Be ready for when the RAT Class Schedule comes back up. That's what I've been doing. I've been studying this.
We've had several people say that Field Survival was just tricks and games for rat fun and fitness. I am glad Patrick wrote this book though. Shane did a nice cover shot also.
I had to go "train a rat" for my neighbour lady last week. I trained it to lay perfectly still inside a plastic bag and be carried to the bin.
I had one for about a year. Was mean as hell when I got him and never changed. Had to time opening his enclosure for feeding and cleaning because he would literally launch himself out, mouth wide open. I ended up trading him in on a snake of some sort. I think if I was older and more experienced with reptiles I would have had better luck. A lot of his aggression was probably due to poor husbandry. At that age I got all my "knowledge" from the local pet store. Needless to say I've learned from those mistakes.
I had the one in the pics for four years. Got him at around 10” and raised up to about 33”. Up until he hit 16” I let him free range my room wit his tank lid open then built him a 6’x3’x3’ enclosure and tried to mostly feed prekilled rats out side his enclosure or I’d take him out then hide them inside it before putting him back in. I found that to help a lot with curbing aggression. I was grateful he was as tame as he was cause he’d crush a large rat’s skull with ease. I hope to get another once the kids are older and we’re in a house with a detached shop I can do a cool built in or something. Kinda wanna do an indoor/outdoor enclosure with a cat door in the wall separating it so it can get natural sunlight.
That's a good idea. Especially with your warm southern climate. I had buddies in Florida with chain link enclosures around trees for their iguanas. I think if I get a lizard in the future it will be a black and white tegu. They seem like pretty cool animals and most people have excellent things to say about their temperament. Plus they can be house trained to go outside or in a large litter box to do their business.
