“I want a pet of my own,” declared 9-year-old Max one morning while munching on a frozen waffle. I raised an eyebrow and gestured toward the large designer puppy lounging in the corner, its fur tangled with remnants of a Boba Fett action figure. “No, I want something that’s just mine,” Max insisted, shaking his head. “Like a gerbil or a hamster.”
A groan escaped my lips. Over the years, as we expanded our family to include four little ones demanding food, baths, and attention, we had experimented with various pets: parakeets that nipped and scattered seeds everywhere; aquatic African frogs that we often forgot to feed; hermit crabs that we rarely saw (because they devoured each other, yikes); and an endless parade of fish. So many fish. Please note: Only parents who wish to teach their children about mortality should ever consider fish as pets.
Having learned my lesson, I firmly proclaimed that we would never again have pets requiring tanks or cages. I could barely manage to keep the children alive and clean without adding more responsibilities.
There are many “rules” in parenting, but one of the biggest is never to make absolute rules. You will invariably end up breaking them. When your empathetic middle child, who feels deeply and wears his heart on his sleeve, requests a pet that will reciprocate his affection, you find yourself in a compromising position.
Thus, I became a rat owner. Actually, a two-rat owner.
Reluctantly, I conducted my research on small animals, recognizing that having a pet would be beneficial for Max. We needed a creature that was social, capable of returning love to my sensitive son, and manageable in terms of care so as not to trigger my allergies. Eventually, I came to terms with the fact that—gulp—rats are known to be intelligent and social companions. As wild as it seemed, they were my best option. So, like any responsible mother would do (right?), I found a rat breeder on Craigslist. Yes, those exist.
A couple of months later, Max and I embarked on a two-hour journey to bring home the already adored babies from a meticulous breeder who provided detailed notes on cages (size matters!), bedding (only aspen shavings!), and toys (avoid painted wood!).
I had no idea what to expect from a Craigslist rat breeder. I certainly didn’t anticipate meeting a 19-year-old community college student with a nose ring, living with her parents and a multitude of rats. When we arrived to pick up Max’s new pets, the breeder’s mother was cooking dinner, while her father relaxed nearby with the newspaper. I gazed at the massive cage filled with rats and their babies, and I realized I wasn’t the absolute pushover parent I thought I was.
Max promptly named his new pets Cinnamon and Luna, cradling them in his lap for the two-hour ride home. Cinnamon and Luna adore lavender-scented bedding, multi-grain Cheerios, and cardboard tubes, while Max simply adores his new friends.
When I shared a photo of Max with the rats on social media, the reactions from friends ranged from shock to admiration. “You’re a better mom than I am,” several commented. But I don’t see it that way. The beauty of motherhood is that it pushes you to accomplish things you never thought possible. It gives you the strength to embrace even the most unexpected situations—like petting large rodents with red eyes and long tails—just to see your child smile. The young woman living in a Manhattan apartment would have never imagined willingly inviting rats into her home, but the mom I’ve become understands.
While I’m not thrilled about being a rat owner and still dread cleaning the cage (even with Max’s help), the joy these rats bring to my son is undeniable. Max is a child who feels the weight of the world more than his siblings, and he needed these rats. It’s that simple. This, folks, is love: navigating pet rat ownership.
Fortunately, the lifespan of a rat is only about three years, so I have that small comfort.
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Summary
This article chronicles the journey of a mom, who, despite her initial reluctance, becomes a proud owner of pet rats to support her empathetic son, Max. Through humor and introspection, the narrative reveals the challenges and joys of unexpected pet ownership, ultimately celebrating the deep love between a parent and child.