Rats have gotten a bad reputation as "unclean" animals that frequent drains and dark places. While wild rats end up in some unsavory situations, rats bred specifically as pets are a different matter. Pet rats have many attractive qualities that can make them great companions for children, adults and the elderly.
Character of rats
Interest in humans is an advantageous feature possessed by decorative rats. Unlike hamsters, who often treat their owners with some coolness, rats are very friendly. Smart creatures willingly make contact and know how to express their own affection for the owner. They are easy to train.
Each individual has a special character and temperament, which determines the behavioral characteristics of each animal. There are also differences based on gender. Males usually:
- calm;
- somewhat passive;
- quite phlegmatic.
In contrast, females are animals prone to:
- curiosity;
- fussiness;
- increased activity.
Considering the fact that in nature rodents live in large families, when keeping them at home, it is recommended to provide the pet with a playmate and joint grooming.
They don't bring you money, only good luck.
In Japan, they believe in seven gods of luck, one of them - Daikoku, the patron saint of peasants, is depicted with a bag of rice and a rat - a symbol of material well-being.
It is believed that a predator can only settle in a rich house; she has nothing to eat in a poor one. Andrey does not undertake to confirm the Japanese belief: “Rats really bring good luck and happiness to those who adore them, but money does not.” On the contrary, they require large expenses. A cage filled with feeders, drinking bowls, hammocks, wheels and other toys will cost 300–350 rubles. A package of good food costs about 15 rubles, and it lasts about two weeks for two animals. If you get sick, pay 30 rubles for an appointment at a hospital, and if an operation is necessary, then all 100. By the way, you need to be mentally and financially prepared to contact a veterinarian at any time. A typical case is when, while running around the cage, a fidget can tear off a claw. If you can’t stop the bleeding on your own, you need to urgently go to a specialist.
Expensive maintenance is one of the reasons why Andrey does not advise buying rats for the sake of a momentary whim. He, like other representatives of the rat breeding community, is against giving animals for holidays to those who are not ready for this:
– An animal is not a gift or amusement; it must be treated with full responsibility. If you really want to buy a symbol of the coming year, it is better to choose a souvenir or a soft toy in the shape of a rat. I can give examples of hundreds of cases when we have to save poor people from those who have already “played enough” or, when faced with the first difficulties, write messages on the Internet - “take it, otherwise I’ll throw it out on the street.” And, believe me, they throw it away if you don’t arrive on time. Sometimes people say this: I’d rather go to the pet store and buy a new rat for five rubles than treat mine for 100. We have several rescued girls, including wild ones, caught in the entrances: I found them sick, went out, cured them, they feel great now.
So that the “graduates” of the nursery do not face the fact that they will suddenly find themselves unnecessary to the new owners, Andrey surveys each potential buyer:
– Several dozen questions make it clear whether the rat pups should be trusted by this person. If I see that the mood is not serious, I will not give the kids away. With those who understand why they take an animal into their home, we get to know each other better, communicate, and then arrange a graduation ceremony for the litter, which goes into new hands. Subsequent “technical support” and maintenance are mandatory conditions.
Habits of rats
The main habits that a domestic rat demonstrates are increased curiosity. When moving freely around the room, the animal will climb in and explore every corner. In this case, it is necessary to take care of the safety of the animal and remove all cables and wires: in addition to exploring the territory, rats also try to test everything.
When in contact with a person, the pet may grind its teeth or lick its fingers. This behavior speaks of the highest degree of love for the owner. A peculiar “purr” helps the rodent demonstrate joy and affection.
Islam
Followers of Islam believe that the word of Allah was transmitted to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad in 610 AD. e., continuing and completing the revelations begun in the Jewish and Christian religions. It is important to note that this happened after the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad, according to many, in a dream. Moreover, it is believed that before the first revelation, Muhammad had many dreams filled with spiritual meaning, which prompted him to begin preaching.
In the Koran, Islam's holy book, dreams are seen as God's way of communicating with people, as is the case in both the Jewish Torah and the Christian New Testament. Dreams are also mentioned in some passages of the Qur'an, and although they are much less common than in the Bible, their application depends on the ability to correctly interpret the metaphorical content due to the personal and indirect knowledge of the dreamer. This was later noted by Freud and ]]>recognized]]> by modern neuroscience. As ]]>said]]> the prophet, “a dream is realized the way you interpret it.” On the other hand, there are dreams that are more straightforward and do not need interpretation, such as the famous dream where Allah tells Abraham to sacrifice his son. There are also strategies for creating good dreams. For example, hadith texts encourage practitioners to try to sleep in a state of ritual purity in order to have good dreams.
Thus, in Islam, dreams have the same purpose as in the biblical texts: to serve as objects for interpretation or to be perceived as direct messages. Additionally, some Islamic traditions discourage discussion of dreams that contain something obviously bad or unpleasant, as such dreams are interpreted as being caused by Satan. If a person is faced with a bad dream, he is advised to read the Qur'an and make donations to get rid of the contents of the dream, instead of discussing it with other people.
There are several references to OS in the Islamic tradition, mostly by the Sufi theologian Ibn Arabi (1165–1240). Ibn Arabi claimed that he had many visionary experiences, such as seeing the Archangel Jibril (Gabriel). Ibn Arabi divided dreams into three main types.
The first is “ordinary” dreams, which are created by the imagination based on everyday life experiences, but with symbolic content representing our desires, very similar to the psychoanalytic approach of Freud and Jung. The second type of dream is much more important and reflects the "universal soul" - abstract ideas that could reveal fundamental truths about reality, but are distorted by the human imagination and therefore require interpretation to reveal the true meaning of symbolic images. The last type of dreams involves a clear vision of divine truth without distortion or symbolism. As for the OS, Ibn Arabi ]]>believed]]> that they are also very important:
“A person must control thoughts during sleep. Training such vigilance... will bring great benefit to a person. Everyone should make an effort to acquire such a valuable ability.”
The Sufi tradition specifically ]]>cultivated]]> the preservation of the observer's ability during sleep through techniques of physical deprivation - fasting and staying awake throughout the night - and self-remembering exercises. A large number of OS trainings were also developed by Indian Sufi orders that migrated to the West.
A dreamer who can maintain focus and clarity is able to work with the symbols of the world of images and consciously participate in the process of his own spiritual development.
Another movement, the “Golden Sufi Center,” included in its traditions work with dreams - their joint and collective interpretation, as well as induction of OS. OS's earlier roots go back to medieval Islamic cultural traditions and are found in Sufism, which had contact with Hindu teachings and practices. There are certainly some parallels between aspects of Hinduism and the Sufi desire to cultivate non-ordinary states of consciousness in wakefulness and sleep, with the ultimate goal of direct encounter with divine powers. Unfortunately, there is not enough scientific work on these experiments.
Fun Features
There are also behavioral features that cause confusion and even fear among novice owners. However, this is how rats demonstrate nuances of mood and express needs.
Squeal and squeak
In this way, the animal expresses protest and displeasure with the actions of its fellow or owner. A prolonged sound may indicate that the animal is in pain.
Rumble at night
Rats are nocturnal animals, like many rodents. The peak of activity occurs at night, when the animal plays or rattles feeders.
Scavenger hunt
The thriftiness of animals knows no bounds. When rats encounter pieces of plastic, fabric, wood or paper on their way, they pull them into a corner of the cage.
Boxing
Two males, standing on their hind legs and fighting with their front legs, find out which of them is dominant.
Burying in filler
In the wild, rodents live in burrows, so once they are in a cage, they look for a familiar and comfortable place to sleep.
Moustache wiggling
For domestic animals, this is a kind of navigator, and with the help of whiskers, animals study the objects they encounter.
How about a kiss?
In the small rented one-room apartment, there are rats everywhere. Live and in pictures, wallpaper, portraits, in the form of toys, and also on the bike in which Andrey meets us. Pets appeared in his life six years ago: “I wanted to get some kind of animal.” The cats are on my mind, the dog needs to be walked, but with work and school there was no time left for this. In general, the rat turned out to be an ideal option. My girlfriend and I began to study information on care, feeding, treatment, and learned that it is necessary to keep not just one animal, but at least a couple, because the animal does not tolerate loneliness well. So over time we got rats.
The wards have very different characters, but they all love their owner equally.
Candy, Paparats-kvetka, Shkvarochka, Curl-Cheburunka, Don Simon... The wards have very different characters, but they all love their owner equally reverently. As soon as he approaches the cage, curious noses immediately poke out, and Andrei is ready to kiss each animal:
– Like any creatures, rats love affection and care.
It is better to stroke them behind the ears, on the cheeks and chin; some let them scratch their bellies. But it’s better not to grab someone’s back; it can be perceived as aggression. These are brave and very smart animals - if not for their intelligence, these peers of dinosaurs simply would not have survived. Many people shy away from rats, forgetting that they served as the basis for various scientific discoveries and achievements. Rats also know how to empathize; they understand by the timbre of their voices when you are upset or sick, and they try to feel sorry for you. They themselves will not show their weakness until the very end. You can understand that a pet is not feeling well only when it is already completely unbearable. At such a moment, you need to drop everything and rush to the veterinary hospital, otherwise you risk losing your friend.
Features of caring for decorative rats
Rats do not require too much space; they only need a small cage with ladders of various shapes, a house, a hammock, a wheel, where they can run or play with any other accessories.
They are also particularly unpretentious in nutrition and are considered omnivores. However, as for the correct diet, it definitely must be present, since the rodent needs all the useful substances and microelements for good health and excellent mood. It is enough to feed rats twice a day, morning and evening. At night the portion should be larger.
This is due to the fact that these creatures are nocturnal inhabitants. The diet must contain grains, cereals, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Don't forget to regularly change the water in the drinking bowl so that your pet doesn't suffer from thirst.
The main disadvantage of these cute creatures is their short lifespan. In general, rats do not live longer than three years, and this applies to absolutely all breeds. Therefore, an important piece of advice when you buy a pet is to choose a rat that is no more than one and a half months old.
With proper care, any breed of domestic decorative rat you like will always delight you and your child with excellent health and good mood.
