# Potential GPR owners, please read this!



## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

• View topic - BEFORE you commit - choosing a pup


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## pookey (Nov 29, 2009)

*ben*

Had a look at bens website and its really lovely. He is! really cute, how big do they grow?


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

pookey said:


> Had a look at bens website and its really lovely. He is! really cute, how big do they grow?


They can grow up to about 3 foot long (including the tail) 

They can make wonderful pets for the right owners :2thumb:, but we are trying to educate people on what can happen, as some of us have found through our own experiences.:gasp:


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## xvickyx (Jul 21, 2009)

Some great info there


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Thank you! :2thumb:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

great helpful post! bet your putting it up to stop ppl like me swarming your inbox!lol (note to all Marie is sooooo helpful with gpr advice! :no1


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

No, we are just trying to prepare people for GPR ownership, and are happy to answer any questions that you pm to us on here or EKF. :2thumb:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

:blush:sorry was just having a giggle


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

:whip::lol2:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

: victory:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

I went to pick up a tame GPR off Laura on Thursday, and ended up getting a bite on my chin, there are photos of it on the original thread on EKF. It just goes to show how unpredictable these animals can be, and even when you already have ecperience with them, you can never let your guard down. 

All new owners need to be aware of this and make sure that feel confident to commit to these rats for their lifetime, no matter what :gasp: And as they are capable of living for about 8 years in captivity, it is not something to be taken lightly.


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

The bite to my chin :gasp:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

just wanted to add the pictures show nothing compared to what its really like... it took forever to stop the bleeding! sooo much blood! also you wanna see me...i pulled her back as marie tried to stem the bleeding and my chest is covered in very deep scratches and my arms.... not for the faint hearted!


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

i know what you mean about the scratching of claws!

my queenie the other day got spooked by something whilst she was out and happened to me next to my chest.
she shot out of my hands and onto the bed but as she went she left such a huge claw mark infact 3 claw marks it bled and is very deep.

she didn't mean to hurt her mummy it was cuz she heard a strange noise.:flrt:


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## mackaskie (Jan 29, 2009)

blade100 said:


> she didn't mean to hurt her mummy it was cuz she heard a strange noise.:flrt:


I thought this was a good/serious thread, as these Rats can become dangerous in the wrong hands, then along comes a silly:gasp: chat artist


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

mackaskie said:


> I thought this was a good/serious thread, as these Rats can become dangerous in the wrong hands, then along comes a silly:gasp: chat artist



i trust queenie 100% she has been handled from day one,i had her at 7 weeks old,she is now 4 months old,never bit me or showed any signs of aggression.
the only reason she scratched my chest is 1.i had a vest top on and 2.there was a loud noise on the tv that spooked her.

she NEVER bit.

do you have a pouched rat????


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## Rie xx (Nov 20, 2008)

mackaskie said:


> I thought this was a good/serious thread, as these Rats can become dangerous in the wrong hands, then along comes a silly:gasp: chat artist


I think Blade was saying that not all gambians are nasty!
But i do agree with you.. These rats are extremely dangerous in inexperienced hands...


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

I agree that not all Gambians are nasty, as I now have 6 and none of them can be termed as 'nasty', it is just that they can be very unpredictable in their behaviour and you have to remember that unlike fancy rats, this is not a domesticated species, so potential new owners need to be ready for the unexpected. 

Anyone who thinks that they can cope with this and still stay committed to the animal for its lifetime should make a good pouchie owner.

Too many people seem to think that they are just a big fancy rat, but they are NOT, and need lots of time spent with them to form a bond and then to keep that bond with them. As I always tell people, they can make fantastic pets for the right owners.

And new owners should also be aware that there are a few who will never be fully tame.


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

hi rie hi marie

yes think someone got the wrong end of the stick on here (mackaskie!)
i know that they can be unpredictable but as you know rie queenie is just like her sister pam and has never be aggressive or nasty in anyway.

coming from parents that are both hand tame really shows through with queenie.rie is the breeder of queenie!!
and the only reason she scratched me was cuz of a loud noise.
plus gambian pouched rats claws are so much more sharper than any fancy rats,pouched rats are like razors.

i knew exactly what i was getting myself in for with queenie and her kind,she is handled daily,she comes out for 3 hours in the day sometimes more.
and as marie-ratatoullie says i fully understand and agree with.


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## mackaskie (Jan 29, 2009)

blade100 said:


> i trust queenie 100% she has been handled from day one,i had her at 7 weeks old,she is now 4 months old,never bit me or showed any signs of aggression.
> the only reason she scratched my chest is 1.i had a vest top on and 2.there was a loud noise on the tv that spooked her.
> 
> she NEVER bit.
> ...


 
I'm not doubting your rat is tame apart from the fact that Queenie has showed aggression and bitten your other half,but you forgot to tell us this, and this is the topic, the thread is to show people that there are some nasty behaved ones out there and you won't know straight away you have one, why don't you start a new thread, telling your nice stories, and leave this for the more serious side, Yes I do have pouched rats, plus other exotics, best mute tele in future as she can't be as bombproof as you proport her to be:gasp:


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## mackaskie (Jan 29, 2009)

Rie xx said:


> I think Blade was saying that not all gambians are nasty!
> But i do agree with you.. These rats are extremely dangerous in inexperienced hands...


 
THANKYOU yes not all gambians turn nasty there are some lovely examples of how nice they can be, but people buy one it turns nasty then get rid then get another in the hope of a tame one, anon so yes inexperience can't cope with them, I'd say they are a specialist pet for experienced handlers


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

bitten yes no blood drawn but that was only cuz he was upstairs and at the time she was going through a stage of being territorial.

he has been up since and many a time with nothing more than licks and cuddles.

sorry.


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

i would just like to add that i did a years worth of finding out about this species and wouldn't of taken on such an animal if i weren't commited or ready.i knew what i was taking on and if i didn't like the sound of it all would never have done.


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## Rie xx (Nov 20, 2008)

mackaskie said:


> THANKYOU yes not all gambians turn nasty there are some lovely examples of how nice they can be, but people buy one it turns nasty then get rid then get another in the hope of a tame one, anon so yes inexperience can't cope with them, I'd say they are a specialist pet for experienced handlers


Hi Shirley!! Or am i incorrect? Any animal can bite!!! Yes gambians are exotic's and should be throughly researched before even considered buying..
Seems as i read it there is an issue with the male of the species.. As its mostly males causing the issues..
Haven't read much regarding females attacking... Or demostrating bad behaviour towards owners!
So do you think there is a problem with the males?


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## Rie xx (Nov 20, 2008)

mackaskie said:


> I'm not doubting your rat is tame apart from the fact that Queenie has showed aggression and bitten your other half,but you forgot to tell us this, and this is the topic, the thread is to show people that there are some nasty behaved ones out there and you won't know straight away you have one, why don't you start a new thread, telling your nice stories, and leave this for the more serious side, Yes I do have pouched rats, plus other exotics, best mute tele in future as she can't be as bombproof as you proport her to be:gasp:


Can hardly compare a 9 week old gambian in her new home getting her bearings!


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

is it shirley?
i was thinking the same thing.

yes i seem to think males are more unpredictable than the females from things i have read like a person getting 2 males trying to get them to live together but then it turned there existing male agressive and in the end had to re home the younger male to another gpr member on here.

i had my doughts about this and thought it wouldn't work,although there is a pair of both males in germany is it that live together??

as it happens it was causing the older male to become jealous.

so obviously not experienced enough there!!!
and something i would never try.
in the wild i bet you don't see males all living together.

we were at some point all in experienced with this species and like yourself we all have to start from somewhere!!!

we didn't just wake up one day and think my god i have knowledge on gambian pouched rats.


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Can everyone please settle down. None of us are experts on GPR's we are all still learning about them.

This thread is to highlight things that may go wrong, just so anyone thinking of owning one will be aware of the bad points. There are also many good points to owing a GPR, in my opinion these far outweigh the bad ones, but some of us have learned by experience, and it would be wrong if we did not share the negative things with others.


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

i agree and think this thread was a good way of advising/highlighting to potential owners... blade was simply sharing her experiences as i did and i have to say the reply was down right nasty. who ever the new poster is i suggest they realise that blade was not being soppy etc she was sharing and i think it down right horrible that you try to shoot her down like that.


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

madsmum said:


> i agree and think this thread was a good way of advising/highlighting to potential owners... blade was simply sharing her experiences as i did and i have to say the reply was down right nasty. who ever the new poster is i suggest they realise that blade was not being soppy etc she was sharing and i think it down right horrible that you try to shoot her down like that.


thank you laura:thumb:hugs to you.

have you got your gpr yet?

amy xx


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## mackaskie (Jan 29, 2009)

blade100 said:


> thank you laura:thumb:hugs to you.
> 
> have you got your gpr yet?
> 
> amy xx


 
Yes Amy you ''Dought''' right its me. Yes Laura did get two GPR's two weeks ago and sold one because it wasn't being nice


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## Rie xx (Nov 20, 2008)

Ratatouille said:


> I went to pick up a tame GPR off Laura on Thursday, and ended up getting a bite on my chin, there are photos of it on the original thread on EKF. It just goes to show how unpredictable these animals can be, and even when you already have ecperience with them, you can never let your guard down.
> 
> All new owners need to be aware of this and make sure that feel confident to commit to these rats for their lifetime, no matter what :gasp: And as they are capable of living for about 8 years in captivity, it is not something to be taken lightly.


You are contradicting this post and whole thread! As it states in the quote the pouchie picked up from Laura was TAME!


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## blade100 (Sep 26, 2009)

yes i know i spelt doubt wrong!:bash:

why is it that you are always up to cause a fight shirley???
you must like arguing.:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## madsmum (Jan 24, 2009)

she was very tame, a credit to her breeder.... i only wanted one pouched rat so i could give my girl loads of tlc and time. she bit marie cos she was scared with a new person as she did me the first few days i had her but within 3 days she was loving and licking me all the time. it took her a bit longer to settle but any animal thats just had a major life change would react the same.

so to the new poster please get your facts right before you state something about me. and why make nasty posts about ppl spellings. i aint got a clue who you are and glad i dont know as you seem intent on causing trouble and being horrible. no need.


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## KXC (Sep 30, 2007)

Just to hijack the thread for a moment. I visited the hero rat site which has a link on your own site. It was amazing! I had no idea rats did this work.

Truly amazing, thanks for sharing. :no1:


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Yes HERORATS are amazing :no1:

I have adopted Tyson, you will find his details, and also the details of the other rats that you can sponcer on their site :2thumb:

Home | Herorat.org


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## Ratatouille (Sep 5, 2008)

Glad to say that this thread has done some good, it has helped 'Herorats' :notworthy:

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/off-topic-chat/459544-giant-rats-working-save-world.html#post5622149


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