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The real Pesky the Rat I was shuffling through old files and turned up this old picture of the real Pesky the Rat, the little fellow who decided to run for congress back in 2000.
Pesky was the only sort of pet I could easily hide from my landlord at the time. I originally adopted his mother and aunt, Greta and Betty, but I got rather a surprise when it turned out Greta was pregnant. So instead of two docile female fancy rats, I ended up with seven. Two I gave to my mother, but the remaining three I kept, including the only male, Pesky. He got his name from his mischivious nature and his love of hand wrestling (he would wrestle with my hand). Pesky departed at the age of about 2.5 years, apparently of a heart attack or some sudden event. That didn't stop him from blogging, however. My fondest memory of Pesky was watching him bounce across the room, literally bouncing like a flea, excited that I was about to give him a little treat.
I no longer keep rats as pets. Despite societal taboos, they are delightful animals, with personalities very similar to dogs, and just as much intelligence. But that's part of the problem. They only live 2-3 years, and are extremely prone to cancer (particularly blue fancy rats, like Pesky). So you get attached, and then they die. In addition, they're significantly more work to properly care for than a cat (cage cleaning is a big job). You must keep two at a time, as they are social animals, and miserable when left alone. Despite their use in labs, most vets don't know much about treating them. And they do kick up a smell if you don't clean religiously. I strongly recommend against buying "pocket pets" for that reason--most people just won't get around to caring for them properly.
10:33:19 AM
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