Rat-or-two-ey?
8:50am Friday 4th April 2008
Comments (17)DOGS have a reputation for being man's best friend but rats could be a strong contender for the title.
The highly intelligent creatures are increasing in popularity as pets leading to a rise in the numbers being brought into animal sanctuaries.
To mark World Rat Day on April 4 the RSPCA is inviting people to pop down to its Animal Centre at Ashley Heath either today or over the weekend to offer a new home to some of its rodents.
Rats currently looking for a new home include cream and white coloured rats Harold and Henry and male black and white rats Roland and Reggie.
The pet rat or "fancy rat" is a domesticated breed of the brown rat, and can even be toilet-trained. They come in all sorts of colours from the most common black and white to albino, brown or white.
Last year 26 rats were brought into the centre, 19 of them unwanted, four strays and three abandoned in boxes.
Leah Holdaway, animal care assistant at Ashley Heath Animal Centre, has a special interest in rats and owned two of her own.
She said: "We have ten rats that are available and they are all quite friendly.
"They make good pets especially for children because they are so easy to handle - much easier than hamsters and easy to look after.
"They are also more playful than hamsters or gerbils which are normally happy to just run around inside a ball."
Most people do not realise what interesting creatures rats are, that they can be taught to do tricks and even greet you on your return home like a dog added Leah.
"Rats need stimulation like dogs and can be taught tricks. If you call them they will come to you.
"They are more intelligent than any other rodent," she said.
The creatures need a large cage and games and toys to keep them entertained. Ideally they should be regularly let out of their cages for a run round.
Toys sold for ferrets and parrots at the pet shop are ideal for rats.
Or as a cheaper alternative people can create rat runs from old plastic pipes and swings and ropes out of old clothing.
"People can also fill a bowl of shallow water and let them go for a paddle she added.
People's dislike of rats often stems from films and wrongly associate pet rats with disease and vermin.
In fact pet rats are clean animals and spend a lot of time washing themselves added Leah.
- For more information ring the RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre on 0300 1238240 or for general advice on animal care visit rspca.org.uk
- The headline for this story won the Headline Game on 2CR and was thought-up by Paul and Caroline plus The Punmeister.
Your Say YourThisisdorset
katpuss22, Poole says...
1:45pm Fri 4 Apr 08
They are highly intelligent and very loyal and friendly. I would recommned them as an excellent choice of pet.
katpuss22, Poole says...
1:48pm Fri 4 Apr 08
laurie marsh wrote:Laurie, you are obviously very uneducated when it comes to the subject of fancy rats.
I SEE IT NOW, "HEEL RATUS!" "FETCH MY SLIPPERS!" SIGN ON GATE: BEWARE OF THE RAT! WHY IS THE R.S.P.C.A. ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO CAGE UP POOR RATS? IF YOU LET THEM GO THEY WILL GET ALL THE STIMULATION THAT THEY NEED! OF COURSE THE OLD FAVORITE: "RING A RING A ROSIE" WILL AGAIN BE TOP OF THE HIT PARADE!
Fancy rats are bred as pets and therefore would not last long on the street due to germs, infections and predators.
Vermin rats are born into the world of the street therefore they are used to all the above.
Rats are just as good as cats and dogs and you wouldn't throw them out would you?
I've adopted two rescue rats already and they had been poorly treated and it took me ages to get them to trust me!
georgygirl, Ferndown says...
2:58pm Fri 4 Apr 08
Derek, Charminster says...
4:57pm Fri 4 Apr 08
IhateJeffFinch, Bournemouth says...
4:58pm Fri 4 Apr 08
Many thanks.
i hate punmeister, bournemouth says...
5:07pm Fri 4 Apr 08
Ivor Story, poole says...
6:02pm Fri 4 Apr 08
i hate punmeister wrote:I happen to think his/her punnery is very funnery !
Yeah please ban all future entries from the fool......
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
9:34pm Fri 4 Apr 08
Rats are no longer plague carriers, you are rather behind the times old chap.
laurie marsh, australia says...
11:51am Sat 5 Apr 08
PEOPLE WHO LOVE RATS HAVE A BASIC WEAKNESS.
AS I SAID BEFORE LET THEM GO, THEY CAN ALL DIE IN THE SEWERS!
Nighthawk, Bournemouth says...
1:11pm Sat 5 Apr 08
laurie marsh wrote:It would be a good place for you to disappear to, as it is more than likely that you have emerged from the Sewers in the first place yourself. Rats definitely have more intelligence than many humans. As all Australians are related to Ex -Convicts, what relevance have your comments got anyway ?
A RAT IS A RAT (FANCY OR NOT!)
PEOPLE WHO LOVE RATS HAVE A BASIC WEAKNESS.
AS I SAID BEFORE LET THEM GO, THEY CAN ALL DIE IN THE SEWERS!
Azriel6290, Bournemouth, UK says...
2:29pm Sat 5 Apr 08
laurie marsh wrote:That is just the kind of uneducated comment I have come to expect from people these days. People who love rats have a basic weakness? Same could be said for people who smoke, or people who take drugs, they too have a basic weakness, but should they be cast out into the sewers to die?
A RAT IS A RAT (FANCY OR NOT!)
PEOPLE WHO LOVE RATS HAVE A BASIC WEAKNESS.
AS I SAID BEFORE LET THEM GO, THEY CAN ALL DIE IN THE SEWERS!
As pointed out above, rats are intelligent, affectionate and hygienic (it is a fact that most animals become stressed if not allowed to groom or clean themselves).
People always remark on how "vermin" rats are always found to be living in sewers and scavenging through rubbish, there is a reason for that;
1). Where do you propose they live? If they lived above ground they would be hunted by natural predators as well as humans.
2). Rats are opportunists, they need to survive and after all, we are the disgusting, vile creatures for leaving out the rubbish for them to scavenge through.
I do not own a rat, due to already owning enough animals, however I definitely intend to buy one soon as they are sweet, loving creatures.
laurie marsh, australia says...
8:16am Sun 6 Apr 08
HOW SHAMEFUL OF ME TO SAY DISPARAGING THINGS ABOUT A BUNCH OF RATS!
CAST OUT? IT SOUNDS LIKE A LINE FROM KING JAMES BIBLE!
SUCH VITRIOL FROM SO CALLED "CARING" PEOPLE!
IT SEEMS THAT THE TRUE "ANIMAL LOVER" HAS FORGOTTEN THAT TO INSULT SOMEONE IS TO CALL THEM "YOU DIRTY RAT!"
ASK JIMMY CAGNEY!
RE: AUSTALIAN CONVICTS, WE HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT AND ARE ALL REFORMED, CAN WE COME HOME?
OR IS THERE NO ROOM BECAUSE ALL THE HOUSES ARE FULL OF RATS?
GET A LIFE! (RATLESS OF COURSE!)
laurie marsh, australia says...
10:55am Sun 6 Apr 08
I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE A HANGOVER FROM APRIL FOOLS DAY!
APPARENTLY NOT!
INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THIS RUBBISH MAYBE IT WOULD BE A BETTER IDEA TO WORRY ABOUT THE LITTLE OLD LADY IN TUCKTON WHO IS NOT GAME TO LEAVE HER HOME BECAUSE OF YOUNG, TWO LEGGED RATS!
WAKE UP PEOPLE!
Nighthawk, Bournemouth says...
6:32pm Thu 10 Apr 08
IhateJeffFinch wrote:What's this got to do with Rats ?
I'm intrigued by this PunMeister character who continually wins the headline game. I'd like to ask: 1) how does it feel to be 2CRs only listener, and 2) can you reveal your true identity please.
Many thanks.
Nighthawk, Bournemouth says...
6:42pm Thu 10 Apr 08
HAL101 wrote:Well said HAL101 - The Plague was caused by Human Fleas, who were the real carriers. Rats unfortunately were their unwilling hosts, and have been given a very bad press ever since. They do not deserve this, as they are delightful, intelligent little critters. The female Rat is a very devoted mother to her babies and struggles against all odds to raise her family, even risking her own life. As said by Azriel6290, Rats are opportunists, and can only be admired for their ability to survive. They are simply adorable, and have far more common sense and intelligence than many human beings.
laurie marsh
Rats are no longer plague carriers, you are rather behind the times old chap.
Nighthawk, Bournemouth says...
6:49pm Thu 10 Apr 08
laurie marsh wrote:No, you can't come home. We are rather choosey about who we allow to move to the UK. We already have enough undesirables, as it is, such as Middle Eastern Terrorists & their extended families. However, we draw the line at Animal Hating Australian Ex-Convicts, no matter how many generations removed.
I HAVE SINNED!
HOW SHAMEFUL OF ME TO SAY DISPARAGING THINGS ABOUT A BUNCH OF RATS!
CAST OUT? IT SOUNDS LIKE A LINE FROM KING JAMES BIBLE!
SUCH VITRIOL FROM SO CALLED "CARING" PEOPLE!
IT SEEMS THAT THE TRUE "ANIMAL LOVER" HAS FORGOTTEN THAT TO INSULT SOMEONE IS TO CALL THEM "YOU DIRTY RAT!"
ASK JIMMY CAGNEY!
RE: AUSTALIAN CONVICTS, WE HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT AND ARE ALL REFORMED, CAN WE COME HOME?
OR IS THERE NO ROOM BECAUSE ALL THE HOUSES ARE FULL OF RATS?
GET A LIFE! (RATLESS OF COURSE!)
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laurie marsh, australia says...
11:32am Fri 4 Apr 08
"FETCH MY SLIPPERS!"
SIGN ON GATE: BEWARE OF THE RAT!
WHY IS THE R.S.P.C.A. ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO CAGE UP POOR RATS?
IF YOU LET THEM GO THEY WILL GET ALL THE STIMULATION THAT THEY NEED!
OF COURSE THE OLD FAVORITE: "RING A RING A ROSIE" WILL AGAIN BE TOP OF THE HIT PARADE!