Rats as a pet – who would have thought? The common pet that people get is normally a dog, cat, maybe a rabbit and a fish for those low maintenance family. But, getting a rat as a pet is starting to become the new thing, and there are many good reasons for this. They aren’t the dirty street animal that we’ve come to think of them as, but rather domestic rats can be great common house pets (and there are plenty of people who would agree with this).
Just like cats, they are rather clean animals, and are also quite quick learners just like dogs. You might be worried about aggression in rats, but so long as you know how to look after them properly, then this shouldn’t be an issue. The best thing is you can have great fun with a rat as a pet – you can teach them to spin, go over obstacles and they’ll even retrieve items! Below you’ll find some great reasons to why people are loving having a rat as a pet:
They’re Social
People want to get a pet to help them when it comes to finding a companion – a fur companion can help people learn how to social properly, how to care for another being, and can also just help create some great memories. The good thing about rats is that they are very social, just like many house pets that we love, rats love being around humans and are a lot tamer than those found in the wild.
Rats like to play and are very sociable. They like to be where the people are and enjoy being where most of the activities are happening. They are great for people who love an active pet and don’t want to be locked in a cage all day. So, it’s important that you make sure that you can play with them during the day. The only issue with them being social, is that you will have to get two rats instead of one, as they don’t like being alone!
They’re in Sync with the Human Body Clock
You probably know that a lot of people prefer to have a hamster or something as a pet. But the issue with a hamster is that their body clock isn’t the same as a human. Whereas a rat is on the same schedule as a human, so you won’t have to worry about them staying up all through the night. They are awake during the day, and rest at night. Which means that there will be no wheels churning whilst you’re trying to sleep.
And despite the common misconception about rats being dirty sewage creatures, they are actually really good at keeping themselves clean so when you do want to play with them during the day, you don’t have to worry about picking up a dirty rat. That is one of the biggest misconceptions that people have about rats, but actually they are very good at cleaning themselves, just like a cat would clean itself.
Their Personalities Sparkle
Okay, so all animals have personalities, but rats are friendly, affectionate, smart and low maintenance. So, really, they are the perfect pet. They have their own unique personality traits, just like a cat or dog would. You’ll probably find that female rats are super friendly and affectionate, but they can also be quite mischievous and might love climbing up your furniture! Or they might be a bit timid when you first bring your rat home, but don’t worry soon enough they’ll come out of their shell.
If you have a cat and are worried about your cat having your rat as it’s dinner, then don’t panic! A lot of cat and rat owners have said that once they get use to each other the rat will always curl up asleep next to the cat – which is quite a cute thing really. So, there you have it, some great reasons to get a pet rat. If you aren’t convinced and still aren’t sure about what pet to get, then check out this article here about 4 great pets for new pet owners!
