What species of rats are kept as pets?
Pet rats are domesticated from the Norway or Brown Rat (which actually originated in Africa…), now the most widespread wild rat species. These (the wild ones, not the pets) are usually considered pests and not kept as pets, because they tend to be fairly agressive, and their domesticated “cousins” are widely availabe and friendly, wonderful, and colorful animals. Wild Norway Rats are usually agouti (brown with black ticking), but albino, black, and hooded mutations commony show up in wild populations. Black, Roof, or Ship Rats are occasionally kept as exotic pets. They are smaller and less agressive than the Norway Rat. These rats live in parts of Europe and throughout Asia. Generally these are black, though some albinos exist (as with virtually all species). Information about the Ship Rat can be found here Giant Gambian Pouched Rats are becoming more popular as exotic pets. These rats are native to Africa and can weigh up to 7 pounds! (That’s as big as my cat!) Being so big (and man
