SANTA BARBARA, California (Newswire.com) — According to an international survey conducted by RightPet, children and teens say they get more satisfaction owning rats than any other pets.
Perhaps the most intriguing explanation for the popularity of pet rats has to do with developmental psychology, according to Brett Hodges, owner/editor at RightPet. Small pets like rats are often the first living creatures (not counting goldfish) a young person considers to be their very own, and successfully meeting the challenge of raising a pet can do wonders for self-esteem.
It’s the pet/owner relationship that young rat fans love most, however, saying that female rats tend to be more outgoing, playful and hygienic, and that male rats are more loving and cuddly.
The appeal of rats, according to the RightPet survey, tends to wane in favor of cats, dogs and horses in the over-18 age group, but rats still remain the No. 4 most satisfying pet until age 30.
The study finding is based on 5,150 reviews from 2,867 members from 74 countries, who currently own, or have owned, pets when they were 17 years old or younger. Adults and kids who owned animals between the ages of 10-17 reported that pet rats gave them more satisfaction than any other types of pets, including cats and dogs.
About RightPet
RightPet is the world’s largest online pet healthcare rating and recommendation site. With over one million breed- and species-specific reviews by vets, trainers and pet owners, RightPet harnesses consumer and expert experiences and presents it in a user-friendly, digestible way so pet owners can find the most effective – and cost-effective – options for an encyclopedic list of pet health, wellness and training issues.