Rats as Familiars

My first exposure to genuine out-of-the-broom-closet Pagans came from an internet email group of rat owners. It seems perfectly logical to me now that the type of person who is free-thinking enough to accept the calling of a pagan religion is also open-minded enough to accept that rats make great pets. And they do!

For anyone in a nature-based religion, the presence of animal spirits in the household can only help strengthen their ties to nature. But not everyone can have a cat or a dog, never mind a farm full of animals! For those people, and for anyone who loves animals, allow me to suggest the humble rat.

Today’s “fancy” pet rats are wonderful creatures, as far removed from wild sewer rats as a Yorkshire terrier is from a wolf. Unlike other rodent pets, rats are VERY responsive to their owners. Their personality is somewhere between that of a dog and a cat. Like a dog, rats will eagerly greet you when you come home, and show true affection for their human friends. Rats quickly get to know their names, and they know when you are talking to them. Like a cat, however, they often choose not to acknowledge it!

What about rats as familiars, then? To be a good familiar, an animal needs to be (1) in tune with their human, and (2) in tune with the natural powers around them. Deva Bluewing in the article “Animal Familiars,” describes familiars as “animals whose psychic attunement makes them ideal partners in magical workings.” Based on these criteria, I can’t think of an animal that could be better than a rat. Their minds seem to work so similarly to ours that I have always found an almost immediate connection with our rats. This is probably due to the fact that rats occupy almost the same ecological niche that humans do. Rats are both predator and prey, omnivorous hunter/gatherers. They respond to the same drives as humans—sex, food, comfort, and curiosity.

Deva Bluewing further states that familiars “serve as psychic radar, reacting visibly to the presence of any negative or evil energy.” Again rats fit the bill perfectly. They are acutely sensitive to the world around them, and seem to sense things beyond our reach.

In addition, most rats are natural healers. They are forever trimming, grooming, and smoothing each other and their humans. They hate anything unnatural--try to keep a band-aid on while holding your rat, and you’ll quickly see what I mean! Rats have an uncanny knack for knowing when someone is sick, and they take special pains to take care of that someone, be it human or another rat. I have heard many, many tales of rats nurturing and supporting each other if one grows old or sick.

If you are now curious about rats and thinking about getting one for yourself, there are some important things to know:

· Rule 1: Don’t get just one! Rats are EXTREMELY social creatures. You cannot possibly give a rat the full measure of attention that it craves, attention that another rat CAN give. Always get at least two rats of the same sex. Don’t worry about the rats not bonding to you if they have each other. Generally, a rat with a companion develops better social skills, and so is able to form an even better bond with its human.

· Give your rats a good home. A wire cage is much better than an old fish tank, because the rats can climb on the cage, and because the airflow is very beneficial to the them. Your rats will quickly learn to love their cage, and while they will eagerly come out to greet you each day, they will probably return willingly to the safety and food that the cage offers.

· Provide some bedding material in the cage, but DON’T use cedar or pine shavings! They are full of aromatic resins that are very bad for the respiratory system of your rats. You can use hardwood shaving, or a paper-based litter such as Carefresh. Give your rats toys to play with, boxes to hide in and chew up, and a nice variety of foods.

· Be a responsible consumer. Where you get your rats is an important choice. If you can find a breeder who breeds fancy rats specifically for pets, then you are likely to get a well socialized and healthy rat, who comes from hardy stock. It’s not always possible to find such a breeder, however. If you do buy from a pet shop, consider the “vote” you are casting with your money. Does this pet shop have male and females rats in the same cages, breeding indiscriminately? Are the rats on a proper bedding, with toys and places to hide? Is the shop selling rats as pets only, or also as live snake food? It is possible to get a wonderful pet from the worst kind of shop, but given the chance, consider supporting a breeder or shop that deserves your business.

So, what is the downside to pet rats? Rats are like a brilliant shooting star—they burn ever so brightly, but for much too short of a time. The average life expectancy for a pet rat is 2 to 3 years. Most die from mycoplasmosis, a respiratory ailment that is with them their whole lives. To help protect their delicate respiratory systems, it is a good idea to limit your rats exposure to incense, scented candles, or other airborne pollutants.

Rats, especially the males, do scent mark. They dribble a little pee as they go. Some people find this terribly distasteful, the rest of us get over it quickly. Both males and females make good pets. Males are larger, will become calmer (with age) and more likely to be “lap rats”. Females scent mark less, but are more high-strung and can be prone to mammary tumors.

There is a lot of good information, and quite a bit of misinformation, available about rats. If you want to pursue this topic further, here are two reliable sources:

1) “Rats!: For Today's Pet Owner” by Debbie Ducommun. The only book I recommend, and it’s out of print! Search for it—it’s worth the effort.

2) Online, look at : www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/petrats. This page is managed by a great and caring rat owner from New York City (the rat capital of the world!). You can believe every word she says! There are links there to some other great web pages, including mine.