This article is from the WSSF 2007 AFRMA Rat & Mouse Tales news-magazine.

By Karen Robbins

Allison Cougan, age 10, Seattle, WA (drawings by Allison Cougan)
QMy name is Allison and I’m 10 years old. I want to get a pet rat, but my mom wants me to get more information about rats before I get one. Could you please send me some information about caring for them, food, housing, etc? It would be a big help.

AIt’s great your mom is wanting you to learn about the pets you are interested in before you get them. Being informed on what you are getting into is always the recommended route so you know if that pet is right for you. Also, since your parents are responsible for seeing that you give your new pets the proper care, they need to know all about them as well. There are a couple good books in pet shops or book stores you can purchase on pet rats: Rats, Complete Care Made Easy by Debbie Ducommun, 2001, published by Fancy Publications, Irvine, CA, ISBN 1-8895-40714; Rats: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual by Carol Himsel Daly, D.V.M., 2002, published by Barron’s Educational Series, Inc., NY, ISBN: 0-7641-2012-3. There is also information on the Internet. We have lots of information and flyers on our web site, www.afrma.org, that you can read to learn all about the care of rats, types of cages and bedding, to picking out your first pets, and more. You will find in your learning about these fun companions, that you will need two rats for your pets, not just one (either two girls or two boys) as they are very social animals and need the companionship of a fellow rat to live with. We also have a section on our web site just for kids that has some fun activities just for you.