Another ratty question! LOL?

Question

im making a list of things for my mom...she wont get my rat, jerry, a friend so im making a "why jerry needs a friend" list. can you give me a list of why rats need to live in pairs/groups and what it can doo for them!

THANX! ♥

Answer 1

Rats are naturally social animals and need companions or they will become very distressed and they don't form a good bond with their owner if they don't have a playmate!!

Answer 2

On top of being extremely important to a rat's well being, it's really not that big of a deal to get a second rat.  You might need a bigger cage (depending on what you have now), but overall your mom probably wouldn't notice that there's two.  If you are able to get a rat close in age to the one you already have, your mom doesn't have to worry that you're going to have these rats for 8 years either.  You already get bedding, food, toys, etc for one rat, and there isn't a huge difference in expenditure to have a second one.

If your mom likes animals, wait until she sees them play together.  I frequently see my rats snuggle together while sleeping, groom each other, wrestle each other, share the water sippy thing together.  

Your mom is probably less concerned about why Jerry needs a friend and more concerned about you having another pet.  You should really research rats and save money to show how you're going to be responsible and you know what you're doing.  There are some good sites to check out below.  You need to show her you really are in it for the long haul and the second rat isn't just an impulse buy.

Hope that helps!