Pets suitable for flat
Discussion
After some suggestions as to pets that can keep us company/entertained in a flat. I've considered a cat which is still a possibility.
We both work full time, but I work shifts so normally someone home. Only twice a week would someone be not home for most the day (in fact less as if it's a weekend someone will be there).
We are in a second floor flat so that will need to be taken into account.
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
We both work full time, but I work shifts so normally someone home. Only twice a week would someone be not home for most the day (in fact less as if it's a weekend someone will be there).
We are in a second floor flat so that will need to be taken into account.
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Rescue a Chinchilla. Seriously.
They are very clever, great fun and once you have won their trust very loving little things. We kept ours in a decent size cage but he was free to run about and explore while we were home, when he had had enough he would either jump on a knee and go to sleep or go home to his cage.
He understood what we were saying I am sure, certainly simple yes know stuff and he always responded to his name, pretty cool coming home at night and he would be hopping on his back legs to say hello!
They are very clever, great fun and once you have won their trust very loving little things. We kept ours in a decent size cage but he was free to run about and explore while we were home, when he had had enough he would either jump on a knee and go to sleep or go home to his cage.
He understood what we were saying I am sure, certainly simple yes know stuff and he always responded to his name, pretty cool coming home at night and he would be hopping on his back legs to say hello!
LosingGrip said:
After some suggestions as to pets that can keep us company/entertained in a flat. I've considered a cat which is still a possibility.
We both work full time, but I work shifts so normally someone home. Only twice a week would someone be not home for most the day (in fact less as if it's a weekend someone will be there).
We are in a second floor flat so that will need to be taken into account.
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Pretty much every lease I've seen forbids animals in flats and for good reason. Not only is it unfair on the pet, but also it's extremely inconsiderate to the other residents who have to listen to the dog endlessly barking/whining/bouncing about or the cat sat outside the main entrance endlessly crying, meowing and howling because no-one will let it in. Being in all day isn't an argument to have one. They make just as much noise especially when being played with/egged on by the owner which royally pisses off all the other residents. Unless it's something that doesn't make any noise at all then don't get one and rent a house instead where there's less chance of pissing off all your neighbours.We both work full time, but I work shifts so normally someone home. Only twice a week would someone be not home for most the day (in fact less as if it's a weekend someone will be there).
We are in a second floor flat so that will need to be taken into account.
Any suggestions would be welcomed.
Edited by Lemming Train on Thursday 26th December 14:31
Thanks for the replies all 
.
Get what you are saying about the neighbours as well, although it's only us and one other flat in the block and sound proofing is pretty good. But one of the reasons why I was looking for pets suitable for flats.
We won't be getting a dog or anything like that (as much as my girlfriend would love one!).
. Lemming Train said:
Pretty much every lease I've seen forbids animals in flats and for good reason. Not only is it unfair on the pet, but also it's extremely inconsiderate to the other residents who have to listen the dog endlessly barking/whining/bouncing about or the cat sat outside the main entrance endlessly crying, meowing and howling because no-one will let it in. Being in all day isn't an argument to have one. They make just as much noise especially when being played with/egged on by the owner which royally pisses off all the other residents. Unless it's something that doesn't make any noise at all then don't get one and rent a house instead where there's less chance of pissing off all your neighbours.
Lease wise we have to get permission, but from speaking to neighbours they approve them all within reason. Get what you are saying about the neighbours as well, although it's only us and one other flat in the block and sound proofing is pretty good. But one of the reasons why I was looking for pets suitable for flats
. We won't be getting a dog or anything like that (as much as my girlfriend would love one!).
My dad trained our family rabbit when I was a kid. He could call it, give basic commands etc. and it ended up living in an indoor hutch in the hallway rather than outside. only issue for us kids is that the rabbit only responded to dad, which he took a great deal of amusement from. He also successfully toilet trained it which I think is easily done for most rabbits.
Rats are supposedly intelligent and good pets. I was considering one before I got my cat.
Rats are supposedly intelligent and good pets. I was considering one before I got my cat.
shirt said:
My dad trained our family rabbit when I was a kid. He could call it, give basic commands etc. and it ended up living in an indoor hutch in the hallway rather than outside. only issue for us kids is that the rabbit only responded to dad, which he took a great deal of amusement from. He also successfully toilet trained it which I think is easily done for most rabbits.
Rats are supposedly intelligent and good pets. I was considering one before I got my cat.
Rats piss and crap everywhere and will chew everything that is chewable, so RIP your furniture, plastic, wires, plants and anything else it can get to. Good mate of mine had one and it pretty much destroyed his house, much to my amusement Rats are supposedly intelligent and good pets. I was considering one before I got my cat.
.shirt said:
Lol
Yeah forgot about the incontinence. That’s why most options fail tbh. I don’t see the issue with getting a cat. Mines barely moved from the sofa all day.
A cat is feasible but only if he has an external door from his flat and has a cat flap. If there's a communal external door like on most apartments then definitely not as the cat will require someone to let it in and out all the time and it will sit outside the ground floor flat crying and wailing when it gets ignored (like what happens at my work base which is a ground floor flat in a block of 4x2).Yeah forgot about the incontinence. That’s why most options fail tbh. I don’t see the issue with getting a cat. Mines barely moved from the sofa all day.
Well, we went to look at a hamster and ended up spending £180 on a cage, bedding, toys and two rats!
I was looking last night as I couldn't sleep and really liked the idea. Girlfriend wasn't too keen on them until she saw them.
One took an instant like to my girlfriend. They are now in their cage settling in.
Massive thanks to Pets at Home as well, fantastic help!
Not the best photo!
I was looking last night as I couldn't sleep and really liked the idea. Girlfriend wasn't too keen on them until she saw them.
One took an instant like to my girlfriend. They are now in their cage settling in
. Massive thanks to Pets at Home as well, fantastic help!
Not the best photo!
TWO rats? ! 
Please keep this thread updated.
First post found on the RATS reddit, just for a sample :
You're gonna have fun !
Please keep this thread updated. First post found on the RATS reddit, just for a sample :
reddit said:
Rats chewing EVERYTHING. Advice? (and a bit of a rant)
I'm having issues with my girls (about a year old) and chewing. They've chewed a GIANT hole through two cages, the most recent one is about a 1.5 inch hole in about a day. I tried to plug it with blankets, cloth and cardboard, but within about 5 minutes, they had pulled everything through the hole and kept chewing.
I bought rabbit wire and covered the holes with it (using a ton of duct tape to keep everything together) but overnight they chewed through about 8 layers of duct tape and pushed the wire away onto the floor.
I always keep their cage stocked with lots of things to chew - blocks, socks, blankets, plastic, rubber. I've always tried to give them difficult tasks to work on, but they always figure them out in less than 30 minutes. Seriously. I've tried EVERY trick I've read online: hanging things out of reach, tying knots in socks with treats, hiding things. It doesn't matter. Obviously ratites are super smart, but they're figuring these things out SO quickly. Nothing keeps them distracted for very long and they just KEEP CHEWING. They have outside time with me daily as well.
I've googled and tried basically everything that's come up and nothing seems to work. I'm completely at a loss about how to plug the hole in the brand new cage I just bought two weeks ago and also keep them distracted enough to just STOP CHEWING. I haven't been able to find a metal-bottomed cage, but it would it be possible for me to make one?
If anyone has any advice, please share Sorry this was kind of a rant, I'm just frustrated and terrified of them escaping in the middle of the night.
I'm having issues with my girls (about a year old) and chewing. They've chewed a GIANT hole through two cages, the most recent one is about a 1.5 inch hole in about a day. I tried to plug it with blankets, cloth and cardboard, but within about 5 minutes, they had pulled everything through the hole and kept chewing.
I bought rabbit wire and covered the holes with it (using a ton of duct tape to keep everything together) but overnight they chewed through about 8 layers of duct tape and pushed the wire away onto the floor.
I always keep their cage stocked with lots of things to chew - blocks, socks, blankets, plastic, rubber. I've always tried to give them difficult tasks to work on, but they always figure them out in less than 30 minutes. Seriously. I've tried EVERY trick I've read online: hanging things out of reach, tying knots in socks with treats, hiding things. It doesn't matter. Obviously ratites are super smart, but they're figuring these things out SO quickly. Nothing keeps them distracted for very long and they just KEEP CHEWING. They have outside time with me daily as well.
I've googled and tried basically everything that's come up and nothing seems to work. I'm completely at a loss about how to plug the hole in the brand new cage I just bought two weeks ago and also keep them distracted enough to just STOP CHEWING. I haven't been able to find a metal-bottomed cage, but it would it be possible for me to make one?
If anyone has any advice, please share
Sorry this was kind of a rant, I'm just frustrated and terrified of them escaping in the middle of the night.You're gonna have fun !
Yeah two ha. Need to be in at least pairs . We've already had one heart attack moment...
Shop put them in two separate boxes on a bigger box to get them home. A third box was put in to stop them moving around in the bigger box.
Got them home, cage set up and got one box out that one was in...no rat! They had chewed the box and gone in with the other one! Was a little worried as couldn't find two in one box ha.
. We've already had one heart attack moment...Shop put them in two separate boxes on a bigger box to get them home. A third box was put in to stop them moving around in the bigger box.
Got them home, cage set up and got one box out that one was in...no rat! They had chewed the box and gone in with the other one! Was a little worried as couldn't find two in one box ha.
Sounds normal. You can't take your eyes off them for more than 2 seconds when they're out otherwise you'll quickly find yourself plunged into darkness when they chew through a mains cable in record time and trip your electric. And if they're not doing that they'll be eating your sofa, carpet, shoes and anything else they can wrap their razor teeth around. I think you may come to regret your decision 
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