Those “Horradorable” Rats

by Kathleen L. Galayda

The primary purpose of this column is to educate readers about various pets, specifically to tell them what a particular animal can be like as a companion, rather than to give specifics about breeding, care, etc. There are many species kept nowadays as pets, including chinchillas, dormice, fennec foxes, ferrets, degus, hedgehogs, pot-bellied pigs, and prairie dogs. The list grows longer every year, and details about care are easy to find elsewhere in books, on the Internet, etc.

I’ve had the privilege of living with many of these “exotics”, and have found their companionship every bit as loving, devoted and entertaining as any cat’s or dog’s. One such unusual pet is the laboratory rat. The typical reaction to rats is usually, “UGH! Those horrid creatures? Whoever (read: what nut) would want one of those?”  I can tell you from personal experience just how special a pet rat can be.

A laboratory (or pet) rat is to a wild rat what a dog is to a jackal or hyena.  Most rat enthusiasts would say “to a wolf”, but I think that comparison is too mild, since wolves are admired as noble predators, but hyenas and jackals, like rats, are reviled as lowly scavengers. In all the years I’ve kept rats, I have never been bitten, nor even come close. Scientists carefully developed lab rats over many generations, since they did not want to work with unmanageable, dangerous animals. The resultant creatures are so docile, most lack the urge to bite even in self-defense (kind of sad, isn’t it?) That very docility and a remarkable intelligence make for exceptionally gentle, devoted companions.

Pet rats are easy to keep. They need little space, and will eat just about anything you will. Unlike their wild counterparts, they aren’t very carnivorous. A lab rat’s motto is “Dessert before dinner!” If, on occasion, a rat is given a typical American dinner (rat-sized, of course), complete with dessert, he will almost always devour the sweet first, then the mashed potatoes (preferably with butter) followed by a few veggies, and finally stash the meat in a corner (in case of famine). However, a rat’s staple diet should be a good quality rat food, vitamins in their water, and a daily variety of fruits and vegetables, if you want her to reach her full three-year life span.

I once had to cut a trip short because it almost killed my favorite rat. My husband called me while I was out of town, “You have to come back immediately. Tailspin has been sitting in a corner of his cage since you left and hasn’t moved. He won’t eat and I have to force him to drink. He’s dying.” I rushed home and stood at the foot of the bed, where Tailspin was huddled forlornly on a pillow, staring vacantly. He startled when I called his name, then let out a squeak of what I presume was joy, for he flung himself the full length of that queen-sized bed into my arms, and clung to me for dear life. He began licking me nonstop for five minutes. My husband said he was sure Tailspin would have survived perhaps another day or two. Many people seem to think only creatures like dogs and cats feel such passion. My experience is that if you love an animal – almost any animal – it will love you back, deeply and unconditionally. If you just try to see the world through its eyes, you will win the heart of even the most unlikely creature.

Please don’t judge harshly someone who admires an  “unlovable” animal. No one suddenly decides, “I think I’ll adore snakes!” (Or spiders, or lizards or whatever.  I’m not talking about people who choose to have an animal for shock value).  God inspires such devotion. All creatures, no matter how seemingly ugly and unsympathetic, are created and loved by God and, in His infinite wisdom, He chooses who will be their advocates and protectors. After all, someone has to do it. He seems to have given me a heart for those that dwell at the bottom of the food chain.

One unflappable British rat lover put it best. Standing at a London bus stop with her pet, she gently rebuked a young passerby who maliciously accosted her with his python, “Oh, I love snakes! And I know they have to eat, too. Just not anyone I know.”

For more information about rats, visit Debbie Ducommon (“The Rat Lady) at:   http://www.ratfanclub.org/   It’s among the most informative and delightful rat sites on the net.

If you want rat-like ardor without the rat, try a Basset hound. To rescue one of these devoted critters, call Leslie Ames at 626-4331, or visit the Basset Rescue of Montana web site: http://bassetrescueofmt.tripod.com/available.html.

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