When most people think of animal shelters, dogs and cats come to mind. But at many shelters, including Marin Humane, there are lots of other critters looking for their forever homes. One of the more misunderstood animals — that makes a great pet — is the domesticated rat.
Before you non-rat fans stop reading, here’s a gentle reminder that, contrary to the image of dirty street animals, domesticated rats are some of the cleanest, smartest and most affectionate pets.
“I’ve had pretty much every kind of pet you can imagine, and by far rats are my favorite,” said Samantha Winegarner, Marin Humane’s animal care manager. “They’re smart, social — with both cage mates and people — they’re incredibly fun to watch and quite fastidious.”
According to an article in the Washington Post, studies suggest rats dream when they sleep, giggle when tickled and grind their teeth (called bruxing) with pleasure when stroked, similar to when cats purr. Rats are also empathetic, according to a study in which lab rats rescued other trapped rats that previously helped them.
Keeping a pet rat is just as easy as keeping other small pets. Ideally, they should live in large vertical cages because they love to climb. They love habitat enrichment: little ladders to climb, as well as hidey places like hammocks and igloos. Creating mazes and tunnels is an easy way to make your rat happy — and a delight to watch. There’s no shortage of creativity in the rat lover’s world, that’s for sure — just check out the miniature rat furniture on Etsy. When properly socialized, rats are generally gentle, rarely bite and can make great pets for children. It is important to note, however, that rats have a fairly short life span, about two to three years.
Since they’re very social, it’s best to get rats in pairs. Be sure they’re of the same sex, or if you have a male and female, that the male is neutered, which is an easier surgery than spaying a female.
Sadly, like many other animals, rats sold at pet stores often come from rodent mills. And just like puppy mills, these businesses put profit before the welfare of the animals they’re selling. They’re born in terrible conditions, shipped with little regard for their health and safety — many arrive dying of starvation or are severely injured — and when they finally arrive at the pet store, they’re kept in housing that’s substandard. It’s not uncommon for rats bought at pet stores to quickly become ill with upper respiratory infections due to the conditions they were kept in before they even made it to a home.
Fortunately, many animal shelters have pet rats for adoption, and there are dedicated rat rescues, which also serve as a resource for information about these cute little critters.
Marin Humane has several rat aficionados on staff who’d be happy to introduce you to some and offer plenty of advice for the novice adopters. To check them out, visit marinhumane.org/adopt.
Lisa Bloch is the marketing and communications director at Marin Humane which contributes Tails of Marin and welcomes questions and comments from the community. Visit marinhumane.org, find us on social media @marinhumane, or email lbloch@marinhumane.org.
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