Help me decide! boy or girl rats?

Ratcrazy

I am gonna get 2 rats 4 my birthday and i really don't know whether 2 get 2 boys or 2 girls. i would like an outgoing, curious and compasionate partner that is not skittish. i would really appreciate any advise u could give, thanks a million! p.s i am thinkin' of gettin' dumbo rats if that makes any difference. thanks again. (pleeeeaaaasssseeee help!)

Asho_DirtyPoo

Hey there...don't know if I can REALLY help or not, but any input is something, right?

From what I've heard, females are generally tamer, and tame faster. I've also heard that they aren't as stinky.

It also seems to me that females are healthier too...like...less prone to tumors and respiratory disease etc.

HOWEVER, I do know people who have owned male rats, and they're amazing pets. But most of the rat owners I know have females...

I'd get your google on and see what articles and such say about the male-female thing.

If you're getting them from a breeder, you could ask them what they think would make a better pet for you specifically, or if it's from a small, independantly owned petstore or something.

amethystmyst

As kids my parents let us keep fancy rats and I have to say when we had the two females they both came to us pregnant and we ended up with about 25 babies!

We kept a male and called him Bomb scare (lol I have no idea why) but he was to coolest rat ever he was very loving and playful and used to sit on my brother's shoulder all the time he really was far much more fun and much tamer than the females

Never noticed the smell maybe the famales were smellier with all the babies.

I would definately have male rats if I had another.

Awww I loved the rats maybe its time my children found out how cool they are!

Twig

It depends what you are looking for I guess, males tend to be lazy and more placid, so you can handle them more, they are also considerably bigger. Females are a lot more active and smaller.

As for smell, males do have a musky smell to them, but from what I've heard its not too bad really. Females tend to be more prone to tumours than males though. Wink

Jacqui_UK

If you can put up with the smell boys are miles better pets than girls Very Happy

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amethystmyst

i would have a boy too
they are much bigger and have Huge testicles ROFL ...... its true. Laughing

poppydog83

When i had rats i did have female and males (not at the same time though). I always found the male rats (for me) were easier to tame and handle,the females were alot more agressive. As in i was never bitten by any of the male rats i had only been bitten by the females. I also found that if any of my rats were ill it was mainly the females and also 2 of my female rats had tumours none of the boys did.

It is down to personal preference at the end of the day,but i would deffinately have male rats or any rodents for that matter. But that is purely because ive had better experiences with male rodents,and not females

rufftydlc

My sis says that female rats are better as male rats apparently smell quite bad. i wouldnt know as ive never had any except from when my sis used to own some. but i was about 5. my sis is a vet nurse so hopefully that might count for something.
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Frankie, Bindi, Buddy, Jack Baeur, Peter Pan, Ruffty Tuffty, Sox, Dexter,Tiger, Flint, Vilmaris, Run free at rainbow bridge Sunny and Betty

amethystmyst

I have to say our boy rat didn't smell any more than a little hampster but maybe that was just him. He had a "ratty" smell but only if you had him right by your face. He was a lovely pet. Very Happy

poppydog83

when i had my rats,i personally think there was so difference in the levels of smelliness between the females and the males

an1mal_l0ver

Rats are brilliant pets to have!!!! Love 'em! lol anyway...

Female rats are the more outgoing, playful and excitable gender, and male rats are more laid back, they'll have a cuddle on your lap and more likely to find a comfy place to curl up and go to sleep. I'm not saying males are lazy and boring because they will play and have a rough and tumble with each other and will love a run about on your bed and on the floor too! Males live slightly longer, they get bigger and heavier than females, and males are more prone to abscesses which is unfortunate.

Sooo... I think your best bet is either really! I would suggest females because I'm bias and loved my little girlies to bits! But my little boys are just as amazing! Bottom line is, if you want a big rat to cuddle up with, who will enjoy being a lap-rat, adopt a male. If you want a small rat with a lot of energy and probably won't sit still for five minutes for a cuddle, adopt a female! But both are lovely and make excellent pets! Smile

I'd like to add, males and females do have a slight difference in smell, although females are the worst. The males I have, it would take up to a week for their cage to smell really bad! The females I used to have, I'd clean their cage the Monday afternoon, by Tuesday night, it was rather stinky! It also would depend what you fed them too lol!

whallj

Iv'e had both males and females.

Females are more active than males but they are more likerly to get tumors than males.

My females had tumors after age 2yrs.

Where the male i had 2yrs prevoius lived over 3yrs and they can be lazy at times and they make great pets males/females and loved to be fussed with and they give the attention back.

They love cuddels lol and sit on your shoulder if you decide to go for females keep a check on them due to fatty tissue and tumors. Laughing

All my rats were very friendly and never bitten once and as for smell doesn't happen if you clean there home regulary and wash tail with a bit of soap and old toothbrush.

As they love baths.

nahatalie

I have both. My girls are very playful and will climb all over you but they are never still for a second, and my neutered male (who will be moving in with them once they all know and like each other, he's new you see) is much more cuddly. Just today I watched TV with him in my lap. I stroked him for a good half hour and he hardly moved!

As for the smell, if you get the correct cage and bedding (NOT sawdust/woodshavings for rats; these contain phenols(chemicals) which are harmful to rats respiritory systems). My boy rat doesn't really smell much and nor do the girls now I have them in a better cage with better bedding!

For tons of helpful advice about rats, visit www.fancy-rats.co.uk it's a forum much this but dedicated to rats and everyone on there is very helpful.

poppydog83

Hi,ive always used wood shavings for my ratties and never had any problems. So what can i use instead if wood shavings are bad?

nahatalie

There is a brand of recycled cardboard type bedding called Carefresh that I use. It's excellent at getting rid of the smell and is very absorbant.

This is copied and pasted from the rat forum I previously mentioned...

Bedding

Whether or not you choose to use bedding for your rats may depend on other factors such as:

The environmental temperature of the area where they live.
The substrate you have chosen for the cage.
Whether your rats enjoy nest building.
What materials you have available to you at any given time.
Bedding is not essential unless your rats live in low environmental temperatures – probably under about 13°C – or unless you choose a substrate that does not provide comfortable sleeping areas. Rats housed on newspaper and hard paper pellets especially, should be given some softer materials with which to line their beds. However, many rats enjoy nest building, and providing nesting materials can add to the enrichment of their cage environment. Many nesting materials can be incorporated in ways that are stimulating for the rats, keeping them physically and mentally active.

Suitable materials for bedding
Paper flakes - usually available in fairly small bags, paper flakes can work out expensive and are not very absorbent, but are dust free and non-allergenic. Safe bed is an example.

Shredded paper - can be made from waste (non-shiny) paper, old bills, telephone directories, or newsprint (from art suppliers) and therefore very cheap, if not free.

Finely chopped straw - this is comfortable and warm, but can be very messy and smells when wet. Russell bedding is an example.

Soft good quality hay – very much like straw beddings, only may be nibbled on by some rats.

Fleece and cotton towels - can be washed and reused, but will undoubtedly be chewed. Monitor carefully for frayed edges if using towels as loose threads can become tangled around the rats’ limbs and cause serious injury.

Paper towels and toilet roll - can become quite soggy when wet, but are fairly cheap.

Shredded soft paper - sold pre-packed in smaller or larger amounts. Safe bed is an example.

Some substrates, such as shredded card also make excellent nesting materials.

You should not use anything fluffy and cotton-wool-like, as this can get caught around toes or swallowed and choked on, no matter how warm and snugly it may appear.

Stimulating ways of presenting bedding
Shredded paper, hay, paper towels and shredded soft paper can all be placed into a hayrack (sold to attach to rabbit cages).

Shredded paper, materials and soft paper can all be left on to of the cage (if the roof is barred) and will be pulled into the cage for use as required by the rats.

Toilet rolls and kitchen rolls can be slung from the side of the cage on a length of cotton string. The rats can then unwind them at their leisure.

Wads of pages from old telephone directories can be hung from the cage bars using cable ties through a hole in the corner.

Shredded paper can be stuffed into boxes and paper bags and left in the cage.

I've heard of people lining the cage with puppy mats and vet bed too, but if it were my rats they would shred this up!