Play a game of hide and seek with a rat. They catch on quick to the goals of this game. And they will win every time. A rat can think around corners and through the strategy of hiding and seeking. I watched my eight-year-old daughter teach her standard grey hooded rat, Shmee, how to play the game in less than fifteen minutes. Shmee became a professional. He relished her surprise when he ran out from hiding. Jumping up in the air and scrambling into her lap.

Rats are personable, loving, intelligent, and surprising.

• Rats are not dirty. They spend more time grooming themselves than a cat. Fastidious in self-care, and cage cleanliness, rats will use litter boxes if they are provided. (Rats do leave a minute urine trail as they wander around, to find their way back or for their cage mates to follow.)
• Rats are on the same sleep schedule as humans. They are ready to go when you are, and ready for bed as you are at night.
• Every rat is different and has a personality. Shy, silly, fearless, funny, childlike, serious, thinking. The traits are endless.
• Rats do not come in breeds (different shapes and sizes) like other species. They come in varieties (different coat types, ear type, no tail)

1. Standard – Short, smooth hair
2. Rex – Curly hair whiskers
3. Tailless - Like hamsters
4. Hairless – Like skinny guinea pigs
5. Satin – Thin, long, shiny hair
6. Dumbo – Large ears set to the side of their head
7. Bristle Coat – Stiff and coarse hair

Here's how to make a cage a home for your rat.

• Rats love climbing. A vertical cage offering multiple platforms or floors is mandatory.
• Never use an aquarium to house a rat. It is mentally and physically unhealthy for them.
• Furnish for fun! Hammocks, hides, tunnels, bridges, boxes, tubes, wash clothes, small towels and bedding.
• Rats love to collect and store things. Foraging toys and shiny objects are a passion.
• Rats are persnickety about a clean cage. They will use a litter box.
• Rats are happier with friends. Same sex couples are the best option. Neuter males to keep the territorial testosterone limited.
• Any bedding works. Recycled paper, paper and pine mix, pellet bedding. Add fleece hides, towels, and socks for comfort and snuggle fun.
• A water bottle or two.
• Food bowls(s) One for pellets, one for treats, one for fresh foods.

1. Feed rat food pellets and experiment with fresh foods. Rats love fresh.
2. Obesity is a problem for rats. Stay away from seeds, nuts and cheese.

Health and Wellness

Two common health challenges for rats are respiratory disease and mammary tumors.

Respiratory disease is caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma. Treated with antibiotics, respiratory disease is challenging to treat, particularly if your rat is older or has other health challenges.

Female rats can develop hormone-dependent mammary tumors if not spayed. Spaying eliminates the threat.

A rat's lifespan is less than four years. Feeder rats purchased at a pet store have a two-year lifespan, while breeder rats for companionship tend toward three to four. Rats bring humor, games, friendship, companionship and love to a human. Short years filled to the brim with smiles and sighs.