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Why Rats Make Great Pets for Kids

by Joanna Nesbit3/14/2008 5:11:41 PM

When my daughter was eight, we decided she was old enough to take care of her own pet—a small pet that would live in a cage. She really wanted a dog, but together we settled on something smaller that didn’t require daily walks and poop scoops. We explored the pros and cons of hamsters, gerbils, and rats, and many conversations later, we’d made our decision. Rats. As in, they were the winner, not “Oh no.”

Caring for Midge helped Leah learn commitment and responsibility.

If you can get over their tail, and I wondered if I would (I did), rats make fantastic pets for kids. Here’s why.

Rats are extremely social. They’re friendly and affectionate, as well as playful, and they thrive on human companionship. They love to be petted. In fact, given the right care, they will bond with their human in much the same way a dog does (this was a major selling point with me) and will happily ride around on your shoulder.

Rats are intelligent and playful. Rats have good memories and scientists believe they’re as smart as cats or dogs. With training, they’ll come to the call of their name and learn tricks. Rats are playful and will wrestle with your hand like a kitten does. Leah played with her rat every day, and Midge came to expect these sessions, begging to come out of her cage to play.

Rats almost never bite. In the small animal world, they’re known for this trait. They might lick you or nibble your fingers if they smell food, but they won’t bite unless frightened. This is an important trait to me as a parent—I don’t want my child worried about putting her hand in the cage.

Rats are clean and don’t smell. They will designate part of their cage as their toilet, and as long as you do your part to keep the cage clean, it won’t take on any kind of barnyard aroma.

Rats are relatively quiet. Although they are nocturnal, rats do not require a wheel as hamsters do (no squeaking through the night). They will also habituate themselves to your schedule. Leah played with Midge every morning before she went to school and every evening before she went to bed. Midge greeted Leah by waiting in the corner of her cage.

Considerations Before Committing to a Rat

• Because rats require companionship, rat experts recommend getting two same-sex rats to keep each other company. A second rat doesn’t require extra work, and is especially important if your child doesn’t have time every day to socialize with her pet. But socialization and exercise outside the cage are important to a rat—an hour a day is ideal—so you’ll need to evaluate whether your family can meet this need.
• Cages need to be cleaned every week, two weeks at the absolute maximum. Unless you want to be the primary caregiver, consider whether your child is ready to consistently take on this chore (we had to do our share of reminding over the two years of Leah’s pet ownership).
Rats are clean, intelligent, and social animals, and great first pets for kids.
• Rats love to chew. For us, this wasn’t a consideration but it might be for some families. When rats come out of the cage to play, they’ll likely find something to gnaw on. In Leah’s bedroom, sheets were a common target, as were certain American Girl doll accessories, such as leather doll shoes.
• Rats live 2-3 years (three years is optimistic). For some families, this is a plus because you’re not committing to many years of care. But the downside is two years can creep up rather quickly, and then your child must go through the sad lesson of losing a pet. In our household, we knew Midge was on her way out for a couple of weeks, so Leah had time to prepare, but the end was still hard.

During her two years of rat ownership, Leah matured into an empathetic pet owner. Studies show that children develop positive self esteem from owning a pet, as well as develop responsibility and a sense of commitment by tending to the daily care of a pet. Not only that, kids and pets grow to love each other and there’s no substitute for this special bond.

To learn more about rats, including how to find a healthy one and supplies you’ll need, check out R·A·T·S—Rats Assistance and Teaching Society. For an article on where to find a healthy pet rat, as well as whether you’re ready for ownership, check out AFRMA. To talk to a local veterinarian, I recommend Dr. John Berry at the Lynden Veterinary Hospital; you can reach him at (360) 354-7988. He specializes in small animal care and is very knowledgeable about rats.

A Note About the Author: Joanna Nesbit

Joanna Nesbit is a home-based freelance writer. She thinks she can write and parent at the same time. She and her husband, Curt, are developing new interests through their two kids, including chess, Girl Scouts, soccer, and horses. In her limited spare time, she enjoys reading, running, and good beer.