Okay, now don’t be shocked by what I am about to say. Rats make great pets. Yes, I said it. Those fuzzy, hairless-tailed, red-eyed little varmints really make great pets! Having grown up watching “Ben”, rats always gave me the heebie-geebies. But having seen my nephew’s love for his rats, and having been a veterinarian for over 14 years now has given me an appreciation for these little guys.

They are perfect for a family that has an allergy sufferer. They produce far fewer allergens than cats and dogs, and since they spend much of their time in cages, they don’t spread those allergens around the house like a free-roaming pet. They are smart, affectionate, and social, and can be taught many tricks, like coming on command, and sitting on your shoulder. They love to climb, so have your child construct a playground using cardboard tubes, ropes, and boxes.

They need supervised time outside of the cage to socialize and exercise. Provide lots of chewable wood blocks and toys, since a rat’s teeth grow fast. To further lower levels of allergen exposure, don’t bring the rat into the allergic child’s bedroom, and have a non-allergic family member clean out the rat’s cage and wipe the rat with a pet allergen cleaning lotion at least once a week. Rats typically live about 2 to 4 years, and are prone, among other things, to upper respiratory diseases and cancer.

So if your child says he or she brought home a rat, don’t go running for a rat trap. Give it a chance. You may just surprise yourself and fall for these little critters.

Till next time,

Dr. Steve

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