Guinea pigs, mice, squirrels,rats, hamsters, muskrats, beavers, coypus. They call come from the same genetic lineage, but for some reason people are only extremely terrified of rats.
2007-03-21 17:00:30 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I've actually wondered the exact same thing. All your typical small fuzzy pets are rodents, yet people hardly ever consider having rats as pets and see rats and mice as repulsive. I suppose this is just because rats and mice are associated with dirty environments and people are convinced that they carry diseases and germs. But, what they are unaware of is that wild hamsters and guinea pigs and what not I'm sure also carry diseases and germs. Obviously the rats they sell in the stores won't cause any one to catch the plague.
2007-03-21 18:22:22 · answer #1 · answered by Carly O 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i don't know why people are so skiddish about rats i guess its what people have learned about them in the past like the plague. of course were not talking about sewer rats we are talking about pet rats, i do have to admit before i started raising rats ten years ago i was a bit skittish too. but know i just absolutely love them people should know how smart they are and how much fun they can be rats are gentle very smart make better pets than most animals in the same category, but its really sad that they dont live longer.
2007-03-21 17:50:42 · answer #2 · answered by ninaheathcote 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like domestic rats and mice. Not a big fan of other kinds of rats because they can be mean and carry disease. I'm not a big fan of hamsters,guinea pigs,or gerbils because they don't come across as smart as a rat or mouse.
2007-03-21 17:11:25 · answer #3 · answered by freedove06 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats have a very bad reputation for disease...they are also thought of to be filthy, mean, and disgusting...I however like them. I own 2 mice and one of my co-workiers owns a very sweet rat named misty. Too many people let the rumors they hear about sewer rats disrupt their views on the pets of others.
2007-03-21 17:09:59 · answer #4 · answered by omithechickengoddess 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they buy into the stereeotype of the rat that carried the plague from the history books. personally i think rats are wonderful little creatures. i'm currently guardian to a 2 month old male and a 7 month old male.
2007-03-22 08:06:50 · answer #5 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rats spread the plague a few hundred years ago and folks been like that ever since.
2007-03-21 17:03:57 · answer #6 · answered by BOOM 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I love all those animals.
I've had pet hamsters, rats, and a guinea pig. They're all awesome.
(Rats are kinda my favorite, though.)
2007-03-21 17:06:34 · answer #7 · answered by Sandi 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats are seen as "intruders". They are unwanted animals that may harbor diseases, chew on wiring (which may start a fire) and leave their waste everywhere. Generally, people don't want any animal in their home that they didn't bring in themselves. People want to have a say in what animals they let in. Any non-pet animal is a pest. And rats are a very common and persistent pests.
2007-03-21 17:45:30 · answer #8 · answered by ljc_219 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
im not, but i think people associate rats with disease, ever since the black plague. its just something that has been passed on through society.
2007-03-21 17:12:05 · answer #9 · answered by bella 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i fine with pet rats, but i would have to tell the Truth, if i saw a wild one, I'd probably freak out at first! it not what it is, but the fact it startled me. :)
2007-03-21 17:09:16 · answer #10 · answered by rblankenship_rblankenship 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋