They are a distant relative within the superclass....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euarchontoglires

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*squeak

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>>5128093

One of my pet rats started limping today. He doesn't put weight on his hind leg and seems to be in some pain. Poor guy can't even scratch his itch ;_;

>>5131366
Vet ASAP, signs of discomfort is a warning here
Any signs of inflammation or are veins more prominent? Note size, colour and track between now and vet visit to establish if it's getting better or worse. Veins being more prominent can help show if there's deep inflammation
Any signs of cuts or splinter? If so check https://neratsociety.co.uk/articles/firstaid.shtml for info on cleaning but a vet appointment is still my recommendation
Have they been eating alfalfa or apple seeds? These cause kidney issues and the back legs getting inflamed etc can indicate that but injury is more likely than kidney problems
Posting pics would help identify care until you get them to a vet

im a new rat owner and losing my mind over how much DOGSHIT info there is on what foods are and arent safe for rats. even the 'good' info will just say vague shit like "fine occasionally in small amounts" with zero actual hard information on what amounts are in the healthy threshold
and pet people online love being insane hypochondriacs saying shit with zero factual basis

yet rats are the most studied animal there is. ive been combing through literally dozens of scientific papers and trying to apply the results in practical terms but even thats hard when so many studies are "we gave them like 3000 mg of this compound every day and they got sick lol" like NO SHIT

if anyone has specific questions or stuff theyre worried about let me know. i might have to make the ultimate scientifically backed hard data guide on 'rat eating yummy treat' to try and shut some of these people up

>>5131938
>yet rats are the most studied animal there is
Yes but it's from the perspective of human health so it leads to
>we gave them like 3000 mg of this compound every day and they got sick lol
I was trying to figure out if small amounts of rooibos tea was safe for a rat with long term respitory issues but no information in medical papers about long term effects on the rats. Just confirmation on the positive effects it has on humans
>make the ultimate scientifically backed hard data guide on 'rat eating yummy treat'
That would be appreciated
Can you post links to anything you've got for good treats? I CTRL+F http when starting fresh bread and try include anything relevant in the OP

>>5132003
>Can you post links to anything you've got for good treats?
Not really honestly, most of my research so far has been on toxicity. But i'd say anything high in protein that isnt too fatty is going to be a favorite for them, like chicken and eggs

There's some inaccuracies i've already found with the link in the OP. It lists yogurt as a good food, but the lactose in it is one of the few things humans can eat that rats can't. rats past weening age almost entirely lose the ability to break down the lactose sugars or absorb it as nutrients, and it can cause a lot of irritation and inflammation even with small amounts. lactose free cheeses like parm/cheddar are surprisingly fine.

A few of the foods listed as 'never' are also safe and fine.
>Chocolate
Dark is fine, even reccomended by vets in some cases. The sugar in regular milk chocolate is bad sure, but not uniquely compared to other foods with it too
>peanuts
listed for reasons that only apply to raw peanuts, which you really have to go out of your way to get
>onions
Fine. I'm actually surprised they list onions here but not garlic. Since garlic is pretty similar but about 3x more concentrated. Again, you'd have to really try. there's anti-feedants in garlic/onion but they really just deter with scent and break down over time fast, and cooking in any form also breaks them down. you'd have to really try and feed in excessive amounts that cause toxicity
>Citrus
same story, the amount given to the male rats in that story was a concentrated amount directly of that specific compound that isn't even that abundant in oranges. If you gave them a whole orange every day? Sure it'd be a problem but literally nobody is going to do that

I'm sure there's inaccuracies with the other ones listed there i havent looked into yet

So I'm going to touch on the rodent part of the thread. The only pets I've ever had were cats and dogs, but I thought about a rodent.

By process of elimination I arrived at a hamster, from what I've read it seems you generally either adapt a terrarium or build your own cage for the dudes because store bought cages are nor really good for them, any other general advice?

>>5128093
why do some rats have human ears? it freaks me out

>>5132701
The better to hear you with

>>5132603
You can get store bought enclosures but similar to building out a vivarium or cage you get what you pay for
Personally I recommend doing your own but only if you're already a little handy
I'm a ratanon so wait about for a hanonster for better advice
>>5132701
That's side angle pics, front in they're like
>>5131042
I'd guess the shape evolves easy to catch sound

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Big if true.
Humancels aren't even getting hugs and kisses but squirrels are.

>>5132918
the fact that every animal bows to pets is proof enough to anyone that we yearn for a physical touch most of us never get

>>5133097
loved it when i gave my guinea pigs neck rubs and they'd tilt their heads right up. i still miss them...

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>>5131380
>>5131366
Late reply, have only been on ip-banned cellular network lately. The doctor ordained rest and pain medication which the little guy is happily taking. His paw is healing nicely and his energy levels are up as well!

That aside, I have an old smaller cage with a detachable top and was thinking if that wouldn't be the best for some safe outdoor play? I think they might enjoy some fresh air and new smells. Think something like pic related with the "cage" part against the ground.

>>5133417
fuark, approaching comf' levels never thought possible

>>5133624
>have only been on ip-banned cellular network lately
try turning airplane mode on then off, i find that resets the IP. Sometimes have to do it more than once but it works.

>>5133707
traversing the vast dunes

>>5133707
>Stock Subaru shames everyone at test hill

>>5133624
I'm glad he's doing good!
Desu, seeing pet rats outdoors makes me anxious. Your idea seems good but they're good diggers. I might just be getting paranoid but it wouldn't take much distraction for one to dig under the frame and get out. If they're still young they might be wanting to explore still and that's been an issue indoors a couple of times for me
The other thing to be concerned about is parasites or pathogens they might get from eating snails or slugs etc.
It's been done but research youtube etc to see what works and what doesn't if you're really going to do it

>>5135263
>I tried the sunflower seed diet for three weeks and this is what happened...

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mischief of rats

>>5135939
The look of utter contempt

>>5133707
You cottonball got loose

>>5133707
muad'dib!
>>5135939
cute unit

>>5136769
I like when they're chill with being held
>filename :(

>>5137131
oh no it's eating them whole!

>>5133624
This probably late, but don't let your rats outside. The rats we have are breed for indoors, not the outside. All you will do is stress them out or worse have them get mites and ticks. Rats are very shy and hate being in the open. Can also get a nasty lunginfection.

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>>5132918
Finnish master race

>>5137461
>>5134629
No, not at all. I carefully considered it again and realized that it just doesn't make any sense. There's too much risk involved and I would never forgive myself if one of the boys get hurt/lost because for any reason. If they wanna paw grass I'll have to bring some inside.

>>5138049
maybe you could set up a dig box with a plastic tub and coconut fiber dirt. they go ape over digging tunnels, very enriching for them.

>>5137609
rat heads are sleek like a sports car

I think I sensed a rat in one of my drawers. How do I get it out of my house?
Dun wanna have to worry about another soul I already am incapable of managing myself

>>5137605
He scream!

>>5137342
Is this popcorning?

>>5138281
Go to >>>/diy/ and search for the stupid question thread
We're here for the care of rats not "taking care of" rats
With that out the way, general advice is look for where they are getting in. It's not enough to deal with the one you know is there, you need to stop more getting in. While you sort that follow the trap advice from diy. However, glue traps are dooming it to starve to death. I assume if you're posting here, that's a thing you want to avoid
Best of luck in diy, they'll be nicer to you if you use the stupid question thread

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I've never owned a ret
Why do rets do this?

>>5138928
They grind their teeth from joy so hard that their eyes pop out of their skulls

>>5138928
pure bliss

>>5138928
it's the rat equivalent of purring

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Jumpscare warning

>>5139236
i'm squooked

>>5139456
I'd get dragged into an ah-ha video any day with this guy

>>5140028
Make way for Rattus Sapiens

>>5138249
kino back

>>5140889
Masaka! Th-This roundness...

>>5140889
i would poke those two crumbs off his snoot

>>5140889
Is he expecting cuddles, food, both?

>visit vet for mild uri
>get antibiotics in flavored suspension
>great, now i wont have to spend an hour 2x daily trying to trick them into taking it
>it's bubblegum flavor and they all hate it and make faces and shake their hands in disgust
Any foods to hide it in I may not have thought of yet? So far coconut oil is the only thing that works, but they have a habit of rejecting medicine mixers a few days after I introduce them. With raw medicine that tastes like diesel mayonnaise would always work, but it must mix with the flavor of this stuff in a bad way because they hate it. Applesauce works ok tier, but they tend to give up on it halfway through. Olive oil is about the same, probably mixes with the bubblegum flavor poorly

>>5142123
maybe try a small portion of buttered toast? i think a foreign yummy food, edible to rats, might trick them into loving their medicine

>>5142123
I just pin them on there back in my lap but with my knees up on a stool, syringe of medicine ready to stick in the mouth and squirt it in
Be ready to rapidly right the rat to the correct orientation without jerking them and give tasty treat immediately e.g. banana chip or anything that smells sweet and tasty to your human nose
It's anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes of struggle followed by glares while they eat their treat and get cuddles
If they get a treat afterwards they'll usually settle down after a few doses, take the medicine and look for the treat

>>5142190
>he angered
>vengeance, plotted

>>5142123
Don't know if the translation is correct but I used to mix them with liver sausage. They never rejected it.

>>5128093
haha that rat is driving that car haha. I wonder where it's driving to!?

>>5142669
he's going to the licker store

>>5142653
>liver sausage
German? I'm assuming something without salt added, it'd be mostly protein then

>>5143465
he's a cute little munchkin, but i suspect he's up to no good

>>5143465
pleasantly round specimen

>>5128093
I drive Uber and as many people who think it's fucking fine to lie about their fucking cat being an ADA service animal causing my allergies to flair up & making it difficult to even breathe because they don't wanna spend 2 extra dollars on uberpet I'm half tempted to start taking my rats with me when I drive and claim they are service animals if anyone calls me on it.

>>5131042
>It's dangerous to go alone. Here; take this.

>>5133624
>The doctor ordained rest
What the hell is that supposed to mean? Does your rat usually go to work when its leg isnt hurting? Did you have to get it a note from the project manager?

>>5144333
Full House of Top Kek

>>5142550
dis boy got hobbit feet

>>5144333
He needs to be excused from the rat race?

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What Ret is this?

>>5146842
those critters are me wtf

>>5146869
How'd you get a picture of OP?

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>>5146842
hyrax

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>>5146869
he's just a little man

Day ~5000 of hoping that someone makes a longer lived breed of pet rat

>>5148319
What do rats usually die from anyway? I remember reading cats usually die from kidney diseases and that they're working on treatments that would extend their lives by a lot

>>5148321
In captivity, mainly cancer, but I think they just simply age that fast. They have a really high metabolic rate and can have offspring at like 2 months of age.

>>5148319
Yeah but how long? The end is still going to be as painful if not more so.

>>5148334
5 years on average would be a good start.

>>5148328
Respiratory issues / infection is the other big one
It's hard to catch the symptoms

Nowadays, it is essential for modern humans to think about rodents in their daily lives.
how many minutes a day do you think about rodents?
for me, I guess I think about rodents for around half an hour a day on average.

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I loved my boys so much but I couldnt keep them anymore. Everytime one died it broke my heart. The first time I had to had one put down by the vet I cried like a schoolgirl, couldnt even speak. Think I traumatized the vet so much that they send me a card about how sorry they felt for my loss.

Dont even wanna know how much I spend on vet bills during my six years of rat keeping. How much time it took do four group integrations, how much time I spend teaching tricks or how much money I spend on fancy hides only for them to prefer the cardbox.

And to be honest all that was worth it with how much joy they gave me. Coming home from work, yelling I'm home and having them all outside near the cage door was a great feeling. I owned 10 rats in total and each rat had a different personality. I even loved my boy, that bit my finger bloody two times, like my own child. Pic is my first group.

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Ehh... Cheesed to meet you

>>5149509
thats the biggest caterpillar i ever seen

>>5151403
Tsuchinoko if he real

>>5152629
noo stop torturing that innocent ratto! let them go!

>>5151403
pointy ratto
>>5152629
squishy ratto

I wanted a rat
but the lifespan : (

>>5153928
same
I just lurk these threads and vicariously enjoy everyone else's instead

I miss when /an/ was more active. Used to be way more rat pics/threads would go by faster pre-soijak incident

where do mice go when it rains?

>>5152629
chpnko

>>5154058
the whole site's been on a downwards trend for years. the hack was just getting kicked while already down. 4chan's main problem is their dearth of moderation. bad actors get to run roughshod which drive away the good posters.

>>5154446
Looks so happy.
I wish I could experience this level of joy in my life.

>>5154298
they go in the mice drawer

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>>5154449
Between the lack of moderation on some boards, I think most aging users are deciding anonymity isn't worth being cooped up with a bunch of schizophrenics who come to this website to air out the darkness of their mind rather than engage in anything on-topic. It's sad.

>>5155040
I would love for you to be wrong and we're just in a lull of rat ownership

Thoughts on bioactive substrates in rodent enclosures?

>>5148737
That was a very nice read, anon. I have yet to lose one of my boys but the first time one of them injured his paw and started limping, it hit me right in the heart. Such bonds we create with these adorable animals, huh?

Can anyone recommend some rat Youtube channels that are JUST footage of fancy rats, no music, no commentary, just raw rattage.
Bonus points for baby rats.

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the path 2 zen