“I want a pet,” declared my 9-year-old son, Ethan, one morning while munching on his toast. I raised an eyebrow and gestured to our overly enthusiastic golden retriever sprawled out in the corner, still covered in remnants of a long-lost toy. “No, I want something that’s just mine,” he insisted, shaking his head. “Like a gerbil or a hamster.”
A heavy sigh escaped me. Over the years, as we welcomed one child after another into our home—eventually totaling four little ones to care for—we’d tried a wide array of pets: parakeets that nipped and let feathers fly, aquatic frogs we often forgot to feed, hermit crabs that became lunch for each other, and an unending supply of fish. A word of advice: only parents who want to teach their kids about loss should consider fish as pets!
I quickly learned my lesson and decided we would never again have pets that required tanks or cages. With four kids to keep alive and somewhat clean, adding the responsibility of cages was not on my agenda.
There are many “rules” in parenting, but perhaps the most crucial one is to steer clear of making them. You will almost always break your own rules. Because when your empathetic middle child, who wears his heart on his sleeve, asks for a pet that will reciprocate his affection, what can you do?
You become a rat owner. Actually, a proud owner of two rats.
With some hesitation, I dove into research about small pets, knowing that having one would mean the world to Ethan. We needed something social and loving, an animal that wouldn’t be too demanding to care for and wouldn’t trigger my allergies. After some denial, I reluctantly accepted that, believe it or not, rats are known to be intelligent and sociable companions. Crazy as it sounds, they seemed like our best choice. So, like any responsible mom would do (right?), I searched for a rat breeder on Craigslist. Yes, they do exist.
A few months later, Ethan and I took a two-hour drive to pick up our new furry friends from the breeder, who had a wealth of knowledge about cages (size matters!), bedding (only aspen shavings!), and suitable toys (avoid painted wood!).
I was not sure what to expect from a Craigslist rat breeder, but I certainly didn’t envision a 19-year-old college student with a nose ring living at home, surrounded by a multitude of rats. When we arrived, her mother was cooking dinner, and her father was reading in the living room. As I gazed at the enormous cage teeming with rats and their babies, I realized I might not be the most lenient parent in the world after all.
Ethan promptly named his new pets Muffin and Daisy, and he cradled them on his lap for the entire ride home. Muffin and Daisy adore lavender-scented bedding, multi-grain Cheerios, and cardboard tubes. And Ethan? He absolutely adores Muffin and Daisy.
When I shared a picture of Ethan with his new pets on social media, the reactions were astounding—everything from shock to admiration from my friends. “You’re a better mom than I am,” several remarked. Honestly, I don’t think I am. The reality of motherhood has shown me that it pushes you beyond your limits, allowing you to do things you never thought possible. It’s about mustering up the strength to embrace even the largest rodents with red eyes and long tails because it brings joy to your child. The younger me, who used to live in a New York City apartment, would never have imagined I’d willingly bring rats into my home, but the mom I am today understands exactly why I did.
I’m not thrilled about being a rat parent. Cleaning the cage is still a chore I’d prefer to avoid, even with Ethan’s assistance. I’m just as hesitant about having rodents in the house as anyone else would be. But for Ethan, who experiences the world with a depth of emotion unlike his siblings, these rats are a source of happiness. He truly needed them; it’s as simple as that. This is what love looks like, folks: embracing pet rat ownership.
Thankfully, rats only live for about three years. So, at least I have that to look forward to.
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In summary, this tale is a lighthearted reflection on the unexpected paths of parenthood, illustrating how love can lead us to make surprising choices, like welcoming pet rats into our homes.