Rodents

I love my rodents. I'm sure that's pretty obvious by now but I figured I would mention it. So many people are put off by them, especially rats, so they ignore many of their redeeming qualities. The rodent to the right is my rat, Daisy, that I just got.

There's something so unique about them, so incredibly beautiful. A quality to them that isn't like any other type of animal. Rats are especially marvelous because they are so friendly and social and just generally so sweet you can't help but want to cuddle with them. Seriously, they are the essence of unvarnished love and loyalty. Their curiosity and intelligence rivals any that I've ever seen. And that's not just Daisy too; the same seems to be the case with the other rats that I've met. Dogs are the same way in a lot of ways but there's something different in the way a rat does it.

Hamsters, on the other hand, are skittish. They take a while to warm up to you and they aren't as intelligent as hamsters. They are shy and they are much more easily startled. However, once you win over the heart of a hamster, it's yours.

Add to that that they are completely dependent on you and you learn what it really means to be responsible for something... To love something and to have it love you and to really appreciate, even temporarily, that evanescent moment with them. They can really teach you a lot.


I love my rodents.

Update: My new rat, Buttercup, is wonderful as well and is making a great companion to Daisy (despite some rough patches).