Ah Rats!

Want a cheap pet? 

Meet Wilbur. He's a college-educated lab rat. 

My son, Caleb, got him for free at the end of his psychology clinical program. 

He had two choices: take Wilbur home or send him to the gas chamber. 

Of course, he brought him home. 

At first, I was freaked out. 

Caleb introduced us by telling me to go into his room and see what he got me for Mother's Day. My first thought was that he had a freaking snake. He knows I hate snakes. 

With much trepidation, I stepped into the room and this flash of white flew by. 

My second thought was my son had an infestation, and considering it's three guys living in a basement apartment...it wasn't outside the realm of possibility.

Then this creature, with its pink eyes, and long icky tail came right up to my feet and begged like a very small, very creepy little dog. 

Caleb was like, pick him up. 

I was like, no way! It's a freaking rat. 

He picked him up and set him on my shoulder, and Wilbur just sat there. 

So, I held him. He snuggled right in like a kitten. 

He's so lovable, you forget his kind were the cause of the plague.  

When you let him run, he comes right back when you call. As a matter of fact, he "checks in". He'll run around a while, then come back like he's making sure he still has someone to protect him from the cat. 

He's turned out to be a wonderful pet. He was free. He's friendly. He lives in a cage that needs cleaned less often than a guinea pig's. He mostly eats rat food, but also enjoys bites of apple, popcorn, peanuts, and whatever other bites of table food you have on hand. We don't give him anything with much salt or sugar because we've come to love this crazy little rat and want to keep him healthy as we can. 

Need a cheap pet that's friendly, space saving, and can eat just about anything?

Get a rat.