Rescue Tails / Lionel

Lionel

When it comes to companion animals, most people think of dogs, cats, and birds. But there are other, less common four-legged companions. This week we’re going to talk about “ratties,” a softer, more endearing name for rats. (Have we just lost you?!) We recognize that many people experience a profound visceral negative reaction just thinking about rats. But we hope you will keep reading long enough to learn more about these underestimated rodents and see why some people find them endearing.

Rats are incredibly bright and adaptable, which is the bad news if they are invading your home, but it’s also the good news if you are looking for a companion. They are easy to train, highly social and interactive, and they can be very affectionate. They are small and don’t require a huge living space, making them much easier to house than some other companion animals. They are playful and inventive. Rat-lovers have told us that, in some ways, they are very much like dogs in tiny bodies.

Our volunteer Jessica and her daughter Stellina offer a beautiful example of how the experience with one individual animal can transform feelings about an entire species.

In Jessica’s own words:

“My experience of rats before bringing one into my home five years ago was living in New York City, where the rats are fearless, fast, and seem to delight in running the sidewalks in groups to see who can make pedestrians scream the loudest. I certainly never thought I’d live with them on purpose. So when asked by a staff member at the FKSPCA, ‘Have you ever considered a rat?’ I responded, ‘For what?!’ She explained that an older rat named Lionel had been surrendered to the shelter. I suspect she recognized my daughter and me as crazy rodent people in the making when we’d adopted two gerbils a couple weeks earlier. She was right. We met and were immediately charmed by Lionel. Well, it was love at first nose twitch for my daughter; for me it took watching several hours of pet rat antics on YouTube to quell my deeply embedded “ICK!” reaction to their tails. But soon I would look at Lionel’s tail, and only see an incredible tool for expression and balance. We swiftly became besotted by his sweet temperament, adorable hand-paws, and calming presence. Our only lingering concern was whether he’d be lonesome for same-species companionship. Rats are highly social animals, so it’s generally best to adopt a minimum of two. (Caution: Rats are prolific breeders so must be either kept in same-sex groups — or “mischiefs” — and/or spayed-neutered). Lionel had been a solo rat since rescued as a baby from snake-food fate and we didn’t want to introduce a brother or two if it would cause him stress or incite aggression. Lionel did have playdates on occasion with a fellow single rat. As a forever-solo dude, Lionel didn’t understand why Gus kept trying to groom him, seemed to enjoy the visits if kept brief, but preferred his own and human company. Speaking of grooming, despite their unfortunate associations with disease and squalor, rats are actually rather fastidious in their hygiene. They can be litter trained, and while their habitats require regular cleaning (for the olfactory sake of the humans they live with), this is a fairly quick task — as with our own homes, routine spot-cleaning and maintenance are key.

“Since Lionel, we’ve had more than 20 rats in our care which have come to us from various sources. We’ve had everything from older adoptees, to a young, secretly pregnant female and soon her 12 babies (aka kittens). They’ve ranged in personality, size, color, ear placement — traditional and “dumbo” (side-positioned) — activity level, likes and dislikes, appetite … just like all creatures. We recently “fostered” 2 male rats from the FKSPCA during the pandemic who we fell in love with and never returned. We suspect the shelter knew us too well which is why they asked us to foster! All have been friendly; we’ve been bitten on occasion, but inadvertently and never out of aggression. Rats have poor eyesight and use their noses and mouths to “see” — and they can’t always distinguish between, say, a grape and the fingertips offering the treat. As prey animals, they don’t like to be grabbed from above, but once trust develops they will permit their human to scoop them up or will climb into a hand, perch on a shoulder, or settle into a lap or pocket for a nap. Depending on habitat setup, other animals in the home, etc., rats can be allowed to ‘free roam,’ apt to return to the ‘safe zone’ of their cage on their own — or certainly to the shake of a treat bag or food dish. Domesticated (or ‘fancy’) rats on average live 1-1/2 to 3 years. While this short lifespan can be a heartbreak for those who love them, it affords a chance for people nervous about or unable to make a long-term commitment to welcome companion animals into their lives. I personally think rats are the best, yet-to-be-discovered pet for seniors or others wanting a low-maintenance, easy to care for, but loving and interactive companion.”

Just ask any rat-lover; never say never! If you think you may be interested in learning more or adopting a pet rat, there are rat rescues and shelters with domestic rats available for adoption. A search of the internet will guide you to adoptable ratties in your area.