Getting pet rats when have a baby quaker parrot

[Shaz UK]

My friend's newly adopted female rat has had a litter of adorable rat pups and I've fallen in love with the only three baby females out of her litter of seven. I've had numourous pet rats in the past. I live in a one bedroom apartment with my baby four month old quaker parrot Diva. I've heard horror stories of pet rats attacking and killing small bird because rats can be predatory. Diva is spoilt and free range from around 7am in the morning to 6.30pm when she goes to bed. She has a large cage in the living room, a large play gym and several different foraging toys on hooks around the living room as well as her indoor garden aka the two bottoms of extra large dog crate with organic soil, loose grass sprouts a little seed and a few veggies for foraging in and a water fountain in middle for her to bath and a sleep cage in the hall for her at night time.

If I got three of the litter of rat babies I would be getting them a very large cage filled with levels and toys making a plexiglass cover to cover the cage completely during day with enough drilled holes to provide plenty of ventilation so there's no risk of Diva getting bitten if she lands on the cage or goes over to investigate. She's never been clipped but she still chooses to walk rather than fly it's personal choice on her part she's been examined by the vet and there's nothing wrong with her wings she just doesn't like flying. Rats are nocturnal and more active in evening so when Diva is put into her sleep cage in hall at 6.30 and the living door is closed I would be able to let the rats out and let them explore, give them attention, training and interaction until I go to bed usually around 12. I would be careful with all Divas toys and ensure her toys, garden and bath are lifted and put away to avoid cross contamination of any germs or saliva before ratties are let out. Could it work and would it be fair on Diva and the rats. I'm a introvert who really enjoys the company of animals over people and never leaves the house and I'll shamefully admit I miss Diva when she goes to bed at night and I'm left in setting room at night alone with the TV but I know how important it is for her to stay in a good routine and get twelve hours sleep so having a few little nocturnal fur balls to join the family is awfully tempting. Especially as I love training and rats are exceptionally smart trainable and affectionate little critters. What do people think I'm also thinking the rats would likely enjoy the chop I make Diva and a lot of the wasted veggies as she's picky and I'm having trouble getting her to eat her veggies and I'm sick of throwing out her chop and veg as I only have a small freezer space from my under counter fridge

 

[LoveOfallAnimals]

My friend's newly adopted female rat has had a litter of adorable rat pups and I've fallen in love with the only three baby females out of her litter of seven. I've had numourous pet rats in the past. I live in a one bedroom apartment with my baby four month old quaker parrot Diva. I've heard horror stories of pet rats attacking and killing small bird because rats can be predatory. Diva is spoilt and free range from around 7am in the morning to 6.30pm when she goes to bed. She has a large cage in the living room, a large play gym and several different foraging toys on hooks around the living room as well as her indoor garden aka the two bottoms of extra large dog crate with organic soil, loose grass sprouts a little seed and a few veggies for foraging in and a water fountain in middle for her to bath and a sleep cage in the hall for her at night time.

If I got three of the litter of rat babies I would be getting them a very large cage filled with levels and toys making a plexiglass cover to cover the cage completely during day with enough drilled holes to provide plenty of ventilation so there's no risk of Diva getting bitten if she lands on the cage or goes over to investigate. She's never been clipped but she still chooses to walk rather than fly it's personal choice on her part she's been examined by the vet and there's nothing wrong with her wings she just doesn't like flying. Rats are nocturnal and more active in evening so when Diva is put into her sleep cage in hall at 6.30 and the living door is closed I would be able to let the rats out and let them explore, give them attention, training and interaction until I go to bed usually around 12. I would be careful with all Divas toys and ensure her toys, garden and bath are lifted and put away to avoid cross contamination of any germs or saliva before ratties are let out. Could it work and would it be fair on Diva and the rats. I'm a introvert who really enjoys the company of animals over people and never leaves the house and I'll shamefully admit I miss Diva when she goes to bed at night and I'm left in setting room at night alone with the TV but I know how important it is for her to stay in a good routine and get twelve hours sleep so having a few little nocturnal fur balls to join the family is awfully tempting. Especially as I love training and rats are exceptionally smart trainable and affectionate little critters. What do people think I'm also thinking the rats would likely enjoy the chop I make Diva and a lot of the wasted veggies as she's picky and I'm having trouble getting her to eat her veggies and I'm sick of throwing out her chop and veg as I only have a small freezer space from my under counter fridge

Personally, for me it wouldn't be a chance I would be willing to take. Rats are just so cleaver and seem to be able to squeeze their way out of even the smallest of holes.

 

[Shaz UK]

Personally, for me it wouldn't be a chance I would be willing to take. Rats are just so cleaver and seem to be able to squeeze their way out of even the smallest of holes.

Yeah that's definately my worry although the plexiglass cover and the cage I'm looking at do seem completely escape proof but I've no doubt Diva would be highly curious at the new additions she's into everything and the fact she's not a fan of flying worries me as she's not going to make a quick escape if anything happens oh well maybe once I move to another house next year with a spare room that I can completely escape proof then it might be possible

 

[LoveOfallAnimals]

Yeah that's definately my worry although the plexiglass cover and the cage I'm looking at do seem completely escape proof but I've no doubt Diva would be highly curious at the new additions she's into everything and the fact she's not a fan of flying worries me as she's not going to make a quick escape if anything happens oh well maybe once I move to another house next year with a spare room that I can completely escape proof then it might be possible

I think to wait until you have a spare room is a brilliant idea. After all good things come to those who wait. Said by probably the least patient person on this form...LOL

 

[Shaz UK]

I think to wait until you have a spare room is a brilliant idea. After all good things come to those who wait. Said by probably the least patient person on this form...LOL

Lol I'm not very good at patience either and I'm also very impulsive. Actually funny story Divas my first bird I fell in love with my upstairs neighbours green cheek conures researched care of conures for almost a year and went to pick up a baby conure from the breeder. Well Diva was the last one left of a clutch of baby quaker parrots the breeder had hand raised and she kept coming to me and climbing onto my shoulder and snuggling chattering and purring she was literally obsessed with me from first sight and me her so instead of a baby conure home came Diva the baby quaker parrot. When I did the research on Quakers after I got her I realised she's going to be fiesty and I've a lot to learn but she's so worth it her intelligence blows me away. I was kinda of excited too when I heard about their talking ability not been far off a grays but then I got her DNA test back that she was female but although she'll not talk although she does kind of mutter hello but she'll never talk like a male she still definately understands words and their meanings she's picked up so much already. She's only four months still a baby so she deserves my full attention and I'll see about rats when I get a bigger house.

 

[Jcas]

Just want to mention that female Quakers can talk, so go ahead and try to teach Diva some words! 🙂

 

[Shaz UK]

Just want to mention that female Quakers can talk, so go ahead and try to teach Diva some words! 🙂

Really that's brilliant I've been talking away to her I name objects and tell her everything I'm doing lol like I'll go in in the morning and be like good morning Diva do you want out?. Then when she's out on my shoulder I'm like are you hungry let's go get your breakfast and put the kettle on for mummy's coffee. I know she's never ever going to speak full sentences but the breeder told me not to just repeat phases like pretty bird or hello at them he said speak to them like you would a small child he said actually name objects and use context with her and even if she doesn't talk she'll start to understand what words mean. She amazed me the morning I walked into the living room with her on my shoulder and said let's put the TV on she jumped off my shoulder onto coffee table pecked the remote control and looked at me and shrieked in excitement. Probably just coincidence but she's never played with the remote before and she really loves me putting TV on in the morning because I always put the music channels on. I'm really considering she understood me saying let's put the TV on and was showing me the remote because she knows that's how it goes on then again theres no way she's that smart is there