Can't decide on male or female rats?

[stoop14]

I've done some research and it seems that female rats are more active, but do they have cuddly time.  I want a rat that will be content just chilling with me on my shoulder or lap.  And i hear that the guys are more laid back but smell more and pee on you cause they are marking you.  How much worse is the smell and how much do they pee when they mark.  Cause i don't want to ruin my carpet.

[triciag]

I am a newbie to rats as well.  I don't know about females because I have 2 male rats.  I can honestly say that mine don't smell bad.  They do have an odor to them, but I don't find it offensive.  My boys are only about 5-6 months old, so they are still very curious.  They do love sitting on my shoulder.  So far, they have not *marked* me yet!  I'm sure my day is coming!  I don't have a room that can be dedicated to just them, so when I let them out, we built a playpen for them and I lay a blanket on the floor, so if they decide to mark, I can just wash it.  Good luck to you! 

[FrauleinAsh]

Well if u want a "lap rat", then you're most likely to get one with a male rat. Every once in a blue moon ... a female lap rat will come around, but chances of finding one is almost like winning the lotto in my opinion. Though females DO tend to get more and more calm/relaxed as they grow older, just not necessarily as calm as a male. ALL baby rats will be hyper and over excited during the first several months, they're just like puppies.

Now, both males and females will mark you (males mark more often) and its basically a little trickle of pee, not a big deal at all, just several little drops in a line. I dont think males smell too much more than females if you clean their cages often enough (u *will* most likely have to clean a males cage more often). Really, it all depends on the sensitivity of your sense of smell. I've read posts on here abt males who smell too much and the owners cant stand it, and others who say they can barely tell they're even there.

Abt your carpet ... lol, rats are small and naturally dont carry enough urine to *ruin* your carpet, unless you plan on getting 200 of them and letting them free range. Obviously the number of rats u get will increase the amount of urine. If you're really worried abt your carpet then maybe u can let them play on a tile/laminate floor instead, but my rats never ruin my carpet and I have 10 of them.

If you're new to rats, then I highly reccomend adopting a pair from a reputable breeder since these rats are bred  specifically for superior health & temperment. Much luck to you & your new fuzzbutts!!

Hope this helps!


~@sh

[stoop14]

I live on Prince Edward Island( P.E.I ) and there is no rat breeders on the island from what I've found from researching.