Why do rats have a bad reputation?

By Alicyn Leigh. Long Island Press

"We suppose people fall into the stigma that has been attached to rats for years; that they cause disease, that they're vicious, dirty, despicable animals," Foxx says.

The truth is that through breeding generations of rats we now have the "domestic pet rat" or "fancy rat."

Specific care is very important for properly keeping rats. They need companionship and daily attention, including a few hours out of their cage to free run.

"Rats are very social and should be housed together in groups of three or more," Foxx says. "They need large, multi-level cages, more like ferret cages than the rodent cages. Never put them in an aquarium."

"Females are feistier, more inquisitive, playful and more prone to mammary tumors; males are more relaxed, larger, aggressive and less prone to tumors, but the traits can run in both sexes," explains Renee.

The average lifespan is 2-3 years, but they can live longer. "A pet rat should follow the same diet as an average person," Foxx says. "We tell adopters that whatever's not good for your body is not good for theirs. They need low-fat, low-protein and low-sugar diets, just like us."

Since rats are considered to be exotics, one must have a veterinarian who is knowledgeable and experienced with rodents. A rat's medical costs, according to Foxx, can "be quite high, so a $5 pocket pet can turn into thousands. There are rat rescues who can help so there is no need to cut their short lives shorter."

Want to adopt a pet rat?

here's where to go...to support this Pet Rat Rescue

Visit RMRR's discount online store dedicated to small animals, The One Stop Critter Shop, at www.theonestopcrittershop.com. RMRR needs volunteers for transporting rats, fostering, adopters and/or physical (bedding, cereal, towels, etc.) or monetary donations. Please make all checks and money orders payable to Ratta Muffin Rat Reskue or Paypal. E-mail: ratgurrrlz@yahoo.com

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technorati tags:pet, rat, rescue, Domestic, rat, fancy, rat, theonestopcrittershop

Don't Rat Rodents Out

By Alicyn Leigh. Long Island Press

Renee and Luna Foxx with
their pet, Frankie

The early-1970s horror movies Willard and Ben might have creeped out many, but they did a great job portraying those who love larger-sized rodents. Classified as an "exotic" pet, "ratties" make wonderful house pets and provide unconditional love just as good as the next lap cat. In fact, there is a great rat-rescue organization that serves the Tri-State area dedicated to caring for the unwanted.

"We choose to rescue rats because they are amazing critters, but they also get an unwarranted bad rap," says Renee Foxx of Ratta Muffin Rat Reskue in Browns Mills, NJ.

"[My partner Luna and I] met in 1998 and started taking in abandoned rats from friends of friends," Renee says. "A sales clerk at a local pet store would give us the sick rats so we could nurse them back to health and we always kept them."

And so the duo began their work as a rescue team, aiding the ASPCA and shelters when pet rats were involved. Their largest rescue was in 2004, when they took in 171 animals out of a cruelty situation in Jersey City; 154 of those animals were rats.

Want to help?

Here's how...

Visit RMRR's discount online store dedicated to small animals, The One Stop Critter Shop, at www.theonestopcrittershop.com. RMRR needs volunteers for transporting rats, fostering, adopters and/or physical (bedding, cereal, towels, etc.) or monetary donations. Please make all checks and money orders payable to Ratta Muffin Rat Reskue or Paypal. E-mail: ratgurrrlz@yahoo.com

...bless them and their rat rescue...

Long Island Press: Long Island Newspaper, News, Entertainment, Real Estate, Classifieds, Automotive, Weddings, Business News, Sports, Restaurants, Fashion, Lifestyle

technorati tags:rat, rescue, one, stop, critter, shop, www.theonestopcrittershop.com, fancy, rats, rattie, exotic, et, domestic, pet, rat, Ratta, Muffin, Rat, Reskue

Local rat rescue's future uncertain

By Nicole Weis. The Daily NonPareil. Southwest Iowa.

The basement in Jessica Bartunek's house is occupied by rats. Forty-seven of them to be exact, far less than the 110 that lived there a few months ago.

But having rats live beneath her does not disgust Bartunek. In fact, the full-time student and mother of a 6-month-old baby girl is not repulsed at all. She thinks the creatures make excellent pets, which is precisely why she started a pet rat rescue program out of her home almost three years ago.

"Every animal deserves a second chance," Bartunek said. "Rats are incredibly misunderstood; they are incredibly intelligent and among the cleanest small animals. They don't require a lot of space, but they have the attitude and commitment like dogs do. They are very devoted to their owners."

Staff photo/Nicole Weis - Jessica Bartunek, founder of Draconis Rat Rescue, has 82 rats, 11 chinchillas and four ferrets living at her house. Bartunek recently joined Petfinder.com to help the rats and other animals find good homes as pets.

Bartunek founded Draconis Rat Rescue out of her own pocket shortly after working at a pet shop that sold rats. She didn't care for the way the animals were sold as snake food and figured she could find better homes for them than a snake's belly.

Bartunek took in surrenders from previous pet owners and adopted them out for a small fee. She was hoping to increase her adoption rates by joining petfinder.com. When an article in The Daily Nonpareil featured her rat rescue operation in March of this year, her venture became successful.

"(Adoptions) skyrocketed shortly thereafter," Bartunek said. "We had lots of surrenders, but more adoptions."

However, just when Draconis was really starting to take off, Bartunek received a call from a local animal control officer who informed her that Iowa law requires rescue operations that charge money for adoptions to be run on commercial property. Bartunek was told she would have to close her adoption doors by April 14.

"It was pretty much a shocker," Bartunek recalls of hearing the news.

She then posted a message on the Draconis Web site - http://.drac.20m.com- delivering the news to her fellow rat lovers.

In the meantime, Draconis is still accepting surrenders and finding homes for the pet rats via foster care as long as the rats come with cages.

"We've got a bunch into foster care. Quite a few are moving on," Bartunek said.

While she lost more money than she gained while selling rats for adoption because of food and veterinarian costs, Bartunek wants to continue her rescue program especially because of all the support she's received from others.

"I get phone calls and e-mails that say 'We love what you're doing,'" she said. "And the return from the public is what makes it all worthwhile."

...bless her we need more people like this...I hope this story is successful...

Daily Nonpareil - Local rat rescue's future uncertain

technorati tags:pet, rat, draconis, http://.drac.20m.com, rat, rescue, Jessica, Batunek