# Pet Farm Rats?



## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Apachie, if you have mice you_ already_ have snakes. :wink:

I've heard if you have pet rats, mice will stay away because rats are very territorial and not known for being overly friendly to other rodents.

Don't know how true it is, because I was never that interested in testing the theory.

If the idea of rats freak you out, get a ferret and keep it in a cage. Those are supposed to be effective in keeping rodents out of the barn.


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## Scoutrider (Jun 4, 2009)

I'm an old school barn cat person. My family has chickens, and we've dealt with rat infestations. The darn things got bigger than my cats!! :shock: We still had other rodents, too. Once the rats were all trapped and disposed of, the cats got back to mousing more boldly (they were afraid of the rats, not that I blame them...). I can picture where my dad would tell me to jump if I suggested keeping a barn rat, caged or otherwise. :lol: I keep a few barn cats, and make sure all feed is in critter-proof bins. Haven't had an issue since the rats...


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Oh, I have barn cats too, Scout.

My ferret was a pet, and kept in the house. :wink:

I also have quite the black racer and black ratsnake population. I like having them around; they, along with the cats, keep the rodents under control.


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## Gillian (Aug 2, 2008)

I'd also like to add that that would be no kind of life for a pet rat. Fancy rats that are kept as pets are not the same as wild rats and a rat kept in a barn in a cage would not be a happy one. They're great pets with personalities who, when socialized, adore being with/around people.

Sorry for my ramblings, I have pets rats.
:]


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

Oh I don't mind a rat SR, used to have a couple pet ones in the house. I prefer not to think of the snake population. Eek. I came face to face with a black rat snake today in my hay shed, he was sunning on a bale at about eye level. I nearly peed myself, lol. I would think having a caged rat in the barn would be like putting a plate of steak in front of the hubby. "Come and get it!" I'll keep my cats too, thank you very much.

But I never would have thought to market rats this way. Gotta give the lady credit! It's original.


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

I don't know if I believe this. Maybe the barn rats are a lot different than pet rats, but I had tried to introduce my lab mice to my lab rat (after adopting them at college) and the mice were rather agressive to the rat, not the other way around.


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## Just Ruthiey (Jul 12, 2010)

I used to have pet mice & rats... I miss them! 

I am having the hugest problem with Copper Heads. Not something to fudge around with. I found one in the field it was trying to show my tractor up. I have to move two horses into that field, I just can't get it mowed... 


I have like 14 barn cats. Yes, yes I know. I have to get rid of a few of them, any takers? Jk, I couldn't get rid of them. They help with the rat & snake pop, just not enough!


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

horseluver250 said:


> I don't know if I believe this. Maybe the barn rats are a lot different than pet rats, but I had tried to introduce my lab mice to my lab rat (after adopting them at college) and the mice were rather agressive to the rat, not the other way around.



Please do not do this again. It is a good way to get your mice killed.



Rats and mice do not cohabitate. Rats will eat mice. 


I also agree with what Gillian said. That is no life for a fancy rat.

And I really do not think it will work.

Why?

Because I had pet rats for years in our old house. Every winter we still had a wild rodent issue in our crawl space.
The rats in their cage upstairs did not bother the wild rodents one bit.


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## grayshell38 (Mar 9, 2009)

^^ Agree with above poster. Please don't do this again. Rats are omnivorous and once they figure out that a mouse can be eaten, it is likely that they won't last long. I had reptiles for the longest time and raised my own crickets and mealworms. They made excellent rat treats. 
You are likely to attract more rats this way than anything, especially if you have females. In between moving I had to keep my rats in a wire cage in one of the sheds outside for awhile and though I never saw any rats sniffing around, one chipmunk became obsessed with trying to get to my rats through the wire. You never know what you will attract.


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## ChloeButler09 (May 2, 2010)

This does not sound right to me... I have a garrage out side my house with a large 2 tier cage with tow pet rats in it, and yet there is always mouse poo around the cage wear they scavange for food.I made sure of this by putting flower on the floor at night, and in the morning there were mouse foot prints in it.Mice dont bother me aslong as they are not in the house.


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## ChloeButler09 (May 2, 2010)

sorry for double post!Just to say we have heating in the garage so they are warm, dont worry!And my cat is to lazy to get them, thy get along quit well!


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