Rats for mental health/vet money problems

[ruam]

Bonjour! 안녕하세요! H!
This is my first post on here and it might get a liiitle deep. If you're not into that then probably just don't read lol. I currently don't have any rats, but I'm planning on it soon and already have the cage. Also, this thread is meant to share a tiny bit of my personal experience and hopefully get some of your advice on this matter. I'm really not looking for sympathy or anything lol. If you're still here, thanks in advance for listening.

To begin, last year was the absolute toughest year of my life. I won't go into detail but I hit the bottom and I'm lucky to be where I am today. I mean, I'm better, yes, but I still have moments of darkness and sometimes I feel completely unloved and alone.
I couldn't rely on my family and I didn't have any friends, but I did have snakes and lizards. They weren't the cause of me getting better but they did help. I still love them but... I know they don't love me back. I don't have many people at all to rely on and I've always had my pets.
Next school year is coming very very fast and I've been looking over the last months to find something to help me get through it a little easier. I found rats!
They aren't as big as a dog, but from what I can tell they still carry a whole lotta love. And I feel like that's exactly what I could use. They won't judge me or anything I just feel like having some little ratties to come home to and play with and just to know that I've gotta be there to care for them could really really help me.

The catch?
Sickness! From what I've heard rats can get sick pretty easily? That's a big no-no. I'm sure it is for everyone haha but like, guys I've got no money. I'm gonna work my absolute booty off to get these rats by the beginning of next year (and it's all on a huge budget, I'm diy-ing and I luckily already had the cage from my dads old sugar gliders) but I will probably only have about $100-$150 left over for vet bills. I'll save every spare thing I get while I have them for that exact reason but idk if I'll be able to do it. It's really, really hard to make money at my age. My mom said she can't spend a penny on them, so I've gotta do this alone and I've heard of vet bills quickly getting into the thousands. I know they have a short life span and I'm ok with pets dying of old age but I feel like if it was something I could prevent I couldn't forgive myself, ya knooow?

Is this a big problem? A deal breaker? If so, are there other, more hardy pets you'd recommend? I've looked everywhere but really rats are the best option I've found. Idk, sorry this post is a mess lmao. I've been thinking about this for a long time and it's stressing me out so I thought I'd maybe get some help. Thanks thanks.

 

[SQ]

Rats are expensive pets re medical care. My vet says rats are as expensive as dogs or cats but for a dogs or cat the expense is spread over 12 to 15 years but with rats the amount of money is only spread over 2 to 3 years.

Rats become ill and die fast with out seeing a vet and getting meds.

Here is some information to consider:
https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/thinking-of-getting-a-rat-things-to-consider.32306/

I would suggest an indoor cat or dog

 

[ruam]

thanks. my parents say dogs and cats are completely off the table. my dad said he could help a liiitle bit on initial funds, so I will maybe have another hundred left over? not entirely sure, really hoping to do this in the next two months, but I won't do it if I don't believe in the funds I have to give them a good chance.

 

[Dena]

Rats are really good for depression, and anxiety. I know this personally. Each rat has a different personality, and their own way of showing love. But even with the difficult ones, it feels like winning. Also, check out www.joinrats.com and www.ratguide.com for some great info! Welcome to the forum!

 

[SQ]

thanks. my parents say dogs and cats are completely off the table. my dad said he could help a liiitle bit on initial funds, so I will maybe have another hundred left over? not entirely sure, really hoping to do this in the next two months, but I won't do it if I don't believe in the funds I have to give them a good chance.

Please read the link I suggested. IMO you will need a medical account with at least $500 to $700 in it (for 2 rats), depending on how expensive your vet, and medicines are. It is essential that you have access to a good vet with the experience and knowledge to treat rats. - you will want to find a vet now if you have not done so and they can likely give you an idea as to costs such as medical appointments, antibiotics, tumour removals, xrays, spays/neuters, etc

You will need a cage that is at least 4 cubic feet in size, with small bar spacing, and a base that is at least 30 inches by 18 inches with height for levels. There are lots of cage ideas on this forum.

If you decide to get pet rats, you will likely need to get a part tine job and save money in a bank account for medical expenses.

 

[ruam]

i did read the link. also, the numbers keep changing? I've personally heard in almost all youtube videos and articles I've read it's $100-$200, the link said $400-$300, and now it's $500-$700? not trying to be rude at all i've just found this really confusing. my cage dimensions are 37'' long x 18'' wide x 24'' high. I used the rat cage calculator website and it says three rats, and i'm only planning on getting two. I really don't think the initial setup will be that much for me since I will be getting the cheapest, and sewing and using dollar tree, goodwill, and craigslist for almost all of the accessories, my goal is $250. thinking about it, I will try to have $400 set aside for vet expenses.
not trying to sound dumb or rude or anything, but honestly all the most common health issues i've found are pretty preventable? I mean of course like any animal theirs some sicknesses that just aren't but like, idk it just seems to me like if you take really good care they shouldn't really fall into one of the more common sicknesses? again, i might be completely wrong, i'm just going off of what little i've heard and what i could find.
so sorry to hear about your baby. sorry also to ask but, what was the reason for the surgery? just curious what would be that urgent and that pricey.
i hope i covered everything, if not feel free to ask more questions. thinking about it a little more realistically and asking my parents and around the neighborhood, yeah i unfortunately don't think this will be a two-month thing. i thought there would be more jobs and more ways to make money but it really just doesn't seem like it where i live, so this could potentially be a very very slow progress.

 

[SQ]

I changed the money amounts because they were out of date, and lowered them after reading your response.
15 years ago it was recommended that people have $200 for the first rat and $150 for each additional rat in a medical account. Prices for everything have gone up a great deal in the last 15 years. Amount is a general recommendation and real costs depend on where you live and what your vet charges.

Good diet, exercise, clean cages etc will help the immune system and help rats to be healthy. All rats get ill, all rats have myco, all rats are prone to getting tumours, and like everyone else as rats age they tend to develop more health issues.

Sounds like you have a nice cage.

Conrad's intestines fell out of his body in the middle of the night … and the emergency vet (cost was $300 just to show up before anything is done) gave me a break because I am low income. - definitely an unusual event but unexpected things can happen.

 

[ruam]

thank you so much sq for your advice! i guess a rat may not be the right pet for me. i had guinea pigs i loved to death for about four years before i was forced to rehome them due to us moving houses, and my first one passed very suddenly one night to still unknown causes.. i knew rats were prone to illnesses but i was heavily comparing them to the pigs! hearing your stories though it sounds like it might be too much. also, with the updated prices i feel a chinchilla may be better? i know they're very expensive but less prone to illnesses and live much much much longer, therefore giving me more time to save.
(i was originally looking at chins but liked rats a little more due to the thought of them being cheaper, and i really love(d) their personalities. im not just like changing courses really sudden, chins were kinda always on the back of my mind and i know a lot about them too lol, but i'll still take more time to learn about everything before getting one )
again thanks so much for your info and time! so so sorry to hear about your ratties, you sound like an amazing parent tho. i should definitely still be active on these forums! i hope to one day get some rats of my own but with my living conditions right now it might not be best *sigh*

 

[SQ]

Now I feel really bad …….. you may get rats that have excellent health and rarely need to see the vet or be put on meds. But you just never know if or when they may become ill. It is just important to be prepared for medical expenses and to make sure you have a good vet.
If you talk to a vet in your area you can likely get an idea if costs in your area are reasonable or very high ……. normal costs would be a vet appointment and antibiotics …. some rats never need more then that and many people do not treat heart problems, or tumours or other possible health issues except through feeding a good diet

 

[ruam]

no reason to! talking to you i've been able to figure out that what i need to do is take the time to really focus on getting enough money. whatever i decide to do with that money is up to me once i reach the goal ofc but i think a chinchilla may just be the better option for my lifestyle atm. sometime in the (eh relatively close) future, once i can get a job and can get really settled down, mentally and financially, a rat joining the family would be much more likely. another reason i didn't consider at first: i mentioned i have reptiles and have about $100 set aside for them i'm not allowing myself to spend, and by getting a chin i could manage my money right and hopefully have enough to give all the animals a good fighting change if any medical emergencies do occur. i hope this all makes sense ahaha, im writing quickly so it may be jumbled, or if i repeated myself alot. thanks again <3
edit: i actually can't stop thinking about this, it's kinda nagging me for some reason lmao. not sure what it is, im gonna take a couple days and consider everything for the hundredth time. ill let you know my final thoughts.

 

[SQ]

Just so you are aware, both rats and chinchillas are social animals so they need to live with at least one other same sex friend (You are likely aware of that as you seem like someone who does their research, but you said a chinchilla so I wanted to clarify that for you or anyone else who reads this)