rant/vent

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_ratowner

Active Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
36
Location
Canada
If this is not allowed on the forum please tell me so I can delete it. I didn't know who else I could rant about this situation to and I thought that the members here would be able to relate to this in some way or another. This is rat related but I have background information first.

There is this girl who I met through a school mate and we are way more alike than I am willing to admit and it makes me mad sometimes. So a while ago, she got a rat, (yes I said rat, she only got one) I don't know where from but I think it was a breeder. I was like okay well, now we are even more alike because I already own rats but whatever. She was posting photos of him on her social media and I was noticing some things about the situation. First off, she only got one rat when it is best to get two or more (the more the merrier, right?) as everyone needs a friend. I also noticed that she was keeping him in a hamster cage instead of a rat cage. She also was using a hamster exercise wheel in his cage which could mess up his back. This just made me feel bad for the rat. I asked her what she feeds him and she said a variety of things that aren't the best for rats to consume. So I told her the facts and such about the risks of what she was feeding him. I do not remember what she was feeding him off the top of my head, sorry. From what I saw, she didn't have a litter box in the cage, but I mean that's on her if she wants to clean up poop but that is the least of my worries.

I could rant on and on but I am just going to cut it short. Here is the "good" part. Today, she posted on her social media a video of her rat dangling from someone's hand and then he fell because he couldn't hold on anymore. So she basically let the person drop her rat from a pretty high distance. Like a "long live the king" kind of thing. After that, the camera flips to her laughing at what just happened. She then was telling someone off that they were telling her how to "play with her rat" and calling them names and she was saying that the people who got offended by it were "thick skulled" and stupid and that they are overreacting and wasting their time and energy by trying to fight her on it.

That is animal abuse and I do not stand for it.

If you have made it this far, thank you for taking the time to read this.
 
since you knw her …. is there any way you can get the rat?

I wish I could but she would never let me take her rat from her. I honestly think that she hates me. We aren't friends of anything, I just know her through a school mate.
 
Holy cow... I feel so bad for that rat. I'd find a way to get that rat at least out of her possession, even if it requires notifying authorities of her neglect and abuse. It's that way or somehow get that rat to safety, via someone else asking to get the rat from her.
Maybe notify a nearby rescue and they could help release the rat from her possession? Then you could talk to the rescue about taking the poor baby.
 
I doubt the authorities could care less about how someone treats their rat as it is "just a rat" to them and most people don't like rats and want them killed anyways. Sadly, I do not think that there are any rat rescues near me so that is not really an accessible option. I feel bad for the rat too. The person makes me mad sometimes but i try to give her advice on how she can properly care for her animals because that is the best I can do in this situation. I help her by telling her and giving her advice on what is bad or good to feed her rat, and asking her questions so that I can help her better. I also helped her out with her cat and trying to figure out what was wrong with it and helping her find a solution but suggested bringing the cat to the vet is the best option. I know that the situation isn't satisfactory but I am trying to do all that I can.

Edit:
Also, I think that she was trying to find a bigger cage like a bird cage or something to put him in as he apparently has grown around double the size from when she first got him.
 
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Ah, I wish authorities were more caring about everything aside from the average cat and dog.

I like that you won't give up and will try to properly educate this person about caring for rats. It seems to be the best method for now and I hope that this person adjusts their care. Good luck and well wishes. I hope things improve for that little guy.
 
Ah, I wish authorities were more caring about everything aside from the average cat and dog.

I like that you won't give up and will try to properly educate this person about caring for rats. It seems to be the best method for now and I hope that this person adjusts their care. Good luck and well wishes. I hope things improve for that little guy.

I know right, they are living breathing beings too. Sadly, you can't please everyone though.

For sure, I won't hesitate to help out an animal who I believe is getting treated poorly. They don't deserve it. Sadly, all I can do for now is try to encourage her and give her advice on how to properly care for her rat even if she doesn't listen to me. I hope things improve for him too. Thank you.
 
you know, if its in your ability, you could offer to pay her for the poor rat. it might be worth a shot. (if that an inappropriate response please let me know i just wanna help)

All feedback is appreciated. Thank you for your suggestion but I don't think that she would EVER let me take her rat away even if I payed her for him. I would love to take him in but sadly I can't. She is too attached to him.
 
UPDATE:
(This isn't rat related sorry but it is an update on her sort of)

I know that you shouldn't tell people that they shouldn't own animals, but somehow one of her cats got pregnant without her or her family knowing and now sadly, 4 out of 5 of the kittens have passed because she didn't take care of them properly.
 
I'm not a cat expert, but kittens can be hard to take care of, especially if you're inexperienced. That still doesn't excuse the lack of awareness of keeping an unfixed, obviously outdoor cat, and then not even seemingly aware of when she got pregnant. I don't know the circumstances of how the kittens passed away and I'm sorry they had to pass on because of her negligence.

I hope the situation improves for the remaining kitten and their mother, along with the poor rat (also, I sincerely hope that rat isn't within paw's reach of cat or kitten).
 
UPDATE:
I am sad to inform that she posted that the last kitten passed away and so did the mom cat. I wish they could have gone to a good home so that they could have at least had a chance of surviving. It breaks my heart. Rest In Peace 5 kittens and mom cat.
 
I’m from the UK so I don’t know how the authorities work there but can’t you put in a complaint and they investigate? A witness such as you is still considered evidence no? Not sure. That girl really needs to stop having pets of any sort :mad:
 
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