We love ... Rats
Duncan Higgitt, Western Mail
HAS there ever been a creature in the animal kingdom more unfairly maligned than the rat?
We're not talking great black sewer dwellers, the stuff of kids' nightmares, the ones that are supposed to come out and eat babies left outside in Third World slums.
But let's be fair to those fellows. They say that wherever you are in a city, you are never more than a metre away from a rat. So how often do you see them?
They keep themselves to themselves, and probably because they are out of sight rather than out of mind, we fear them.
We are also a bit wary because they became the unwitting vehicles for bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, which swept across the world in the 14th century, killing as much as a third of the European population."
But those days are behind us now. The biggest likelihood you have of spying a rat is when you see it in a cage in someone's house.
Despite their poor reputation, pet rats, sometimes known as fancy rats, are rewarding creatures - better than any other rodent, and arguably better than cats.
Despite the presence of the much-detested scaly tail and pink claws, these creatures are bright, fun to watch, and capable of being completely domesticated, so that a series of basic instructions (albeit with the employment of food as a reward) can be taught.
The best way to bring a rat under your control is to handle it as often as possible. This way, it gets used to you, and will offer you its own brand of affection.
Another way in which rats can be rewarding is in seeing them play. They often like to have a small ball, which they will roll around the cage and chase.
It is wrongly thought that rats are dirty creatures. But while they do require regular cleaning (and their cages will smell if you don't), they're not even in the same league as rabbits, which can also make good pets. However, living as I currently do with both rats and rabbits, the former beats the bunnies hands down.
If you like dogs and you enjoy that moment when something in the mutt's mind clicks, and he or she learns how to do something new, whether it's opening doors, or knowing that they have to go in a certain place in the car, you'll enjoy rats. They catch on quick.
They are also out-and-out scroungers. It is recommended that they eat certain things, such as a feed designed for them that can be had from pet stores and supermarkets. This is true, but they love hanging out for some fresh fruit and vegetables, and they love a bit of cooked meat - provided it does not come in a curry. For high days and holidays, they can have yoghurt, and even a bit of chocolate - sparingly.
Fancy rats will live for up to five years, and are by far and away the cheapest (and often the most available) rodent for sale in pet shops. In addition to things in the cage to stop them getting bored, they'll also need something to chew on. You can combine the two by threading sticks through the cage here and there, which they can also use to climb on, as well as keep their teeth down. One of the great things about rats is watching them climb - they are absolute masters at it.
So while some people may flinch at the idea, the rat makes a great pet for those children whose parents cannot or will not have something bigger. They are cheap, relatively low maintenance and give back your attentions in bucketloads.
...we love rats YAY!!! Hooray for rats YAY!!!
HAS there ever been a creature in the animal kingdom more unfairly maligned than the rat?
We're not talking great black sewer dwellers, the stuff of kids' nightmares, the ones that are supposed to come out and eat babies left outside in Third World slums.
But let's be fair to those fellows. They say that wherever you are in a city, you are never more than a metre away from a rat. So how often do you see them?
They keep themselves to themselves, and probably because they are out of sight rather than out of mind, we fear them.
We are also a bit wary because they became the unwitting vehicles for bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, which swept across the world in the 14th century, killing as much as a third of the European population."
But those days are behind us now. The biggest likelihood you have of spying a rat is when you see it in a cage in someone's house.
Despite their poor reputation, pet rats, sometimes known as fancy rats, are rewarding creatures - better than any other rodent, and arguably better than cats.
Despite the presence of the much-detested scaly tail and pink claws, these creatures are bright, fun to watch, and capable of being completely domesticated, so that a series of basic instructions (albeit with the employment of food as a reward) can be taught.
The best way to bring a rat under your control is to handle it as often as possible. This way, it gets used to you, and will offer you its own brand of affection.
Another way in which rats can be rewarding is in seeing them play. They often like to have a small ball, which they will roll around the cage and chase.
It is wrongly thought that rats are dirty creatures. But while they do require regular cleaning (and their cages will smell if you don't), they're not even in the same league as rabbits, which can also make good pets. However, living as I currently do with both rats and rabbits, the former beats the bunnies hands down.
If you like dogs and you enjoy that moment when something in the mutt's mind clicks, and he or she learns how to do something new, whether it's opening doors, or knowing that they have to go in a certain place in the car, you'll enjoy rats. They catch on quick.
They are also out-and-out scroungers. It is recommended that they eat certain things, such as a feed designed for them that can be had from pet stores and supermarkets. This is true, but they love hanging out for some fresh fruit and vegetables, and they love a bit of cooked meat - provided it does not come in a curry. For high days and holidays, they can have yoghurt, and even a bit of chocolate - sparingly.
Fancy rats will live for up to five years, and are by far and away the cheapest (and often the most available) rodent for sale in pet shops. In addition to things in the cage to stop them getting bored, they'll also need something to chew on. You can combine the two by threading sticks through the cage here and there, which they can also use to climb on, as well as keep their teeth down. One of the great things about rats is watching them climb - they are absolute masters at it.
So while some people may flinch at the idea, the rat makes a great pet for those children whose parents cannot or will not have something bigger. They are cheap, relatively low maintenance and give back your attentions in bucketloads.
...we love rats YAY!!! Hooray for rats YAY!!!
posted by Lee at 8:43 AM
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