Wow, thank you all for your wisdom about pet rats. I’ll admit I was a little freaked out at first but I’m feeling better about the decision to bring rodents into our home.

On Presidents’ Day itself, I took SJ over to visit some friends who have two ratsies (SJ’s preferred term). Both of us took turns holding one of them (an adorable female named “Cocktail”) and watched the other (“Einstein”) sleep adorably inside a chewed-up fabric tent meant for Calico Critters. We also got to see their habitat up close and ask loads of questions. I’m kicking myself for not taking pictures.

Through last week’s inquiry, my friend Mark pointed me to another Mark who just got two rats for pets. That Mark pointed me to a guy in Hayward who sells them. He’s expecting a new litter in two weeks. We’re going to get everything in order before introducing them into our home.

Along with getting food and other necessities, we’ll set up their two-story cage with tiny hammocks (some look like bananas!), a walking wheel, and some hidey holes. It sounds like we’ll be ready to meet our new rat friends in early April, because a little anticipation never hurt anyone.

I think she’s picked names for them already but I’ll wait to share when I know what they are for sure. It’s not Peanut Butter and Fluff or Cheech and Chong, as I suggested.