Rat in my Kitchen

[jekylljuice]

Heh, I like rats, much more so than mice - obviously I wouldn't want them crawling around my cupboard, but the domesticated variety can make very intelligent and affectionate companions (I've been informed that they're actually a lot more rewarding to keep as pets than the routine hamster, since they don't sleep all day and are much less likely to bite), and the wild variety can provide a lot of amusement value with the various stories you hear about their cheerful defiance (however hard humans strive to stop them, the rats will find a way...). At the very least, you've gotta admire that impressive vitality of theirs.

Besides, I anticipate that rats are going to be very much in vogue this summer, what with the upcoming release of Pixar's Ratatouille.

The only thing that puts me off wanting to keep a pet rat of my own is their typically short lifespan...like most rodents, they only seem to have a very meagre two or three year's worth of life in them, which is too short for me. If I'm ever getting a rodent, then it's going to be something a bit more hard-wearing, like a chinchilla. They can live an average of 10-15 years, so I'm told.

Fortunately we've never had any infestations at my house worse than a handful of common or garden ants (and cat fleas, which are a given). There has been the odd occasion in which my cats have carried live mice into the house and then...misplaced them. In which case, the problem usually rectifies itself.