Rats make great pets. They are adorable, affectionate, and intelligent. They are the perfect pet for anyone (anyone who is willing to overlook the many false sterotypes about them). They can be trained, amazingly enough, to do most things other pets can do. You can train them to come when you call, you can “litter box” train them (using their cage or small containers for a litter box), and they learn to recognize you. In fact, once you gain their trust, they can become adorably attached to you, and may run and cling to you in strange (apparently dangerous) situations. I have had rats that slept with me. Most rats are extremely friendly, being social animals. Just be sure you handle and interact with any rat you want to buy before you take him or her home. Like people, some rats have issues or personalities that cannot be won over.

Rats are relatively cheap pets compared to dogs or cats. The largest expense is providing living quarters that provide ample space, safety, comfort, and interest. However, even these start up costs are low relative to other pets. They are also relatively low maintenance. They are mostly odorless, and if you keep their cage clean, so is it. It might be a bit more work to manage the odor with males than females, but still pertty simple. If you make sure and rat proof your house and keep an eye on them, they can be allowed to run around while you're home. They will often climb up into your lap or onto your shoulder to see what you're up to. The less head-strong and independent ones will often sit down to get some pets and end up falling asleep in your lap. Even the head-strong ones will give in to it every once in a while. Every rat has its own personality, its own faults, its own quirks, and its own strong points. They come in all colors. Chances are, if you have an open mind and the responsibility to take care of a pet, there is a rat out there for you. It is a common misconception that domestic rats are the same thing as wild or sewer rats. People who keep rats didn't just pick them up off the street. The rats people keep as pets are from blood lines that have been domesticated. And no, domestic rats do not carry the plague. You are not at risk of getting sick from handling or keeping them. They are probably more clean than most people. Watch a rat for 10 minutes and I guarantee you'll see it clean itself at least once.

To date, I have had 10 rats - Mara, Schmickie, Taco, Spooky, Smudge, Boo, Jet, Bungie, Franklin, and Bentley. My favorite of them all was Schmickie, a female agouti. She was adorable. I got her as a baby, 6 weeks old. She was the friendliest and most people-centric rat I've ever had. She loved to give kisses, she'd always climb in your lap to take a nap and get pets, and she'd lick the heck out of your hand when you petted her. I have never had another quite like her, but they all have brought me joy in their own way.