No, not like Charlie Brown "Rats" but an actual rat! Like, the creature, vermin etc? Yeah you guys get it.

Well, I might atually be getting one and I need help gettting information and facts and anything about them and I knwo a lot of artists here have some so, if you guys could lend me a paw in that, that'd be greatly appreciated.
The story behind it is this. The day before yesterday I was in PetCo getting an application for a job there. I love animals, so I figured I'd work in a place with a lot of them and helping other people with them. Well, the next day I finished filling it out and turned it in and while I was waiting for a clerk to check it over (I think he was the manager but...uh..well I think he knew I was a dog lover/owner, I was covered in fur from one of em) and I spotted the ferrets messing around in their cage. I was like "aw cute!" and after the clerk/manager checked my resume over I went over to inspect the little buggers further. Well, stuck my hand in the little tank (Which you can do, it's not bad) to scritch em and one of them tried to bite and and upon leaning in a bit more, they smelled awful.
I had no intention of getting a ferret nor was I that interested with them to begin with, but now I have another reason not to like em. (1. Draco Malfoy 2. smell awful)
So I keep browsing around. Past the finches, some gerbil's, rabbits and suddenly I glance below the gerbils at a sign that says "Fancy Rats" and I immediately like, perked up! Like, as if someone shot me I was that surprised/shocked. They were at the bottom of the rack full of animals (with the intention of not scaring away some customers, I'm sure) and just for some reason, I was like immediately interested. I knelt down and boy, were they cute. Little brown ones, white ones and a gerbil stuck in there for whatever reason, but they made me think of when he had mice in his first year of college and how much fun and companionship with them.
I'd heard somewhere that rats were very tempermental and I was a bit hesitant, but more enthused to actually touch one rather be afraid. I asked a clerk if I could please see one and she took out a white rat. Well, I've never been too fond of albino/white rats because of the red eyes, but as soon as I saw them...like...a cartoon...heart eyes! She told me this particular rat she'd been handling herself and she'd named him "pumpkin" and that rats are incredibly clever, kind and very non aggresive. She said that the only time she'd been bitten by a rat was by a momma rat (probably protecting it's nest. ) she'd been bitten plenty of times by hamsters and mice but only once for the rat.
And boy, was this little guy cute! He was a hooded rat. White body very light coffee tan over the face and he crawled all over my arms and shoulders and around my hands.
I don't know what it was but I was just head over heels. I even took back to show her even though she was far more intreigued by the ferrets. Go figure.
So I could really use some information about rats in any way shape or form, I really want to make sure I absolutely am committed before buying a little life and then becoming lazy about it later. I really don't want to do that so please, help!


My grandmother is doing as right as rain. She has her weak days, but the reason I freaked out on y'all a month or so back was because she was incredibly weak and I was very scared. Turns out she was taking too much of a certain medication and it's intentions are to drain her of bad stuff. Well, taking too much took out a lot of bad stuff and good stuff. Now she's on the proper medication and feeling better with each day.
Family life has been a little hectic. I kinda want to get out and do some things on my own but my mother has been a little controlling. She feels stressed out herself and it's her natural defense mechanism to lash and that's okay, I'm used to it. She's been a bit better yesterday and today, but I'm still wary.

Well, really that's it. Hope you guys have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for all your help and support over the past couple of months too! I think I'm finally feeling a bit better.

Love prayers howls galore
~FM

P.s. I got a JaxPad account! Check it out
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