Off to save a rat....

[Stellar Storm]

OK....let me start out by saying that I think my daughter's job is costing us money. She's been working at PetsMart for about 2 months...need I say more??

Sooo...a friend and co-worker of hers loves rats..."cute, cuddly, friendly" are terms that I've heard floating around the house regarding these nasty little varments that I set traps for in the attic.

Well, it didn't take long.... the other day my daughter came home giving us a sob story about a poor little new born rat named "Pop Tart" that will be put to sleep if she doesn't save it. "It's still a RAT!", I'm thinking as she's telling the story. Seems it was born blind and deaf and all the other rats are picking on it. "Please let me save it!" she cries to her daddy in her most desperate, "I've gotta do something!" voice. After a solemn promise of a clean cage and no smell (and heck, darn...it's gotta name!), daddy caved in to the human indominable spirit to save a helpless, hapless creature that can't defend itself...sigh....even if it is a rat.

[Vandora]

I have pet rats. I can understand where she's coming from.

They're actually really smart, and fun. They won't smell if you clean their cages often enough.

I'm not helping, am I?

Anyway, good luck.

[Stellar Storm]

LOL!! Yeah...you're helping....my daughter. LOL!!

[GalvestonDuck]

Rent "Willard" and then see if she still wants the rat.

[Brent]

Rent "Willard" and then see if she still wants the rat.

[Stellar Storm]

GalvestonDuck wrote:
Rent "Willard" and then see if she still wants the rat.

Ummmm....sounds like good advice......never seen it.

[O Town]

Your daughter sounds alot like me. In that I will save almost any creture if able to. I could not work at a place like that, my house would turn into a zoo. I save every lizard, frog, or strange bug that I might find in my house and release it back outside where it can have the food and water it needs to live. I don't know about a rat though. I had one as a kid, but now that I am older all I can think about is the disease it may carry. But I can so see her view, poor "pop-tart" can not see or hear and can not defend itself. Man oh man........good luck.

[Stellar Storm]

Thanks, O' Town! LOL! Yep....I'm afraid we're gonna turn into a zoo. I have five acres and we already have 3 dogs, 2 cats, a pig and a frog. What's next?! If my kids weren't such good caretakers, I would have an excuse to refuse the little creatures.

[pojo]

we had a couple running around the Reception Center... we play a little game with those varments... which rat will be stupid enough to step into the trap first. We joked that our copy machine was ran by rats (we had a couple mice inside the machine)... their little legs couldn't keep up with the amount of papers we were going through. I saw one run next to my feet about a 1/2 hour ago... and no it didn't bother me.

[Stellar Storm]

which rat will be stupid enough to step into the trap first

Stupid? LOL! Unfortunately, I haven't found a stupid rat....the cheese is perfectly nibbled so that the trap doesn't unhinge....the poison is simply stepped over.....the sticky glue is....well...I can just see 'em laughin.

Thus, the cats.....even the rats know when it's time to pack up and leave. Haven't seen one since we adopted Will & Grace.

I at least hope those rats are saving the taxpayers in $$ in energy by running the copying machine.

[Skywatch_NC]

I like animals...but...guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, rats or anything else within the vermin family...nah.

Eric

[Stellar Storm]

Aawww...come on Eric....give the little guys a break.

They are saving our lives in the scientific way. Don't they use mice most often because they have an immune system very similar to humans? Hhmmmm....kinda hard to swallow.

And ya know, it's funny how I like squirrels, but rats bring other thoughts to my mind and they are both rodents.

[Amanzi]

I love all types of animals. I would even be ok with mice, but rats are another story. With me, I think it is their tails that creep me out, something about the texture of them just gives me the heebiejeebies. I love squirrels as well, they are cute and have nice fluffy tails. Good luck to you, with all that land, you could just end up with a zoo..if it was me im sure I would have some horses and a goat by now.

[GalvestonDuck]

I love all types of animals. I would even be ok with mice, but rats are another story. With me, I think it is their tails that creep me out, something about the texture of them just gives me the heebiejeebies. I love squirrels as well, they are cute and have nice fluffy tails. Good luck to you, with all that land, you could just end up with a zoo..if it was me im sure I would have some horses and a goat by now.

Don't forget your love of cows and their noses.

[Amanzi]

I love all types of animals. I would even be ok with mice, but rats are another story. With me, I think it is their tails that creep me out, something about the texture of them just gives me the heebiejeebies. I love squirrels as well, they are cute and have nice fluffy tails. Good luck to you, with all that land, you could just end up with a zoo..if it was me im sure I would have some horses and a goat by now.

Don't forget your love of cows and their noses.

Oh gosh no.... I actually was very tempted to steal a billboard with the Chick-fil-a cows on it... their noses were so shiny and squishy..oooo I just wanna pinch em!

[Stellar Storm]

if it was me im sure I would have some horses and a goat by now.

LOL! I tried the goat - it didn't work out. Don't know really why. Now I kinda regret it - I could use the grass trimmer!

[Stephanie]

That's so cute!! Good luck...you are all good hearted people.

I had gerbils when I was a kid. My cats used sit around the cage and watch "Gerbil TV".

[coriolis]

gerbils, hamsters, squirrels, whatever. They're all rats. Some are just cuter than others. There's something about a rats bare tail, though, that causes a gut reaction in me.

[Rainband]

Rent "Willard" and then see if she still wants the rat.

Way way different. Rats that people have as pets have been bred in captivity since the 1800's and are disease free and smarter than some "humans" I know Tony and I have two pet rats thelma and louise. They are dalmation. The are adorable and very very smart. We had Pogo and stuart before that ..They developed cancer and we had them put down ..they lived almost four years. The typical expectency is 1-2. They are so cute and very fun and lovable.. They know when you are sad too and want to cuddle with you.... they are probably one of the most intelligent little critters i have ever seen. They chrip when they are happy...kind of like a virbration...purr so to speak. People will never relate to having pet rats until they experience the cute little Buggers. My sister had the same view until she visited us. Then when she was leaving ..her and her daughter wanted to get one too. Congrats on your adoption of pop tart. You did a good thing and I am sure you will enjoy the little critter.

[breeze]

I've lived in too many rentals, in the past, where I
heard them clawing and scratching in the walls, at
night.

Uh-uhhhh....not me, man.