Dogs like napping on their owners’ laps, cats chill in boxes, and rats lay their bodies on… mattresses.
Or rattresses. At least that’s how the woman who makes them calls them. After @YEMolly found her shop on ETSY, she just had to share its adorable pics with her Twitter followers. Accumulating over 20K likes, the photos feature pet rats enjoying their handmade baby mattresses in matching pyjamas, and they definitely should provide you with your daily dose of “awwwwww.”These comfy designs are roughly 8 x 8 inches (20 x 20 cm) and all of the material that goes into making them are safe for rats to use on a daily basis. The woman behind these creations called her shop, Lord Duncan the Rat, in honour of her pet who had been a wonderful model for the items. Sadly, Lord Duncan passed away recently. However, judging from all the nice things people have said about him since meeting him online, it’s clear that his memory will live on. Rest in peace, you adorable little critter. Rats are intelligent and social animals that can be wonderful pets. They’re relatively easy to care for but that doesn’t actually make them low maintenance. Rats require attention and exercise outside of their cages (ideally, about an hour every day). Since they’re so social, it would be best if they had someone to live with. Same-sex pairs or groups work too. Males typically get along with other males, especially if introduced to each other at a young age or if they are littermates, to begin with. The average lifespan of a pet rat is 2 to 3 years. Also, contrary to popular belief, rats are quite clean. They are thought to groom themselves more frequently and diligently than cats do. Moreover, anyone who ever had one knows that they recognize their humans and respond to their sight and voice. You can also use this bond to teach them tricks. They have been called ‘pocket-sized dogs’ because of their ability to learn.
