If you only know rats as pests, you may wonder how anyone ever thought to keep them as pets. But many of their natural qualities made rats suitable for domestication. In fact, you have more in common with rats than you might realize.

Why consider a rat as a pet?

"Compared to many other rodent species, such as mice and gerbils, rats are highly social creatures," said Aaron Blaisdell, a professor of psychology at UCLA, who studies cognition in rats and pigeons. They're also smarter than you think.

Rats also share our ability to be lifelong learners. Their varied diet in the wild means that they can take advantage of many different food sources.

But brains aren't everything, and rats are clearly loved mainly for their affectionate nature. The only disadvantage mentioned repeatedly was their short lifespan, which is 2 to 3 years.

Any rat owners here? Leave a comment so other rat lovers can know you and make friends.

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