WHY A RAT?

• Why would you want a rat as a pet?
• Purchasing your rat
• Naming your rat

Why a Rat?

Why in the world would you want a rat as a pet? They're vermin!

While this is a typical reaction, don't worry, the rats that you buy in petstores are not the same kind of rats that caused the bubonic plague. Rats also make great pets. They are short-lived (life span of 1 1/2 to 3 years, average about 2 years.) so they don't involve the commitment of a dog, cat, lizard, ferret, or frog. They are easy to move, unlike fish tanks, and they are inexpensive. Finally, rats are very smart, and can be taught tricks (although I have never tried). I first bought rats in college, because they were easy to keep in my dorm room. They can also go on airplanes (as contraband. You have to put them in socks in your pockets to go through the metal detector, and have a bag big enough to carry a cage.).

Rats are sweet and affectionate, and are always willing to play. They also do very silly things, and are fun to watch.

Purchasing your rat

Buying your rat is a very important decision. There are a few important things to look for where ever you decide to buy your rat. They are:

1. Is the cage relatively clean? Most places should clean the cages at least every other day.
2. Does the rat you want have bright eyes?
3. Are any of the rats sneezing? Do any of the rats have diarrhea?
4. (If you are getting a girl rat) Are males and females separated?

The cage should be pretty clean, and your rat should have bright eyes and be active, especially if you are buying a baby rat. If any of the rats are sneezing enough that you notice, be careful, rats are prone to respiratory problems, so starting out with one could be very bad. If you notice diarrhea, ask about it. If they tell you they have been feeding them lots of fruits and veggies, be careful! I bought a rat from the humane society with diarrhea, and he ended up having major colon problems that the vets had never seen before. If you are getting a girl rat, make sure they are not with boys. Rats can get pregnant very young, and unless you want to risk getting more than one rat, either don't get the rat, or buy a boy.

The next thing to decide is where to buy your rat. If you know someone who breeds rats, they may be the best person, because you can "meet the parents." The other options are pet stores and the Humane society. Always hold the rat you want to buy first. Some are very skittish, especially the older ones. If you live in Portland, OR, the best place to go is Animal Crossing, between 46th and 47th on SE Woodstock. They breed their rats at the store, and every rat I've bought there has lived at least 2 years. Ask a pet store where they get their rats, and look at the other rodents as well. Do they all look healthy? Pet stores usually clean cages every one to two days, so if the cage is really gross, don't bother. I worked in a pet store where we cleaned all cages daily, which is pretty standard. I have adopted two rats from the Humane society, Zeba and Raphael. Both of them died within six months of adoption. Zeba, as near as we can tell, never slept and so his life span was severly shortened. Raphael was the rat with colon problems, and he finally had a stroke. Neither of these rats were more than 1 when I bought them. Adopting rats is a nice thing to do, and if you are willing to put up with potentially large vet bills, or not having your rat very long, I encourage it, so long as you know the risks. The people at the Humane Society rarely know the true history of any of the rats, so it's a gamble.

Buying a baby rat means that you will have the rat for a long time (barring some accident or illness), and it also means that your rat will be more comfortable with humans. I have also found that the two albino (white with red eyes) rats that I have owned are the friendliest, and they lick, which I think is really sweet.

If you want more than one, two males purchased at the same time should be fine. If you buy them too far apart they may fight. Female rats should be kept separately.

Naming your rat

What does your pets' name say about you? Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of dogs out there named MAX? How many times have you met a pet named "Buddy" or "Fluffy?" No matter how silly it may seem, people name their dogs, cats, birds, and yes, even rats, very common names. Please don't misunderstand, I have known a few Dogs named Max, who were named perfectly, and I even know a Dalmation named Lucky where the name fits just fine. Common names can be great. With Rats, though, there really aren't common names. The most common names you can get is naming them after some of the rats in "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh" and they have cool names. However I encourage you to have fun with naming your rat. It's ok to leave your rat nameless for a week or so until you find the perfect name. In my vast experience with pet rats, I have found using favorite childhood books, adding middle names, and taking into account your own interests is an important part of choosing a name. Good luck, and remeber to have fun with it!