YES RATS MAKE GREAT PETS!!!!!
I am currently a hobby breeder of pedigree fancy rats, you can view my site by clicking the WWW in my profile. Rats are fun, intelligent, clean critters. They rarely biteunless provoked (tortured basically, like stabbing through the bars etc. yes people do do this.)
Even rats who have never been handled rarely bite. They do require a friend of the same sex, as they are very social. They live about 3 years, and some longer if you take really good care of them.They are very social and a few hours a day at least needs to be spent with them, and this is another reason why friends are so special. They do need a spacious cage, at least a 30 gallon tank sized space for two rats, and of course, more is better.
They also enjoy little hidey areas, hammocks, and bird toys. I can take a pic of my cages if you like and it can give you some ideas.
They need to be housed on a safe bedding such as Carefresh, aspen pellets or similar beddings. Pine and cedar are not safe as they contain toxic phenols which build up in the respiratory tract and can cause severe irritation.
As far as feeding is concerned, rats require both meat and veggies/fruits. I feed my rats a homemade mix which contains pumpkin seends, dried spiral pasta, Innova senior dog food, Harlan Teklad lab blocks, dried fruit such as papaya, mango and apple, dried bananna, sunflower seeds, oat groats, almonds and other nuts, soy nuts, millet and other things. Things to avoid should be corn (dried as it can contain mold and fungus...grose!), raw sweet potatoe, blue cheese dressing, oranges (bad for boy ratties), and some others. I can send you a link to my feeding article if you wish.
Browse my site a little, and you will find out how cute and cuddly they are!
P.S. You can see one of my baby ratties (all grown now) in my avitar and my dumno merle doe in my sig, who is due tomorrow with her first litter.
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