Emin's Pouched Rat (Matisse) trick

Thank you everyone who helped out writing/calling in to their state reps!

http://www.nohr669.com/

-EDIT- SEPT. 2008-
THE FDA LIFTED THE BAN ON POUCHED RATS AS PETS IN THE UNITED STATES!!! If ANYONE in the US still has them, I am VERY interested in two young pouched rats! Either Emin's pouched OR Gambian pouched! THANK YOU!!!

Matisse is an emin's pouched rat, they are RELATED to gambian pouched rats, but are seperate species. He is 4 years old as of 6/07, NOT neutered (vet turned me down back when I got him), and EXTREMELY affectionate. That said, not everyone can or should handle an african pouched rat. They are not domestic animals and do not act like it, either.

EDIT-
Matisse was an emin's pouched rat (Crycetomis emini), a smaller, sleeker relative of the gambian pouched rat (Crycetomis gambianus). The emin's pouched rat has a longer snout, it's fur is very sleek and body is thin and longer. They have a clear line of demarkation from it's dark brown upper body and it's greyish white belly. The gambian rat has a short snout, a bulkier body, is a uniform greyish color, and a bit "rougher" looking fur. My emin's pouched rat weighed about 4 lbs. at his peak, was SOLID muscle, made lots of "churbling" noises (almost like a parrot) and was very playful outside his cage. He was extremely intelligent, scarily so, and figured things out instantly. He was also VERY stubborn, and if he didn't want to do something, there was no way you could make him.

Matisse passed away Summer of 2007 at 4 years 2 months of age. He died sleeping in his hammock... I was devastated.

He was 4th generation captive bred, VERY affectionate, and very much bonded to me (although others could pet and handle him JUST FINE!).

although I had success with Matisse, they're not pets for everyone. These guys are still wild animals, and unless you have experience with BOTH medium sized exotic animals as well as rats, I wouldn't recommend them. Pouchies are strong, destructive, and can do serious damage to a person if that person doesn't know what they're doing. They can also chew through wire cage bars if they put their mind to it, and wires and cabinets are short work for those powerful teeth.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• pouch
• pouched
• rat
• matisse
• trick
• walk
• walking

[mein1985]

Did your rat ever meet a cat? What were their responses to each other?

BTW, good job.

[pouchedrattie]

@mein1985 He attacked the cat FAST and I had to grab him. Despite my quick reaction time, he still got away with a huge tuft of fur in his mouth!! I don't doubt he would have killed my cat if they were let alone together.

[ilikemyexoticpets]

hi, i work in an exotic pet shop in the UK and we have a breeding pair of gambian pouched rats and neither of them are very friendly. Are emin's pouched rats a lot more docile then gambians or are our two gambians just particularly antisocial?

[pouchedrattie]

They're not going to be social unless you handle and bond with them. Emin's and gambians are mostly the same, except one's slightly smaller and has different coloring and such, small differences in size and appearance. As long as the pouchies are handled daily, and are bonded, gained your trust, whatever you want to call it, they're fine usually. Also, breeding has a thing to do with it, and how many generations removed from the wild, but even that I believe isn't always the case.

[PsychoSymantic]

these are so cool, a friend of mine used to have one.

it was bigger then a chihuahua.

[pouchedrattie]

Yeah when he was alive, I took him in to the vet and this woman had two chihuahuas who were smaller than him, and he wasn't full grown yet!

[momerath429]

Tippy tippy tippy tippy NOM NOM NOM!

[AxeKickOnYourFace]

doesn't look like a rat to me, more like a kangaroo lol

[AF3NI]

aah lovley

[Moe2ink]

I think that's an African rat. These rats are used in Africa to smell out land mines. Check it out on Ted talks.

[TheAnimallover81]

Lol that is so funny and cute!!!

[mysssza]

jak baletnica :] sama słodycz <3

[samuriguy909]

@soaky4 I hope your dick gets caught in a bear trap.

[Squirt004]

omg, how can people give this thums down?, soooooooooo cute

[soaky4]

big disgusting vermin.. kill all rats

[ericsantiago011]

what kind of rat was that??ist has a rabies?

[payday108]

@StreetWhispera lol

[lamarisafulify]

Omg....how can u live with....a rat?!!it's soo scarryyyy!!!they make me shiver:(