Fancy A Rat !

What's the difference between a fancy rat and a wild one? We asked Debbie Ducommun, known as The Rat Lady. Her Web site, , has lots of information about these bright little rodents. Here's what she said:

· "A fancy rat is one that's specifically bred to be a pet. It's actually quite easy to domesticate a rat because they're social animals."

· Wild rats are found everywhere -- cities, suburbs and rural areas. Although wild, they are not ferocious. They see people as predators and run from them. Norway or brown rats, the kind often seen in cities, are the ancestors of fancy rats.

Some Rat Stats:

· Size: Fancy rats usually range from a half-pound to 1 3/4 pounds. In the wild, rats seldom weigh more than one pound.

· Life span: Pet rats live two to three years, on average. The record is 7 years 4 months.

· Color: Wild rats come in one basic color scheme, called agouti. Fancy rats come in several colors, ranging from an orangy brown to pure white.

· Families: Mature females can have a litter of 6-12 every month.

...ratties are neat...