Deja, hurry and get your computer fixed so you can post pictures of them.

My step-son had a rat while he lived with us.  Yes, the actually are very clean, and very intelligent.

I had a rat in the 7th grade, and then another in the 8th.  The only bad part about them is that they only live to be about 2 years old, if that.  My first one had a few tumors after a year, so I basically begged my parents to let it have surgery, which they did, and then it died from shock as it came out of the aneasthesia's(sp) influence.  I think she also started to bleed internally, because she was twitching around a lot, as she started to wake up.  When my second rat got tumors after a year, I let her go in a field near our house.  Don't get males.  They grow to be HUGE, and their balls drag all over you, when they climb on you.  Ha-Ha

Man, deja, I would LOVE to see some pics of your set up!

 

LOL, some animals really have it made, don't they?

I know that feeling, Deja. There's so much that needs "fixing", sometimes we forget to embrace the happiness.

where I work they keep colonies of rats and mice, for research. the rats are VERY clean and you can't even smell them. if you walk into the mouse rooms, OMG, talk about STINK.

I would love to see your cages and stuff.  my kids want a mouse, but with cats, i think a big animal is better

LMAO - TEN, Deja? Jebus Murphy!!

 

I agree though, I hate thinking they'll become someone's dinner, even though that's nature. It's killing me that I'm not having much luck trying to trap the mice that have gotten into my house and that I might have to revert to hiring a professional. Cuz I know what that means....