Do You Think A Rat Would Be A Good Pet For A Twelve Year Old Girl With Allergies To Animals With Shedding Fur?
February 15, 2010 by admin
Filed under Pet Allergies
I am a twelve year old and I was thinking of getting a pet rat after my hamster dies. Do you think it would be a good pet for me? I have allergies to long animal fur and shedding animals. I am also getting a dog. Would it still be a good idea?
Rats are wonderful pets, however; keep in mind that they don’t live very long. I’d hate for anything to happen and break your daughter’s heart.
As for a dog, Yorkies, Skye Terriers, and Poodles (of any size) are some of the few breeds that do not shed. Ask your doctor specifically if it is the hair that she is allergic to or if it’s the actual dander. I’m sure it will be fine to get her the pets that you suggested.
Get a hairless rat!!! lol!
I am 11 and I am allergic to dogs & cats but my rats do`nt bother me. But if you are geting a dog it`s not a very good idea, unless the dog is VERY calm.
Well…you shouldn’t just wait for your hamster to die so you can experience the excitement of a new pet. Don’t neglect your hamster so it dies sooner.
they have non allergenic cats
I believe rats are very good pets, though they have a short lifespan. If you get one from a good breeder, or a store that breeds and takes care of them well, they’ll be VERY friendly as well as smart pets. I personally have a dog, but I keep them on different floors. I still won’t allow the rat anywhere near him, or let him run around the floor unsupervised. If you can keep them separated I don’t see a reason you can’t have both. Seeing as you put in the time to play with your hamster I don’t think attention would be a problem either. Rats need at least an hour of play outside the cage. If you get one I’d suggest getting two at the same time so they can keep eachother company, but be careful introducing a new rat if you get one and then get another. Anyone who tells you they bite they’re wrong. If you treat them well, and ask a lot of questions when you buy them, there’s no reason you’d wind up with an angry rat. My rat is actually very shy and he’ll nibble on my nails sometimes, but he won’t bite. Just like other rodents there can be problems with health, but if you take care of them well I’m sure they’ll be fine. The bedding for rats has to be non-dust and preferably non-aroma. This would actually probably be great seeing as you may have an alergy to it (don’t know, just a thought). I personally use aspen. Other bedding can give the rat upper resperatory infections. =)
Rats are wonderful pets you just have to be very gentle and careful with them mine like to ride on my shoulder around the house you just have to watch out for when they go to the bathroom.
Do not invest in the Allerca hypo-allergenic cat… they’re a freak of non-nature and we shouldn’t be supporting such a monstrous company. There are other breeds of cat that don’t produce as much allergens. Short-hair and hairless breeds are some of the better choices for people with allergies. My boyfriend is allergic to cats, but he doesn’t react to our marbled bengal. There are also animal allergy wipes that you can find in the pet shampoo section of most stores.
For our rat-haters:
“There a lot of people in here who are severely miseducated about rats… and probably pets in general. This scares me (as do all stupid people in large groups). There’s a big difference between a wild rat and a domestic one… and even wild ones can be tamed to a certain extent if they’re caught early enough (before eyes open).
For those who want to saw EWWWW OMG RAT! RATS ARE NASTY EWWWW, you should promptly go play in traffic or throw yourself off of a very high cliff (bonus points for sharp rocks at the bottom). You’re too ignorant to live, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Chances are that you’ll never be 100% satisfied or competant with any pet you get, because ALL pets have something disgusting about them (cat vomit/litterbox, dog poop, lizard skin, ANY disease your animal may contract, etc.). For the love and benefit of God and everybody around you, don’t make comments about things you know nothing about. If you intend to volunteer your deluded, misguided opinion, at least make sure somebody has the satisfaction of beating it out of you first.”
I’d go nuts if I couldn’t have a rat… they’re truely one of the most wonderful pets… like a kitten and a puppy rolled up into one small walking beanbag.
Before going 100% on an animal, be sure you expose yourself to it a bit to see if you react.
Rats are the most amazing small pets you could hope for. Put aside all the stereotypes that they carry the plague, and picture the intelligence of a cat in animal a bit bigger than a hamster. Rats do not bite, unless your fingers have the smell of food, so just wash your hands and move your fingers slowly towards the rat so as not to scare it. My whole family is allergic to cats and dogs, but there has never been a problem when we had our batch of rats. Compared to hamsters, rats are a definite upgrade because they are very entertaining to watch, they actually want attention, love human interaction, they learn to come to you when you call and they can actually be taught to do tricks too. For a first time rat owner, I would recommend getting females because the males have a stronger body and urine odor along with their unattractive, very large testicles. It would be best to get a large, tall cage, like ones made for ferrets because rats love climbing and make sure to get at least 2 or three of the same sex because they are social creatures and its a very minor cost difference taking care of 2 or 3 compared to just one. If you are still worried about being allergic to their fur, there is a hairless breed of rats available, but they are hard to find, expensive to buy and can get hypothermia easily if they are kept in a cold, drafty room. Also keep in mind that their life span is 2-4 years, but that’s about the same as a hamster anyway. Just go to your nearest pet store and ask if you can look at and handle their rats, and I promise you will fall in love with these perfect pets.
No i do not think a rat would be a good idea for a 12 yr old who is allergic to animals that shed fur. Because even though you may think that it doesn’t shed it does and while the child will play with it they will be breathing in the fur that flys around and that will lead to bad consequences. should i suggest fish or a reptile?
I don’t think it would be because i have the same problem and i got a rat, and everytime she would touch me with her nails i would break out in hives. i thought it was just that rat so i took her back and got two more and it still happened. so i took themn back and now are living with 3 gerbils that i am perfectly fine with. But if you get gerbils or rats, make sure you get more than one, because they get lonely easily. the three gerbils i got were raised together so they dont fight. if you get two random rodents, you can introduce them in somewhere neutral, like a bathtub, then no one is hostile trying to protect their own territory. i hope this helped.
Rats bite. What about something really different like a type of lizard, a turtle ( a lot of work and very long life spans), a snake, or a bird? There are other options other than animals with fur. Of course, a dog is a lot of work, so why do you need another animal? Good luck!