When I told my friends that my oldest daughter purchased her first pet, a rat, no one seemed to think it was very cool. "Are you crazy?" was the typical response. When most people think of rats they envision gnarly, long-toothed, grey rats, the kind typically seen in the bad part of town. Rats bred for the pet business, however, are nothing like the wild rats that inhabit cities and towns everywhere.

Rats make excellent first pets, especially for older children. Their lifespan is about four years and rats are extremely sociable. In defense of rats everywhere, here are a few facts about keeping rats as pets.

Rats are attractive. Rats bred to be pets come in a wide array of colors. My daughter's rat is brown and white, others are golden, some are a soft grey, some are white and if you're lucky you can find a "calico".

Rats are clean. Rats spend large amounts of time grooming themselves. They tend to eat in one corner of their cage and leave waste in another. The waste does tend to smell if not cleaned daily, but that is the same with any animal.

Rats are sociable and intelligent. Rats like human companionship and are very playful. Rats can learn their name and be taught to perform simple tricks.

Rats are inexpensive and come in different sizes. Rats are generally sold as small (growing to about 4"), medium (growing to about 6") and large (growing to about 8"). Pricing varies but you can expect to pay less than $10 for a pet rat, the smaller ones being less expensive. Feeding a rat is not a huge monetary commitment, a month's worth of high quality rat feed is about $5. You can make your rat's diet at home if you wish and provide inexpensive chew sticks.

How to pick a healthy rat.
A healthy rat will have shiny, soft fur and will not smell bad. A male's fur is a bit coarser than a females but it should not be bristly. Rats do not have a foul odor when they are healthy, though you may notice a bit of a musky smell when examining a healthy male, but it is not an offensive odor.

A healthy rat will be interested in eating and drinking and will be active in it's cage. When approached by a human hand in the pet store the rat should try to run away or should greet the hand happily, it should not cower in a corner.

Healthy rats will not have an eye discharge, their ears will be perky and intact, their teeth will not be overgrown and their toe nails will be a light color.

What rats need to eat.
Rats, like most rodents, have continually growing teeth. They need to eat food that is not only balanced but will help keep their teeth in check.

Rats are omnivorous and should be given access to plenty of different foods. Rat food should be a mixture of whole grains, protein, vegetables and fruit. Peanuts, sunflower seeds, mealworms, cooked meats (especially liver and other discards), cooked beans (including soy), grapes, apples, melons, broccoli, peas and rice are among foods acceptable for rats.

Rats should never be fed chocolate, raw beans, raw potatoes, cabbage and sugar. Avoid giving your pet rat leftovers from your dinner plate.

The typical rat serving size is a few teapsoons, pregnant and nursing rats will need a bit more.

Rats should only drink water. This means no soda, no beer, no juice...just water.

If you prefer you can purchase a quality rat feed inexpensively at any pet store. Rat feed comes in bags and blocks, the blocks are recommended if your rat needs his teeth groomed.

How to house a rat.
The first rule with rats is to never, ever house male and female rats together. A rat litter can have anywhere between 1 and 20 babies, with 8-10 being the average. Five weeks later the babies are weaned and a few weeks later the babies can begin producing their own offspring. Always seperate males and females! Rats like company so by all means get two, but always two of the same sex.

Rats can be kept in a cage or a tank, the larger the animal the larger the housing. A 10 gallon fish tank with a tight fitting mesh lid will do for most rats. Your rat will need exercise, a wheel does the trick nicely. Because your rat has a long tail always use an enclosed wheel to avoid injury. A metal wheel is best because your rat will chew on a plastic wheel. Rats also like "hamster balls" and "gerbil tubes". Simply giving your rat a few places to hide and climb will encourage exercise.

Your rat will need soft bedding and substrate in their home. Wood chips do not make a good bedding for rats, they are more sensitive to it than other rodents. hay, alfalfa, shreded newspaper and torn cloth are good choices. Providing your rat with a covered place to sleep will be appreciated, those made from natural fibers work well but a plastic dome will suffice.

Your rat needs plenty of chew sticks to keep his teeth in check and plenty of toys. Appropriate toys include pieces of PVC pipe, bird ropes & toys and fabric strips hung from the top of the cage. An alternative to chew sticks are small, hard, plain flavor dog bones.

How to care for your rat.
Your rat should be seen by an exotic pet vet if they begin sneezing, have eye discharge, are injured, if their teeth or nails become overgrown, if the rat shows lethargic behavior or won't eat.

Your rat will groom itself but from time-to-time will need a bit of a bath. Don't dunk your rat in water, rather, use a damp cloth or unscented baby wipe to wash them. Dry them gently with a warm towel. Never use a hair dryer on a rat.

Where to get a rat.
Your local animal shelter may house a rat for adoption if the rat is a surrendered pet. In some places you may find a rat rescue that takes in unwanted offspring. Most likely you won't find either of those resources and you will visit a pet store to purchase your rat. Do not buy a rat from an unclean store and do not purchase a rat where there is a high incidence of dead animals.

As always, wash your hands before and after handling your pet rat. Do not allow your rat to share living quarters with other animals, especially dogs, cats and reptiles. Rats are a potential food source for almost every animal on four legs, so keep them safe.

Rats make wonderful pets, especially for children. Open your heart to a rat today!