Rats

Monday, June 4, 2012

Rats, being the titular characters of the 2007 blockbuster Ratatouille, were shone in a different light in the movie, featured as highly intelligent creatures, an attribute which has pegged them as one of the world’s most feared types of vermin.

As the world generally pegs them to be creatures to-do-away with, there are actually a number of folks out there who see rats as interesting creatures, with a number keeping them as exotic pets.

If you’re among those few who feel that there is more to rats than problems, here’s a quick take over what you need to know before bringing a rat into your life.

Rats – What to know before you keep one as a pet

In terms of life span rates, the average rat lives somewhere between two to three years, which doesn’t really make them great pets when “long term” pet keeping is being talked about. Also, they are nocturnal, which means that if you’re interested in keeping rats expecting them to be active and fun, the timing of their active hours may not fit well with yours.

The nifty thing about rats is that they are sociable animals, and having more than one is actually better than just having one. However, close watch over the activities of male and female rats should be done, since female rats are known to be in heat once in a four to five day cycle.

A population boom just may be ahead if you keep male and female rats in one enclosure.

But apart from their nocturnal and breeding habits, rats are quite entertaining to have as pets, highly intelligent and highly trainable too. They come in many varieties, not just in the traditional smoky grey coat, with certain species even sporting color patches of fur.

In terms of feeding, rats aren’t all that difficult to feed. Generally, any diet-type ideal for mammals fit well with rats, and cleaning their enclosures/cages aren’t all that difficult too.

When talking about where to get rats for petkeeping intentions, going to pet stores are highly advised, since the typical rat found in homes may have rabies and/or are carriers of dangerous diseases.

Other than watching over the possibility of a rat population boom, rats are quite fun to have as exotic pets, though they don’t necessarily have culinary skills that’s bring a food critic to his knees.

Rats Picture