Rats as Pets

This article is not about vermin. It is about small, sociable and intelligent animals of a species called Rattus norvegicus. Although a relatively new pet in Europe, the brown rat has been revered by Asians for centuries. The earliest records of rats being kept in captivity are from the 1800s in England. Since then, they have been bred selectively, first for coat varieties, then also for temperament and longevity.

The domestic rat is quite different from its wild cousin. It is much more docile, less suspicious of new things and less predatory. It does not carry diseases. (By the way, brown rats were not responsible for the spread of the Black Death in the Middle Ages. It was the fleas carried by black rats and insanitary humans.) A properly socialized pet rat will not bite unless in extreme distress.

Pet rats still have some things in common with their ancestors. They are good climbers, diggers, jumpers, chewers and swimmers. Contrary to their reputation, rats are clean animals; they lick themselves clean even more frequently than cats. They communicate with each other through scent, sound, touch and visual signals. Professor Jaak Panksepp at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, has shown in a recent study that rats, when playing, emit ultrasounds whose meaning is comparable to human laughter.

Rats do not require much from their owners. A big, clean cage, fresh food and water and an hour of playtime out of the cage every day meet their needs well. They are sociable animals and should be kept in pairs or groups of the same sex - a mixed-sex group would produce a great number of offspring in a very short time. Males are bigger and more laid-back than females who tend to stay active and playful throughout their lives.

Rats love to play with people and are smart enough to play interactive games, such as hand-wrestling, peekaboo, tug-of-war and hide-and-seek. They can even learn to do tricks. They also enjoy being petted and may show their affection by licking their owners. Rats are naturally nocturnal animals but can easily adjust their schedule to match those of their human companions.

One of the few drawbacks of rats as pets is their tendency to chew on things; the room where they spend their playtime should therefore be "rat-proofed". Health problems, especially respiratory infections, are unfortunately common in rats, and their average life span is only two to three years. The short life span can also be an advantage: you don't have to make a commitment of ten to twenty years to a rat like you do to a dog or cat.

Rats make great pets. They are easier to care for than cats and dogs but give their humans the same amount of affection and interaction. Their ability to form strong social bonds makes them delightful companions, by far superior to other rodents. Their amazing antics are also fun to watch!

Written by Tanja Säily, Sources: own experience and the book Rats! For Today's Pet Owner by Debbie Ducommun.

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