Rats are said to be very trainable and work well as pets.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. – Looking for a furry friend? The Department of Psychology at Millersville University has 16 female rats for adoption.
The rodents were subjects in behavioral studies during the spring semester. They are now looking for a good home and are described as friendly and well tempered.
The department has been able to find homes for the rats over the past ten years and hopes the trend will continue.
“We feel they’ve done their duty, they’ve had a healthy career as lab rats. Now, it’s time for them to get their version of Florida,” said associate professor of psychology Kelly Bana.
“After the last batch, I adopted two of them and now they are my pets. They are really great pets, like puppies. They can learn their names, learn the routine.[s]so they are very funny animals,” said Olivia Kraynak, junior at Millersville and lab assistant.
The department prefers that potential adopters take in two or more rats since they are social creatures.
Rats are said to be very trainable and work well as pets.
Those who are interested should note the care and proper installation that the rats require, the school said. The psychology department provided a web page full of tips and tricks for the basics of rat care, including average costs of materials needed and the importance of making sure rats are stimulated and socialized.
Some of these necessary arrangements include a cage large enough to house the rats and give them space and exercise equipment, suitable bedding for pets, an understanding of how to keep rats clean and healthy, plenty of toys and more, said the university.
Also, rats can be trained with time and patience by the owner, so a box is also recommended.
Those interested in adoption should be sure to read web page to understand everything that can help to give these rats the best possible homes.
Applications will be reviewed by the director of the Animal Laboratory of the Department of Psychology. Each potential owner will be contacted after the applications are reviewed, and from there they must provide a veterinary or other professional reference.
Adoption applications can be found here.
