I am a keeper of rats and I’m proud to admit it!

Rats have been in my life since 1997, and I’ve been researching them since 1994. I went on to found my own rat club (RATANOOGA – A South African Rat Club) in 2005, which is gaining in popularity every month! They’re one of the most intelligent species you can find, and they’re a joy to keep as pets. However, contrary to popular belief they’re not inexpensive to keep. In fact, all my rats have quite easily cost me around R7000 thus far! But they’re so worth it!

Currently, I have three girls: Macro, Thyme & Nimh.

Some of my past rats:

Orlith:
Born: 9th March 2008

She’s currently my oldest rat, at only just over a year. I call her my bird-rat because she likes to perch on my thumb like a bird, but she’s also my Orly-whip. She was so tiny when I got her, and she used to cling to the side of the bars, too scared to come down to be with Feyrith (RIP, my banana-face). The bf, for the first time in his life, found a soft spot for this lonely and scared-looking creature, and she soon became “daddy’s girl”. She even started to get out of my hands when he came near, wanting only to be on his shoulder. She also became my mole rat owning to her ability to almost dive into (daddy’s) sleeves before one realised what she’d done. Of course this would also get lots of “aaaaaw”s and “cute!!”s.

She’s also almost always on heat and her ears vibrate at the slightest touch (yet another nickname “brazen hussy”). As for her breeding, she’s a pedigree Black Variegated with Blaze from Wheatfields Rattery.

Wirenth:
Born: 9 September 2008

My first ever dumbo rat! Dumbo’s have larger ears that are situated slightly lower than the normal placement of ears, and make for some veeeeeery cute rats! Wirenth was named after a dragon in the series “Dragonriders of Pern” by Anne McCaffery, as were all three of my rats (four when I include Feyrith who passed away shortly after I got her). She’s a Black Capped Mismarked Dumbo, and her pedigree name is Mariah.

She’s my smallest rat, weighing in at a small 200 grams (Orlith being slightly heavier at 212g), and she’s my worm-rat. Wherever she goes she gives the impression of “worming” along … I’m actually not too sure how to describe it. Well, it’s cute regardless! Her eyes are forever bulging and she always looks half frightened out of her wits, which again, is cute (and pulls at the heart strings of course).

She’s taken to licking, and lately I’ve been getting a daily forehead groom (since its the one bare piece of skin she can usually find when she sits on my pillow during free range time on the bed) and every now and then she tries to groom my arm. Its the best feeling in the world and the highest honour! Ask any rat owner!

Ramoth:
Born: 9 September 2008

This special rat was born into a litter of only 3: two boys and one girl. She was the smallest. Angeline of Wheatfields waited until she was sure Ramoth would be ok health-wise before notifying me of her, and of course I jumped at the opportunity of getting her.

This rat is one of the most unique I’ve ever had the pleasure of owning. She looks at everything, myself included, with almost an air of understanding. Like she’s contemplating the world. She’s a very large girl at 300g, and she’s my badger rat. This is owing to her variety, which is Agouti Badger Husky. Her pedigree name is Sierra.

She’s also a very groomy rat, and I can often coax her into cleaning her tail, by holding it out while she’s grooming herself. She’ll then grab it and groom it. If she lets it go, I offer it to her again, she grabs it and grooms it, and so it continues. She also loves to sleep and will often be found curled up in the Setticube or hammock, or if she’s on my bed for free-roaming time, she’ll be found under the covers, sprawled out in a snooze.

I can sometimes gently stroke her head until she falls asleep, but have learnt against letting her fall asleep on my chest, as more than once she’s peed. And boy does this girl have a bladder! Its never a tiny pee, but always huge! And sometimes up to three times in one free-roaming sitting! Where does she keep it all!!?