So today i took my rat to the vet, and the waiting room was pretty crowded. A couple of people asked what i had, and when i told them what it was, i got the usual comments "ew i hate their tails", "wow, you seriously have rats?", and "ohmygosh he's huge, is he a pet?" (yah..i always laugh at the last one lol  )
So of course i wanted to make a statement that rats are sweet and friendly, so i took him out and had him on my lap and defended him against every rude comment that came his way. He shouldn't have to put up with that. Even if he can't understand what they are saying, I do, and it's hurtful and offending.
SO. I had him out and this lady came in and she wouldn't come closer than like 6 feet away from me, and she was all like "what's that?", so i said "This is my pet rat, Creasy-bear." Then she said "do you have a boyfriend?" and i was just like "um...no?". To which she VERY RUDELY replied, "well that's why--you have rats.".
I seriously wanted to smack her. I just wanted to jump up and pin her down, and tell Creasy-bear to urine mark her face. 
I was stunned, so all i could think of to say was "well, that's their loss then".
GRRRRR. I am seriously INFURIATED right now! 
I mean, i know that some people are grossed out by rats, but you don't have to sit there and insult someone about it! And guys are a touchy subject for me anyways, and i JUST got out of a relationship with a guy because he basically sexually assaulted me in my work parking lot. So i don't trust guys at all. Period. My rats and my other pets are the only things that i can really love, because i know they won't hurt me. And for someone to sit there and belittle that, and to tell me that the REASON i don't have a boyfriend is because i have rats, just really pisses me off!! 

Sorry for ranting lol. 

Wow, it's one thing for someone to be weird about you having rats, but actually make a personal attack on you?  That's really inconsiderate and disgusting.  Who says that can kind stuff to people?

Ha, ditto to the last post. What a rude witch (I'd say something else tha rhymes with witch, but this is a pg forum). I have a temper, so I would have probably said something very rude back.

Geez.

I don't have a boyfriend at the moment, but oddly enough, the men I dated always seemed to think my having rats was intriguing, and that they were cute.  I could see her point if you lived in a slum and had "befriended" the rats infesting your attic.   

I like Ratsanddogs' response.

Wow...what that lady said was totally uncalled for. I can understand that some people don't get why I like having rats as pets, or are even grossed out by it because rats have a bad rap, and I've had my share of rude comments....but that lady was just out of line! To say that you don't have a boyfriend because you have rats? WHAT?! That doesn't even make any sense...

I just don't get why humans think they need to be so mean to people who are different/have different interests then them!  Honestly...what kind of gratification did it give this woman to be so rude to a complete stranger?

Oh, geez....you're sitting there with your sick pet in your lap and some idiot thinks she has the right to make a disgustingly rude comment?  Ugh....Just proves what I've always said, though.  Rats are idiot detectors...

haha, you know after i read this i was thinking "just what would i do if someone was that darn disrespectful to my face about my girls?"
we should really have a list of suggestions.  i bet there are some really creative ones out there!!
I'm pretty bland when it comes to socially-acceptable retorts, but i thought of a few outlandish ones:

- keep a fake rat with you and just toss it at the offender (haha, just kidding!)
- get a group of friends who all have pet rats come and subtly surround the 'victim', chanting in a made-up rat language
- carry a bat

but seriously though... we have to have a list of retorts!! Us owned-by-ratties individuals need to stand together in the name of education!! *makes triumphant speech stance*

I'd have to agree with that.

I just don't understand why people think it is okay to say such nasty things.  It's not like you would ever walk up to someone at the vet and say "Wow, that must be the ugliest dog I have EVER seen".  I don't get why they think it's okay to say that about a pet rat.  A pet is a pet and it is loved dearly by it's owner, that is all that should matter. 

Wow, I've heard some rude comments (like "It's a rat?  Ew, and you're holding it all close and stuff?!?") which I've responded to by kissing the rat full on the lips.  But that really takes the cake.  I don't know what I would have done...congrats on staying calm.  

Most people, male and female, have much worse personal habits than owning rats as pets. You'd be disgusted if you knew what some people do in their bathrooms.

I used to get defensive when I heard rude comments about my girls or rats in general. Now I just laugh at the ignorance...  they don't know what they are missing out on. Nothing like the love of a sweet rat!

  I had a bumper sticker made that says " I love rat kisses!"  I love the comments I get with that!

I've gotten my share of nasty comments while sitting in the vet's waiting room.  Some have even made me cry.  My vet says they can't really do anything to antaganize other clients but they support my right to defend myself.  I have a new comeback in the event it ever happens again:  He/she may be a rat but he/she has a lot better manners than you!  or That's ok, he/she doesn't like you either! (saw that on a bumper sticker).