That is just total cuteness.
I love them all, but number three is my favourite. Well, that and the rat with the doll carriage. I did not realize how much rats like fuzzy things.
I know I have seen some cute looking rats, but the things they do are cute as well. Clearly rats need and want our love.
I've never had a pet rat, but have heard that they are highly intelligent and very loving when you form a bond with them.
I don't dislike rats generally, no matter what colour they are, or if they are wild or tame. I wouldn't encourage them into my kitchen however -to run (and probably pee!) all over my work-surfaces! As rats' urine can sometimes harbour Weil's disease. But I like to see them in the wild.
How beautiful. They certainly have character and soul.
Sadly, a much misunderstood and persecuted animal.
I just read up about Weil's disease so I can see why wild rats are so dangerous to humans.
Domestic rats are probably disease free as they have never been exposed to the cause of Weil's disease(leptospirosis). They do make good pets and they are very sensitive and intelligent. They are also very cute. I wonder how long before I end up with a pet rat.
I will say that Rats are not my thing, but these photos are delightful and I'm really glad some folk want to keep them as pets.
There's a home for every pet somewhere!!
Why do I get the feeling that somewhere is often my place.
I can fall in love with anything.
I have a number of friends with pet rats and they really love them. They are clever and funny and generally very good pets. I just hope I don't see a really cute rat in person. I can love a picture safely, but when the rat is right there looking cute it is hard to resist.
Today I went to my wood pile to get logs to chop.
I grabbed a couple of logs, then heard a squeak. There was a small brown rat in the wood pile! I looked to make sure I hadn't hurt it, I didn't seem to have done, as it moved okay. Then it stared up at me, and didn't run away. I spoke to it gently, saying it had to go, and I hoped I hadn't hurt it because I certainly wouldn't mean to.
The rat squeaked again and looked as if it was having some sort of panic attack, because its breathing became very fast and shallow! I had a feeling it was calling for help. No help came. Then it moved to a gap in the log pile and tried to wriggle in, but it was a tight fit. I kept speaking kindly and gently, but the rat seemed scared.
There was nothing I could do. I daren't move the wood pile. That would be like playing 'spillikins'. I was aware that one falling log could crush the little thing. It was only 4-5" long!
I decided to leave it for a while.
A couple of hours later I went back, sure it would have found its way out.....but no. I spoke to it again, and heard some rustling, and then some squeaking. Then it went silent. I think it was calling for help again, which never came (again)
On the other side of the wood shed near the stream, I put a bit of brown bread and a small boiled potato left over from last night. I'm hoping the scent of the food will encourage the rat to come out. Maybe if it's stuck, it will get hungry as time goes by, then thinner, so it can slip out of the tightly-packed wood pile....
I felt nothing but kindness for the little creature. I hope it will be ok.
What a dilemma, you need to use your wood, but you don't want to hurt the rat. In time he will come to know you and not be afraid. I hope putting out food will help move him.
Is he a little river rat, like the one in Wind in the Willows? Or is he a brown rat like we have in sewers and on ships.
I think he/she was just an ordinary little brown rat. Although there is a very small stream nearby, I don't think it was a Water Vole, as it had a smooth tail. Water Voles have hairy tails.
Anyway....a sad ending. Today I saw his/her little body. A cat had obviously killed it. I think it was quite young. I moved its body into the field, as scavengers will eat it. Crows, maybe foxes.
Cats sometimes just kill prey to keep up their hunting-skills, and they do it whether they are hungry or not. I doubt the cat will come back for it.
