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Rats as pets

posted by ksoviero on March 2nd, 2010 at 5:26 AM EST

I have been wanting to write this for a while now, but after seeing Monday's (3-1-10) show, I felt that I had waited long enough. Rats have been dogged on for far too long for atrocities that they themselves have not committed, not to mention all the negative stereotypes.

Cenk. Don't try to deface the small sliver of positive attention rats barely have at their disposal today. Rats have been kept as pets for centuries, they are intelligent, resourceful (as I suspect most people know), and posses many attributes that usually only apply to dogs, cats, and other familiar pets.

First of all, rats were NOT the cause of the Bubonic Plague. Their only action pertaining to those unfortunate years, were the fact that they were intelligent and could find their way onto ships and into houses easily. This caused the fleas that lived on them (the fleas being the things that actually carried the plague) to be able to infect the sailors and individuals living there. While they did also catch the plague, when they did, they died. They were as devastated by the plague as humans.

Second of all - back in modern times - “[rats] pose no more of a health risk than other common pets” (http://www.merckvetmanual.c om/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/ bc/220100.htm).

Not to mention that “fancy” rats (the kind kept as pets) are as similar in behavior and health, as wolves are to German Shepherds.

Thank you for talking the time to have read this far.

I really do enjoy watching The Young Turks on a daily basis (in fact I am a member), but sometimes I need to make sure that I at least try to set the record straight. I don't think this small note contains enough information to really get across the truth, but I hope it will at least get people to not dismiss rats (be them “fancy” or wild) so easily.

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Rats as pets | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)

best blog ever

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by rev24 on on March 2nd, 2010 at 5:43 AM EST

It's about time someone sticks up for the rats - enough's enough already!

I had

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by Alloy on on March 2nd, 2010 at 5:55 AM EST

Aquatic turtles and they where fucking messy. Never again will I buy turtles, I gave them back to the shop.

Rats in San Diego

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by RedPossum on on March 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 PM EST

We have many rats in my neighborhood; they live in the tops of the date palms.

They are what you call wild rats, rattus norvegicus, just plain ugly grey.

One day a few summers ago, I left some fruit to ripen by the open kitchen window. Having been out in the back on the computer for a while, I walked into the kitchen, and heard a chewing noise. It stopped, so I continued to the bathroom, but I heard it again on my way back.

Flipping on the light, I saw a large white and brown rat had chewed his way through the screen, and was just starting to poke his whiskers through the hole. I clapped my hands and shouted, the rat split, and i closed the window, thinking I'd repair the hole the next day.

Well, the next day was busy and I didn't get around to it. Passing through the kitchen again in similar circumstances, I heard this little tap tap tap noise. I flick on the light, and the same damn rat was back, sitting there at the hole in the screen, looking at me expectantly, like I was going to open the window.

I walked closer to look, and it just sat there watching me, totally unafraid. And I noticed it was a showy-looking rat, snowy white and brown, really nothing like the grey wild rats.

So I asked a buddy who works in pest control, and he was adamant that it was not a wild rat. He said both by appearance and behavior, it was somebody's pet rat that escaped or was abandoned.

Rats

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by PinkEyeTowlie on on March 2nd, 2010 at 12:50 PM EST

Pet rats are cleaner than rabbits , alot quieter than dogs , and far more affectionate than cats, and because thay are smart and very dexterous they can learn loads of great tricks , let 2010 be year of the rat (though technically that was 2008)

: pff...

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by SkinGraft on on March 2nd, 2010 at 4:53 PM EST

its not hard to be more affectionate than a cat.

[ Parent ]

I threw a wok at a wabbit

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by MRFred on on March 2nd, 2010 at 5:44 PM EST

but I hit a waat instead

SQUIRRELS!

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by eborujion on on March 3rd, 2010 at 6:47 AM EST

And speaking about diseases these critters carry: the bubonic plague is basically extinguished in most of the world, thus rats and their fleas are not dangerous in that regard.

Squirrels OTOH, SQUIRRELS! Stay away from them! In regions where rabies is endemic, often 90% of these cute little fellows are carriers! Funny thing is: they don't get sick and die from it. Apparently it makes them even cuter*.

*= last statement not supported by evidence or facts.

Rats as pets | 7 comments (7 topical, 0 hidden)

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Rats as pets