Want a Happy Kid? Buy Them a Pet Rat

A lot of us grow up with dogs, cats, maybe even a rabbit. But have you ever thought about a pet rat?

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Most of us get creeped out when we think about the little rodents that run through our alleys and eat our trash. But a study shows that kids are actually happier with pet rats than they are with dogs or cats. Rats are cheap, smart, and easy to take care of, just to name a few pluses.

And this wasn’t some minuscule study we’re talking about here. It was conducted over the course of 8 years in 113 countries with over 16,000 people. It concluded that kids between the ages of 10-17 generally preferred rats over other pets.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

However, as people age, their preference for rats seems to decrease and they start to appreciate dogs and cats more. And, for the record, the pets people seem to have the least warm feelings for are geese and scorpions. Sorry, my feathered and, uh, armored friends.