This just happened tonight and I am unwell.
So I’m a seasoned reptile keeper. I’ve got multiple animals, I know my stuff, and I’ve always fed frozen thawed—always. Not just because it’s safer for the snake, but because, frankly, I’m not a sick bastard who enjoys watching animals die. I love my reptiles, but I also have a soul. So when I got my new sunbeam snake, Goblin, and was told he only takes live, I was already stressed.
Tonight I went to the shop to pick up ONE fuzzy rat. Hoppers were too big, so I ended up with two fuzzies in a stapled shut paper bag like I just ordered a sad meal from Hell’s Drive-Thru.
I get home. I’m sweating guilt. I prep the enclosure, drop the rats in, and back away like I’ve just committed a war crime. Goblin doesn’t even come out. He stays buried in his hide, presumably judging me from the shadows.
Meanwhile, these two little albino rats are just… living. Sniffing around. Doing rat things. They’re soft. They’ve got tiny pink hands. One of them licked me. LICKED. ME. I sat on the floor, silently spiraling.
I told myself I’d give it an hour.
After an hour, Goblin still hadn’t shown up—but I was on the verge of crying. So I scooped the rats out, whispered “you’re safe now” like I rescued them from a Dickensian orphanage, and set them up with a janky little rat snack bistro from leftover bird food and desperation.
Now they’re curled up sleeping like it’s the best day of their lives.
Goblin is still in hiding. I’ve left a frozen thawed offering to maybe right my wrongs here lmao.
I am emotionally wrecked.
I guess I’m a rat mom now.
TL;DR: Tried to feed my sunbeam snake live fuzzies for the first time. My conscience couldn’t handle it. Pulled them out, set them up, got emotionally mugged by two albino rats. Goblin is debating his frozen TV dinner. I have sons now.
EDIT UPDATE SAME NIGHT: Goblin has eaten his frozen TV dinner!🎉 The Rats are safe and my rainbow snek is fed. Hallelujah 🥹
Comments
This is glorious. 😂 I’m so proud and happy for you.
I would check out the rat subreddit haha, they’ll have some good tips for you. They’re very adorable pets!
I hope Goblin enjoys his frozen-thawed dinner! Otherwise feedings might be tough haha.
Any name ideas for your newly-acquired rat children?
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This is for you, Chat. This is Milk. Falling asleep in my hand after being petted. 🥹 wtf have I gotten into
❤️ You are precious. That’s meant as a compliment.
Delightful. Rats can be amazing pets. Lots of great videos and communities to learn everything you need. Handling them often when young is important to get them comfortable with it. I taught mine to ride my shoulder and she was always so friendly. RIP Rat the rat.
This was one of the few instances on Reddit where someone told a narrative comedically that i actually thought was very charming. Congrats on the boys!
Also you’ll want to verify if rats can live together, I know hamsters can’t.
This is so sweet!
I am glad you saved the little guys! 😀🤣
I just hope your ratties are boys. 2 male rats make great friends.
Pregnant rats on the other hand… happen quickly. So be careful.
This is why I don’t have a sunbeam snake even though I love them. The pickiness and live feeding would stress me the hell out. Congratulations on your unexpected new pets!
Rats are such great pets. And since yours are very young you have a great opportunity to really bond with them. You’re going to have so much fun!
I’d double check the rats are the same sex.
They’re unlikely to be fixed. Otherwise you could end up with a lot more rats than you bargained for.
100% me! There is no way I could go through with it. I love rats. Fingers crossed Goblin will continue to enjoy his frozen dinner 🤞
I would like to see your sunbeam snake, those guys are spectacular! Congrats on your new babies, and here’s to Goblin developing a taste for those TV dinners.
Adorable story
What’s Goblin like? Sunbeam snakes are quite possibly the prettiest snakes out there, but I hear they only want to hide their pretty scales underground
I love your story. So sweet!
Very interested to find out why you used AI to write this post, even though it seems ostensibly to be true, given you have photos of the rats?
Go and check out r/rats such a nice sub.
Milk is such an adorable baby, I’m glad the frozen TV dinner was accepted by Goblin!
Right now the babies tails must feel so silky and soft, I am jealous I miss those days watching my little fuzz balls bumbling around and exploring, they have such strong personality when handled daily too.
Milk seems to be quite literally a baby also, most rat breeders won’t let them get adopted that young so it might be worth posting in r/RATS to get some advice on when to check their gender so you don’t end up with an accidental litter and best care at this age, good cage set ups e.t.c and just general adorableness that comes with pet rats. Welcome to the gang!
Being an animal lover has some downsides. That being that some animals you love eat other animals you love, lol. This is really cute! I hope your new mice live happy lives!
I have pet rats, have owned them for years. they are the sweetest pets. (yes that is them all napping in the litter box)
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One of my current rats was not only a failed feeder (not by me) but she also had 5+ babies in the snake enclosure. The snake owners eventually pulled her and her babies out. Her and 3 of her babies showed up to the rescue. Once her boys were weaned, the rescue had a baby girl that they grabbed from a cage of feeder boys, and she fed that baby for a week. Now they both live a spoiled life with their rat friends in my home.
https://preview.redd.it/gc23od84qs9f1.jpeg?width=2236&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a2508f02983bebeb290fce696846c157144429a2
Just be forewarned these aren’t fancy rats meant for pets. They might have a lot of genetic issues that could possibly shorten their life due to inbreeding. I’d get them to an exotics vet for a checkup and also make sure you dont have a male and a female In the same habitat.
A couple decades ago I owned a ball python that preferred live mice over frozen but I would typically stun the offering first and then would leave the room, returning a little later as the meal finished. This arrangement worked fine for us, until it didn’t.
For whatever reason, snek wasn’t feeling it that day. I came back in and discovered, to my horror, that not only was little Mickey/Minnie not consumed, he/she had come to and must have figured out what was happening because it was cowering in the corner, quaking in terror. I felt HORRIBLE. Next thing I knew I was sitting there cuddling it, apologizing as tears streamed down my face. And that’s how I became a mouse mom until it escaped some months later 🙄
I’m so glad to see you had success feeding frozen, sounds like a happy ending for everyone involved (well, maybe except the frozen fuzzy.)
Rats are adorable. My friends got loose once. And I had to catch them. One of them played with my young kid and chased her around the yard playing tag. Keep the rats. They’re so loving.
Okay, rats are so sweet and intelligent. Please don’t feed live ones to your pets.
I’m so glad you grabbed them. Please keep us updated on the precious nuggets.