Well, kind of. My boyfriend will be keeping them at his place, as my mom is still dead set on not letting them come anywhere near her house.
A good friend of mine's little sister bought two rat pups last year...they were small and cute. Then they got bigger and understimulated due to their living environment and she lost interest and refused to take care of them.
These poor rats have been living in a 20 gallon tank. Nothing but aspen bedding and a water bottle. No interaction, no toys, no hideys, no exercise, no nothing. I've felt horrible for them ever since I realized they weren't getting out of the cage at all (and even offered to loan them my 20 gallon/tank topper cage to give them even that much more space), but I never had the opportunity to do anything about it. They've been trying to get rid of them for awhile now, but I couldn't take them. My boyfriend's gerbil died a few months back and when I saw my friend this weekend and they offered the rats to me again, I asked him if they could stay at his place until I moved out this summer and he agreed (after scolding me - but I'm used to that from my dad, so I'm immune! ).
They are two lovely little black hooded females. They said they bought them from Petsmart, but they're both girls so...*shrugs* They're about a year old now. Kind of spazzy (understandably), but friendly and good about being handled. They've been on a diet of lab blocks, too, so at least they've been getting good nutrition.
I just have two questions. How much longer will these girls be expected to live? I know when I had my mice, Ivy passed away before she turned one due to an illness, and Lilly passed away around two years, I think. I wasn't sure if I should be expecting senior ratties, or if they have a few years left. They seem to be healthy and in good shape (very lean).
Also, what cage is reccomended for them? I'm going to try and pick something up cheap off of craigslist as I don't have a whole lot of money to spend (and I JUST got rid of my spare cages :doh, but I am NOT keeping them in that 20 gallon tank any longer than I can help it.
What kind of toys and bedding and things do they like? Also, they do have a ball...do rats use balls? How about a wheel?
Pictures to come when I pick them up - sometime Tuesday, most likely.
A good friend of mine's little sister bought two rat pups last year...they were small and cute. Then they got bigger and understimulated due to their living environment and she lost interest and refused to take care of them.
These poor rats have been living in a 20 gallon tank. Nothing but aspen bedding and a water bottle. No interaction, no toys, no hideys, no exercise, no nothing. I've felt horrible for them ever since I realized they weren't getting out of the cage at all (and even offered to loan them my 20 gallon/tank topper cage to give them even that much more space), but I never had the opportunity to do anything about it. They've been trying to get rid of them for awhile now, but I couldn't take them. My boyfriend's gerbil died a few months back and when I saw my friend this weekend and they offered the rats to me again, I asked him if they could stay at his place until I moved out this summer and he agreed (after scolding me - but I'm used to that from my dad, so I'm immune! ).
They are two lovely little black hooded females. They said they bought them from Petsmart, but they're both girls so...*shrugs* They're about a year old now. Kind of spazzy (understandably), but friendly and good about being handled. They've been on a diet of lab blocks, too, so at least they've been getting good nutrition.
I just have two questions. How much longer will these girls be expected to live? I know when I had my mice, Ivy passed away before she turned one due to an illness, and Lilly passed away around two years, I think. I wasn't sure if I should be expecting senior ratties, or if they have a few years left. They seem to be healthy and in good shape (very lean).
Also, what cage is reccomended for them? I'm going to try and pick something up cheap off of craigslist as I don't have a whole lot of money to spend (and I JUST got rid of my spare cages :doh, but I am NOT keeping them in that 20 gallon tank any longer than I can help it.
What kind of toys and bedding and things do they like? Also, they do have a ball...do rats use balls? How about a wheel?
Pictures to come when I pick them up - sometime Tuesday, most likely.