I need help... enlightning my parents

[sawyer_gota_gun]

Ok, so my parents are allowing me to get rats but they're VERY negative about them. They think rats are "the scum of the earth", 'nasty creatures", etc. They don't want to see them, heear about them, anything once I get them.

I was wondering if anyone could please explain just how neat rats are so I could prove to them that all these misconceptions they've heard about rats isn't true? I mean, they don't have to LIKE them but I want them to know that they need to stop judging animals before they know anything about them. They wouldn't do that to people, so why animals  .They think just because rats are cheap and they don't ever hear about anyone owning rats that anyone who does is utterly insane 

[jesirose]

There are lots of good articles on the web, if you just do some basic searches for pet rat you'll get loads of stuff you can print out.

[sawyer_gota_gun]

I can't print out anything-dont have a printer. And I've tried showing them things on here and other rat forums but they ignore me and tell me they don't have time  . i thought maybe they'd read it if it was all on one thing instead of looking at multiple pages.

[jesirose]

Copy and paste into an email then?

If your parents don't want you to have a pet, it will make it very hard to care for them. Who will drive you to the vet? What about basic supplies?

You have lots of time as an adult to have a pet, if your parents don't want it you're not going to change their mind by pestering them.

However, it sounds like they already said ok- now leave them alone! They will either see how great the rats are once you get them and come around, or they won't.

[sawyer_gota_gun]

You're I suppose you're right. It'd be funny if they did take a liking to them, I would'nt let them pet or hold them for awhile since they said they didn't want to even see them. Nah, jk i probably wouldn't 

[Moondust]

Ignore their dislike and have fun with the rats (though don't "scare them" or anything else of that nature).  Most humans are naturally curious adn if they see you enjoying yourself will want to see what it's about.  I've found that's what has made many of my "rat-hating" friends come around.  Don't push them and they'll eventually start asking you small questions about them, a leap in the right direction.

Just make sure before you get them that you have money saved and can take them to the vet yourself in case of emergency.  A lot of children find parents unwilling to do the responsible thing, because of the generation gap and the new petcare revolutions.  Pity.  I'd say at LEAST 75 dollars per rat for smaller emergencies and build it up from there. 

[Anesthesia]

Well.. Rule #1.  You can't make someone like anything that they have their mind set against.

What you can do is show them things that might change their mind without forcing your own opinions on them.  So, instead of trying to show them things on the internet and things that other people have said.  They will need to see it for themselves.

Get the rat and talk non-stop about how much you're enjoying him/her.  No one that is around a rattie can hate them.  It's just NOT possible.  They're adorable, wondrous little creatures that not only demonstrate their complete adoration for their owners (similar to dogs) but can be litter trained (similar to cats).  You get the best of both worlds.

For example, I started work as a receptionist at a family practice a little over a year ago.  I used to work at a vet before that and was used to having conversations day in and day out about my pets.  (Like most people talk about their children..) 

Well, I would ramble on and on about my pets and at first when people found out I had rats they would shiver in revulsion!!  I couldn't believe that there were still so many outlandish opinions out there.  I got crazy questions... things like.. "OMG.. Don't they carry diseases??" .. or.. "How do you keep them from biting you??" ... All kinds of stuff.  It was ridiculous!

BUT.  Just the other day, one of my co-workers (the "how do you keep them from biting you" girl)  started asking me questions about my rats.. out of nowhere!  Things like.. "Do they require vaccinations like cats and dogs?"... "What is the best diet for rats?".."Can they live by themselves, or do you always need at least two?".. "How much does a cage cost?", etc.  I answered all of her questions, to the best of my ability.  I let about 15-20 minutes go by, biting my tongue. 

Finally I turned to her and asked her if she was thinking about getting rats.  I couldn't help it. *lol*  She asked why I was asking.. and I told her I thought she was asking questions that a potential owner would ask.  She seemed embarrassed and said that she HAD been thinking about it and that "it might be kind of cool" to have one. 

It turns out that because I've been talking about my ratties non-stop.. sharing cute stories.. showing pictures..  talking about long roadtrips to adopt.. noting vet appts on my calendar.. and placing orders for adorable hammocks while at work, etc.. She's become interested in being a rattie mommy too!  Who knew!!  Since then she's made a trip to my house and visited with the ratties.. looked at the cages that we built for them, saw what kind of food we feed them, etc.  After she builds her knowledge of rats, she may consider getting a couple.

All of this just from witnessing my joy and excitement from owning them myself.  Once your parents see how much you enjoy your little babies and how happy they make you, they'll come around.  It's catagious!

Good luck to you and your babies.  Keep us updated. 

[Troter]

yeah. most people who don't like rats think abotu the stereotypical "wild" rat.. you know, the vicious kind that will eat you as soon as look at you

Once they realize that they actually ARENT like that, they'll probably turn around...

ugh, speaking of carrying diseases, reminds me of a co-worker of MINE. I told her I got rats and she was like, oh yeah, I used to breed them, blah blah blah.
then, after my first rattie died from mega colon, I come to work and tell her and you know waht she says to me?!
"well, they are disease carrying animals, so it's not too surprising it died."

I was like. Well. Obviously you weren't a well informed breeder.

But, that's an awesome story about your coworker So awesome that you managed to turn another mind around

[Kacee9]

My first year in college, I showed up at my parent's house one weekend with my two new rattie girls.  My father had always been terrified of rats and other rodents and when I walked in the door with the girls he actually went downstairs until I had gotten their cage all set up and closed them in the bathroom (we have dogs at home so when I bring my rats, they are in the bathroom in their cage to protect them).  About thirty minutes later, he came to me and asked if he could look at them.  We went to their cage and I took out my  rat Lilly, my most social rat, and he gently petted her and she gave him little kisses and he has loved all my rats since.

Long story but it just goes to show that ratties work their way into the hearts of even the most doubtful if given time.  Now when I go home, my dad is the first to greet me, after the dogs of course, and he immediately wants to check on the rats and give them little scritches under their chins