# Life changing rats.



## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

I'm someone that suffers from severe anxiety and a bit of depression. My 3 boys have improved my life incredibly. My rats are my family, my best friends. They understand me and make me feel like a better person. I can't picture my life without them. If you have rats or any pets that have improved your life in some way, I'd love to hear about it.
Happy ratting.


Frank helping me with laundry.










Henry and Jack cuddling together.










Frank and Henry giving kisses.










Jack seeing what mommy is up to.










Frank saying hi when I come home.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

You are not alone. There are many rat owners here, including myself, that suffer from various illnesses in which our rats make life a lot brighter. They are special creatures.


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

How do you tell them apart, lol?


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## imfine_thx (Jan 4, 2014)

When my husband gets deployed, its fair to say I get extremely upset - if not depressed. My little critters get me through it every time he goes away. The endless kisses I get from them is so helpful. They just love to love.... and eat, definitely eat. XD


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging - They definitely are special.

DustyRat - Originally tried food coloring on their backs. It washed off within 2 days. Put permanent marker on their tails and it's lasted almost a month (even with bathing) and doesn't harm them at all. Frank - end of tail, Henry - none, Jack - close to butt. They of course have their individual personalities, but the markings help.

imfine_thx - Loving is their specialty. And eating, definitely yes.


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

I have anxiety, and often am hard on myself .... The rats make me smile all the time !!!!  they help me through hard days (well, their cuteness does hehe)


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

Gannyaan - I feel the same exact way. I'm the kind of person that beats myself up over sneezing the wrong way x_____x. The rats are my helpful pals. Always there to make me smile


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## ahrat (Aug 12, 2013)

I got my three boys when I was going through a hard time in my life, and my anxiety was spiraling out of control. I haven't had a panic attack since I got them! If I know there's something stressful I have to do, like check my bank account, or do a really important paper, they sit with me while I do it!


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

ahrat - That's awesome ^_^ Little fuzzy anxiety reducers.


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

I have anxiety and sometimes depression and yes, my critters help me. Bless them all!


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## TachisMom (Oct 17, 2012)

I suffer from depression, and my rats definitely have helped me! My doctor was even surprised at how my mood has improved since starting to keep rats


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## Hitmanthe3rd (Jul 16, 2013)

I envy all your rats. I suffer from chronic anxiety and depression and am having relationship issues, if my rats cuddled or bruxed or even licked me it would help. Unfortunately they do not.

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## ahrat (Aug 12, 2013)

Mine don't lick or brux either. Just having them running around the same room I'm in helps me. And it gives me something to concentrate on and care for. 


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## ratsaremylife (Nov 5, 2013)

My poppy bruxes but doesn't lick much unless I have food.


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## Hitmanthe3rd (Jul 16, 2013)

Then I envy your happiness with your rats! 

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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

Whilst im lucky that ive not got health issues that my rats have helped me with I can honestly say my rats have shaped my lofe significantly. Ive been lucky enough to be owned by them since I was 5 and have had licky rats, bruxy rats, energetic explorers and loving cuddlers, even troubled rescues whove slowly learned to trust. Theyve all been different but all have been characters ive loved sharing my life with. Theyve taught me so much, how if you give yourself to them they give you so much more in return, how to patiently work with them to overcome there fears, how sometimes the only way to move past fear is to confront it, how to care for the sick, and how special they are in old age and ill health, even how to grieve, mourn but get up tbe next day and give love to there cagemates. They are so accepting and loving if you give them your time and are able to push there boundaries, and they dont half challenge you, I couldnt have a pet that couldn't regularly outwit me, I remeber looking after my brothers guinea pigs and getting very frustrated about not being able to give them problems to solve lol.

I know over the years some have really made an extra difference. Heres my pivotal rats

Blacky -I was 12 when I got her, a predictably black berky, from a horrible pet shop, her and her sister were so small we mistook them for mice at first, I now know they were 4 weeks max, not the 6 weeks the pet shop claimed. Her sister died very young and blacky was inconsolable, we nearly lost her as she starved herself and we madly searched for a friend. When we got her a friend she quicly taught me that not all intros are easy lol, though she got her appetite right back. She was the first properly affectionate rat id got, not one to stay still but she insisted on drive by lickings. She was my first heart rat and showed me how special that bond could be, she was also the first rat I took to be put to sleep and stayed, before I was too young, to make it worse the vet injected her in the heart, it was very traumatic to say the least and it took me years before I could be there for a rat again.

Podge - she was an older lady rescue, she wasnt a heart rat as such but she really taught me a lot. She came to me badly neglected, terrified of people and immediately became overly protective of her new baby cagemates. She bit me badly so often in that first week my parents were going to have her put to sleep. At 15 all I could do was beg for another week and promise to wear gloves. It took me several months of hard graft, lots of handling, several mistakes but in the end podge was a different rat. For a start she was slimmer lol, but we also loved each other very much and she was truelly happh with me and her life. She taught me its worth taking that chance.

Nimbus - he was one of myfirst breeder rats, id had a break for a few years from leaving uni to moving to my first job and then got in a situation where I coukd get rats agin. He was wonderful, so cheeky and friendlh and a born PR rat, he loved all humans and was such a hit with the public. He would actively come back for more even after being well mauled by children. I loved him and he reallh taught me what temprement I woukd go on to look for in future rats. Him and his brothers also taught me the massive differences in getting rats from a background where they got tonnes of attention and were well looked after, they were so easy to bond with and such a universally wonderful group.

Mu, otherwise known as Isamu - probably the rat for me, he was the rat that persuaded me to breed, his temprement was just perfect, we adored each other, he was so bold, cheeky, knew the world revolved around him, a super pr rat and such a good rats rat to. He was also the one that gave purpose to my later decision to breed, I lost him at 16 months and to say I was crushdd was an understatement, its why I chose to joing the tabi initiative breeding with his extended family, we are hoping we can breed rats like mu who live long and happg lives. Im lucky ive since had several of mus nephews, great nephews and so on and whilst theyve not been mu they have been wondeful in there own right, I know a bit of mu lives on.


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

Agree!!!


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

I feel so silly. I guess the forum didn't update before I put my "Agree!!! " up there (I was responding to a previous post). I love reading the stories about your ratties. I have boys, so they are willing to sit still more than some females. I'm sorry that they don't brux or give kisses :/ Rats are like us, every one has a different personality. I know that every rat here is very lucky to be in caring hands. They may not show it outwardly sometimes, but I know that your rats love you very very much.


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## KreoCrisis (Jan 9, 2014)

I have to try really hard to get my rats to brux, but sometimes I'll look over and find one of my babies just staring at me, bruxing. It's a little strange. And, lately things have been a little rocky in my family, it's so bad right now that I can't see it ever getting better, but my rats can always make me smile. I'm not sure I'd know what to do with myself if they weren't around to comfort me.


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## MightylilttleMinies (Jul 17, 2013)

I have depression and my baby ratties have been my main help. 100 times better than therapists and medication combined. 


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## Stephanee (Jan 12, 2014)

Totally agree! I also suffer from depression and anxiety, ever since my boys have been in my life.. thing's just changed. In so many ways, rats>humans.


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## stephdisneybug (Dec 30, 2013)

:3 ratties to the rescue <3


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## arigrace (Jan 10, 2014)

My rats are the only thing that keep me alive through the days! Life gets stressful and really sad sometmes but playing with and loving a ratty baby makes it so much better at the end of the day.


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## Minky (Apr 4, 2013)

My pets help me significantly with depression and anxiety. I have 4 cats and (currently) 2 rats. The rats are right next to my computer, so when I get stressed with work I just have to reach over and pet them. It helps so much. It helps me to take care of other creatures, especially rescues - I find it very gratifying and personally enriching. Gives meaning to my life.


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