Hi, my name is Margaret. I grew up on a farm in Australia where I was first exposed to rats. People always seem to have bad reactions whenever they saw or talked about rats. I do understand that rats can be a problem in a farming environment. But, I was very impressed with their intelligence after seeing how they avoided getting caught in the rat traps that were set out for them. (These traps were designed to only catch the rats, as we had other animals (cats, dogs, etc) on the property and did not want to use bait that could kill not only the rats but any other animal that may have got them). However, I thought this was wrong as I always found them to be very cute, interesting, and intelligent creatures. I learned that they are easy to train and look after. They provided me with many hours of fun and entertainment. After learning more about them, I realised what wonderful pets they make.
I got my first two pet rats in my late teens when I was at university. The reason for this was I did have a lot of money or room to look after a bigger pet, I had no regrets about getting my two little pet rats. They fitted into my life really well. Some of my friends had a problem with them at first but as they got to know them and how easy they were to that care off. They started to adore them as well. My pets were named Danny and Sandy, whom I had hours of fun with. I enjoyed being able to look after them, training them, and then watching them perform their tricks. It was great when they came when called, and completed their toilet training and other tricks. They were wonderful friends and companions. Hope you enjoy your pet rats as much as I enjoyed mine.