Update, 12/31/08: Annie and Janie’s listings are no longer available on Petfinder. I so, so hope this means that they’ve been adopted into a loving, mouse-friendly home!…

Now, I know rats and, to a lesser extent mice, get a bad rap, but….

ZOMG, RATS! So cute! Me want!!!

Those faces, how can you resist?

Seriously, tho, domestic rats and mice can make wonderful companion animals. According to the Rat and Mouse Club of America (RMCA),

The average lifespan of a pet rat is between 2 and 3 years. However, genetics, husbandry and love will ultimately determine how long your pets live. [...]

Love and attention can sometimes play a big role in how long your rat will live. A neglected animal will be depressed and sometimes just wither away, while an animal given lots of attention and love will live months beyond its life expectancy because it is happy and has a much stronger will to live.

Both sexes [of rats] make wonderful pets. Females are smaller and considerably more active than males and their fur is softer. On the other hand, males are normally happier sitting on your lap and having you scratch their head.

Whichever sex, consider getting pairs or trios since rats are very social animals and do not do as well if kept singly.

We also strongly recommend visiting your local humane society or animal shelter when looking for pets. Homeless pet rats and mice are euthanized daily simply because people don’t think to go there to adopt small friends.

The RMCA has a wealth of information about rats and mice on their website at www.rmca.org. Rats and mice require special care, so do your research before adopting a furry rodent friend!

With that in mind, allow me to introduce you to Annie (top) and Janie (bottom), a bonded pair of female rats currently staying at the Lawrence Humane Society.

Annie is described as a Medium * Young * Female…

Annie lives with her friend, Janie. They would love to be adopted together, as rats are very social and do better in pairs!

…while Janie appears to be the runt of the pair, i.e., a Small * Young * Female:

Janie lives with her best friend Annie, they love each other and it would be great if they could be adopted together! They are both very sweet and LOVE to play with people!

A full list of the Adoptable Pets from Lawrence Humane Society (located in Lawrence, KS) is available here. If rats aren’t your thing, there are plenty of dogs, cats, rabbits, gerbils and guinea pigs to choose from.

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Each Wednesday, the Kansas City Freecycle blog will feature one adoptable animal from a local KC rescue group or animal shelter.

We do this for several reasons:

- To highlight the plight of companion animals in the Kansas City area.

- To remind members of our no-animal policy, and provide an alternative venue for members who wish to adopt an unwanted animal.

- To encourage members to adopt a furry friend.

- To help out out local animal rescue groups and animal shelters, many of which are overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals in need.

- To illustrate these animals’ unique personalities and characteristics, thus underscoring the fact that they are not objects and should not be “freecycled”.

Click here to view past Featured Adoptables.

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Tagged: kcfreecycle freecycle kansas ks missouri mo kcmo kcks featured adoptables animal adoption animal rescue petfinder pet companion animal rat mouse rats mice annie janie Lawrence Humane Society Lawrence rodent rodent small and furry pocket pet