Am I the only one...?

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Zephye said:
No, :( I think it would be best for you not to know how they treat their fur babies. I could go on for hours about it but probably best not to leave it on the public internet. It upsets and angers me sometimes that my fiance gets to hear all about my rants on how they care for their animals. I absolutely understand what you mean, with the comparison of the care for a dog to a rat. /: I have never seen what I did was spoiling, after learning and researching proper care for my ratties. I just do what's best for them, I guess some people just see bare minimum as acceptable.

Maybe, I'm an art student so most people I interact with are artsy sort of people. Granted the rat owner friends are also artsy people but I guess it doesnt make them the best pet owners. Most of my friends, even the one who tell me insensitive jokes, are okay with the idea of owning rats. I just think it's a combination of how they were raised, generally I see people putting rodents, fish or birds lumped into a category as lower priority compared to a dog or a cat. (Maybe because they dont live as long, are seen as prey usually or are less expensive?) They will never truly understand the love that can come from a rat until they've experienced it themselves, but sometimes I fear they still wouldn't get it. I find kind and accepting doesn't always go hand in hand with responsible pet ownership. Especially with the younger crowd, no offence to my age group.
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Aww, man, that is a bummer. I thought the 20 something crowd was a cooler, new generation of forward thinking people, but...dang. I am so sorry you have to be exposed to other people with rats that do not treat them very well.

Why have animals in the first place?? I guess it is that, "just pets" mentality, and that always kills me. Grrrrr. I will never understand how some people do not see their pets as living, breathing creatures with emotions and needs. I always think, "Fine, get a stuffed animal and throw it in a tank and call it your pet...just don't get a live animal, pleeeeze." You know what I mean? :sad2:

I am sorry you have to be around that kind of thinking. At least you can come to the Rat Shack to feel vindicated about your babies and be around others who feel the same way you do. I hope that is a comfort to you. :cheerful:
 
I hate seeing the rat traps/poison when I search on eBay for rat toys. :( Unfortunately, it's going to happen and I'm always going to react to it in that way. I agree with Zephye about not having a tolerance for people who are grossed out or don't respect my love for rats. I obviously shouldn't care what they think if they're not adult enough to realize that you shouldn't judge an animal by a preconceived idea you have about them. I absolutely am disgusted by mealworms, but if someone were to tell me they had them as pets and loved them, I would definitely change my opinion about them. People really don't understand and that's something you're always going to deal with. As unfortunate as that is.
 
Agreed, Amanda. We rat folks don't have time for ignorant or stubborn people who just go by what they THINK they know about rats. These people are a waste of my time and my ratties' time. Nicely put. :)
 
I was looking for this thread specifically. I had a run in the other day and ooooh I was maaad! And need to vent it!
I was already having a bad day, fiance and I were fighting, animals were acting up badly (cat & dogs, not my rattie angels)
I got an email through my rescue website for a gently used cage & guy only wanted $25 for it and it is a hagen chinchilla cage (worth minimum $100 when they were new) which I have one of already and love the height. Can really work with these cages...anyway...it was in Grand Bend, which is about 45mins-1 hr from me and it was a lovely "fall" day so I went for the drive.
I constantly pass by this pet store called "pet stop" cute little storefront and I always have a reason I can't go in....so I figure heck I'm here I'm going in love trying to support the mom n pop shops and see what they're offering.
I walk in and immediately this place is dark n dull, its disorganized "small pet supplies" were all along one shelf, no means to the set up and NOTHING for anything but hamsters and gerbils. Not even much for guinea pigs or rabbits, save some hay and alfalfa treats.
Anyway it takes a good near minute for the sales persons to acknowledge me, as they were so busy with their own personal convo (older ladies/mid-late 50s) with a rather uninspiring "Can I help you with something?" Said "Not really, I just pass by your store all the time and thought I'd pop in today and check it out" "Oh, do you have pets?" was her reply....so I said yes and she asked what so I said "2 dogs, a cat, some rats and a pair of degus" her response was "Did you says rats!?" "Yes I did, 32 beautiful rats, I rescue them!" "oh my goodness thats.....strange....rescuing rats!?" She says with a look of trying not to vomit.
Oooh I had to hold my tongue. At least as a pet store owner you think you'd have an open mind to unique pets...
So I turned and walked out. Really quick way to lose business, don't try and broaden your customer base or anything, wonder why half your store is now for rent....cuz you're snobs!! Ugh ranting sorry but I know besides my bff/ rat godmother Mimi, I know you guys would feel the same agitation! So fyi if you are in Grand Bend and see "Pet Stop" don't stop...it should be called cat and dog stop because that's all they see as pets. Garbage! I'm looking for a place to review their store online. I will be adding them into my second blog "where to shop... rat savvy stores" good job ladies!
 
Man that's what I'm gonna start doing when people say crap like that. I'm just going to turn around mid-conversation and walk out. Awesome.
 
I spend so much time getting really awful responses from people I otherwise like and respect about my rats, that it's always a huge relief when someone reacts well. When someone mentions my rats, I'm automatically on the defensive.

When I was at the vet last, for Phil's neuter, I was taking my poor, tired little boy home in a cat carrier, and a woman I'd been talking to with a scared little dog asked about him and I was explaining that I had four, and he had just lost his buddy and was getting neutered so he could have lady friends, and she was obviously not thrilled, but she was polite. But, as I was leaving, the receptionist started assuring the lady that they got rats in all the time, and they were just the sweetest, smartest things. It was so great to have back-up from someone as obviously in love with them as I was.

Mostly, people say really gross things to me, though. A lot of jokes about killing rats, some coming right after I had just lost a rat. A few of the temps I was training at work didn't want to touch me after I told them. But I have to be polite about it at work. In social situations, outside of work, I started responding by finding out what kind of pet they have and making jokes about casually killing that kind of animal. It's mean, but it makes them stop and realize that they were just talking about someone's pet the same way.
 
I did that same thing. I told a lady at work that I thought putting her dog on the barbeque sounded like something to do...
 
SterlingRats0408 said:
I was looking for this thread specifically. I had a run in the other day and ooooh I was maaad! And need to vent it!
I was already having a bad day, fiance and I were fighting, animals were acting up badly (cat & dogs, not my rattie angels)
I got an email through my rescue website for a gently used cage & guy only wanted $25 for it and it is a hagen chinchilla cage (worth minimum $100 when they were new) which I have one of already and love the height. Can really work with these cages...anyway...it was in Grand Bend, which is about 45mins-1 hr from me and it was a lovely "fall" day so I went for the drive.
I constantly pass by this pet store called "pet stop" cute little storefront and I always have a reason I can't go in....so I figure heck I'm here I'm going in love trying to support the mom n pop shops and see what they're offering.
I walk in and immediately this place is dark n dull, its disorganized "small pet supplies" were all along one shelf, no means to the set up and NOTHING for anything but hamsters and gerbils. Not even much for guinea pigs or rabbits, save some hay and alfalfa treats.
Anyway it takes a good near minute for the sales persons to acknowledge me, as they were so busy with their own personal convo (older ladies/mid-late 50s) with a rather uninspiring "Can I help you with something?" Said "Not really, I just pass by your store all the time and thought I'd pop in today and check it out" "Oh, do you have pets?" was her reply....so I said yes and she asked what so I said "2 dogs, a cat, some rats and a pair of degus" her response was "Did you says rats!?" "Yes I did, 32 beautiful rats, I rescue them!" "oh my goodness thats.....strange....rescuing rats!?" She says with a look of trying not to vomit.
Oooh I had to hold my tongue. At least as a pet store owner you think you'd have an open mind to unique pets...
So I turned and walked out. Really quick way to lose business, don't try and broaden your customer base or anything, wonder why half your store is now for rent....cuz you're snobs!! Ugh ranting sorry but I know besides my bff/ rat godmother Mimi, I know you guys would feel the same agitation! So fyi if you are in Grand Bend and see "Pet Stop" don't stop...it should be called cat and dog stop because that's all they see as pets. Garbage! I'm looking for a place to review their store online. I will be adding them into my second blog "where to shop... rat savvy stores" good job ladies!
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Good for you Sterling! And you did much better than I could have done! I could not have held my tongue like you did!
 
I would have felt so bad too, for poor Phil, after a tiring and stressful time at the vet and some lady making a face about your baby. Grrrr...don't make faces about our sweet babies, folks, or I will bop you! Give Phil a kiss for me and tell him that lady smells. Phil is too good for her, so there! :nahnah:
 
Vladina said:
I would have felt so bad too, for poor Phil, after a tiring and stressful time at the vet and some lady making a face about your baby. Grrrr...don't make faces about our sweet babies, folks, or I will bop you! Give Phil a kiss for me and tell him that lady smells. Phil is too good for her, so there! :nahnah:
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Yeah, but thankfully the vet backed me up. It was very comforting.

Also, Sterling, way to go. I think you handled that perfectly.
 
Surprisingly the lady at the grocery store was more interested in all my bubs then half the pet store employees I've run into! She was hilarious though. "HOLY I can't imagine caring for that many sociable animals. You must never sleep!"
 
SterlingRats0408 said:
Surprisingly the lady at the grocery store was more interested in all my bubs then half the pet store employees I've run into! She was hilarious though. "HOLY I can't imagine caring for that many sociable animals. You must never sleep!"
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Ha ha, indeed! It is a lot of work! But worth it 100 times over of course! I run into so many people in stores, etc, just out in the public and 99 percent of them are very kind and fascinated about my bubs. Does my heart good. :heart:
 

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