During the pandemic, we have seen a sharp rise in pet adoptions, with college students being one of the largest demographics doing so. But with all these dogs, cats, birds, and fish, there is one great option that seems to be so frequently overlooked. It may be time to reconsider the reputation of one small creature in particular. Rats. The general consensus seems to be that rats are disgusting and cannot make good pets. It is time to hear a couple points on the contrary and discuss some of the real benefits in deciding whether you might find a rat to be a good pet.
First off, rats are not gross and nasty animals. Domesticated rats love spending lots of time cleaning their fur. They can be litter trained, though they will naturally tend to find a nearby unoccupied corner and male rats will mark their territory when around others. But this smell can usually be kept away with weekly cleanings. They are intelligent, too!
Rats all have unique personalities and traits. They tend to really like bonding and being around people, which is great especially compared to other small pets, such as hamsters or rabbits. They are small without being so small that they are easily lost. This makes them much easier to travel with than some other pets.
There are some realities of owning rats, however that must be acknowledged. Rats can have a short life span of around two to three years. This can be especially difficult because of how much of a personality they can have. But it also means that it is a much lower time commitment for someone who may not know how much time they can give to a pet, especially college students in this case.
They are born with large teeth, and while most don’t bite and aren’t aggressive they can gnaw on things. As is their nature. However, the same can be said for owning cats or dogs. College students have many things they have to keep in mind that other pet owners may not. Giving some consideration to limitations on space, time, and money, rats make a great college pet. They are small, affordable, travel well, and they don’t require the time commitment that other pets do. It may be time to rethink your outlook on the possibility of owning one (or many) rats.
Craig Thomas can be reached at [email protected]