yeah, go with the rat. very clean, cute, social, intelligent, and small enough so food and toys aren't too expensive.
you should watch willard first, though, just so you know not to fuck with em.

queen bean

I think I recommended this back before the hermit crab days -- totally get a rat. But make sure you invest in the recycled newspaper bedding instead of the wood chip bedding, cause the wood chip stuff is dusty and rats are prone to respiratory infection. And just know that rats are kind of constantly peeing, so when you're playing with them you have to be able to get over that.

But they never poop outside their cage unless they're really scared. So you won't have to deal with that ever.

That's not true. I've had several rats, and they poo all over. Most rodents will poo wherever they want whenever they want.

Nah dude, you're just scary...to rats.

My rats loved me! One of them was especially great--he'd hang out in my jacket pocket and steal treats when I was munching.

The hamsters, however, think I am Satan. Well, two of them, anyway.

Did you suddenly find that all the bread you ate looked suspiciously like rye around the time you had said rats?

No, silly, that's MOUSE poop! Rats poop much bigger.

More like raisins?

No, more like fennel seeds.

does fennel have seeds?  WHOA!

Yeah, after it flowers. They put 'em in Italian sausages. Christians used to use them to curb hunger when fasting for lent. They taste kind of licorice-y.

Well, there ya go.  I learned something new on Wednesday without even knowing it...COOL!

You can train them to poop only inside their cage - you can even train them to use a litterbox!

To say they never poop outside their cage is not true. Ours poop some times when the playing has slowed down or they exersize a lot. It is just natural to have to poop when you walk alot. Rats are the best, I have had dogs, cats, pararie dog, and now rats,,, I like the rats alot. I have 4, Oreo, Cream, Violet, and Lexi! Wonderful friends!

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