Would I be able to rescue a rat or several?

zebra

We had 2 pet doe rats, 16 months old, Billy and Monty.

Last week Billy died -- I don't know why. She was shut alone for a few minutes in a room where she and her sister have run around alone for the past year without any problems (other than some carpet and wallpaper damage). We found Billy bleeding with every exhaled breath; somehow she had an internal hemorage -- did she fall? Did she have a burst blood vessel? I can't explain it. Her sis was locked in the cage at the time. Billy died very quickly, with me holding her.

So we now have a single doe (Monty) who is only about 17 months old.
I'm afraid Monty will get lonely.

I would like to get a rescue rat to keep Monty company. I can meet most of the other conditions the rescue groups want to impose, but not the thing about children having no unsupervised contact, and I can't explain Billy's death, either. I think my 8yo son is trustworthy to pick the rats up and give them cuddles without me hovering over him. It's just impractical and makes having a family pet pointless.

Is buying pet babies from a breeder/pet shop my only option to get Monty a new companion? Or would a rescue group be more flexible than I think they are?

Also, Would Monty accept new adult female rat companions?

TIA.

nahatalie

Hello!

Firstly, I am very sad to hear about Billy's death. It must have been awful. Accidents do happen, you could be right, she could have taken a fall, or maybe it was just one of those things and it would have happened whether she was inside or out of the cage.

You are absolutely right to get more rats to keep Monty company. I am sure she would love to have new playmates, as you know, they love to be with thier own kind.

Please don't buy rats from a pet shop, you can never tell how they were raised. More often than not, animals from pet shops are bred by "breeders" who have no regard for breeding a quality animal that will carry a good temperment, and are just bred for to make profit, often on mass therefore the animals are not socialised properly and they may have come from overcrowded conditions where the mum is made to have litter after litter until she can't have any more, then is sold as snake food.

Buying rats from a reputable breeder is an option, but in my opinion, there are so many in rescue it would be great to give needy rats a home.

It's great that you are interested in rescueing some ratties! I myself have just taken on a year old boy called Roland and he is lovely. There is a forum, much like this called www.fancy-rats.co.uk . It deals with just rats and there are loads of people with a lot of rat knowledge on there. The site also has links for rescue rats, there lots of rats looking for good homes on there. http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=91669 take these 6 girls for example...I recommend you yourself signed up to fancy rats and get looking at the Rehoming Rescue Rats section! That forum is how I came to adopt Roland. See you there hopefully!

nahatalie

Sorry, all 12 of those girls are still looking. And there are loads more ratties advertised needing good homes. Each of the foster homes / rescue centres are run by fancy rats members who are very supportive and try to ensure the right rats go the right people. You would need to fill out a questionnaire, this does tell the carer of rat a lot about you as many people get put off by a questionnaire, so if they can;t be bothered to fill one out, then they surely can't be bothered to have rats! I am sure you would be able to find some companions for Monty, and get loads of advice from other members. I have asked so many questions on there and always get a response!

zebra

Thanks for the replies, I was so afraid I'd get blown off as 'You obviously awful pet owner'.

I tried hard to give the rats a quality life. Billy was truly lovely, too (very affectionate).
I'll try that website, thanks again.

zebra

oh that's annoying those rescued rats were in Norfolk & now are in Surrey.
I live in the far end of Norfolk, could have taken them directly. will look into transport, though. Ta again.

nahatalie

What you can do, as well as having a look at those rats advertised for needing new homes (and there are others, you can click on an area of the country and that will reveal any ratties needing new homes in that area), you can contact the rescue homes / foster homes directly. If you join the forum you can send the person a private message. Also, you can just start a thread of your own mentioning that you are looking for 2 girls in the Norfolk area.

And remember, the rats could be transported.

nahatalie

Did you have a look at the rats forum? Did you find it helpful?