Rats

Surprisingly or not, rats are one of the most beloved small mammals kept as household pets.  Rats are smart and personable, clean, gentle, and can be trained to do tricks. Because they are larger than mice, they are easier for children to handle. Fancy rats come in dozens of distinct colors with various markings and patterns such as: Dalmatian, Hooded, Masked, English Irish, Essex, Capped, Bareback, Berkshire, and Variegated.
 
NOTE: Fancy rats are all members of the same species, and differ mostly in their coats and colors. Because there aren’t different species or breeds of rats, only different “types”, rats can’t be categorized like dogs, cats, birds or fish. Please use this list for learning about the popularity of different rat types, and for connecting with other rat lovers.