Shelter Rats

[Dahlas]

I have a question for everyone on the forum.....I have been trying to educate all the people who work at my shelter about how wonderful rats are...I have invited them over to visit the babies and everyone has fallen in love with them....So...... last night they (our manager and the staff)wondered if they should rescue two little baby rats to live at the shelter......In our lobby and be our mascots....so we could teach people more about how wonderful they are. The rats would be neutered, they would get proper food and handled daily but I'm not sure how much free range time they would get...unless we made them a play pen upstairs and I made sure the girls put them in it for each morning....I'm kinda thinking while I type
I like the idea but I want the rats to be looked after properly......
So what does everyone think about this??????

I would of course be responsible for them to make sure they where getting cared for properly until everyone learned how to look after them....plus I would assume responsibility for them should the situation not work......
My initial thought when the manger mentioned it to me was to find two older girls looking for homes but the staff feels they would be more comfortable with babies and it would be easier for them to handle them and not be frightened They are just getting used rats ...There are many litters looking for homes so I'm sure we would have no problem finding two babies looking for homes....

So what do you think????

 

[jorats]

I think it's a fabulous idea, the only thing that concerns me is if they will be segregated from other rats in case of illness.
Free range time for two rats can be shoulder rides. Human interaction is most important.

 

[Dahlas]

We never get other rats in to the shelter....we only have one litter come in and that was three years ago......Our shelter is really for homeless animals........like if there was rats found in the park.....but our policies don't cover for any owned animals unless under extreme circumstances...
But we do have a receiving room for new animals...I would make sure that if any rats did come in they would have to follow the same procedures as the cats, receiving (2 weeks) and then onto the adoption wards....Our receiving room has two rooms so the new rats if any where any admitted wouldn't have to be in the same room as the cats the could be in the other room where we keep the meds etc.....

I would make sure the cage was big enough. So they had plenty of cage space......

So free range time could just be cuddling in the pockets....they don't need down on the floor running and climbing everyday?
I have my rats out with me in my shirt or pockets whenever I can but have never counted that as there "out" time......it is good to know...Some nights I'm so tired and even though I have cuddled the babies for an hour while the opposite sex was in the playpen I still thought they needed their turn in the playpen....so I would be up to 12:00 am waiting for ratties to finish playing :lol:

 

[jorats]

Ideally, running and climbing every day is best. But living in a big cage and having plenty of human interaction is acceptable.

 

[Dahlas]

But once in a while probably after they are full grown would be okay?...I know Sydney doesn't seem to want to get down and run she would rather sit and cuddle...

 

[jorats]

At one time, my vet had a cage with two rats in her clinic, a long time ago. I'm sure they never got any running around time, just lots of shoulder rides and lots of climbing humans.

 

[jennifervb]

Awesome idea!!!! It sounds as if you and Jo have covered all the bases!!!

 

[jennifervb]

At one time, my vet had a cage with two rats in her clinic, a long time ago. I'm sure they never got any running around time, just lots of shoulder rides and lots of climbing humans.

climbing straight up your human(s) would, I imagine, be pretty strenuous! :wink:

 

[Willow Bean]

At one time, my vet had a cage with two rats in her clinic, a long time ago. I'm sure they never got any running around time, just lots of shoulder rides and lots of climbing humans.

climbing straight up your human(s) would, I imagine, be pretty strenuous! :wink:

:laugh4: :laugh4:

 

[Dahlas]

My shelter manager just called wondering what I thought about them getting the rats???...I told her I just called a lady with baby rats. The ones we have on our web site to see if she had any left....
My shelter manager said ...brace yourself... :shock: ... they where hoping to get two of my babies!!!!!! She said they all fell in love with them when they where here. What the heck!!!! I just told her NO.....they are not available for adoption....end of discussion.
I tell you these are sweet babies....everyone seems to want them..I have to guard them with my life.

So I am waiting to here back from Trish or I see SQ posted another litter that could use a home...Everyone at the shelter is very excited......
Do you think we should get two boys or two girls...they are leaving it all up to me.....

 

[SQ]

Hope they get them an R695, powder coated with a 12 inch wheel, hamocks, etc. They will need a very large cage if they don't have a play area.

 

[Dahlas]

I doubt they will get a R695....this is not a very rich shelter unless they can find one second hand.......I will make sure that the babies have a cage that is plenty big........plus we have an upstairs board room so we could set up a playpen...they will for sure get taken out daily and we will get them a wheel.......my girls like the silent spinner but they all Love the yellow mesh wheel....so I think I will try and find one of those.....
I didn't want to tell them they needed to have the most expensive things out there...as long as the ratties have a big enough cage, lots of love and handling and good food they will probably be much better of then the situation they will be coming from.......
There are so many looking for homes I didn't want to discourage them from rescuing two by setting the standards to high :lol:

One thing you learn working in a shelter that just because people have lots of great things doesn't mean the pets are any more loved and cared for. We have seen very well loved dogs being walked on a rope leash or beloved cats using dollar store dishpans for a litter box......

Do you think we should get boys or girls??
I will talk them in to getting the spayed or neutered so that won't be a problem.....

 

[Godmother]

Sounds exciting! And there are so many baby ratties in need of homes. I don't think it matters whether they are boys or girls, although boys are cheaper to have altered.

It would be so nice if more people got educated about rats.

 

[jorats]

You are right... they don't need expensive things. A nice big cage and a nice big wheel will be perfect. then you add boxes, paper towel rolls, ping pong balls...
I would get males... I think.

 

[Dahlas]

Males might be harder to place...do you think? So maybe it would be better to rescue two baby boys........Male or female they will be neutered...that wouldn't look very good for an animal shelter to have intact animals....plus it will get the point across that all pets should be spayed or neutered.....

I am not 100% sure yet....I want to make sure they are serious and that this won't be one more thing for me to worry about...."are the ratties at the shelter getting looked after, taken out etc..."
I don't want them to get them just because they think mine are "cute". They like all pets are a lot of work and a big commitment.
As everyone on here knows!!!!

 

[SQ]

I only suggested the R695 because it is a large cage and safe for rats of all sizes.

 

[Dahlas]

Oh I know and if we find a second hand one we will grab it but I know the shelter couldn't buy a new one and I would like to keep mine.....even after I get the FN....I love that it can be separated into two cages and that it is great for babies.........You never know I might need to foster :lol:

They will only get the ratties if they can manage to get the stuff they need.....
I

 

[Dahlas]

SQ I know you are the dollar store queen...I think you get most of your stuff at great prices and you look for bargains....my kind of person....