4 signs that your pet rats trust you whole heartedly:

[Dayners666]

1. They will eat on you
2. They pee on you (this is a sign that they've marked you as part of their pack)
3. They show relaxation while grooming themselves
4. They immediately run to you for cover if something spooks them

 

[Tentacle Toast]

I love rats. I had one as a kid that I bought as snake food, & ended up keeping as a pet because I grew attached to it. I'd never close it's cage, & if by off chance it wasn't in there when coming home (or on top in shoeboxes I'd tape to the top), all id have to do is make a kissing sound, & she'd come RUNNING from wherever she was, LoL. She was just past a pup when I got her, & I trained her very quickly to not urinate on me or my bed (had her in my room as a kid). I've had them off & on ever since...been feeling the call again recently...

 

[sparticus]

I loved mine when I was a kid, too. Now we have several cats, so a rat couldn't get enough playtime with us to make it right to keep them. I had one mostly free range in my bedroom, too. She would sometimes sneak out to my brothers room to steal something for her secret nest under the bed. She always came when I called her, loved riding around the house on a shoulder, kissing the inside of people's nostrils, and play wrestling hands. I was devastated when she died, they don't live nearly long enough.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I loved mine when I was a kid, too. Now we have several cats, so a rat couldn't get enough playtime with us to make it right to keep them. I had one mostly free range in my bedroom, too. She would sometimes sneak out to my brothers room to steal something for her secret nest under the bed. She always came when I called her, loved riding around the house on a shoulder, kissing the inside of people's nostrils, and play wrestling hands. I was devastated when she died, they don't live nearly long enough.

I think they’d be way more common pets if they lived longer And I’m sure house cats can be trained to not think their food. How long did she live?

 

[Dayners666]

I loved mine when I was a kid, too. Now we have several cats, so a rat couldn't get enough playtime with us to make it right to keep them. I had one mostly free range in my bedroom, too. She would sometimes sneak out to my brothers room to steal something for her secret nest under the bed. She always came when I called her, loved riding around the house on a shoulder, kissing the inside of people's nostrils, and play wrestling hands. I was devastated when she died, they don't live nearly long enough.

That is the saddest and hardest part with keeping rats. I was lucky enough to get 5 of the same litter all sisters. It's important to know that rats are very highly social animals and it's imperative to their physical and mental health that there are more than one. Actually I would go as far as to say the bare minimum should be 3 at a time. They need to establish hierarchy and can only do that with their own species. Unfortunately no matter how much human interaction it's not enough. It's a proven scientific fact that a lone rat will actually die from loneliness and depression. Sorry for rambling on. But as far as life span goes you're very lucky if your ratties live as long as 2. They are prone to liver disease and cancer

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

That is the saddest and hardest part with keeping rats. I was lucky enough to get 5 of the same litter all sisters. It's important to know that rats are very highly social animals and it's imperative to their physical and mental health that there are more than one. Actually I would go as far as to say the bare minimum should be 3 at a time. They need to establish hierarchy and can only do that with their own species. Unfortunately no matter how much human interaction it's not enough. It's a proven scientific fact that a lone rat will actually die from loneliness and depression. Sorry for rambling on. But as far as life span goes you're very lucky if your ratties live as long as 2. They are prone to liver disease and cancer

That’s rough Dubai roaches seem to live around the same one to 2 years. Rats are significantly larger rodents don’t seem to live very long

 

[Dayners666]

That’s rough Dubai roaches seem to live around the same one to 2 years. Rats are significantly larger rodents don’t seem to live very long

Wait...do you have dubia (not Dubai btw) roaches as pets?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Wait...do you have dubia (not Dubai btw) roaches as pets?

my old colony mostly died off I had 50 left . But new one Essentially yes because I only feed off males and spellcheck changes it sometimes to Dubai. So baby’s and nymphs and some males because I can’t feed them all off are essential pets. I also keep orange head roaches which I’ve only fed a few off I’m keeping them mainly as pets until numbers are big enough to feed a few males off. I have two threads that are pretty long but haven’t posted any new pics or anything yet. Plus most my Ts aren’t eating. Probably got 600 total roaches I’d guess but they all scatter so I can’t count them .

 

[Dayners666]

my old colony mostly died off I had 50 left . But new one Essentially yes because I only feed off males and spellcheck changes it sometimes to Dubai. So baby’s and nymphs and some males because I can’t feed them all off are essential pets. I also keep orange head roaches which I’ve only fed a few off I’m keeping them mainly as pets until numbers are big enough to feed a few males off. I have two threads that are pretty long but haven’t posted any new pics or anything yet. Plus most my Ts aren’t eating. Probably got 600 total roaches I’d guess but they all scatter so I can’t count them .

Yikes! I tried breeding Dubias for my beardie but was unsuccessful

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Yikes! I tried breeding Dubias for my beardie but was unsuccessful

yes ! Hard to breed
phorid flies and lots of unfortunate losses are why I ran out. Well down to 50. The colony just got old.

 

[sparticus]

How long did she live?

She was several years old, so she was pretty old for a rat. She may have even been approaching 3. I kept a bunch of pairs and trios over the years after her, but she was my first and she was special. I do miss keeping them, but our house really isn't safe for small mammals these days. The spiders work out great because they don't care if they never leave their enclosure. Maybe in 10 more years when most of the cats are gone we can reassess. My partner thinks rats and mice are cute, so we've talked about it, but its not the right time yet.

 

[Ratmosphere]

I miss keeping rats, easily one of my favorite pets I've kept.

Just sucks they have such a short lifespan and high chance of illness.

 

[SilentWidowMaker]

I would add to your list that it's also good sign is when they let you pet them and take food from your hand. I've raised many rats several years and I've gotten into the hairless ones now.