Would You Have A Mouse As A Pet?
This animal is often associated with negative aspects, such as rejection, transmission of diseases or even disgust. However, in many houses the rat already appears as a pet. That’s why, today, we’re going to share some amazing information about these little animals.
Rat as a pet: yes or no?
First, of course, this question doesn’t have a single answer. Many factors influence the choice of a pet – personal, financial or health issues – and, in the case of the rat as a pet, it could even be said that psychological issues.
Perhaps this is because many people associate rats with negative or harmful aspects in general. This is probably one of the species that causes the most rejection among human beings, and part of the blame lies with history.
The Black Death that plagued Europe in the 14th century has always been widely attributed to rats. But we were wrong, since the latest published studies claim that the real causes of death for a third of the population were not rats, but a combination of fleas, lice and poor hygiene.
Maybe you were surprised, but what if we said that having a rat as a pet goes back hundreds of years?
The creation of the house mouse
The first data on the rat as a domesticated animal date back to the 18th century. Unfortunately, the first domestic rats were destined for a sport called rat-baiting, in which many of them died.
However, breeding and adopting mice of various colors and sizes has become popular.
It was only in the 19th century that the rat began to gain fame as a pet. In the 70s, the so-called National Fancy Rat Society was founded in England, where the foundations for the creation of rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) as a domestic animal began to be established.
Currently, having a rat as a pet is a phenomenon that is spreading all over the world.
A pet with many advantages
Having a rat as a pet means being in the company of a loving animal. These rodents are sociable and very playful animals, and are generally not aggressive at all. All of this makes them ideal pets for children.
Furthermore, rats have a great intelligence and can be trained. If you’re patient, you can teach a few simple tricks. However, to take care of your pet properly, it is necessary to follow a series of guidelines.
Care and Feeding of the Rat as a Pet
If you’ve chosen to have a mouse as a pet, you might want to know a lot of details about its breeding and feeding. One of the things you need to know is that these are gregarious animals and therefore it is advisable to have at least one couple in the same space.
As for the cage, you should make sure it is big enough for them to be comfortable with. If you have space, choose a cage that allows them to move around and move freely and has a hiding place for them to rest.
Although they are clean animals, the best thing to do is to clean the cage every week.
The food of the domestic rat must be based on rations specially indicated for this type of animal. This type of feed provides all the nutrients they need, but if you want, you can supplement the diet with pieces of peeled fruit or vegetables.
The final decision is up to each future owner, but as you can see, owning a house mouse is not uncommon and can be a very pleasant experience.
