Issac and the Rat Pack

A - Asia: Originated from Asia but spread throughout the world

B - Bruxing: The name for when rats grind their teeth together when they are happy

C - Companionship: Rats are extremely social animals, and get depressed when left alone for too long

D - Dumbo: A variety of rat that has huge adorable ears

E - Excellent: Contrary to popular belief, rats make great pets

F - Fawn: A rat with a coat that has a rich, golden orange color

G - Grooming: They are extremely clean animals, and spend 80% of their waking time cleaning themselves

H - Hooded: A rat coat that starts as a solid color on the head and ends as a stripe down the back

I - Irish: A solid colored rat with a white triangle on the chest and white on the front two paws

J - Jawbone: A rats jawbone isn't fused like a humans

K - Kisses: Rats love to give their humans kisses, just like dogs

L - Litter: Rats can have a litter size anywhere between 3-24 pups

M - Myco: Short for Mycoplasmosis pulmonis, a respiratory disease all rats are born with, but doesn't usually become apparent except in stressed or ill rats

N - Naked: Newborns are born without any hair, and it doesn't usually develop until about a week old

O - Omnivores: Just like humans, they eat both fruits, vegetables and meat

P - Porphyrin - Red discharge created from a gland behind the eyes that becomes noticeable under stress or illness

Q - Quick: Rats are able to run as fast as 8 mph

R - Rattus norvegicus: The scientific name for the common pet rat

S - Smart: They can learn their names, and tricks just like dogs

T - Tails: Help them balance, regulate body temperature and communicate

U - Ultraviolet: Rats are thought to be able to see ultraviolet light, possibly to view urine markings

V - Vomit: Rats have no vomit reflex and they can't burp either

W - Wake: Rats "cat nap", are awake about half of a 24 hour period and are most active in the early mornings and late evenings

X - "X"trordinary: They are extraordinary animals (sorry guys, if its a bit corny, couldn't think of a better one for this letter)

Y - Yogurt: Pet rats lovve yogurt as a treat

Z - Zodiac: Rats are the first of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac and represent honesty, intelligence, creativity, ambition and generosity

I've always wondered why rats look kind of cross-eyed like in this picture of Atlas. Until a few days ago, I didn't know why. But I saw on a video someone had posted on Facebook about how different animals see (see video at 1:30). Apparently, rats can actually move their eyes completely independent of one another. Weird to think about, because it would be like watching a double screened television with different angles of the same object or area. Or like playing two people playing against each other in a Mario Cart.

Every now and again, I'll bring my friends into the office. Usually after lunch, if its been a slow day and we aren't too busy. Being right before Thanksgiving, work has been pretty light this week, so I decided to bring the girls in.

They ride in a small pet carrier, in the front seat of my car (buckled in). And it is also their safe haven/napping place on my desk at work. Rats don't see very well, they are actually extremely near sighted, and only see a few inches in front of them...so I don't have to worry about them jumping off my desk and on to the floor.

The first time I brought Issac in to work when he was still small, I got mixed reactions from my co-workers. It was either "Ewww" or "Awww", and his long, bare tail grossed some people out. But since then, many people who were scared or not sure of the rats now want to say hi to them when they come visit the office. Thats not to say that there still aren't three or four people who aren't still grossed out by them. Oh well.

Both the girls and the boys love to follow me to work. They get to meet people, eat goodies they normally wouldn't get, and do whatever they want all day. This includes things they shouldn't be doing, however...like stealing tea packets, bottle caps, tissues, and trying to eat the bag of granola off my desk.

But by the end of the day, I think just like me, that they are glad to be home again.

My name is Issac, I was given my name by my original humans before I got adopted. I am the most roll polly, relaxed rat, and I think that I am a dog. I come when I am called and lick my human's hands to greet her. I love to cuddle with my human, and to get scratched on my cheek or right behind my ears. My favorite food is yogurt. I am the dad of three.

I am a sweet, big, cuddly boy. I might look like my mom, but my personality is more like my dad. I love any kind of food, and will fight over it with my dad and my brother. I like to groom my human by licking her hands and always want to try and clean her teeth, and I think people are great! My favorite place to hang out is on the top of the grey hammock, where I have the best view.

I live up to my name. When I was younger, I used to escape from the top level of our cage with my mom, down to the bottom level with my dad. I always find ways to get into trouble, and when my human isn't looking, I try to see what I can get away with. I have escaped on to the floor during our free time, chewed through headphones laying on a desk, and stolen food out of the food bag under the coffee table where my human keeps our dinner.

I look a bit like my mom and dad. I have my mom's color but my dad's markings. I am independent and a bit of a loner compared to my dad and brother, but that doesn't mean I don't like to cuddle with them sometimes and hang out with my human too.

Hi everyone! I have had a few people tell me I should start a blog about my pets. They are not exactly you're typical four legged furry friends. Most people think that they are gross, and associate them with sewers or plagues. But I find that rats have been underrated as pets, and have a bad reputation.

When I first moved to Greensboro in June of 2014, I was living by myself, and although I had a fish tank - they can only provide you with so much company. I wanted a pet that would be small, easy to care for, but big enough to cuddle with. I didn't want birds, hamsters, gerbils or rabbits. Mice were too small...but rats were...the perfect size. Not too big like a rabbit and not too small. They were bi-nural and had distinct personalities. I did quite a bit of research, and from what I read, those who kept rats as pets raved about them.

So I dove in head first, and started looking around on Craigslist for rats that needed homes. I didn't want to buy some from the pet store (in case I decided they weren't a good fit for me). So when I came across an ad for two black and white hooded rats with a cage for $20, I contacted the seller.
A week later, I came home with two male, one year old rats named Vikki and Carl. I quickly decided to change their names to Merlin and Jack.

It took them a few days to warm up to me. Both were shy at first, and didn't want to come out of the comfort of their cage. It became apparent that Merlin was the head-honcho and was most outgoing. Jack was still timid and shy up til after a few months of having them. But by then, it didn't matter. I had already fallen in love with the my two boys.

I had Jack and Merlin for only a few short months. Around May, Jack started to develop a concerning lump underneath his right ear. I thought maybe it was an abscess. It was, but it was the result of an underlying illness. Jack had a Zymbals Gland Tumor. Jack's quality of life declined, and I made the sad decision to have him put to sleep.

Before Jack got sick, I had adopted a third rat from an acquaintance at one of the local pet stores. I knew both my boys were getting old, and I didn't want one of them to be alone if the other passed away. So I brought home Issac, a little black 3 month old berkshire in early January.

Merlin was still doing ok after Jack passed. He had lost a lot of weight, and was going senile. He would forget where he was, and mistake fingers for food. I was lucky to have him another month and a half, when he passed away peacefully, from old age.

I was now left with just Issac. He had always been a teddy bear, from the first day I got him. Outgoing, and lovable, he would always greet you with a lick or two on the hand, and still does. He hangs out on my shoulder while I'm walking around the house, and sits with me on the couch.

I guess I felt like I had an empty nest after my two old boys passed away...I now have a total of 5 furry friends. Three of those are babies from Star and Issac's litter. Star, I adopted from the same acquaintance where I got Issac not long after Merlin passed.

Their kids, Houdini, Atlas and Dot, were born on July 21st 2015. Houdini is a berkshire like his dad, but grey and white like his mom. Atlas looks almost identical to his mom, but is going to be a big cuddly boy like his dad. Dot, my only little girl, is a dumbo, but doesn't really look like either parents. They all have great personalities.

This is a blog about Issac and the Rat Pack.