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I’ve Spent Years Photographing Rats To Break The Negative Image Of Rats By Taking Cute Pics Of Them
I have been taking pictures of pet rats for years hoping to break the negative image that is often associated with these lovely animals.
Here are some of these photographs, both of my rats and of my friends' rats and, as you may see, they are far from being dirty nasty little monsters! They are actually highly intelligent social beings that love interacting with each other and their favorite humans. They are very friendly, smart, playful, they love cuddles and are very clean: many rat owners agree to compare them to tiny dogs.
I made all the little accessories (except for the little black hat) so these wouldn't constrain the rats: they could remove them very easily, although they didn't bother most of the time as they were quite cool and relaxed. No animals were harmed during the making of these pictures, the ladybug was also alive and well and flew away soon after the photo shooting.
If you ever want to adopt pet rats, please consider contacting your local pet shelter as there are many rats awaiting for a forever home. You must also adopt at least two rats of the same sex, rats absolutely need to have a friend from their own species.
More info: dianeozdamar.myportfolio.com
This post may include affiliate links.
Herjan And His Fancy Hat (Herjan)
The Sweetest Pillow (Herjan)
Brothers Enjoying A Snack (Izumi, Lysander And Kaelan)
There's No Rabbit In The Hat... (Heimdall)
Yaaaaawn (Arkanys)
Polka Dots (Kjalarr)
What's This? (Thjazi)
I can visualize the next moment, after he touches it and it pops on his nose. xD
Bloody Strawberry (Lysander)
Two Brothers (Semtex And Toutatis)
Spring Time (Tjall)
Tiny Boat (Taz)
Fragile (Feirefiz)
Christmas Nap Time (Feirefiz)
May I Eat All The Grapes Now? (Hepha)
The Winter Fairy (Lysander)
Trust Me, I'm A Daisy (Tjall)
Ho Ho Ho! (Fenrir)
Valentine's Day (Arkanys And Lorich)
Tasty Raspberry (Louis)
Kiwi Or Strawberry? That Is The Question... (Blue Suede Shoes)
I Want A Treat (Chlamy)
The Cheesiest Picture Ever (Bobillot)
Breakfast Time! (Pagello, Feirefiz And Inoa)
The Ballerina (Fenrir)
This Is Halloween (Feirefiz)
Pumpkin Killer (Arkanys)
My Apple, Not Yours! (Lysander)
That must be a really tiny apple... Or a big rat! I guess a bigger rat means more furry surface area.
Welcome To Grapeland (Svölnir And Grimnir)
Fancy Hat For A Fancy Rat (Roll The Dice)
Autumn Leaves (Lillebjörn)
Warm Summer Day (Peach)
Jingle Bells! (Caprice)
Brothers Snuggling (Wait For It, Tasty Cool And Lillebjörn)
The Hazelnut Thief (Grimnir)
Yummm, Kiwi! (I Can't Remember Her Name... Sorry About That!)
they are so lovely! I really like how you put them, they look beyond adorable!
They are just like micro doggies, can be trained and super friendly if socialized properly.
It just takes one a*****e to ruin a good thing. Mr. Rat seemed happy being the mascot and riding on the shoulders of the employee.
Rats are awesome - all animals are.* Animals that get a bad rap get it through no fault of their own. The only animals that aren't awesome are houseflies, horseflies and mosquitoes.
This is so incredibly beautiful. Well done! I photograph my guinea pigs very often and that's hard sometimes, I can imagine rats being much faster than piggies. These photographs are truely outstanding! Very well done!
Not that the pics arent adorable, because they are, but i already thought they were cute, credits to Ratatouille😊
I love rats. I have a pet rat named Nick... he's was the sweetest boy ever. Even introduce clients to him that had fear of them and loved him too. Not that they went right out and got a rat as a pet but when they met him and his sweet, friendly nature they were quite smitten with Nickie! He's been gone a long time now but I'll never forget him!
Rats are my absolute favorite. They're intelligent, playful, sociable, and overall fun. I have a very gentle pair of girls and they're the best. Keep up the amazing work, I think rats need more good publicity. ♥
Diane I'm so happy these darling rats have a champion in you. I've had many pets since age two (horses, dogs, Parrots, bumble bees and other little boys and girls). I can vouch for the fact that rats are highly intelligent and very loving. My "Squeaky" used to come when I called him, hung out on my shoulder, crawled underneath my sleeve and took naps, lovingly licked me with his little pink tongue. And, yes, they are super-clean. I wish people would stop hating them (and snakes). BTW, your photography is top-flight! Cordially: Christie Wagner-Starley
Precious babies! I used to have two ratties and they made amazing pets! The only thing that breaks my heart is how short they live. They are just as intelligent and affectionate as dogs, which makes it devastating to lose them so soon!
Really great photos, thank you for sharing. I use to catch field mice in our local pool in the fall and have them as pets. Always had a liking for mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs but have never had a rat as a pet. Hmmm?
i loved my rat stu. i lost him ten months ago. i miss him a lot 1425981684...c8721d.jpg
You made me want rats. Will have to wait though. My two cats are master huntresses. They intimidate our dogs:)
I used to have quite a few little rats they were amazing little pets very intelligent very kind and very clean. Of course if you get a male they do have a musky odor as do many unneutered male animals I suppose you could probably get one neutered but I don't know. That can be easily taken care of by giving it water to bathe in. My rat Bella I used to carry her in a canvas little backpack with plenty of air holes and we would go out to the beach at night. I would let her out of the bag if she would run around the beach she wouldn't go too far from me. When I clapped she would immediately run back and get in her bag and get ready to go. They are incredibly intelligent and gentle animals. In fact a rat is a much better pet for small children than a hamster or a gerbil because both hamsters and gerbils have much more tendency to bite. Not that there's anything wrong with hamsters and gerbils but you have to be extra cautious with them around small children while a rat will hesitate to bite
How many times am I allowed to upvote this post??? :) Ratty recognition well done!
I don't like rats but boy you really made me look differently at them now, I have to say that they didn't look so evil as I have always thought they were! Wonderful job of making people see them in a different light! 🐾
These are so precious! There should be photo shoots like this for snakes and spiders, too. I have two snakes and some people hate them :(
I've always been afraid of their size and been specially afraid of darker shaded rats. I do know that they are very intelligent and deserve respect but I' don't think I could easily overcome my fear. The rats in these pictures look adorable and so cuddly! They are absolutely gorgeous! (both the pictures and their models)
Was never a huge fan of rats. Always wanted mice...but you've change my mind! I concede that these are cute :)
Hello Diane I have been a professional photographer for some time and I have owned two rats in the past. I have to say your images are exquisite from a technical point of view and the thought and time you have obviously put into each one. I take my hat off well done keep up the good work. Allan
Usually when a post goes over the page, I don't bother to click forward, but these superb little creatures led me right thru' to page 4. Divine pics. Thank you Diane.
Thank you SOOO much for sharing these!!! Rats are one of my FAVE beasties! Do you sell prints????
I think that's a great and important step forward to get rats a better, a fair reputation :)
I'm really mystified by the fact that people are still afraid of rats in modern times. They say that rats are nasty horrible creatures because they've never even tried to see their cute side! Rats are loving, intelligent animals that are widely misunderstood. I have a friend who hired a plumber and that man actually tried to poison her sweet pet rats! We live in the 21st century, people! Stop displaying your prejudiced views! Saying that rats don't make pets and must be exterminated is like labeling pitbulls and bullterriers as dangerous - something that must be left in the past!
Marvelous .. If I am confronted by a rat, I'll think of these little creatures to avert hysteria. Well done
Rats are awesome! I really support this project, rats are beautiful, intelligent and sweet pets I wish more people realised!
The coos are strong here. I think rats are beautiful creatures and I love how you captured that beauty, wonderful article Diane :-)
So sweet. I'm not able to have rats right now because of where I live, but I want to again some day. They are such sweet creatures.
OK, now that I look at these photos again, every one of these rats looks like it knows it's loved and safe. I think they know they hit the jackpot with the human who cares for them. They might even know that life could be a lot worse for them.
Simply stunning!! Your photos are magical! Thank you for gifting us your talent and showcasing just how incredibly precious these little creatures are.
While cute and lovely, these photos are somewhat contrived to be cute and lovely. Where are the images with their interactions, especially with people? They are social animals, in the human context, meaning that they usually go out of their way to interact with people. I kiss my rats full on their muzzles. Show something like that.
Great pictures :) If I had to vote on one I'd vote on them all, so consider them voted ;) (just feeling a bit lazy right now..) I used to have a rat named Kruemel (translates as 'Crumbs') who was really well-behaved. But then I got stuck on cats and well - it doesn't work together - tried it but always was afraid for my new rat then.. I guess I'll stick to cats now but I'll always remember him fondly :)
Rats are very sweet. One major downside of rats is they don't grow very old :( I've had rats for quite some years and always ended up buying more because 1 died and I didn't want the remaining rat to be alone. That's the reason I don't have rats anymore and never will again. But I love them and love your photos.
I have pet rats and I do not like that people think bad of rats so I am so happy to find this
I am writing a book on people who use their art for compassionate purposes. I am enamored with your photos of rats and would love your permission to use one of your photos for the cover of my book! I also write and illustrate children's books......check them out at: chartreuse press.com. Please advise--Gaye Green.
They are the most adorable photos!!! Thank you so much for sharing them and for challenging the negative image rats have. We lost our beloved rat a fortnight ago and we miss him terribly :'-( He was 3 & 1/2 years old. It was lovely to see these pictures and positive story of rat's. I got so many eww/yuck/foul remarks when telling people we had a pet rat. Hopefully people's attitudes will change and people will see rats as a great option when they are considering getting a pet. I am sooooo glad we got ours. He bought our family a whole lot of joy & cuteness. It is unbelievable how much you can love something so small so much :-)
hey nice pictures in post http://www.beautysk.com/start-working-first-time-gym/
A fantastic and important job! Thank you for showcasing these adorable creatures! You are very talented!
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this is very valueable thing shared, I just wanna thanks for letting us know about this wanderfull information. http://www.masticoopon.com
OMG, adorbs overload...Love them! enough said. Definitely brought out their cuteness.
Beautiful photos. I love rats and they're far cleaner and nicer than many humans...often more intelligent and better parents too!
Not sure if the other comment went through. Too I'm not living closer to you (although I do dream of moving to Canada one day!) so you could photograph my rats. I can never get them to pose right, but they are really beautiful and I would love to show everyone around how precious, intelligent and full of character animals they are! happybdayw...b3-png.jpg
I wish you lived closer (although I do dream of moving to Canada) to photograph my rats! I can never get them to pose but both of them are super beautiful and I would like to encourage people to see them as precious, full of character animals rather than pests... happybdayc...c5-png.jpg
These pics make me miss my furry friends! I had pet rats several years. They where soooooooo sweet, each one of them. The only thing not having them anymore is that they dont last long. It makes me too sad having them only 3 or 4 years and then its done. I couldnt do that to my little girl, but Im sure she would love them too.
Your photos are just beautiful! Thank you for "elevating their reputation"...the pictures are wonderful. They're so innocent and adorable...and those ears!!! I would have rats if I didn't have cats! Thank you for sharing...
Your photography is amazing Diane. You've certainly succeeded in your aim, they look like amazing little characters.
Very cute pics, especially like the dumbo rats. Used to have hairless dumbo a long time ago called Uno.
I grew up with pet rats. We had them a while and for the most part they were all nice (except one male that we rescued who was a feeder rat he would bite and we had to keep him in a separate cage from the others).
My sister's rat used to sleep on her kitty, who would wash him and then rearrange his fur/tail/legs to her taste. Funny!
I had pet rats. I loved them. I used to give them un cooked pieces of spaghetti. They held them like a flute and chewed them down. It made me laugh.
had several rat pets for my sons all friendly cuddly shoulder friendly and Ralph the first one white would come out and sit with me after work steal ciggs out of my pack and c***s my scotch rocks and share this was in 1964
WoW They are so freaking. Cute I can't stop watching over and over again 😍😍😍😍😍
I love rats SOOOOO much, and these photos are just so beautiful!! <3 <3 <3
You've certainly convinced me that rats are cute. I love these photographs, now I just need a rat.
I love your photos, just beautiful! Thank you for showing rats in their true light. Adorable, clean intelligent and much maligned.
I love every single one of these pictures. All of your rats are so adorable and extremely photogenic! And you're a talented photographer. It's hard to get still photos of animals, nevermind the props and composition. Well done and thanks for posting. This healthy dose of adorable brightened up my day.
Beautiful pictures! I had two pet rats as a child (one albino and one black and white) and they were the best pets to have, so affectionate and fun to play with. One used to sit on the back of my neck nuzzled under my hair and sleep. These photos are lovely and it's great to see someone showing them for the adorable friends they can be.
rats are sweetest pets ever, i had them for years and can confirm they are smart, fast learning and cuddly (of of mine loved sleeping inside my shirt while other would always climb up my lap). such sweet pictures :)
Marvelous .. If I am confronted by a rat, I'll think of these little creatures to avert hysteria. Well done!! Eloise
I kept rats for pets for years, and they're some of the best pets you could ever have. Thank you for the pictures. They're adorable!
they are so lovely! I really like how you put them, they look beyond adorable!
They are just like micro doggies, can be trained and super friendly if socialized properly.
It just takes one a*****e to ruin a good thing. Mr. Rat seemed happy being the mascot and riding on the shoulders of the employee.
Rats are awesome - all animals are.* Animals that get a bad rap get it through no fault of their own. The only animals that aren't awesome are houseflies, horseflies and mosquitoes.
This is so incredibly beautiful. Well done! I photograph my guinea pigs very often and that's hard sometimes, I can imagine rats being much faster than piggies. These photographs are truely outstanding! Very well done!
Not that the pics arent adorable, because they are, but i already thought they were cute, credits to Ratatouille😊
I love rats. I have a pet rat named Nick... he's was the sweetest boy ever. Even introduce clients to him that had fear of them and loved him too. Not that they went right out and got a rat as a pet but when they met him and his sweet, friendly nature they were quite smitten with Nickie! He's been gone a long time now but I'll never forget him!
Rats are my absolute favorite. They're intelligent, playful, sociable, and overall fun. I have a very gentle pair of girls and they're the best. Keep up the amazing work, I think rats need more good publicity. ♥
Diane I'm so happy these darling rats have a champion in you. I've had many pets since age two (horses, dogs, Parrots, bumble bees and other little boys and girls). I can vouch for the fact that rats are highly intelligent and very loving. My "Squeaky" used to come when I called him, hung out on my shoulder, crawled underneath my sleeve and took naps, lovingly licked me with his little pink tongue. And, yes, they are super-clean. I wish people would stop hating them (and snakes). BTW, your photography is top-flight! Cordially: Christie Wagner-Starley
Precious babies! I used to have two ratties and they made amazing pets! The only thing that breaks my heart is how short they live. They are just as intelligent and affectionate as dogs, which makes it devastating to lose them so soon!
Really great photos, thank you for sharing. I use to catch field mice in our local pool in the fall and have them as pets. Always had a liking for mice, rats, hamsters and guinea pigs but have never had a rat as a pet. Hmmm?
i loved my rat stu. i lost him ten months ago. i miss him a lot 1425981684...c8721d.jpg
You made me want rats. Will have to wait though. My two cats are master huntresses. They intimidate our dogs:)
I used to have quite a few little rats they were amazing little pets very intelligent very kind and very clean. Of course if you get a male they do have a musky odor as do many unneutered male animals I suppose you could probably get one neutered but I don't know. That can be easily taken care of by giving it water to bathe in. My rat Bella I used to carry her in a canvas little backpack with plenty of air holes and we would go out to the beach at night. I would let her out of the bag if she would run around the beach she wouldn't go too far from me. When I clapped she would immediately run back and get in her bag and get ready to go. They are incredibly intelligent and gentle animals. In fact a rat is a much better pet for small children than a hamster or a gerbil because both hamsters and gerbils have much more tendency to bite. Not that there's anything wrong with hamsters and gerbils but you have to be extra cautious with them around small children while a rat will hesitate to bite
How many times am I allowed to upvote this post??? :) Ratty recognition well done!
I don't like rats but boy you really made me look differently at them now, I have to say that they didn't look so evil as I have always thought they were! Wonderful job of making people see them in a different light! 🐾
These are so precious! There should be photo shoots like this for snakes and spiders, too. I have two snakes and some people hate them :(
I've always been afraid of their size and been specially afraid of darker shaded rats. I do know that they are very intelligent and deserve respect but I' don't think I could easily overcome my fear. The rats in these pictures look adorable and so cuddly! They are absolutely gorgeous! (both the pictures and their models)
Was never a huge fan of rats. Always wanted mice...but you've change my mind! I concede that these are cute :)
Hello Diane I have been a professional photographer for some time and I have owned two rats in the past. I have to say your images are exquisite from a technical point of view and the thought and time you have obviously put into each one. I take my hat off well done keep up the good work. Allan
Usually when a post goes over the page, I don't bother to click forward, but these superb little creatures led me right thru' to page 4. Divine pics. Thank you Diane.
Thank you SOOO much for sharing these!!! Rats are one of my FAVE beasties! Do you sell prints????
I think that's a great and important step forward to get rats a better, a fair reputation :)
I'm really mystified by the fact that people are still afraid of rats in modern times. They say that rats are nasty horrible creatures because they've never even tried to see their cute side! Rats are loving, intelligent animals that are widely misunderstood. I have a friend who hired a plumber and that man actually tried to poison her sweet pet rats! We live in the 21st century, people! Stop displaying your prejudiced views! Saying that rats don't make pets and must be exterminated is like labeling pitbulls and bullterriers as dangerous - something that must be left in the past!
Marvelous .. If I am confronted by a rat, I'll think of these little creatures to avert hysteria. Well done
Rats are awesome! I really support this project, rats are beautiful, intelligent and sweet pets I wish more people realised!
The coos are strong here. I think rats are beautiful creatures and I love how you captured that beauty, wonderful article Diane :-)
So sweet. I'm not able to have rats right now because of where I live, but I want to again some day. They are such sweet creatures.
OK, now that I look at these photos again, every one of these rats looks like it knows it's loved and safe. I think they know they hit the jackpot with the human who cares for them. They might even know that life could be a lot worse for them.
Simply stunning!! Your photos are magical! Thank you for gifting us your talent and showcasing just how incredibly precious these little creatures are.
While cute and lovely, these photos are somewhat contrived to be cute and lovely. Where are the images with their interactions, especially with people? They are social animals, in the human context, meaning that they usually go out of their way to interact with people. I kiss my rats full on their muzzles. Show something like that.
Great pictures :) If I had to vote on one I'd vote on them all, so consider them voted ;) (just feeling a bit lazy right now..) I used to have a rat named Kruemel (translates as 'Crumbs') who was really well-behaved. But then I got stuck on cats and well - it doesn't work together - tried it but always was afraid for my new rat then.. I guess I'll stick to cats now but I'll always remember him fondly :)
Rats are very sweet. One major downside of rats is they don't grow very old :( I've had rats for quite some years and always ended up buying more because 1 died and I didn't want the remaining rat to be alone. That's the reason I don't have rats anymore and never will again. But I love them and love your photos.
I have pet rats and I do not like that people think bad of rats so I am so happy to find this
I am writing a book on people who use their art for compassionate purposes. I am enamored with your photos of rats and would love your permission to use one of your photos for the cover of my book! I also write and illustrate children's books......check them out at: chartreuse press.com. Please advise--Gaye Green.
They are the most adorable photos!!! Thank you so much for sharing them and for challenging the negative image rats have. We lost our beloved rat a fortnight ago and we miss him terribly :'-( He was 3 & 1/2 years old. It was lovely to see these pictures and positive story of rat's. I got so many eww/yuck/foul remarks when telling people we had a pet rat. Hopefully people's attitudes will change and people will see rats as a great option when they are considering getting a pet. I am sooooo glad we got ours. He bought our family a whole lot of joy & cuteness. It is unbelievable how much you can love something so small so much :-)
hey nice pictures in post http://www.beautysk.com/start-working-first-time-gym/
A fantastic and important job! Thank you for showcasing these adorable creatures! You are very talented!
this is very valueable thing shared, I just wanna thanks for letting us know about this wanderfull information. http://www.masticoopon.com
this is very valueable thing shared, I just wanna thanks for letting us know about this wanderfull information. http://www.masticoopon.com
OMG, adorbs overload...Love them! enough said. Definitely brought out their cuteness.
Beautiful photos. I love rats and they're far cleaner and nicer than many humans...often more intelligent and better parents too!
Not sure if the other comment went through. Too I'm not living closer to you (although I do dream of moving to Canada one day!) so you could photograph my rats. I can never get them to pose right, but they are really beautiful and I would love to show everyone around how precious, intelligent and full of character animals they are! happybdayw...b3-png.jpg
I wish you lived closer (although I do dream of moving to Canada) to photograph my rats! I can never get them to pose but both of them are super beautiful and I would like to encourage people to see them as precious, full of character animals rather than pests... happybdayc...c5-png.jpg
These pics make me miss my furry friends! I had pet rats several years. They where soooooooo sweet, each one of them. The only thing not having them anymore is that they dont last long. It makes me too sad having them only 3 or 4 years and then its done. I couldnt do that to my little girl, but Im sure she would love them too.
Your photos are just beautiful! Thank you for "elevating their reputation"...the pictures are wonderful. They're so innocent and adorable...and those ears!!! I would have rats if I didn't have cats! Thank you for sharing...
Your photography is amazing Diane. You've certainly succeeded in your aim, they look like amazing little characters.
Very cute pics, especially like the dumbo rats. Used to have hairless dumbo a long time ago called Uno.
I grew up with pet rats. We had them a while and for the most part they were all nice (except one male that we rescued who was a feeder rat he would bite and we had to keep him in a separate cage from the others).
My sister's rat used to sleep on her kitty, who would wash him and then rearrange his fur/tail/legs to her taste. Funny!
I had pet rats. I loved them. I used to give them un cooked pieces of spaghetti. They held them like a flute and chewed them down. It made me laugh.
had several rat pets for my sons all friendly cuddly shoulder friendly and Ralph the first one white would come out and sit with me after work steal ciggs out of my pack and c***s my scotch rocks and share this was in 1964
WoW They are so freaking. Cute I can't stop watching over and over again 😍😍😍😍😍
I love rats SOOOOO much, and these photos are just so beautiful!! <3 <3 <3
You've certainly convinced me that rats are cute. I love these photographs, now I just need a rat.
I love your photos, just beautiful! Thank you for showing rats in their true light. Adorable, clean intelligent and much maligned.
I love every single one of these pictures. All of your rats are so adorable and extremely photogenic! And you're a talented photographer. It's hard to get still photos of animals, nevermind the props and composition. Well done and thanks for posting. This healthy dose of adorable brightened up my day.
Beautiful pictures! I had two pet rats as a child (one albino and one black and white) and they were the best pets to have, so affectionate and fun to play with. One used to sit on the back of my neck nuzzled under my hair and sleep. These photos are lovely and it's great to see someone showing them for the adorable friends they can be.
rats are sweetest pets ever, i had them for years and can confirm they are smart, fast learning and cuddly (of of mine loved sleeping inside my shirt while other would always climb up my lap). such sweet pictures :)
Marvelous .. If I am confronted by a rat, I'll think of these little creatures to avert hysteria. Well done!! Eloise
I kept rats for pets for years, and they're some of the best pets you could ever have. Thank you for the pictures. They're adorable!