Fancy Rodents are the Hottest New Pet

Wednesday, November 29th, 2006 by Elle Woloszuk 0 Comments

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I never really considered a large rodent to be a choice when selecting a good pet, but fancy rats,or domestic rats, are the hottest new rave amongst pet owners. They are extremely intelligent, love human companionship, and are very interactive. According to Jordan Patch, the owner of the Reptile Co. Exotic Pet Center in Endicott, he sells at least ten rats per week to people who love rats as pets. They are easy to take care of, clean, and do not need shots from a vet.

“Rats make great pets because they’re smart and friendly,” Patch said. “I’d recommend them over hamsters any day. They almost want to interact with humans. Hamsters are more prone to bite and they’re nocturnal. Rats are up day and night.”

Domestic rats, known as “fancy rats,” have been kept as pets since the mid-1800s. Upper-class English girls liked white ones in particular, and kept them in gold-covered cages.