A work-out session with my rat

Yesterday evening, my rat walked me.

It all happened after dinner, my sis accidentally found out that my rat has learned to respond to her name. She tested out by going to the end of the room and called her name..

sis: Phebee! come here..... come here Phebee~

Phebee (Paused, looked at her, responded by a combination of bounce, skip, and run to her feet, licks her toes) How she ran towards my sis reminds me of a lil girl skipping towards her parents with joy and happiness. It was just soooooooooo cute!! beh tahan! kawaii until can die!

We took turns and did it a few more times.... and the rat responded the same way mimicking the pace we ran across the room, literally tire both of us out. This should tell you how unfit we are.

Here is a picture of her, i have her since she is a baby ratty. This picture was taken when she is still small and hangs around on my study table.




isn't she adorable??


Some Random Facts about Phebee

location: a pet shop on Petaling street, bought her for RM 8

Age: coming march she will be 1 year old

Size: About 17cm in length excluding tail, has a fat bum.

Loves: to be near people, back massages, to be scratched behind her ears, to manja! (a lot! and does it very often), Food!- likes leafy veggies and carrots, seafood like prawns and crabs, and durian too. She doesn't really fancy pork or chicken or beef. Her ultimate favourite, like most ladies out there is.... chocolate!

Behaviour: Shows affection and acceptance through licking and grooming your fingers, sometimes got mood swing, dosen't like strangers, loves to be around ppl she knows.

I let her out from her cage every alternate day to let her roam freely. She does not run away, will come out when it's near dinner time. Although i won't say that letting her out is totally risk free, esp when sis and i are not around she likes to go into my mom's room either to lick her toes or to rub herself against her. Of course, my mom would react violently and scream her head off threatening to throw the rat out of the window.

A lot of people ask me why do i keep a rat, it seemed so dirty and unhealthy. Well i guess after so many years of having hamsters i want to keep a more interesting pet, a pet which i can interact with. As what most hamsters do is to eat, sleep and runs on the wheels (no offence to the hamster lovers out there).

I can get a hamster's trust in 2 weeks, but my rat took me 2 months. It's like getting to know a new friend, she will gradually come closer to you and know you. Can't push her or use food to bribe her, no use one.... Need to gain her trust by spending quality time with her.

Just as i'm posting this up she is up on my book shelf looking down at both of us smelling my books. So anyone out there wanna try to have a rat? you won't regret! er.. maybe your mom will...

Posted by Twinklewit at Tuesday, February 27, 2007 4 phebees