Story By: Maddy Lloyd-Norstog, Opinion Editor
I, personally, have always been fond of animals that are traditionally seen as gross, scary, or ugly. I have had a multitude of such pets, such as snakes, frogs, lizards, and many others that may fall under such categories. I find them quite endearing in their own individual ways and I have especially enjoyed learning about how to care for such unconventional pets. One specific type of animal has recently caught my attention, however, are fancy rats.
While the word “rat” may invoke an image of a hideous, scruffy animal covered in sewage, in reality, these animals tend to be incredibly clean. In fact, they are known to groom themselves constantly, even more so than cats. Not to mention, there is a significant distinction between the large, wild rats living in the New York sewers and the much smaller, domesticated ones sold in pet stores. The ones offered in pet stores, specifically, are called fancy rats and are bred to be kept by people; so no, they do carry the plague or other such diseases.
It may come as a surprise, especially for a pet that is a rodent, but rats often tend to be incredibly playful and affectionate. In fact, there are many breeders out there dedicated to breeding rats to have more affectionate personalities, similar to that of dog breeders. Their intelligence is quite remarkable as well, so it proves quite easy to teach them fun tricks and interact with them in meaningful ways. It is quite entertaining to give them little puzzles to solve for treats, as they tend to be quite resourceful little critters.
Rats especially are quite charming in their own unique way. It is difficult to not be encapsulated by their glossy little eyes, round ears, and such little hands attached to their rather plump body. The curious look in their eyes and little nose twitch never fails to make me smile. Though, their simple physique is not the only thing to fawn over. Breeders have cultivated a great variety of pelt colors, patterns, ear shapes, fur lengths, and much more. There is truly something for everyone to admire in the various and unique traits bred into fancy rats.
Overall, rats suffer from a very unwarranted stigmatization based off of their wild counterparts. They are actually quite lovely little creatures that often make for wonderful pets. While just like with any pet they may not be for everyone, they are certainly worth a chance, especially more so than many may give them credit for.
Comments