Mistakes at a new work place

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M

Melissa

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2007
Messages
3,688
Location
Savannah, GA
- Telling co-workers you have rats
-Trying to educate people about what great pets rats are
- Showing someone your YouTube station and trusting them not to send the link the many other co-workers who then talk in disgust about them and then talk about feeding them to snakes

:cuss:
 
I don't talk about my rats either.

Edited: Although, the few times people have found out that I have rats, they aren't so rude as to discuss snake food. But as you can imagine, most scew up their face and seem really surprised when I tell them that I think rats are the best pet I've ever had.
 
The most common response I get is something like my cats would love to get their paws on them. I quickly tell them, ever see rats run a cat off... I have.
 
Then I explain to them that they have no idea how much they have insulted me and they are surprised. I say: "Hello, it's my pet. It's like me saying the same thing about your cat or dog." Then, they have this blank stare on their face.

Grr.
 
I know who I talk about my rats to and who not to. They are fortuantely very nice not to say anything. But two people I work with are always very interested. I guess I'm lucky. Although a back up person actually asked me if I was REALLY takeing my rat to the vet... Yes yes I am.
 
I think its funny, the first day that I was at my co-op one of the morning show talk bits was how he had a mouse and he wanted to get rid of it. I got weird looks when I told him to get a hav-a-heart trap and catch his harmlessly!
 
I actually had a discussion with a teacher today in my psychology class. We're supposed to have rats for a behavioral experiment thing, and, while I'm not against that, I am against what happens to them AFTER. When I voiced my concern, the teacher was very understanding, and actually listened to me when I said that it was not fair to the rats, that after they had been so "useful" to us we just end their lives. So I am going to be having to find homes for 4 rats, because I volunteered to take them to keep them from being euthanized.

My friend's roommate has snakes, and adores them, and when I first got Mikey she was just disgusted and we had MANY arguements about her ignorance. MANY. But now she's calmed down about and seen how great they are, and she'll pet and hold Mikey and Denny and talk to them like babies. She also has stopped feeding live (!!!!) after interacting with my two. But she always tries to tell me what I am doing is wrong (such as rats can't have veggies and such :roll: ) but my friend just reminds her that I've had them as PETS for years, and she's only had them as food. That usually keeps her quiet.



My sister's boyfriend is another case. He makes rude comments about my rats all the time. One he said a particularly cruel thing (how about we set them loose and set out mouse traps?) and I went ballistic on him and called him a number of names. That's like saying "Hey, why don't we put some anti-freeze in your puppy's water bowl? Wouldn't that be FUN?!" You don't say it. It's rude and cruel. Come to think of it, her LAST boyfriend also didn't like the rats I had. And he was a JERK and the JERKIEST JERK you've ever met. So that's how I'll judge the boyfriends on, if they can or can't at least be civil about the rats.

People irritate me.
 
I have not mentioned my rats at work to anyone.
Yesterday I overheard a conversation where the receptionist was saying how she has a thing about rodents and they really freak her out and disgust her. I contemplated mentioning something, but thought better of it. I am going to keep my mouth shut.
 
UGH! people. seriously.

I guess Im lucky enough to work in a field where rats as pets are generally accepted...ACCEPTED, but not always understood.

However, with S being Pu/Pd lately, and when we took her in to take blood, shes slowly turned many people around at the clinic into atleast likeing her :)

My boss has a little stuffed rat on her desk that we gave her after she looked at her, and she was even the poster-child for a poster talking about the christmas toys we had for sale.

Maybe I just repress all the stupid comments people make. Maybe people are too afraid to make stupid comments around me. either way works for me i guess...

But still! SOME PEOPLE! I'm sure they wouldn't take it nicely if you commented on how most rats are more well behaved than many children... :twisted:
 
Cait said:
My sister's boyfriend is another case. He makes rude comments about my rats all the time. One he said a particularly cruel thing (how about we set them loose and set out mouse traps?) and I went ballistic on him and called him a number of names. That's like saying "Hey, why don't we put some anti-freeze in your puppy's water bowl? Wouldn't that be FUN?!" You don't say it. It's rude and cruel. Come to think of it, her LAST boyfriend also didn't like the rats I had. And he was a JERK and the JERKIEST JERK you've ever met. So that's how I'll judge the boyfriends on, if they can or can't at least be civil about the rats.
People irritate me.
Click to expand...

My boyfriend says "when people who have kids say things like that we should tell them 'wouldn't it be fun to put some antifreeze into your kids' cereal in the morning! Wouldn't that be fun? Sounds like a great time to me!' and when they freak out at you, tell them that they just said the same thing about your kids, why is it not fair that you can't say it right back to them?!?"
I love him! :heart:
 
I'm lucky in that

a) I don't work with many people, so I don't have many people to tell.

b) some of the people I work with I have the ability to fire if they talk nastily about my rats

c) the rest of the people I work with are pretty open minded about pets in general, and one in particular has said if she were to ever get a small animal pet, it would be rats (although she has no plans to get any small animals)

d) when it comes up in conversation with customers, most of them are pretty cool about it (or the comment I get is "I just can't get past those tails") ... and, I don't think any of them would say anything particularly nasty about them as they leave their dogs welfare in my hands during the day.
 
My co workers are great about the rats. I work in a small office with 2 other CSRs and 2 other insurance agents. The CSRs will actually ask me each morning how my babies are all doing and they find the behaviour fascinating. They like to talk rats with me even though they have never nor do the ever intend to own them. The agents could really care less about my rats but they also don't make rude comments either and when I have had to take time off of work to vet my rats they have always been pretty understanding about it. Now thier is a 3rd agent in the office who is old and semi retired and he is an old farm boy. When he thinks rats he thinks of wild farm rats. So he likes to tell me all of the stores about how his daddy would make him go out to the corn crib with a spade shovel and kill all the rats in the corn crib. I just roll my eyes at him and walk away. You are not going to put a pig headed old man who thinks he is one step below god in line. I pay him no mind.

However, I do work with the public so I don't have any rat stuff up or around. I don't have a rat pic on my desktop just because I don't want to have to field the questions or take the chance of offending a customer and have them leave the agency. Then my boss would start having issues I am sure.

In normal public sittings I don't bring up the rats unless someone else brings them up. I just don't like to deal with the questions. And if someone asks about my rescue then I tell them I run a small animal rescue no specifically a rat rescue. Again I don't want to feild the questions. If I get a vibe that they would be receptive then I will start to roll into education mode with them but otherwise I don't.

I find the cruelest people are my family members which is really sad that someone who is suppose to love you and no hurt you thinks it is hilarious to make nasty comments and it is not suppose to be taken to heart cuz it was just a joke. Whatever.

Staci
 
Interesting! :shock: I've never volunteered the "I have rats" info but when it comes out I get fascinated looks but that's about it, lol.
 
I find when people make comments it's usually just ignorance from associating rats with bad things because their only interaction is negative images from tv.
I've had plenty people come around to respecting or even liking them when they get to know more about them as pets - and nobody getting a worse impression than they had before. So I figure it doesn't hurt to talk about them, you won't win everyone over but you won't win a single one if you don't share. :)

Cait said:
So I am going to be having to find homes for 4 rats, because I volunteered to take them to keep them from being euthanized.
Click to expand...
:cheer:
 
OldsGal said:
I find the cruelest people are my family members which is really sad that someone who is suppose to love you and no hurt you thinks it is hilarious to make nasty comments and it is not suppose to be taken to heart cuz it was just a joke. Whatever.
Click to expand...

I'll second that. My mom dispises them, to the point of not even understanding WHY i get upset when one of my guys is pts. Last time I had any of my army over there she wouldn't even look at her, and kept saying "Oh, well i dont want her to die. Here. I would hate for anything to happen. At my house." With this entire tone that she couldnt bear the thought of a live rat in her house, let alone a dead one. :tmi:
 

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