Rats Make Great City Pets (Really!)
Published January 20, 2011
Ever since I was a little girl I have always been crazy about animals. And as an adult, over the years, some incredibly amazing cats and horses have owned me. And even though I never had a canine companion of my very own, years ago while house and dog- sitting for a friend, I fell in love the moment I embarked upon a relationship with her dog, Sabina, a 5 year-old black female Great Dane.
And while I loved all animals, I never entertained the idea of sharing my heart and home with a member of the rodent species until years ago, late one evening, when I snuck downstairs to grab a midnight snack, out of the corner of my eye I spied a tiny brown country mouse staring at me rather suspiciously, his nose wriggling at breakneck speed.
He sat brazenly on his haunches in the middle of the kitchen floor, checking me out for several minutes. The second I moved my chair, he quickly scurried out of sight behind the refrigerator. But he was so adorable!
Since we were in the middle of a draught, I started worrying that he didn't have sufficient fluid, so concerned for his health each night before I went to bed I put out a bottle cap filled with fresh clean water in the kitchen in a convenient location. Of course this made me officially his foster mom.
Hearing about my role as mouse-mother a friend invited me over to see her collection of tame white mice. In addition to being affectionate, with their teeny pink noses, ears and tails, I completely understood why she adored them. What was more intriguing was in another cage in the living room with several rats in residence. And since she lived in an apartment where dogs and cats were not permitted, they actually were perfect little pets for her.
Lately I have been hearing more and more about folks opting for rodents as companions, since no-pet housing runs rampant in urban areas and rats make phenomenal pets.
These clean little guys form deep bonds with their humans and are patient loving animals who are intelligent as dogs. But due to ignorance and unfortunately the many negative myths about them that abound, rats and mice are often very misunderstood creatures.
For folks considering rats as pets however, these diminutive denizens are very social critters who not only need human company but thrive on rat companionship. Similar to cats, they enjoy reciprocal grooming and someone with whom to curl up. So to keep your rat happy, get more than one.
For an uplifting moment, watch the video featuring pet rats, uploaded to YouTube by oPuPo.
If your interest has been piqued, learn more about these fabulous pets and their needs by checking out this article.
Would you consider rodents as pets? Share your thoughts in a comment.
Image Source: Flickr user Rattie Rescue
Shortly after retiring as a social worker and psychotherapist, I discovered my "writer's voice"…
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Comments (8)
We hve 12 rats. Of those 3 are rescues and 3 were adopted from a shelter. The rescues were apparently severely abused. We have had both male and female rats. Each one has a unique personality and they all bond to each family member quite closely. A few have become trusted enough to have run of our home. They will come out when we call their names.
I had a boy that I bonded with to the extent he would go on walks with me on my shoulder or motorcycle rides in my jacket.
@Samantha (NYC): Get a male rat. Rats are highly territorial. Other rats will leave you alone if you have a male rat in your home. Let him walk the perimeter to makr his territory. Biggest problem with these critters is that they'll steal your heart.
I have had 2 pet rats, Nymh and Bailey. They were the best and we miss them dearly. They are highly intelligent and very clean. My 3 girls miss their rats so much, we are healing from losing one right after the new year. they rode around on our shoulder, hung out in pockets and played on the floor with the girls. I couldn,t ask for better playmates or pets. I will definately have a rat as a pet again.
I love cats and dogs BUT as a NYC resident, I think you're all nuts. I would never consider a rat as a pet. I currently have one somewhere in my wall and ceiling. You are all invited to come get it out and give it a home.
Yes!! Rats are awesome pets. I had two of them a few years ago. Bianca and Vixen I called them. They were hightly intelligent and and very loving. They would come when I called them and they would ride around the house on my shoulder or in my pocket. My cats and dogs even got along with them. :) Thanks for raising awareness of having rodents for pets, Jo. :)
Rats really do make such wonderful pets. I've written a lot of information on their care here at my website: http://www.petinfopackets.com/rats/ratinfopacket.html
We had all manor of critters as we grew up. Mice were one of the pets. My kids had mice and gerbils and hamsters. They make great pets. We just had to watch out for the cats.
A cousin of mine had laughing with their antics. They looked very much like the colorful ones in the photo, and were devoted to one another. Yes, it's true -- rats and mice are very sweet, and human ignorance is so misguided when it comes to these and other species!