Pets or pests? Rats!

Rats are like marmite, you either love them or you can’t be in a room with them. Should rats be thought of as friends or as fiends? Are they God’s creatures, worthy of sharing the title of man’s best friend with dogs?

So below are three reasons why rats are alright and three more reasons why you are right to be hesitant about rats. It’s up to you to decide whether rats are loveable or if encountering one is enough to call for rat pest removal.

Let’s find out by reading below.

Rats as pets

Some people love rats. Maybe you are reading this piece because you can’t decide what pet you want, one of you is open to rats, and the other can’t stand the thought of seeing a rat. Whatever the reason, just know that rats are not as scary as they are perceived to be.

Pros

They are intelligent- rats are intelligent pets. It’s not just cats and dogs that respond to treats. Scientists consider rats to be among the smartest animals, and one reason for that is they can make decisions based on what they know. This is a process known as metacognition. They think about their ‘thinking’.

 But what are they thinking about?

They probably have lots and lots of thoughts about food, yum. You see, we’re more alike than first thought. Aha scary. 

They are small- rats are small and so in theory they shouldn’t take much space. If you live in a flat or want a pet that is going to be approved by your landlord or your parents if you live with them, a rat is a great choice.

Rats can roam in their cage or your room (don’t recommend it, read the cons), and a great plus is that they are mostly quiet so they make for perfect housemates.

They are great family pets- rats are great pets for companionship. They are known for being family pets and are great options for children. They love attention and affection – loving humans more than other rats.

Cons

Short life span- rats only live two years, and you might feel like they are not worth the heartache. Unless you don’t like rats and two years is far too long.

Must come in pairs- rats are social creatures, and they could develop psychological problems due to extreme loneliness if you don’t get them a friend or two.

But if you are not sure about rats then it’s going to be hard to convince you to get two rats rather than just the one.

From rat to rats!

They stink- although rat cages will fit most rooms, do really you want to be in the same space as rats? They smell of their pee, so it would be best to not have them in your bedroom. Also, they are nocturnal so you wouldn’t want them in your bedroom anyway.

Rats are pests

So are rats pests or pets?

Well, here is more information about why some rats are pests.

Firstly, rats are annoying creatures that eat grains so hide your precious garden produce.

And what’s worse is that they don’t recognise that the food you have left out for the birds and foxes isn’t for them.

Sure, they have their redeeming qualities but they often carry bacteria, one common one being a form of jaundice: leptospirosis.

And even pet rats are not fully safe but admittedly, the risk of infection is very low, especially if you clean their cages often (at least twice a week).

Also, cleaning their cages will help with the smell.

So, they might make good pets, and arguably they are great ‘pests’ because they are in many ways high maintenance. Sure, you can leave them alone for a few days but what about holidays? You’ll have to find friends and family who are not squeamish to house-sit them, good luck with that.

Final thoughts

Whether you think of rats as pests or pets is perspective and mostly if you don’t mind the cons of housing rats.

The outcome of having a rat as a pet could be a strong bond lasting its lifetime.

That is- if you are ok with their very short lifetime.

So, if you get over the initial grossness of making a rat your pet (please don’t just grab any rat from the streets and go to the pet shop) then maybe rats could be the right option for you.