hello there(:
- Thread starter madison
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LA
Well-Known Member
Welcome Madison, glad you joined.
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Welcome to the Rat Shack!!
:hello3:
:hello3:
mamarat
Well-Known Member
:welcome: to the shack.
RunzwithRatz
Well-Known Member
:hi!:
chicky82
Well-Known Member
Welcome to the shack :thumbup:
Godmother
Well-Known Member
Welcome! Shall we all take bets on how long it takes you to break down and get some rats???? :lol:
:lol3: hehehe
well actually i have been begging my mum and dad for a very long time, plus my neighbor had one before, and my dad loved him!
my mum on the other hand thinks there icky, but she says its ok. im most likely getting one for c-mas.
yes, i said one, but i have it planned out, and i understand there is a vet bill if needed to go to the vet, i already have $220 dollars of my own money, but my parents will help.
the reason why i would get one is because i have a guinea pig, and ive heard that rats and piggies can get along very well, i say, that i might try that when my rattie gets a little bigger, and if they dont get along, i wont hesitate getting another rattie
:toothy1:
well actually i have been begging my mum and dad for a very long time, plus my neighbor had one before, and my dad loved him!
my mum on the other hand thinks there icky, but she says its ok. im most likely getting one for c-mas.
yes, i said one, but i have it planned out, and i understand there is a vet bill if needed to go to the vet, i already have $220 dollars of my own money, but my parents will help.
the reason why i would get one is because i have a guinea pig, and ive heard that rats and piggies can get along very well, i say, that i might try that when my rattie gets a little bigger, and if they dont get along, i wont hesitate getting another rattie
:toothy1:
jorats
Loving rats since 2002.
Oh dear, that's a very bad idea, never mix species like that. I've heard of rats killing degus and attacking rabbits. Please don't put your animals at risk of an fatal attack. Just go with the two rats now. And even if they do get along, rats can't eat what piggies eat.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
A guineapig could severely hurt a rat even when it popcorns in play. A rat could attack a pig and bite it. Rats really should never live with other species other than their own. You will occasionally hear of a rat living with another species but that is incredibly rare and most of these situations end up with a vet visit or a death.
mamarat2
Well-Known Member
Guinea pigs are actually considered prey when it comes to the rat/pig relationship. Being that rats are omnivores, rats sometimes see guinea pigs as food in the overall scheme of things.
Its a really bad idea to let them live together.
Its a really bad idea to let them live together.
Alicemcmallis
Well-Known Member
Hi there!
It's definitely not a good idea to mix guinea pigs and rats. I run a guinea pig/small animal rescue and have loads of experience, so trust me when I say they should not live together.
Personally I don't think it's a great idea to even let them have play time out of their cages with each other. Rats are fabulously friendly, but they are SO different from guinea pigs in their body language, methods of communicating with each other, etc. that they can seriously hurt a guinea pig (and a guinea pig could hurt them! Those teeth are quite big compared to a little rat's body!!) without even meaning to.
They might even get along for a short period of time, but all it takes is for a gp to move the wrong way too quickly, and a ratty can react in a split second in fear, resulting in a seriously injured piggy (and vice versa).
As for living together - first off the housing requirements are completely different - ratties need lots of space to climb and explore, while guinea pigs need tons of surface area space to run around in.
Their diets are completely different too as Jorats mentioned - guinea pigs are strict herbivores and need tons of hay and pellets made to meet their specific dietary requirements, and rats are more like omnivores and need their lab blocks which guinea pigs can't eat. Giving either one the other's diet could result in a nutritional deficiency or even death.
Not to be a downer, just wanted to let you know why I feel the way I do. I would definitely get 2 ratties right off the bat, that way you know they're going to be happy and healthy together. Also think about getting your guinea pig a gp buddy! Guinea pigs are extremely social animals and really thrive when they're in the company of other piggies.
Here's some more reading about guinea pigs and what they need socially:
http://cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
I just really don't think it's fair to the little critters to keep them away from their own kind if at all possible. Imagine living on a deserted island with only a crocodile for company. You'd both have no great way of communicating with each other and it would get pretty lonely pretty quickly. That's how I think of little ones living with other species - whether it be bunnies and guinea pigs, rats and guinea pigs, or whatever.
It's definitely not a good idea to mix guinea pigs and rats. I run a guinea pig/small animal rescue and have loads of experience, so trust me when I say they should not live together.
Personally I don't think it's a great idea to even let them have play time out of their cages with each other. Rats are fabulously friendly, but they are SO different from guinea pigs in their body language, methods of communicating with each other, etc. that they can seriously hurt a guinea pig (and a guinea pig could hurt them! Those teeth are quite big compared to a little rat's body!!) without even meaning to.
They might even get along for a short period of time, but all it takes is for a gp to move the wrong way too quickly, and a ratty can react in a split second in fear, resulting in a seriously injured piggy (and vice versa).
As for living together - first off the housing requirements are completely different - ratties need lots of space to climb and explore, while guinea pigs need tons of surface area space to run around in.
Their diets are completely different too as Jorats mentioned - guinea pigs are strict herbivores and need tons of hay and pellets made to meet their specific dietary requirements, and rats are more like omnivores and need their lab blocks which guinea pigs can't eat. Giving either one the other's diet could result in a nutritional deficiency or even death.
Not to be a downer, just wanted to let you know why I feel the way I do. I would definitely get 2 ratties right off the bat, that way you know they're going to be happy and healthy together. Also think about getting your guinea pig a gp buddy! Guinea pigs are extremely social animals and really thrive when they're in the company of other piggies.
Here's some more reading about guinea pigs and what they need socially:
http://cavyspirit.com/sociallife.htm
I just really don't think it's fair to the little critters to keep them away from their own kind if at all possible. Imagine living on a deserted island with only a crocodile for company. You'd both have no great way of communicating with each other and it would get pretty lonely pretty quickly. That's how I think of little ones living with other species - whether it be bunnies and guinea pigs, rats and guinea pigs, or whatever.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
2 is still quite young for a pig, so definitely get him a friend
