Just checking in and see all the EEK to pets as rats comments.
Dont knock it unless youve had one I say :)
I have to make a special thanks to my 5th grade teacher Mr Haaese. He got me started so its all his fault. :)
We had the class pet rat Whiskers. She was the sweetest things, us students were allowed to hold her during class, she would sit on our shoulders, or in our desks. And then on weekends students could take her home. Well I took her for the summer break. She was the sweetest affectionate thing. Would give kisses (can see some readers cringing)
She became a part of my family. Event Christmas pictures she was perched on my shoulder. HA!
I didnt return to Mr Haases class, since I moved up a grade, but still came to visit Whiskers and take her home now and then, once summer approached again I got to have her. But she died that summer :(
Few years later I purchased another. Rats are very different than mice or hamsters. Both mice and hamsters arent very affectionate, seems all they care about is getting away when you have them out. Rats are totally different.
I went thru 3 hamsters, and I will never go back to having one as a pet. They also like to bite.
My next rat was in a cage a few inches from my bed. You could leave her cage open at all times, she would climb on the door, climb to the top, But not jump to the floor or get away.
Well I woke up one night having a dream she was in my bed kissing me in the face. Next night I found out I didnt dream this, it was really happening. Awakened by her kissing me on the face. I was baffled. How did she get over here????? She would have to drop to the floor from the table which was far drop, and the bed wasnt close enough for her to jump to.
So I busted her one day. She would get on the top of the cage, and jump onto the curtains then to the window sill. From there she ran down, jumped onto the headboard of my bed and found her way to wake me up. See they have personality I tell ya!
I remember so many women creeped out by rats, their tales.
I was watching one of those Fear Factor shows, and how they placed these people in a container full of rats for a minute or so. Its funny how some things scare the crap out of certain people, but that challange was like "Oh I could do that" just depends on how you view rats I guess. Make me swallow some huge alive bug? No thanks. Ill lay in a tub of rats, HA!
She is already getting used to us. She loves my little one. When you put your hand in her cage she runs around all excited just waiting to be picked up. She curled up in my lap last nite as kids were asleep.
She will be good for all of us. Letting the kids handle her and have her around, and its good for me. My boys sitting there talking to her "Ohh she is sooo sweet, helloo" and they make kissing sounds.
I have only known about 2 other females who like rats like I do. One is G from AOL, we used to talk alot, have a lot in common, when I went to her house one of her kids brought out a rat! We got into this rat talk and we both just "got it" knew that rats are the coolest.
And it was funny in the pet store, since most rats are purchased for snake food. The 3 guy clerks all started to tell me what good pets rats are, affectionate, I kept saying "I know, yep Ive had them before" :) We werent gonna feed her to anything.
So wait till I post pics of me kissing her, then you can freak out, HA I love it!
Later