Rats are awesome pets to have around the house.They are smart and can learn numerous tricks such as playing basketball or going through obstacle courses.These everso intelligent creatures will learn where their home is and where to get food.Rats will be willing to love and care for you just like a dog or a cat would.Unlike most people think,rats are very clean and it was not the Norwegian rat that spread the plauge,it was the black rat.Infact,rats are so clean that they occasionally bathe and usually move their waste to one corner or even a litter box.Rats,however do not live long at all.

Many people do not know where to get reasonable,healthy rats.Many people buy rats at pet shops,but I do not recommend it since the rats are unsocialized and have many health complications from being inbred over and over.A better choice would be responsible breeders that can be found online by searching "fancy rat breeders".I could even give you one if you drive to my house at 2225 Montana St ,Los Angeles.If you do find a good place make sure the rats are healthy:no red discharge of the eyes and nose,not pregnant(unless you want the challenge to care for 1 to 18 more babies),clear,scaled tail,and no cuts or bruises.Also, shelter rats can become good pets if you have the extra money to provide for them if they get sick since those rats were rescued rats that were probably from pet shops.

    Both domestic and wild rats develop hierarchies.It is used to know who gets best mating rights,food rights,territory rights,and water rights.Hierarchy is always important to rats because it is their social order,who gets the best things.All males have a chance at breeding with a single female,but it is usually the dominant males that breed first as they are more athletic and keep up with the females running away before they gets ravished.It is also important to show who gets the food in times of hardship.Rats develop hierarcy by nipping,biting,and fighting.

Ask me any questions about rats you need answered in the comments section.