Rats are FAB pets! I kept them for 10 years, and wouldn't have ANY other animal as a pet. Despite what people
think, they are incredibly intelligent, hygienic and if treated right,
will grow up and treat you as "one of them". They are the equivalent
to a dog - attentive, faithful, companiable - just miles smaller!
They are very observant, and once they know you, they will build their
daily routines around you. My rats know when I get up in the morning,
when I'm due back home, and even when I'm cooking tea (always the hope
for titbits). They watch you, react to you, and even take your fingers
in their little paws and preen you! To have a rat tickling your neck
with its whiskers as is sits dozing on your shoulder is one of the coolest
things ever.
Hollywood movies and to some extent, nature TV programmes, always show
rats to be noisy squeaking little beasties who live in the sewers or
turn into vampires and eat you. In reality they rarely squeak loud enough
for you to hear them! The only time I've heard mine squeak is when they
are play-fighting with eachother. They make very quiet rattie noises
that you can hear when you are really close to them, but apart from
that they are very quiet. All other noises are inaudible to the human
ear.
Science has also proved that rats can laugh too! Click HERE to read an article on it.
Most people think rats are dirty and smelly....well, the wild rats ARE dirty, smelly and rather nasty things! But domestic pet rats are very
clean and hygienic. They preen themselves countless times a day, preen
eachother, and designate one part of their cage as their toilet....and
they do NOT poop anywhere else but that part of the cage.
Bizairre! My cage can go 3 weeks without a full clean-out, just a sawdust
freshen every week and a poop-scoop session every few days!
Rats are prone to lumps, bumps, growths and cancer. I've lost 3 of mine
to various cancer related illnesses, one to mammary tumours, one to
a stroke and one of just old age. They only live to about 3 years old,
sometimes 5 years, but it is a very quick "turnover" when
you keep rats! One of my rats Poppy was recenty put to sleep after suffering
a mammary tumour that grew for 6 months before it started to affect
her. If you buy from these awful "pet superstores" like Pets
At Home then expect your rat to have problems, they are usually badly
inbred on rat "farms" by breeders who don't really give a
stuff about them. Any rats not sold for pets are sold as "feeders"
for reptiles, or even fed to the reptiles in the pet superstore! Always
buy from a reputable breeder and you will be guaranteed a higher quality
longer living animal.
Rats are best kept in pairs as they enjoy company. If you want to keep
a solitary rat you will have to spend a lot of time with it! They are
nocturnal too and so whilst you are asleep in bed, they are lonely in
their cage - get them a friend to play with!
My favourite rat website is Fancy-rats.co.uk which is packed full of rat care, news articles, a useful forum for
all your comments, problems and queries, a photo gallery, and much more!
Everyone on there is so friendly and always willing to help.
For the ultimnate in cage accessories for your small Fuzzy, go to www.fuzzbutt.co.uk, my own business making VERY cool Fuzzy beds!!
