So you're thinking, "This girl has RATS? She keeps them in her home? Voluntarily? And she lets them eat her lunch? And they sit on her shoulder?"

  Ugh Vermin!!! 

*NEW- an honest comparison of rats vs. other small furries (and iguanas). Scroll down!*

Why exactly have I become a slave to my rats? Why would I prefer to spend the weekend with them than with people? Why am I willing to spend $300 on cages and toys for them? Here's why:

Rats are friendly, affectionate, loyal, intelligent, and cute. 

They're cheaper than ponies, smaller than dogs, and cleaner than kids.

They greet you every day, begging for a treat and a chance to come out and play.

They can be trained to use a litter box, walk on a leash, stand on their hind legs, walk on a tightrope, play rat soccer, run through mazes and obstacle courses, recognize their names, and come when they're called.

They're not disease-ridden vermin. In fact, the brown rat (subway variety) actually drove the black rat (which carried fleas that had the plague) out of Europe and helped to end the epidemic of bubonic plague.

Rats will rarely bite the way hamsters do. If a rat bites you, it's probably because you smell of food. They're not trying to be mean!

They will adjust their sleeping schedules to be awake when you are home.

They come in lots of colors and varieties

You can make little hats for them (heeheehee!)

They're cheap to feed and care for! The only real expense is the cage.

It's fun to tickle their bellies!!!

They smell better than some people!

They don't care what you're wearing, as long as it has a pocket or sleeve for them to cuddle in!

They're so darn CUTE how could you NOT want one (or two or eight)?

So, are you addicted yet? Don't you just HAVE to go and get some little ratties to be your friends? Some sweet, loving little furballs are in a petstore right now, waiting for someone to give them a loving home... 

It could be YOUR home...

^^^ "We'd like to thank the Academy for this...uh... Nobel Prize... for being the GREATEST PETS EVER!!!!!" ^^^

Here is an honest comparison between rats and other small furries (and iguanas, which are not small or furry!). This is based on my own experience, so it may not apply to every single animal. It think it's pretty accurate though:

	Cute?	Destructive?	Smelly?	Bites?	Good for little kids?	Intelligent?	Potty-trainable?	Expensive?
Rats	Yes	Sometimes	Not really	Hardly ever	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Mice	Yes	Sometimes	YES!!!	Sometimes	Not ususally	No	No	No
Hamsters	Yes!!!	Not really	Yes	Sometimes	Sometimes	No	Sort of	No
Guinea pigs	Yes	Not really	Not really	No	Yes	No	No	No
Bunnies	Yes!!!	Always	No	No	Sort of	Sort of	Yes	No
Ferrets	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Iguanas	No	No	Not really	Sometimes	No	Sort of	Yes	No