FANCY RATS VS WILD RATS
When most people think of rats, they picture a vicious, diseased rodent. A pest. That’s one of the many reasons that people think of fancy (domesticated) rats as the same. Though domestic rats are still considered to be the same species as the wild brown rat (Rattus norvegicus), the fancy rat, as you will see, is quite different than their wild cousins and is different enough to be considered a subspecies. In this article I’ll prove to you that fancy rats are really quite different than their wild counterparts.
By Erin Macneil
For starters, the fancy rat has many more colours and variations than a wild brown rat. The wild brown rat, as you probably already guessed, are usually brown, while their domestic counterpart comes in many fun colours and variations. Fancy rats can come in many shades of blues, browns, blacks, whites, and more, plus they also come in many coat variations. Also, fancy rats can have black, red or ruby eyes, and top or dumbo ears. Some sources say that fancy rats and wilds rats are different in size but these “facts” aren't very consistent.
Behaviourally, fancy rats are very different to their savage cousins and this is something more people should know. Wild rats can be extremely hostile and inflict serious damage if provoked, but in contrast, fancy rats they can be very social and playful just like dogs (if responsibly bred and cared for), unlike wild rats. They also prefer to live in groups that are commonly known as a mischief. Another special trait is that, being very intelligent, fancy rats can learn a wide variety of tricks such as jumping, tightrope walking, opening a box, going through a maze, and many other tricks. A subtle difference between the two types of rats it that wild rats will almost always flee at a lost battle, while fancy rats tend to squabble for longer and usually won’t harm each other.
One of the biggest misconceptions about fancy rats is that they carry illnesses. Unless they were bred by an irresponsible backyard breeder, fancy rats are just as likely to make you sick as any other pet. Wild rats often get sick because they are out scavenging foods that have been god knows where, plus they are living in environments that aren't very sanitary, and thus they usually don’t live for more than a year. In contrast, fancy rats usually live inside without much interaction with the outside world, therefore they have a smaller chance of coming in contact with any ailments, and due to this, they have a lifespan of 2-3 years (and very rarely 4-5 years). Actually a dog would be a lot more likely to get you sick than a fancy rat, due to the fact that dogs have way more contact with the outside world. Actually YOU are more likely to pass on illnesses to your rats than they are to you (just one of the many reasons I prefer rats to people) so just let that sink in.
To sum up, fancy rats and wild rats are very different from each other. The two variations have different appearances, behavior and health and therefore should not judged by the reputation of each other. I hope that you now acknowledge that fancy rats do not deserve their reputation and that you will pass this knowledge on. If you previously thought poorly of fancy rats, I really do wish that I've changed your opinion in a positive way.
Thank you for reading!