This is a question I get asked often, alot of times by the parents of kids who want them haha. I get it, rats are highly stigmatized but lucky they are quickly starting to escape that stereotype & be understood for what amazing pets they make. Ill make a few key points below on why rats truly are the BEST small animal you can own as pets. 

 

1. Rats DESIRE human attention!! That is right, rats are not just TOLERATING you like most small animals, they actually want to be with their people. When rats get comfortable with you and trust you they will crave affection from you. They will come to the front of the cage when you walk up to it and express their desire to get out & be with you. They are not only social with other rats but people as well and this is a very hard trait to find in any other small animal pet. 

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2. They are WAY cleaner than you think. Rats are not dirty like they have a rep for, rats actually spend MUCH of their day cleaning themselves. The only time a rat will ever be smelly or dirty is if you are not doing the proper job of cleaning their cage as often as you should be. 

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3. They are INCREDIBLY smart!! Rats are some of the most intelligent creatures out there. They can learn numerous tricks (yes, alot of my customers have done this) and they are relatively easy to potty train. They learn things very quickly and are incredibly observant of things.

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4. They are FUN!!. Rats are playful, curious, adventurous, mischievous, and sweet. They will entertain you for hours. They love to explore and investigate new things and I promise they will occasionally make you laugh with their shenanigans. 

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5. Rats do not bite (when properly bred, please read Why Breeders section). Hamsters are usually peoples go to small animal pet for kids, but they fairly commonly bite, this is a VERY rare occurrence with rats. 

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6. They each have their own INDIVIDUAL personality. This is one of my favorite qualities about rats. Every single one of my rats has a completely different personality. You can have 6 rats and I promise you they will all have their own unique personality & traits. Rats are such individual creatures that each have their own personal set of quirks. 

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7. They are an affordable pet. As with all pets you should be prepared to spend a decent chunk of money in the setup & have a just in case fund for an unlikely trip to the vet. Other than that their general care cost is very reasonable.

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