We've had our rat-friends in our lives now for over two years! Unfortunately, that means that many of them are no longer with us... the worst thing about pet rats is that they have such short lives. This handsome guy is Bendleton, or Bendles, or even just Ben if you're into that whole brevity thing. He's one of our last remaining boys, and he's an absolute teddy bear. He looks so much like his papa Pendleton that we named him in honor of him! It's a bit of a difficult thing for me to talk about, because we've lost so many of them after having such a large family...it's an inevitably of life, after all, and with such small creatures their lifespans zip by so quickly but it still hurts after bonding with each and every single one of them. Every little squeak, or squiff as I like to refer to them at times, has their own personality and quirks that endear them. Ben, like I said, is an absolute teddy bear and little cuddle bug- he's always happy to nestle in under your chin and receive cheek rubs and quick with a boogle. Did you know rats purr, not unlike a happy kitty? The rat version of purring involves clicking their teeth together and given the unique anatomy of their face muscles they'll end up boogling their eyes out, too! It's a bit unnerving to see at first, maybe, but once you know what it means you'll be so happy to see them boogling away! Since we hand raised these guys from birth, they're absolutely tame and have never hurt us, even when they were forced into bathing against their will (most any rat owner can attest to the fact that for most squeaks, bathtime is not their favorite)... And my dear sweet Bendles has always been one of the absolute gentlest and sweetest of them all. He's definitely a little mama's boy.
I will always be quick to recommend rats as pets because not only are they easy to clean up after and fun, personable pets, but their gentleness makes them excellent for children. Sure, now that our bubs are getting older, some of them are a little more prone to try to eat something before asking if it's a finger, but they've never actually hurt us. Even their test chomps are gentle, in case it's not a carrot. They groom themselves as much, or more than, cats do. You can even litter train them! It's best to keep them in pairs or social groups because they're such social animals they suffer in solitude, so if you do decide to bring a rat into your life please make sure they have a friend-o to keep them company. Everyone loves a cuddle buddy, after all!
