As pets, girls say, rats are the cat's meow
Posted: Sunday, August 24, 2008
ARLINGTON, Neb. (AP) -- While most girls would say, "Eew, rats!" these sisters would reply, "Ooh, rats."
Sierra and Hannah Ashley have a cat and a dog. Seven months ago, they acquired two new pets.
It took a bit of convincing, but the two girls managed to convince their mother, Pam, that rats would make great pets.
"We had a mouse," Sierra said, "but he was really hyper, so we didn't get to take him out of the cage very much."
Pam was not terribly excited about the idea but did see an opportunity.
"The condition was that (the rats) are used as a 4-H project," said Pam, who works for the Washington County Extension Office.
The girls bought two female rats from a garden center.
A couple of weeks later, a problem arose.
"'Mom, I think we are feeding my rat too much,' Sierra said, so I went and checked," Pam said.
Food was not the problem.
Just prior to purchase, "Macaroni," Sierra's pet, had gotten pregnant.
"We had 13 baby rats," Pam said.
They placed seven locally and took the remaining six to the Humane Society, where, Pam says, they were all placed in good homes.
Two of the rats went to the Ashley's close friend, Mariah Rakestraw, also of Blair.
"'Mom,' I said, 'Please, please, please,"' Mariah said, until her mother gave in.
While Mariah was on hand, her rats were not.
Sierra and Hannah, on the other hand, were willing participants in the Washington County Fair Small Pets Show, with Macaroni and "Cheese."
Why rats?
"They're fun," Sierra said, simply.
The sisters explained that they regularly take their pets out of their cages and just let them play.
"Sometimes they go on the furniture," Hannah said.
"But they are potty-trained," Sierra replied quickly.
The girls said the rats rarely have accidents unless they are left out of their cage too long.
"They are easier to care for (than cats and dogs)," Hannah added.
At the county fair, the two sisters let the rats crawl upon their shoulders and arms while the rats were presented to the judges.
Sierra pointed out to the judges that Macaroni has nicknames such as "Big Mac" and "Mac Attack" because she defends herself from the family dog.
Sierra and Hannah Ashley have a cat and a dog. Seven months ago, they acquired two new pets.
It took a bit of convincing, but the two girls managed to convince their mother, Pam, that rats would make great pets.
"We had a mouse," Sierra said, "but he was really hyper, so we didn't get to take him out of the cage very much."
Pam was not terribly excited about the idea but did see an opportunity.
"The condition was that (the rats) are used as a 4-H project," said Pam, who works for the Washington County Extension Office.
The girls bought two female rats from a garden center.
A couple of weeks later, a problem arose.
"'Mom, I think we are feeding my rat too much,' Sierra said, so I went and checked," Pam said.
Food was not the problem.
Just prior to purchase, "Macaroni," Sierra's pet, had gotten pregnant.
"We had 13 baby rats," Pam said.
They placed seven locally and took the remaining six to the Humane Society, where, Pam says, they were all placed in good homes.
Two of the rats went to the Ashley's close friend, Mariah Rakestraw, also of Blair.
"'Mom,' I said, 'Please, please, please,"' Mariah said, until her mother gave in.
While Mariah was on hand, her rats were not.
Sierra and Hannah, on the other hand, were willing participants in the Washington County Fair Small Pets Show, with Macaroni and "Cheese."
Why rats?
"They're fun," Sierra said, simply.
The sisters explained that they regularly take their pets out of their cages and just let them play.
"Sometimes they go on the furniture," Hannah said.
"But they are potty-trained," Sierra replied quickly.
The girls said the rats rarely have accidents unless they are left out of their cage too long.
"They are easier to care for (than cats and dogs)," Hannah added.
At the county fair, the two sisters let the rats crawl upon their shoulders and arms while the rats were presented to the judges.
Sierra pointed out to the judges that Macaroni has nicknames such as "Big Mac" and "Mac Attack" because she defends herself from the family dog.
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