Beatrice Joneken had an early eye for the domestic rat as a pet. Now she has been breeding for five years and is chairman of the Swedish Rat Society. She can see a big increase in interest in domestic rats since the pandemic.
– It’s fun that many more people are curious. They are great pets, very social and like people, says Beatrice.
The domestic rat is of the same species as the brown rat, but it has been refined and comes in different colors and fur types.
– They are easier to have than a dog. You don’t tie yourself up for so many years, says Beatrice.
– But a nice domestic rat with a good pedigree costs approximately SEK 500-600.
She believes that the domestic rat has a bad reputation because wild rats are considered pests, but also because the tail can look a little scary.
Increased in popularity after the pandemic
Before the Pandemic, the domestic rat was in seventh place among popular small animals. Since then it has climbed in popularity and is now in fifth place according to Agria.
– We are seeing a substantial increase, says Patrik Olsson, Sweden manager for pets at Agria, about the domestic rat.
Beatrice Joneken tells us that when rat pups grow up, they play with each other a lot and it can look like they are fighting. But when they are adults, they have a clear hierarchy without conflicts.
– Rats are intelligent and always perfectly washed. They are cleaner than most people think and lovely pets, she says.
Lives for two to three years
For someone interested in getting a domestic rat as a pet, Beatrice says personality is more important than looks.
– If it’s an active and lively rat, you can do agility, but there are also calm individuals who mostly want to cuddle and take it easy, says Beatrice.
She tells us that it is very important to have at least two rats because they are pack animals and do not want to be alone. A domestic rat lives for about two to three years.
According to Patrik Olsson at Agria, the most common disease in domestic rats is obesity. Overgrown front teeth and tumors are also diseases that occur.