Interesting Facts About Rats

Since Tim and I are new at this taking care of rats thing, we keep the internet close. We love reading rat owners blogs and pet rat care sites. One blogger posted some very interesting facts about rats that I would like to share. Here they are:

Rats and People
There has, actually been a long relationship between rats and people-several centuries.

• Ancient Egyptians worshipped rats.

• In Japan, rats are considered a symbol of wealth; the people even set out rice cakes on New Years, and if a rat gnaws on the cake, it foretells a good harvest.

• The Chinese, also, see the rat as a symbol of prosperity; Chinese folklore explains the rat's intelligence and cunning is the reason it's the first animal of the Chinese zodiac.

• Hindus revere rats because of Ganesha, god of prosperity, rides on the back of rats.

• India has a park donated for rats, and a temple dedicated to them.

• Historically, those in Bassora, Turkey, did not allow rats to be killed because they were a sign of luck.

• The first record of wild rats being kept as pets were in the 1800s in England. During this time, "ratting" was a popular sport, in which dogs were put inot pits to kill as many rats as they could. But, Jack Black, was thought to ahve been the first to start selling them as pets.

• In 1976, the first true rat club, the National Fancy Rat Society, was established.
  And, in the first half of the 20th century, they were considered as a suitable pet for children.