Toby meets the FR kits

[4mushroom4]

Aww poor baby, it isnt easy to be the biggest <3

[Mindcircusmoe]

poor toby people please take care or ur animals treat them with kindness and be patient with them i own 2 chinchillas and i would rather die than anything happen to them.....

[Lyhraify]

I've always liked gambian pouched rats but I have never owned one. I have had many fancy rats and dumbo rats in the past and I have 6 in my home right now. how different are they from the fancy rats? I know that they can have interesting behavior, but I've never been able to see any of it for myself

[LightningWolff]

@Lyhraify from what i've read gambian pouched rats are bgger, live 6-7 years on average,maybe longer, and have smaller litters. Thats all i know though, GP rats are not aloud to be imported into the US due to monkey pox, and i don't think there are any breeders in the states. though there are plenty of breeders over in europe.

[thelongwhiskers]

thank you for the reply, it's sad that his siblings had problems too.

he's looks like he was a lovely boy.<:3 )~~~

[lawsonslionheads]

Hi. As mentioned below, Toby developed epilepsy and he started to fit from a young age. At the time I believed that this was due to a difficult birth and his being starved of oxygen. However, his siblings also died young so I now believe that the neurological problems may have been genetic.

[thelongwhiskers]

So sorry for your loss :'( Toby looks like he was a very special boy. The little fancy rat is adorable too.

I hope you don't mind me asking but what was his hereditary condition? <:3 )~~~

[Amon666Amarth]

how can you dislike this? look how cute they are! the one who disliked it is a cat!

[lawsonslionheads]

I think I am going to have to clarify yet again what you are seeing in these videos. Toby is the same age as these fancy rat kits at the time of this meeting. He is simply GROOMING them as you can see he also grooms himself inbetween the grabbing and washing of the other kits. I fully understand that it might look to the inexperienced as if he is hurting them but any rat person can tell you that none of these baby rats are showing any signs of fear or discomfort whatsoever.

[ICryOverSpiltMilk]

this is cruelty to animals, having a brain damaged rat hurting the other ones, I know he can't help it, but no need to create collateral damage to the others

[lawsonslionheads]

@ICryOverSpiltMilk CRUELTY???? you ignorant ****. try reading my replies on this thread explaining the behaviour of this species before you accuse me of animal cruelty. how dare you.

[ICryOverSpiltMilk]

@lawsonslionheads How would you feel being locked in a cage with a brain damaged person and they might be very violent and can't control themselves? Thoose poor other rats getting abused

[AreYouBoredShow]

do pouched rats really have pouches

[Icoloram]

He is extremely cute, having fun with his little friends x

[lawsonslionheads]

Toby did go on to develop epilepsy and died at just 1 year old but some of the comments made here (clearly by fancy rat people) are incorrect. If you have no experience with african pouched rats you cannot comment on the behaviour seen here. they are not related to the rats you know. this video shows everyday, regular behaviour of an excited Gambian pup. the FR brothers grieved for Toby when he left them. No injury was every sustained to any of these rats.

[MaffiasAngelO88]

@lawsonslionheads To be honest as I've owned many fancy rats in the past (although never a Gambian) I can clearly see that Toby is playing and grooming the others. If they were afraid they would all have bolted out of his way instantly cowering away from him and would probably have squeaked at any contact. All I saw was a rat playfully annoying the others by waking them up and sitting on them lol, which is all natural behavior for young rodents.

They are gorgeous by the way. Sorry about Toby.

[CelticGarou]

He actually looks like he had brain damage, most likely from a stroke or being dropped. Toby has trouble staying on his feet, if very twitchy and has very squinty eyes which are all signs of brain damage. And the only known hereditary disease that rats carry is called mycoplasma pneumonia, which is a lung infection.

[lawsonslionheads]

he was just a baby - they were all 4 weeks old. behaviour completely normal he was playing with them and not hurting them at all. just because he is bigger does not mean he hurt them!!! Toby was very gentle indeed.

[millis84]

lol poor "siblings", Toby is acting like he's got some disorder, or at least problems socialising with the others. Why does he bite them all the time? I'm suprised if it worked out :) (my english sucks)

[lawsonslionheads]

actually this group lived a hapy life together as an incredibly well bonded, loving band of brothers. Sadly Toby passed away at a year old due to a hereditary condition

[mein1985]

he should be by himself. hes hurting the rest.

[ListenToBrandNew89]

As a rat lover, and owner of many rats, I think it'd be fantastic to have a Gambian rat. Nice video :]