>> Also the behaviour of rats and gerbils varies when you give them the free
>> run of a room. The rats skulk round the edges. The gerbils run round
>> everywhere having a good look at everything and are not afraid to go
right
>> into the middle of the room. Now if you sit down on the floor, I can
>> guarantee that within minutes the gerbils will be running all over you.
>> They will have great fun, climbing up to your shoulder and then sliding
>> down your back. But the rats won't. Sure if you go near enough to them
so
>> they can smell you and call their names, then they will come for a stroke
>> but they will not play with you like the gerbils.
>
>This is very untrue. Rats will go everywhere and come and climb
>on your shoulder and be very affectionate. I owned rats for a few
>weeks and they sure were a joy when I let them run around.
>Gerbils and rats are great pets but in very different ways.
I have three different varieties of hamsters, the gerbils, three rats,
and a white mouse . [plus the cats, the puppy, the koi and goldfish,
and my hubby]
Rats can be a delight if properly brought up and tamed. I've known
some incredibly tame rats that were downright fun, and would ride
around on your shoulder everywhere you went. I have also been
ratbit and that is one of the worst of the fangings that I've endured.
Gerbils, usually don't get quite as big as rats, and have different
personalities. I have not been bitten by a gerbil yet, but I am
expecting that to happen in the future.
Hamsters, there is one type that is more prone to biting, but boy
they are cute. The others, usually is rare to never.
I do not let any animal out to wander; unless it's in an exercise
ball. Else it will not be seen again.
There are different tastes in pets. As the original poster mentioned;
it was their Mother that had the aversion to the baby gerbils in
black. I agree that the black tends to let the details blur, so the
animal at quick glance seems to be merely 'a rodent'. And a lot
of people are prejudiced against rats; so....
I think it's having to respect the roof you're under....
If anyone wants to reply to this, let's take it off the forumlist
please.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
