I have had friends with pet rats that I've babysat when they were out of town. The rats were incredibly sweet. They climbed on me, they played with my hair (but so gently!) and were inquisitive and cute.

I would not get a pet rat because I love to hike and so I have a dog who is my hiking buddy, and I would be too worried that the dog would accidentally hurt the rat, even if it were trained to view it as a friend and not prey. That being said, I am so glad you wrote this article because it gives me more insight into rats, and why they are such great pets.

For many people, a pet rat might be the perfect choice. For myself, if I did get a pet rat, I'd probably get a kick out of creating mazes or obstacle courses for them to solve to get treats, just because I think that would exercise my brain as well and give me another fun way to interact with them. :)