Rats!

I get one of two reactions when people learn that I have rats – fascination or horror. Sometimes a mixture of both. Truthfully, I got them as a matter of elimination. My flat is too small to make having a dog or cat practical, I knew if I got guinea pigs I’d want to breed them and I didn’t feel I had the emotional or physical resources for that, I’ve always found hamsters too bitey, and rabbits have never appealed. So I settled on rats. And I am thrilled that I did.

But rats do have a bad reputation. Most of the time when they appear in media they are the bad guys. I’ve made a start on transforming that with Pippin’s Big Adventure, but when rats show in films, they are usually the villains. Toy rats are part of the Halloween staples, and are pitch black with grimy fur and red eyes.

No one can meet my rats and hate them, though. Pilli and Palla (a composite name from the Welsh for ‘butterfly’) are the sweetest creatures in the world. For their sake, here’s reasons that rats make the best pets.

They’re Small

This was certainly my biggest consideration, but when discussing pets with your landlord, many will refuse a larger pet but won’t object to small caged rodents. Rats only take up as much room as their cage does, and they are quiet – as long as you keep their wheel from squeaking too much! A rat also doesn’t need long walks or a great deal of time playing. Mine are perfectly happy either in their cage or riding on my shoulders.

They’re Friendly

Rats are social animals. To the point I’ve occasionally wondered if I’m being fair to just have two. In the wild, they live in large family groups who groom and play with each other constantly, take care of their sick or elderly, and love to sleep in one big ‘rat pile’.

While I know they need ratty company, they bond just as readily with people. They are very good at communicating what they want. Palla is not overly fond of being picked up, and will squeak and run away from any attempts, whereas Pilli will jump onto my hands and gently groom my fingers.

They’re Intelligent

Behaviour experiments on lab rats have proved again and again that rats are highly intelligent animals. I knew this before getting them, but I was still amazed at how readily my pair learn. They love solving puzzles. Studies have also shown that they display empathy and regret, dream, return favours, strategise and adapt easily to new environments.

If you want to train rats, use food! Palla’s favourite food is grapes, and Pilli loves apples. Teaching them tricks is a great way to bond with your rats and while at 2 and a half I don’t want to start with the button-pressing that I’ve seen dogs do, if I get other rats in the future it is certainly something I’m planning on trying.

They’re Playful

A side effect of being both sociable and smart is a love of play. As said above, I have bred guinea pigs in the past, and when I first got Pilli and Palla I was instantly amazed at just how distinct a personality each of them has. They will chase and tussle with each other and while Palla isn’t as fond of letting me join in, Pilli will enthusiastically chase after me and pounce on my feet. If I don’t stop him, he will then climb my legs to his favourite shoulder-perch.

They’re Clean

This is the biggest misconception I run into, although it is slowly starting to change. They are incredibly clean animals. They spend hours grooming themselves and each other. They can also be litter trained. As long as you do your bit in keeping their cage clean, they’ll be as clean as any dog or cat can be.

The biggest downside to rat ownership is how short their lifespans are. Mine are two and a half now, and are entering old age. I am absolutely dreading the time when I will have to say goodbye to them, and this is something it is well worth considering. Having said that, I do not regret having them and am absolutely considering getting more in the future.

Rats are fun, friendly, smart, engaging, and worth every penny I’ve spent on them. I cannot recommend them enough as a pet.