h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank you for this excellent piece on that most wonderful of small pets. I swear that rats are more intelligent than some breeds of dog and far more affectionate than many as well. For anyone who cannot have a dog but would like one, the rat is the perfect alternative.

i agree ! i loved my little rats. i used to call them my little dogs. they used to sleep at my feet in my bed and i even played fetch with them.

Newly married young naive foreign couple
8th floor residence, no furniture as yet
Usual pets are no go
Pet Shop, 2 brown rats, no info, 4 weeks, loads of ratlets! Sorry Kittens!
Amazing scenes as they run riot in the flat
Aggressive male, my nose bitten, we are scared, back to the pet shop
Unknown to us, we were expected!?
We only kept the female and from there on
2 tears of absolute fun!
She used to willingly, consciously, repeatedly enjoy Bungee jumping from a 3 feet high TV stand!
Used to love going to shops in my coat sleeve!
Big fun of grapes
we used empty wine boxes, placed in an open hamster cage daily for her housing needs and she used to shred her own papers, daily!
and She was happiest when her cage was in the boiler cupboard!
She finally passed away the same day my wife (ex) went holiday abroad which was the end of us all!
I missed them both!