  yay!


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

SamIAm said:


> So either get a harness or like a dog bag? Can you take rats into businesses that allow dogs in?


Loving hearing people love my chainmaille (I craft it myself) but this is the part I wanted to respond to.

When I took Dumbo to the Renaissance fair I came prepared. You can see the purple harness in the picture. Dumbo isn't a jumper but I wanted to be sure I was ready in case someone _did _panic and knock him off my shoulder. I also brought a purse with my big enough to house a carrying pet cage just in case things got to me too much and he wanted to hide.

In all I think you _can _bring them anywhere dogs can be brought, but I do believe if you want them to be treated like dogs you need to keep them on a leash like people with dogs are expected to. My boy doesn't jump and the entire event (multiple hours at a time and 2 days) he never once jumped and I didn't have to use the harness. I was still glad I had it because it put other people at ease as much as it put me at ease.

I am actually considering bringing my boys to more places.


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## Lioness (Nov 11, 2011)

Maiden said:


> It was funny how people just didn't care what he was as long as he was "A Very Good Boy."
> 
> The event was The Renaissance Festival, I even dressed him up ^-^ His Costume


Adorable! I love that you took the time to make him a splendid little costume.

I went to my first RenFaire when I lived in Missouri and it seemed like everybody brought their dogs.. I also saw a leashed goat in costume and fairy wings, and "the rat lady" dressed like a feral child with a basket full of pet rats. :3 I moved to Colorado and adopted a dog and was super excited to bring him to the Festival here with me, but they don't allow dogs at this one, and it's held in a town where he is banned anyway (some sort of sweet pitbullish mix-breed). If they don't allow dogs, I wonder if I could bring a rat on a leash?

Anyway, it looks like fun was had by all. Nicely done!


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## Ruma (Mar 20, 2012)

That's so cute! Can you buy rat harnesses? I've seen ferret harnesses, but not rat ones. I want one. :3Also. You can take pets in banks?


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## digitalduckie (Mar 22, 2012)

I have to admit, I'm a little shocked that such reactions appear to be relatively common? Granted it's nice to know that a lot of people come around and play nicer after a couple of questions.

I think it'd be nice to be able to take my rats places with me. Maybe not so much while I do the shopping, but perhaps to the office while I work and to friends' houses or some such. Although taking them to the local renaissance fair sounds fun too though I highly doubt mine would allow it.


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

Ruma said:


> That's so cute! Can you buy rat harnesses? I've seen ferret harnesses, but not rat ones. I want one. :3Also. You can take pets in banks?


That actually is a ferret harness. You can't see because his maille covers it but it is an adjustable kind, much like the kind they have for sugar gliders.

Ferret harnesses can work just fine if they adjust small enough. My boy there is 1.3pounds so he is about the size of a young ferret.


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## mzunderstood09 (Feb 22, 2012)

I bring have been able to bring Comet to my place of business a few times (I work at Shaw's Supermarket) if I have been to the vet with him and it is too cold in the car for me to leave him. He usually goes in my purse with some food, a little toy, and an old shirt I wear every so often after it is washed, so he feels comfortable. I have showed him to my managers and the people higher than the food chain. They all absolutely adored Comet, I have yet to bring Zorro in, but he never needed to go to the vet too often (and I intern there so I am at my vet's quite a bit, and sometimes bring him to chill in the kennel, where he is fawned over and gets animal crackers). I have never shown my rats to two of the people I work with because before I got them and was talking about getting rats I had some very negative comments from them about how they could "dispose of my pest problem" and how I'm weird and even had the nickname "rat lady" ( i talked to my managers about how their comments were harrasment and one recently apologized and said he used to like rats, and even rescued an abandoned rat in the apartment next to his and it ended up hurting his daughter really bad, so he's been kinda jaded about them). 

I also went into a small little petstore in Southern Maine, where they sold a lot of things for smaller pets (obviously no just rat things) and I brought Zorro in with me in my purse and one of the employee's saw him peek his head out and told me my "purse dog" was absolutely adorable. She was rather confused when I asked for a good hiding hut for rats. It made me think there was no hope for the human race after that.

I honestly wish that Zorro liked his harness because I would bring him more places, but he really despises it...I'm trying to figure out a good way for him to like it, or I might just give up all together and use it for my potential ladies (which I am still working on getting). 

<:3( )~ <------Rat


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## Lycrisa (Mar 10, 2012)

I don't have rats now, but I did a few years back. I used to take them out on harnesses or just on my shoulder.
But one time a group of boys took my baby black hooded rat and killed him while keeping me from helping him.
Then they threw his body over the electric fence and onto the railroad so I couldn't take him home.
I lived in a bad area, and I didn't conform to whatever standard they had so I was picked on all the time.
I don't risk taking my guys out anymore. In the yard maybe but I won't go anywhere else. 
I love em too much. 

OMG That is the cutest costume I've ever seen. <3


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## Iheartroxyrat (Feb 22, 2012)

my bank knows me pretty well, lol so i dunno if all banks would mind, but i dont think there is much of an issue as long as they dont potty on the floor or jump around lol if they sit nicely in your hood or shoulder i doubt it would matter


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## Patientzero (Jan 12, 2012)

A step sister of mine who I dislike alot when she saw a pic of my new baby rat girl up on Facebook said that she's disgusting and I should kill her, gave her a piece of my mind, especially since when we were younger she threatened to kill my reptiles, my parents put a lock on my door so she couldn't go into my room. People who say stuff like that disgust me especially when its my baby ratty girls.


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## Rat lover (Dec 28, 2011)

Lycrisa, that is horrible! Who would be so mean to do that. I am lucky I live in a nice neighborhood where mostly everyone respects my love of rats. I'm so sorry about your baby. *hugs*


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## therathugger (Feb 9, 2012)

When people question your rat being one maybe they were expecting something like a ROUS! Ha ha ha. However I must admit that some people are pretty brutal and judicial about these fine, fine creatures!


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## tm22 (Mar 19, 2012)

I just got my first pet ratsthis past week. At the store while waitingto hear back on how much vet visits cost a lady walked voer and asked what kind of bird I had gotten I said it's a rat. She then went on to bash me infront of her small daughter, at length, and then moved away slowly like she was afraid and then preceeded to stand and glare at me........ I actually did not know of this fear/maybe even hate? of rats until that day. Caught me 100% off guard.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

Wow, I almost can't believe all the stories of cruelty and disgust that I'm reading! The most I have ever gotten when I tell people of my rats is weird expressions. But I do live in a pretty open-minded town.


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