>>4865973
Do you think he understood that eating the bitter thing makes the pain go away?

>>4865998
I'm not sure, at a minimum he understands if he gets it done quick, he gets his treat.

File: h1i58rv6y13b1.jpg (495 KB, 1512x2688)

495 KB JPG

>>4865973

>have girl rats
>they like it when I play rough with them
>always violently tickle and their armpits and chests
>boomer mom sees and says that if I do this they will get breast cancer
>lol whatever
>one of them develops a tumor in exactly the area where I was tickling them
Bros... did I accidentally fuck up my rat? I know it sounds retarded and like there can't be any correlation but I'm devastated and paranoid

>>4866293
One of mine was kind of like that. He would suck the meds out while squeaking and biting the syringe in rage. Could tell he hated doing it but understood on some level that he had to.

File: IMG_20240224_183152.jpg (2.13 MB, 2304x4096)

2.13 MB JPG

>>4865973
>Tickle tickle tickle
Anyway, I am no longer in contact with the person who had the cotton rat, so I will post pictures of the little guy somewhat frequently.

>>4868091
Before you ask, it is fine to hold a cotton rat as I am, there is a layer of fat that my left hand is holding him by.

File: IMG_20240505_163739.jpg (1.53 MB, 4096x2304)

1.53 MB JPG

>>4867753

>>4868574
Can somebody make this into a pointing Basedjak? A Basedrat, if you will?

File: 1694229054773564.png (223 KB, 463x397)

223 KB PNG

>>4868580

File: rat.png (574 KB, 437x598)

574 KB PNG

>>4865973
Rats are great. For two reasons:
1- They're absolute bundles of fun
2- The awesome fact that the tooth enamel of rats is THE hardest organic substance on the planet

>>4869290
What impresses me most with rodents is, the front of the teeth have iron & enamel but the back only have less or no iron. So, when gnawing they wear the back quicker than the front making them sharp too

>>4868091
he's a cute lil guy

>>4871851
fat

File: 0kb999yj0usb1.jpg (158 KB, 1440x1080)

158 KB JPG

I save rats so that you may mourn their captured charm, years from their photo.

I love ratties

>>4865973
Why does he take medication

>>4873905
that tumor the size of a gold ball is probably a hint

>>4874032
I didn't focus on that, glanced and thought it was his leg and ballsack. Males usually have large sacks.

why are humans so protective of their grain? they make more than they could possibly ever eat, they should share some

>>4873905
OP here exactly this >>4874032
He was 2.5 years old and too old for surgery so he was on steroids

>>4874213
A lot of it goes to animal feed

File: Rats-Bday-muffin-n01.jpg (39 KB, 400x303)

39 KB JPG

>>4865973
I usually mix it with whipped cream because my rats are special needs and despise being handled but will always eat whip cream

Would Jane be a good name for a rat?

>>4874570
imo sounds too human of a name
but who is to say rats don't deserve a human-like name?

Rattus Rattus

https://youtu.be/oMDRe1FkE-M
kek look at those beta pigs submitting to the alpha rodents

File: 39jural26and1.jpg (769 KB, 2917x3022)

769 KB JPG

a vet checking the sinuses of a rat

>>4876387
Nice hat
Very fancy

>>4876387
lmao saved

>>4874515
I found they would eventually refuse what I was putting it in, usually I tried peanut butter, malt paste or low fat cream cheese

File: 1721567901987359.jpg (41 KB, 576x522)

41 KB JPG

I don't know what to do about my rats' free roam time anymore. They've probably caused about several hundred $ of damages to my flat by now. They're just so fucking destructive. I've put covers on every cord I have, I've put baby locks on all my kitchen cabinets because by some fucking rat magic they found a way to open them, I've put everything out of reach, but they still manage to break shit. Just now they somehow managed to get inside the top drawer of my desk via somehow climbing up between the wall and the back of the desk and accessing the drawer from the back. They chewed open a tube of krazy glue in there and now there's papers and pencils permanently fused to the inside of that drawer.
I can't simultaneously let them out of the cage for 2 hours every day and watch them like a hawk every second of that time. My flat is small as it is. The only properly secure space I could give them is if I find a way to confine them to this 2'x5' corridor which feels too small for it to be proper "free roaming". Please help me anons, what should I do? I really don't know how to handle this shit anymore.

>>4877638
I think your biggest issue is the roam area. Reduce the roam area, my guys get out on top of sofas or onto a bed next to their cages and only leave the room on my shoulder. I think we've trained ours to stay off the floor with our routine as well
You can use something like these to block off areas https://www.amazon.de/dp/B000WFCG0A but I needed to cable tie 2 together to make it taller and they'd still get up with planning
We do 1 to 2 hours a day but as I work from home 4 days a week it's split twice a day. Consider how long your letting them out and when
See what other anons routines are too

I want to get a pair of snuggly ret for the family but I don't want to have to say goodbye to a fren every couple of years. : (

>>4877638
Build stuff for them to enjoy verticality when they are in your tiny hallway. Rats are escape artists and will climb climb climb

File: 20240914_142526.jpg (598 KB, 1760x2048)

598 KB JPG

>>4877638
a lot of rat owners online have constructed "rat playpens" out of cardboard and duct tape, or out of plastic panels. they can get pretty elaborate, as the little buggers will chew, climb, crawl, etc through anything. it's that or let them wreak havoc and pee on your carpet. might as well splurge on a stanley steemer visit at some point.

it's that or rehoming. you wanted ret, ret you shall get

>>4877638
do you give em any spent toilet paper rolls or empty cardboard to chew on in their cage? they love chewing shit so they might get their "fill" if you gave 'em disposable cardboard garbage to chew

>>4877430
try apple sauce or whipped cream

>>4879996
I like Friendly Rat Forecasts on YouTube setup and her mischief get over the barriers
>>4880011
They are great for putting treats in for them to rip up
>>4880215
I'll try apple sauce next time, it should have a strong enough flavour

>>4877430
>I found they would eventually refuse what I was putting it in
Could it help if you keep it varied? Always putting the meds in something different each time, and occasionally giving them the stuff without any meds so it's not guaranteed to have it.

>>4880410
I'll try a line up of, apple sauce, peanut butter and malt paste but mixing it up. Depending where they are in life, I'll consider treating them in between doses as well but don't want to give them diabetes trying to fix a respiratory problem.

Bros the last of my little mouse friends died a couple months ago I'm so lonely.

File: GJXD8vtWYAErTxb.png (1.41 MB, 1107x1609)

1.41 MB PNG

>>4882514
Maybe little mouse friends reincarnate to more little mouse friends and they're just waiting for you to adopt 'em again

>>4867301
No rats are so imbred that they have high rates of cancer
That being said if you were hurting them or causing inflammation that could have caused the cancer too

File: IMG_20240921_204059.jpg (2.1 MB, 4000x1824)

2.1 MB JPG

Any tips for releasing deer mice or if I should even with this one?

I caught this little deer mouse in a live trap (there are many in my house) but his little foot seems injured.. he's walks with a limp and his foot looks a little reddish and swollen.

I'm keeping him right now in a large aquarium with cardboard ramps and hidey holes, towels, paper towels, toilet paper rolls with food and water like oats and blueberries which he especially likes. Should I still release him even with his bad foot? I want him to be able to make it in the wild so for the past few days ive been letting him rest and fatten up. Any ideas where or how?

He seems fine otherwise besides for the hurt rear foot, sleeps, poops well, eats, chews on the cardboard and even bruxed/boggled a bit while snoozing in the towel.

>>4883632
I hope the best for your little friend and that his foot injury isn't significant.
>Should I still release him even with his bad foot?
I don't think he could last too long out there in the wild if his foot never heals. Their survival hinges on being able to scarper outta sight when a predator comes.

>>4883642
Do you think I should keep him for longer? Only thing is it's gonna get cold soon where I am and if I can't release soon we might have to overwinter him.. will have to get bedding, toys etc.

I'm also worried about stressing him, as a wild mouse as he really doesn't like being seen by us so we have the aquarium out of the way so he doesn't have to hear/see us as much.

File: VID_20240926_072934 (1).webm (3.46 MB, 1080x1920)

3.46 MB WEBM

I was able to get a video of the mouse, he came out and for some reason wasnt scared of me.

You can see in this video his foot is all red... he's not putting much weight on it and it looks like there's a sore or something on the upper part of his leg/foot

Forgive the impromtpu cage.. i'm probably gonna run to the petstore today and pick up some bedding and toys.

>>4883632
Being injured he is guaranteed to die within a week either to predation or further injury due to avoiding predators

>>4883700
>Forgive the impromtpu cage.. i'm probably gonna run to the petstore today and pick up some bedding and toys.
you're going above and beyond for the little man and that's already respectable enough
it's a tough call because i don't have faith he'll recover, and he'd surely die outside to a predator in his condition
he'll also get really bored in captivity i think, since he'll be alone and isn't used to not being able to run free in the wild

File: IMG_20240926_154546 (1).jpg (566 KB, 4000x1824)

566 KB JPG

>>4883642
>>4883789
>>4883974
Thanks for the advice all... I think i've got a pretty decent cage going now. He has millet and seeds and veggies. Would it be a very bad idea to pair with a fancy rat for company with a wild deer mouse? I hear deer mice are solitary but become communal in the winter.

>>4884128
*fancy mouse sorry

>>4884128
Find another mouse to keep him company

>>4884128
that's a great cage setup

File: iggies.png (727 KB, 620x620)

727 KB PNG

I've never cried this much over rodents. I've had so many hamsters, but this was my first batch of rats, who I went through hell and back to rescue from my research lab. I had to put Tiggy and Wiggy down due to multiple health issues yesterday. The cage feels so empty now. The others seem so confused. They were all bonded for life.

>>4884842
you gave them wealth beyond measure, outlander

>>4884842
Their life spans suck but you made it awesome. Having read your old posts, they were the luckiest rats.
They will adjust with a bit of time but treat them well, they have their own little grieving process.
Do you think you'll keep the rat cycle going?

>>4884842
>>4884852
>>4884981
thank you so much anons :< I'm fairly certain I'm going to keep the cycle going. This time, I'm going to adopt a few non-lab rats that are properly socialized and then introduce more rescue lab rats so they can learn from the socialized ones.

File: 1713189595827727.png (2.02 MB, 1200x806)

2.02 MB PNG

Holy fuck I know this is rat general but goddamn
I'm in bed reading a book and I hear some scratching noises coming from somewhere in my room
I look up at my desk and there's a tiny mouse on its hind legs helping itself to my scraps from dinner
I get up and it bolts away but it's trapped in a corner between some furniture and a wall now
I gave it a piece of apple which it ate and then it disappeared but when I lifted something from my desk it scampered away again into the corner
I'm shining a light on it and it looks terrified
I've been hearing noises recently and so maybe it's been this mouse all along?
I think I'll just leave the door open and sleep on the couch so it can get out but I'll be interested to see if you have any advice for me besides not being a slob
It's a pretty cute animal and I don't want to hurt it but it's probably full of diseases
If I don't see any shit in my room is it safe to say it isn't trapped?
Also lmao the mouse came to sniff some more apple I threw at it, seemed to not like the smell and then tried to run up to my desk again before hearing me get my phone out to take a photo and running off again

>>4886484
>Other rodents welcome
Really tho your question is best suited to the stupid question thread on >>>/diy/
First you need to seal off their entry into the building, check for cracks etc out side the building that they can get in through and fill ASAP. Then clear out whoever is left in the house
You can get humane traps but as we see >>4883632 shit happens
>I gave it a piece of apple which it ate
Don't encourage it, you do need to clean up a bit but you know that already
I hate to say it but wild rodents carry disease and you need to get them out quickly

File: k8mou7xicvrd1.jpg (133 KB, 1242x2208)

133 KB JPG

squash and stretch

I'm thinking about getting 2 rats sometime later this year and I'm a little stuck on one question. I can't find an answer to what I'm asking so I come to you ratanon. I'm a sperg who likes sleeping with the fan on the highest setting each night because the stimulation and white noise is calming. What Im worried about is if that may bother them during the night. They'll have lots of hidey holes and places to sleep sheltered but I don't want them to be uncomfortable if they sleep in an open part of their enclosure. Should I put a sheet over the cage during the night? Or do they need a little bit of moonlight lest they bump their noggins on something? Any input is greatly appreciated! I don't want to be a rat owner if the environment I can provide doesnt fit my standards tor them.

>>4889018
I have not heard of any issues. Really if it's a comfortable environment for a human, it will be for a rat.
I run a fan in my rat room on hot days, it's also my home office. The 2 cages are in line of the fan rotating so they get a little blast a couple of times a minute. They will line themselves up in front to get the cool air over them but nest up with draft protection if needed.
I've tried covering them to keep the light off them in the day, they figure out how to take it down. I think they want to know what's going on outside the cage and aren't as bothered by daylight as we might think.
Desu giving them a place to hide was always going to be needed and as long as they have them and nesting materials, they'll be fine with the breeze.

Anons one of my male rats is beginning to get aggressive with my other one and lunges at you if you try to tickle him or give him treats, he is an albino about 4 months old, the other is like a puppy who loves coming out we got them from a pet shop and not a breeder as there are none near us, we have them separated now and he seems fine on his own but still tries to attack me or my gf , has anyone got any tips on how to reduce aggressive behaviour?

>>4889491
First off, are they biting hard? I'm concerned they're exuberant in their play and that can be a bit much for some rats. Have you tried pinning & tickling them to remind them who's the top rat? Is the other guy getting injured or showing signs of pain? E.g. Long meeps
Usual advice is short periods of isolation directly after an incident. We just pick them up from the play area, stare at them nose to nose and count to 10 but you might need a small cage so they can watch few roam time happen without them.
Isolation isn't a long term solution.

>>4889503
They haven't been proper fighting but he does dominate him quite a bit to the point where he tries to avoid him, since we separated them the one that is okay has been happier I suppose their cages are next to each other so they still each other but even trying to swap cages with the albino he bit he twice and was screaming as we were getting him out, we had to use a towel in the end because he bit me

>>4889491
might have to castrate him if anon's advice >>4889503 doesn't work out

>>4889526
That's unusually aggressive but can be a phase of adolescence. Give them a little time before any surgery!
Have they any other issues irritating them? E.g. Mite outbreak or signs of pain, will make them irritable.

>>4889659
We're planning to in the new year
>>4889702
Nah nothing at all, we could tickle him a few months ago he just started to get like this about 2 months ago and they have had no illnesses and are both looked after with lots of treats and a good diet

how do you know if your rat loves you?

>>4889911
if they cuddle next to the behemoth that could roll over and crush them without fear

>>4890493
is that an obese dwarf rat

File: 1697881979528662.webm (3.92 MB, 404x720)

3.92 MB WEBM

>>4889911
they groom you back

File: 1717689487579608.webm (2.93 MB, 450x800)

2.93 MB WEBM

>>4889911

>>4890602
love his coat

File: Clan pestilence skaven charge.jpg (223 KB, 1280x720)

223 KB JPG

You give medication to these rodents? You must love them. If so, doesn't it suck that they die after just 3 years at most?

>>4873905
He's schizophrenic

>>4867301
Definitely not your fault anon, female rats are extremely prone to tumours. Even daily aggressive tickling wouldn’t do that

File: rat.png (2.47 MB, 1080x1619)

2.47 MB PNG

:P

>>4866403
little anon

>>4877638
now let me answer with another question. what do you do when a dog starts chewing things at random?

>>4877936
>>4879109
>>4879996
>>4880011
Thanks anons. I think I might try build a barrier and buy them a cat tree or something to climb around on. I saw Friendly Rat Forecast's setup and I think she has one. I'm planning to move to a bigger place at the end of the year so I think it'll be much easier to set aside a designated rat area then.
The problem is also that they are very picky with what they like to chew. They'll chew my books but they won't chew toilet rolls and other cardboard shit I give them. They'll chew my furniture but they won't chew wooden toys. The only thing that I can give them that they actually enjoy is plastic containers and tupperware lids.
I'm not going to rehome them. I might get frustrated but at the end of the day I love them and they are more important to me than material possessions that can be replaced.
>>4891393
I dunno man, I haven't owned a dog.

>>4892120
>I dunno man, I haven't owned a dog.
what i mean is you should probably give your rats something to chew on like a toy or something.

>>4892127
But I try. Their cage is full of toys they don't even touch and I'm constantly trying to replace them with new ones only for those to be untouched as well.

>>4892120
you are a very special and compassionate soul, and i'm glad you own rats to take care of, as belligerent as they are
if i had more income and a good home and a job that could suit their needs more without too much time away, i would take of 'em too, without regrets

Looked into my cage yesterday, one of my rats is motionless, on his back and legs are up in the air. Start freaking out. Say his name nothing, open cage door and pick him up and hes not moving. Clear the cage door he wakes up and gives me a "wtf are you doing I'm trying to sleep look". Fucker nearly gave me a heart attack.

File: 1000015094.jpg (54 KB, 563x598)

54 KB JPG

Leddit says adult male mice will kill eachother 100% of the time with absolutely zero exceptions and they must be housed completely alone
However medical journals from animal laboratories say that male mice will choose a cagemate who attacks them over isolation as they need companionship that badly, and when properly accommodated, only 14% of all-male groups will fight, and only 2% of all-male groups acquire injuries
According to the labs, if male mice are raised with only male littermates from weaning or earlier, if they are housed in groups of 3 (not 2, not 4+), and if unsoiled nesting material is transferred during cage cleanings, then the males will coexist happily and peacefully minus minor infrequent dominance-securing squabbles such as after cage cleaning
I don't believe leddit over the labs, but it makes me very curious why ledditors are so clueless or adamant that there is no possibility of satisfying the social needs of male mice
I had only kept females before, and they definitely had dominance fighting but not to the point of injury
My last male mouse I heeded their advice and kept him alone, he developed a multisystemic illness out of nowhere and died, I attribute that to the loneliness stressing him out and weakening his immune system
So now I have 3 juvenile males together
2 of them have mild injuries from being kept with larger males at the store
So far they are very happy and peaceable but according to leddit that is temporary and will flip 180 once they hit puberty, resulting in deaths
According to the labs that is a lie
What are /an/'s opinions on the grouping or isolation of male mice? What do you think will happen once they mature?

File: 20241002_165709 crop.jpg (3.45 MB, 2246x2785)

3.45 MB JPG

lots of rats by the river these days

>>4892368
he's cute. i wish wild rats could be our little friends

File: image.png (3.59 MB, 2344x3467)

3.59 MB PNG

Found my rat like this, wtf do I do

>>4892596
I'm always happy when I see one. I don't see why I should treat them differently from squirrels or deer or something.

>>4892814
me too, but if you saw one in your home, you know one rat could actually be two rats, and two rats could become a dozen rats, and a dozen rats...

>>4892813
Damnit, you let him play Hearts of Iron didn't you?

>>4892943
It's not that hard to keep rats out of your house thoughie

File: bmkzph2zygtd1.jpg (1.24 MB, 3024x4032)

1.24 MB JPG

>>4893014
it's hard enough keeping them in the house!!!

>>4892217
i work in a lab, reason is simple, its just kinda hard and appears to be super random to the untrained eye, little tip, put a smidge of vanilla sugar in their cage, keeps dominance displays down to a minimum.


also deaths are insanely unlikely, yea theyll get injured and its not ethical or optimal but actual death and killing each other? fuckin one in a thousand

File: 1000015221.png (8 KB, 240x304)

8 KB PNG

>>4893464
Tgank you for the advice. Why the vanilla sugar? Does the smell resemble some pheromone or keep them distracted? And rebbit must be full of fucking retards if they're unanimously handling the situation badly enough to assume deaths are the NORM, christ
I just shredded a few filing cabinets worth of paper and tossed a couple handfuls into the cage, they are gleefully building warm comfy nests with it all

>>4893995
Damn, he's kicking ass. Now let's see him do Plutonia.

>>4893249
that rat is in a roll of paper

>>4889018
Rats tend to like cooler temperatures and I also blast the fan at night and they have zero issues. You should never cover the cage bars, though; they need good ventilation.
WY4G

>>4892814
one time on the subway a rat came up to my shoe and was about to start nibbling (I shooed him away before he bit me), it was the high point of my week

>>4893635
I kept some males together from the same litter and I wouldn't be surprised if they had killed each other if I kept them together for too long. If they are fighting you've gotta separate them. I didn't have enough enclosures at the time, because I wasn't expecting mouse babies. They fought a lot until my sister bought me an extra tank.
A little while after that I accidentally put one of the bullied mice in the wrong tank. When I heard them fighting I realized my mistake and he was so scared. I felt terrible. If you have to house male mice alone it's not ideal but it's not as bad as making them go through that. As long as you give them lots of attention every day it's the least bad option.

>>4894630
based rat man

File: imbtj7v02ksd1.jpg (1.37 MB, 3024x4032)

1.37 MB JPG

iccho mon jaru

>>4894692
ugly creature

>>4894699
rude words against an old man

>>4893635
i am not sure the exact reason for the vanilla specifically, i think its just an overwhelming scent but i am not quite certain. Can confirm redditors are kinda retarded at time
>>4894649
size issue prolly

>>4896419
stance

File: 1698864294540043.webm (3.91 MB, 404x720)

3.91 MB WEBM

remember to comb your rats

>obtain just one more rat
>shit and piss production increases tenfold

>don't want rats chewing my shit
>buy bitrex (most bitter substance ever created) and spray it on my wires
>just spraying it 2 feet away makes me gag
>witness with my own eyes how rats come and casually lick it off
What the fuck. Do these things even have taste buds?

>>4897964
your rats think bitter is a verb

>>4897964
they misheard better

>>4884842
F

File: ethel.png (886 KB, 936x936)

886 KB PNG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkBsCjQO3hU

>>4896652
Looks like my snake food girl. Got her from some crazy pet hoarder bitch whose snake didn't want the baby rat so she decided to keep it in an empty margarine container and then give it away on facebook marketplace for free. One of the nicest rats I ever had. She was always sick and died suddenly at age 1. Was probably inbred as fuck. Still miss her sometimes.

>>4898110
the important thing is you made her happy

>>4898113
I really hope I did. Thank you anon.

>>4898132
i know you did. any time, anon

>>4898110
>Looks like my snake food girl
This is not starting well
>One of the nicest rats I ever had
The tale turns
>Still miss her sometimes
You unlocked happy rat ending
>>4898132
>empty margarine container
You rescued her from this, you were a god to her
Even with good breeding they can lose the genetic lottery, under 2 always suck

>>4896652
zen garden rat

File: BB1.jpg (340 KB, 2920x3072)

340 KB JPG

BB!

File: BB2.jpg (440 KB, 4080x3072)

440 KB JPG

>>4899706

>>4899706
holy smokes!
>>4899707
beautiful

>>4899706
>>4899707
big eyes, almost like a dwarf's

Anyone ever have a rat with no white on their belly?

>>4898281
Thank you anon. I think she loved me a lot and I guess that says something.

File: images.jpeg-24.jpg (30 KB, 539x569)

30 KB JPG

>took rat for tumor removal surgery, dropped a ton of money
>she had some kind of reaction to the anesthetic and is still not waking up properly 24h later
I'm so scared she's going to die, bros. And it'll be my fault for making her have the surgery. She was happy before.

>>4901333
Video in the OP is of Dillinger who passed earlier this year. We didn't get treatment because we thought he was too old, when we went to the vet they advised the same but would if we thought it they should and about 6 months after that decision he got a massive abscess in the tumour and had to be put to sleep
I kept wondering if having the surgery would have made a difference but learnt to accept he would pass eventually either way. That tumor was huge and he couldn't move much by himself, I cleaned him twice a day and helped him eat the last 4 weeks.
Really anon, you can't predict all these things at the time and you can't go back.
You did what you believed to be the best, based on the advice of a medical professional. I hope she wakes up soon but don't blame yourself.
Is she home with you? If she is, give her all your love

>>4901347
She's dead. I tried to do the right thing for her and my actions ended her life.
I'm sorry about your boy, anon. I can see from your posts that you gave him a great life. Thanks for trying to make me feel better.

>>4867301
Mom just doesn't want to see you with ratussy.
>>4874213
Who could be behind this post?

>>4901658
You can't blame yourself, inaction would have lead to her death too. Take time to be sad about it because it fucking sucks and cycle through the stages of grief but you did what a responsible pet owner should do, you did your best to give her the best life too.
My point above really is to try not get bogged down in what if, especially when what you did was a sensible choice.

>>4890602
>>4890603
Do pets this size even comprehend that that object roughly as big as they are grabbing, feeding, tickling them is an analogue of their somewhat grabby paws?
Do they even make the connection between the giant hand, and that remote round shape further away? Even if they recognize it as a face, do they know it's part of one organism and there is a cause and reaction between them?

>>4901773
This is a topic that really interests me, especially when it comes to intelligent animals with different anatomies like birds and elephants. Do elephants see our arms as trunks? Do birds see our hands as beaks, or talons?

>>4901773
When being tickled, one of mine will get on my hand, run up my arm, boop my face with his nose and retreat quickly. I feel like he knows I'm all connected
Others climb up on my shoulders to signal they want to go back to their cage and one who would pull my moustache for cuddles
I don't think they fully understand the differences but definitely know which end is which etc with us

my newest rat is looking kind of too round and it's making me paranoid as fuck im puking in my mouth and lightheaded from acid reflux, he's eating food and drinking water and playing, his body language doesn't look in pain, the stomach doesn't feel hard or lumpy like tumors, i isolated him for a while and confirmed that he can still shit but i didn't have him in there long enough to see him piss because i had to go to sleep for work, I'm really worried that he has megacolon or a urinary obstruction or something, i don't want to come home from work and find him dead. I'm going to try to get him into a vet tomorrow just to check but I'm broke as fuck because i had to get emergency dental work with shitty insurance that wouldn't cover it so now my savings are drained and my credit cards are maxed out and I've got maybe 150-200 usd free each paycheck until i get things normalized again. I've been working a second job to speed it up but idk if any vet will see an animal if you can't pay up front and i know rat bills are crazy even for simple things. i just want him to be ok, I've only had him for a month and he was already great

>>4902365
Maybe he's just fat

>>4902368
it could be but his cagemates eat the same diet and they don't look like this, I'll try to get a picture once I'm at home. he doesn't look anywhere as extreme as the megacolon pictures i see online but it's still unusual and bloatlike especially given he was thin like a girl when i got him. I've been too tired from work to remember how much weight he gained before yesterday when i noticed. hopefully i am just super neurotic and overthinking it, i will try to post a picture when i can

>>4896602
>Crudux cruo'd

>>4865973
true

File: 1730677840559.jpg (62 KB, 524x1020)

62 KB JPG

>>4902369
either i'm going insane from only getting 4 hours of sleep or he got less bloated today, in any case here he is. he isn't actually asymmetrical he was just mid squirm

File: 1730677866528.jpg (3.43 MB, 4000x3000)

3.43 MB JPG

here he is from the top when i was cleaning

>>4902402
i checked my old pictures too and he's been pear shaped for at least 2 weeks so i think sleep deprivation is just giving me brain damage. whoever says pets are good for anxiety is lying

>>4902406
Don't blame your pets for your lack of sleep induced retardation, go to bed

>>4902402
>>4902403
looks like a fine rat to me desu

>>4902403
looks fine, give him a scritch and try to get some better sleep, shit's important

>>4865998
Why bitter? Why not add sugar to it?

>>4902365
I'm more concerned about you than the rat. You're exhibiting the physical symptoms of stress and stress is likely clouding your judgement. 2 jobs isn't helping but you know your budget best. Look after yourself and you can look after your pets better
If in doubt, vet. Talk to them, some do payment plans. Some rats get chonky in their old age and some are more prone to obesity than others but a vet will confirm. I have 2 brothers one with easily 100g over the other and they're fine for their age

>>4901743
Thank you anon. It just guts me that she spent her last days in pain as a direct result of an action I took. I hope she isn't angry at me for the choice I made.

File: IMG_20240210_193050.jpg (2.79 MB, 4096x2304)

2.79 MB JPG

>"Uh oh."

>>4902912
stinker

>>4902912
it looks like a little boar

File: IMG_20240210_193429.jpg (2.36 MB, 4096x2304)

2.36 MB JPG

>>4902916
Poopy even
>>4902917
Probably the cuddliest boar there is.

By the way, in the wild, these animals generally like their solitude, but in the winter they group together so that they are comfy at night.

>>4901658
No course of action causes life to extend indifinetelly. You did all you could, you did all you possibly could, and there is no point reflecting back now. Don't use your misfortune as a weapon to beat yourself with. Your Lil ratto would not have approved of that. You cared, you care, you'll always care. You gave her a good life.

>>4902920
is it a roof rat or something?

>>4868091
For >>4902923

File: IMG_20240202_163532.jpg (2.46 MB, 4096x2304)

2.46 MB JPG

>>4902925
Forgot pic

>>4868091
>>4902912
>>4902920
he looks like a cross between a rat and a hamster

File: IMG_20240224_184202.jpg (1.81 MB, 2304x4096)

1.81 MB JPG

>>4902935
He behaves more like a hamster than a rat, but I assure you that it is a rat.

Cotton rats are completely silent and almost never brux. If they like you then, much like a dog, they will lick, sometimes for 20 minutes or more. They also like holding stuff, including fingers.

>>4902939
his lil paw pads look like a well done bun, compared to a RAT..

>>4867062 enchilada

>>4894956
I added vanilla extract to the bedding last deep clean, initially it seemed to distract them but later on as it nears time for another cleaning and the bedding is soiled it seems to have worn off.

>>4904883
this image goes hard
mind if I save it?

>>4904985
it's all yours, my friend

File: 1731244028455153.jpg (227 KB, 1079x1771)

227 KB JPG

Thoughts on fat rodents?

>>4905371
fat fuck

>>4905371
thats nuts

>>4905701
he's got lil grey hairs

File: fast squirrel.jpg (27 KB, 612x344)

27 KB JPG

you don't get to see as many squirrels where i live.

>>4905701
I think I found your youtube channel unless that's another cotton rat with a stubby tail

File: IMG_20240210_193254.jpg (2.33 MB, 4096x2304)

2.33 MB JPG

>>4905720
He does.
>>4905998
I do not have a YouTube account, but please share, it could be the owner's account, if the owner has one.

>>4906026
https://youtu.be/VmkX5hWiHVk

>>4906031
what a precious little rodent, i love how hyper he was at the start and then went into full trust shutdown mode with scritches

File: IMG_20240505_155722.jpg (2.08 MB, 4096x2304)

2.08 MB JPG

>>4906031
This little guy behaved just like the one I knew. They love licking and head scratches.

File: on7hcttq9a0e1.jpg (1.02 MB, 3024x4032)

1.02 MB JPG

snif

File: FB_IMG_1731584911082.jpg (219 KB, 1080x1440)

219 KB JPG

Anyone here got their rodents from a lab rescue? How was it?

File: white-laboratory-mouse-hu(...).jpg (103 KB, 1600x1568)

103 KB JPG

>>4906996
hey were all ears

>>4905371
I named my old mouse tank the Fat Rodent Sanctuary.

File: mouse acquired.jpg (44 KB, 640x853)

44 KB JPG

TO ANY BURGERS: there is an emergency mouse situation at the NH SPCA. Some retard farmed a bunch of mice then surrendered them, and there's hundreds with a lot of them being pregnant. If anyone within travel distance can take some of their mice or help them out, please do so. They may also need volunteers to keep them clean and fed.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/16/new-hampshire-animal-shelter-thousand-mice

https://nhspca.org/mice_surrender_2024/

>>4908100
free mice?

>>4908764
harley rat?

>>4908766
i have no clue!! i'm just posting someone else's rat. he certainly looks like he could fit the bill

File: m7s7ai87bktd1.jpg (632 KB, 2193x2441)

632 KB JPG

>>4907003
cheers, big ears

>>4909348
his name is netanyahu

File: 1000048472.jpg (1.44 MB, 2362x1772)

1.44 MB JPG

How is this comfortable?!

File: 1705808348689727.jpg (1.23 MB, 4032x3024)

1.23 MB JPG

>>4910169
you wouldn't get it