On pet rats

I've had a few questions about rats where I volunteer. This probably has something to do with the fact that I've been talking some about my new girls, Kora and Aniki. Here are a few of the questions I've gotten.

Sabine, recovering from her spay

What do you keep them in? 
A wire cage. Ok, so I occasionally use a glass cage if I need to keep them from climbing (for example, when Sabine was recovering from her spay), but that doesn't have proper ventilation so it's only ever a temporary thing. Ideal is a giant wire cage.

Some reference to wild rats...
I don't remember what form this comment/question took, but I found myself explaining that domestic rats are not at all the same as wild rats. Domestic rats are sweet and lovable, and very loving. However, I would not want to get up close and personal with a wild rat. Those are pretty much a different breed entirely.

Do they bite?
Sabine does, though she's only drawn blood once. (My mom's nose through the wires of her cage. I'm afraid I wasn't very sympathetic.) It's really only a problem if you stick your fingers through the wires of her cage, or if you stick your nose up against the wires. (Mother...) And the younger girls? They are as sweet as can be, and will gently lick delicious coffee off my finger tips without harming me.

It seems like there were one or two other questions I was asked, but I can't bring them to mind right now.

The big cage

I finally set up the big cage yesterday. You know, the one where I hope that all three rats will one day live in peace with each other. Right now they only get supervised play time in it, and today it ended when I had to break up a squabble. I'll probably write another post all about introductions...which can be a bit nerve wracking, even though nothing bad has happened.

By the way, I have filled the cage with wonderful fun stuff made by Rat Attack Team over at Etsy. I love what I've got here, and I think the rats also approve.