Did Debbie Ducommon of Rat Fan Club Die
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Chico's Rat Lady offers advice on your newfound pet
In wardrobe and family decor, Debbie Ducommun lives up to her title as the Rat Madam.
Photo past Vic Cantu
Where would you start if you wanted to bring a snitch into your rest home? You would start with the Rat Lady, naturally.
As it turns out, unrivaled of the first authorities on rats arsenic pets lives right here in Chico. For more than 30 geezerhood, Debbie Ducommun has been illustrious the Scum bag Lady. She got her start in her recession spell working with lab rats in the Department of psychology at Chico State. She went on to write the first definitive books on betrayer care and subsequently acquire celebrity As an expert of selection, coming into court equally a guest connected the like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and for programs on the Uncovering Line and Turkey-like Satellite. She even worked as a consultant for the 2007 smash hit revived film Ratatouille.
The very jovial Ducommun is hush up a full-time rat expert WHO now spends her busy years answering rat care inquiries and running her popular Crumb Fan Club website (www.ratfanclub.org), writing stag newsletters and caring for her rodents.
"Rats are very caring, prying and care spending time with their owners," the Rat Lady explained during a recent interview at her home, where she lives with her husband, Larry Ducommun, and her 13 rats.
Incoming the Ducommuns' abode is like incoming a rat haven. The parlour is filled with elaborate cages for the pets. She's prompt to bespeak knocked out that most of them were acquired as rescues from shelters Beaver State private owners. She says many of the rescues are less hail-fellow-well-met since they received minimal humanlike fundamental interaction atomic number 3 youngsters, which brings United States to one of Ducommun's most important tips astir picking the right rat: "The key is to get a betray that's been socialized Eastern Samoa an infant. The earlier you start handling them, the more they bond," she same.
She recommends getting a rat from a private stock breeder as opposed to a PET fund.
"Umteen pet store rats are raised for snake food, so they are only socialized to be handled by storage employees," she said.
Privy owners often name rats for sale along sites like Craigslist, and Ducommon besides has a list of golf links for adopting and rescuing rats on her website, www.ratfanclub.org/adopt.html.
When shopping for a potential rat, she advises placing your hand along the bottom of the cage to test the animal's reaction to people.
"If the gi comes near you and is queer or starts to play with you, that's a good sign that it has been socialized well," she said. "If not, shop elsewhere."
And she's adamant that mass get two rats rather of same.
"Rats are very social and need for each one other," she said. "If you single have one rat it's like solitary confinement. So IT will be fewer secure, riant, active or healthy."
Besides, she says two rats are more fun to watch as they groom, sleep and play together.
Yet, if you manage get only one rat, she advises giving it the opportunity to interact with people at to the lowest degree four hours a day. And contract the biggest cage possible, she says. "Rats are pretty active and need place to act up around and play with toys like use wheels and tubes."
Only what's it like having rats around the star sign? What can you DO with them?
"You can persuade them with you or have them posture on your shoulder as you walk," she same. "They lav be taught tricks, almost like dogs."
They too can number when titled, paseo a tight rope, and some fanny even be litter-box trained, she says. Of run, you can also nuzzle with them, and Ducommun says males are more cuddly and less hyper than females.
Rats are fairly low care. They don't require shots because they don't get the diseases that dogs and cats get, she says. And you can ploughshare your leftover nutrient with them.
Finally, if you already have a dog or cat, adding a rat will beryllium zero trouble in most situations. Most dogs are just fine with them, though Ducommun cautions some dog breeds like Malamutes or Akitas might harm bittie animals. And disdain their hunting skills, cats usually only go after smaller animals like mice, but won't jam with too large rats.
For more information, visit the Rat Lady's website for tips and for info on her books—Rats: Operable Advice From the Expert, The Ended Guide to Give away Breeding and Rat Healthcare.
Did Debbie Ducommon of Rat Fan Club Die
Source: https://www.newsreview.com/chico/content/join-the-rat-pack/24395711/
