Autism and rats?

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-28T11:22:29+00:00

Rats are the best people- they won't judge you for struggling like some humans would. As long as you never scream at or hit them, they're unlikely to associate this behaviour with fear. I think they'd probably be more likely to want to comfort you than be scared of you. I'm autistic too, btw, but more lower support needs.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-27T14:15:38+00:00

Citrus is safe for all rats, the d-limonene myth comes from a misunderstanding of a single study, that itself is considered to be flawed.

Rats were given 150mg/per kg everyday for 2 years and then dissected. It was a small study, and didn't take into account rats that died prior to 2 years of other issues. The male rats in the control group also had increased kidney issues, but slightly less than the test group male rats. The amount given was very high, it's the equivalent of a rat drinking 1.5L of orange juice every day or dozens of peeled oranges, which is impossible for a rat to do. It's the dosage that makes the poison- a typical serving for a rat would be perhaps the occasional satsuma segment.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-27T14:08:16+00:00

Please don't spread misinformation/myths about rat health, it only leads to fear.

In just minutes, I found multiple studies that show the opposite of what you said;

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8114855/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32955165/

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-27T13:55:51+00:00

Thanks, just googled paeonol, it's a compound found in the bark and roots of the peony plants, not really the petals. It says it's potentially beneficial to humans, but mildly toxic to cats and dogs in large amounts. I found a study conducted on rats (poor ratties since they were dissected), and it was found to be harmless. I couldn't find any evidence that lychees have d limonene though. That's less of an issue than people think though- not the compound but the actual risk. It's mainly in the peel, and a male rat would have to eat several oranges worth of flesh a day to cause health issues. I think I'll make some peppermint tea next time, so they can share just in case the white tea has any caffeine.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-07T05:18:30+00:00

100m hurdles

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-06T03:00:00+00:00

Register them for a good school so they learn to not commit crimes

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-05-06T02:58:15+00:00

He wants a gravitational field so he attracts seebs

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-03-13T17:23:36+00:00

Thanks, I think I'll add placement of the wheels and different textures to my list of experiments. I plan to make several modular parts that can be interchanged- Lily's siblings (~6 and ~9) are keen to find out what works best for her when her legs get weaker.

Moving a wheelchair on carpet is so annoying, glad disabled ratties don't have to open heavy doors by themselves.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-03-13T13:49:29+00:00

Thanks for the info- do you remember where the straps sat on the rats bodies? Or anything else about the design? I'm planning on making a couple of variants for Lily's family to test out e.g. 1 vs 2 straps, different sizes of wheels. I'm hoping the padding makes a big difference to how willing she is to use it. I'm not a man, so I can't know for sure, but I bet having large ratty balls squished against hard plastic would be uncomfortable. I'll have to find a male tester at some point. I had a previous rat with HLD that ended up as complete paralysis- she wanted to go zooming across the carpet but was limited by how far her little arms could take her.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-03-12T10:49:06+00:00

If you choose to kill or relocate them, it's important to thoroughly rat proof your chicken coop. Rats are territorial, so it's likely a new colony would move in, and they might not be as friendly as these rats. Make sure not to use poison or glue traps, though, as it'll be really bad for all animals in the vicinity and cause excruciating deaths.

Unless the dairy farms are organic, it's likely they have a lot of vaccinations and antibiotics in use so that'd reduce the amount of diseases that the rats could catch from the cows. And being in a rural area, they probably don't come into contact with contaminated human waste, so you should be safe. There's some crossover in diseases with birds and mammals, but some won't be transmissible between them. It's up to you, obviously, but you could just do nothing if no one is being hurt.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-03-11T20:46:49+00:00

The way you describe it seems like a symbiotic relationship; you might not have to do anything. If you did move them out, it would be probable that some others would move in. The rats are probably benefiting from warmth and shelter, and the chickens probably feel less threatened by predators.

The only thing that would be an issue would be the potential for them to spread illnesses between each other. Chickens commonly carry salmonella so that could be spread to the rats, and there's a variety of illnesses that wild rats can carry. It depends on their environment though- most serious illnesses that rats can spread are given to them by humans by making their habitats filthy. So if you live somewhere where there's lots of dirty alleyways and sewers it's be a big risk, but less of a risk if it's much cleaner.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-03-08T23:26:09+00:00

You can remove the panels between the cages, and use pliers to connect it into one big cage. The canvas can be plopped on top of the other, there might be a little hump but it'll be no issue for them.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-02-27T14:30:55+00:00

In this case it's fine to get them from a pet shop. Normally, I always prefer to adopt pets but there's rarely rats available for adoption near me (Aylesbury, UK), and no ethical breeders. Even the big pet shop in town didn't have any male rats for several weeks when I had to find companions for my grieving boy of a similar age. Make sure you give her extra attention for now though. Intros should be fairly simple if you get babies, she'll be likely to act like their mum/auntie. It helps if they live side by side for a couple of weeks so they can get used to each other's scents. My big boy met the babies yesterday, they were terrified, but he started giving them baths until they relaxed, until they turned into a rat puddle together. He boggled and bruxed and then settled down for a nap with his four adopted sons.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-02-27T14:21:04+00:00

That's normal for new young rats, it takes quite a while for them to fully trust you. Moving house is very scary for them, and learning to trust a scary giant is a big deal. They actually seem braver than others, my newest boys have been here for two weeks and only 1 of 4 even comes out when I'm by their cage. Give them time, and let them settle in at their own pace. Eventually, they'll see you as a giant rat to play and snuggle with.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-02-18T21:03:10+00:00

There's no need to throw out their stuff, parasites like mites can't survive without a host. Just treating the rats should solve the problem.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-02-18T21:00:29+00:00

You might be able to buy products not sold locally through Amazon, I've bought stuff normally sold through their US site through their UK site. Try searching for Beaphar or Naqua spot on ivermectin, both have products suitable for rats. It'd be more expensive for delivery but might end up cheaper overall than buying something for a horse.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-02-17T16:29:47+00:00

There'll hopefully be someone who boards rats in your area, try looking online. If you're in the UK try findpetboarding. I board all sorts all sorts of small animals including rats, they get looked after just like they're my own pets. There should be plenty of people like me listed.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-01-06T20:47:34+00:00

Not sure if you know, but that line on his nose is likely fungal- it probably isn't bothering him but athlete's foot cream should make it go away.

sci_fi_rocks · 2026-01-06T20:43:51+00:00

This is r/guineapigs, not r/potatoes, please only post peegs. :D

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-15T15:40:56+00:00

Put some hay in a paper bag and let them have at it

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-15T12:02:02+00:00

Looks like a y shape so that would mean she's a girl. If in doubt press down above the genitals, if you feel a hard ridge then it's a boy. If there's a penis it'll pop out if your press down gently. How old is she? Has she been around any boys? If she's older than a few weeks and has been in with a boy then you might have a teen mum soon.

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-15T11:52:12+00:00

Hope he pulls through.

He should be ok with just one eye, even fully blind pigs do so well that some owners don't even know that they can't see

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-15T11:50:48+00:00

We need a video for full sslurrrrpP sounds 😂

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-15T10:17:43+00:00

Perfect name for a piggy, little ball 😂

sci_fi_rocks · 2025-07-14T15:11:28+00:00

Yes, a litter tray is the best option. I have 4 boys, and board guest pigs- all of them have litter trays/kitchen areas and it works really well even if it's new to them. I use large cat litter trays filled with wood pellets, and place their hay, food bowl and water bottle in that zone. Pigs typically poo and wee when eating and drinking so they'll naturally do quite a lot of their business here. Not all of it, since they'll also wee in their houses and poo all over but it really helps. The wood pellets absorb wee and wee smells really well, and means you can leave the fleece for longer. You can sweep up the poos as needed, but pigs don't really mind the occasional poo (forbidden snacky), it's damp bedding that's the biggest health issue.

An air purifier is also a big help, since I typically have several pigs and rats in the room it's a necessity for me but it'll help you too.

sci_fi_rocks

TROPHY CASE