It is great to hear about your little ones. I don't think I've ever seen a silver hood rat. That does sound nice. I'd love to see some pics! I've always gone for male rats myself however because my friend had several female rats and they were so mean! I think it was because they were albino lab rats. Lab rats have been so inbred!

I got Ed under strange circumstances myself. Actualy I went into the pet store to get a few mice for my snake (Sorry mice lovers! I know that fancy mice make great pets too, but Al has to eat!) and next to the mice was a tank full of rats. Well they were all male but poor little Ed was so young and small that the others were beating up on him. I asked to hold him and he nuzzled right into my sweater. Since I had come to claim lives I thought I'd save one while I was at it.

The heartbreaking thing about buying mice for snakes is that they come in a box that says things like: "I'm going home!" and "Somebody loves me!" on the side. Ack!!!

Cheers,
L