Dear Mom,
Your first thought upon getting this envelope is probably ‘What in the world is she up to now??’ I don’t blame you and that would probably be what I would think too. Well to answer that question, I want to talk to you about pet rats. Yes, I said PET RATS. It’s pretty obvious by now that you can tell what I’m getting at. I would like to get a pair of rats. I’m not sure of male or female, but we can discuss this later. Please for now just listen (actually read) with an open mind.
So you’re thinking ‘Why should I let her get 2 rats? They are disgusting nasty and carry disease.’ Actually they are very clean animals. According to this website called BellaOnline.com they aren’t.
“Rats are clean. Rats spend large amounts of time grooming themselves. They tend to eat in one corner of their cage and leave waste in another. The waste does tend to smell if not cleaned daily, but that is the same with any animal.”
The women who wrote this also had this to say about pet rats:
“When I told my friends that my oldest daughter purchased her first pet, a rat, no one seemed to think it was very cool.”Are you crazy?" was the typical response. When most people think of rats they envision gnarly, long-toothed, grey rats, the kind typically seen in the bad part of town. Rats bred for the pet business, however, are nothing like the wild rats that inhabit cities and towns everywhere. Rats make excellent first pets, especially for older children. Their lifespan is about four years and rats are extremely sociable. In defense of rats everywhere, here are a few facts about keeping rats as pets.
Rats are attractive. Rats bred to be pets come in a wide array of colors. My daughter's rat is brown and white, others are golden, some are a soft grey, and some are white and if you're lucky you can find a "calico".
Rats are clean. Rats spend large amounts of time grooming themselves. They tend to eat in one corner of their cage and leave waste in another. The waste does tend to smell if not cleaned daily, but that is the same with any animal.
Rats are sociable and intelligent. Rats like human companionship and are very playful. Rats can learn their name and be taught to perform simple tricks.”
As Meg Grooms, the author of this article, said they are very intelligent and clean and make great pets.
Another issue you’re probably thinking of is money. Well I wrote this on November 17, 2008, and have already saved up the money to pay for the expenses. Rats need several things to ensure a happy healthy life. Some of these things are a good sturdy cage like the Super Pet® Deluxe My First Home Cage for Exotics. It has 3 levels with the bottom floor and 3 comfort shelves with 3 ramps to go up to get to them. The cage also includes a hammock which all small pets (including rats) enjoy and a food dish. It is 30” long by 18” wide by 30” high. I measured today and it will fit fine on the desk in the library room if we clear off some of the junk. It also has a wheel which I will remove for more space and it has open rungs which is a disaster for tiny rat feet and tails. Moving on, a pet rat also needs a water bottle like the All Living Things Water Bottle for Small Animals. And it doesn’t have to be that one, if you let me, when I go to the pet store I never end up getting what I plan on getting so I save money. But I really would like to get a cage with multiple levels and plenty of space so that the rats would have plenty of space. The cage is expensive ($99.99) but remember it’s me paying not you so you don’t have to worry about cost. After the initial costs they are pretty cheap animals to maintain. The total start up cost estimating the rats being about $10 a piece is $169.
Another thing that pet rats need is a way to exercise. Since wheels aren’t a good thing for them I have found a ball (Like what you would put a hamster in) that would be big enough to fit one rat at a time for only $15. It’s the Super Pet Mega Run-about Ball. Rats also need a place to hide out and get away if they get scared so I will provide a Super Pet Igloo for only $6.
As you may know rats, like many other small animals, have teeth that never stop growing. To keep them trimmed down and at a good length they will need something to chew on like the Super Pet Nut Knot Nibbler.
We can’t forget about food and bedding now can we? I found a 2 pound bag of Mazuri Rat and Mouse Diet Food for only $6. For the bedding Kaytee Total Comfort Pet Bedding or another option would be to litter train them. It would probably be slightly difficult but better in the long run. That way it’s easier to clean out the cage and you can’t put old hand towels (I could buy some really cheap ones from Wal-Mart) down which is probably better and wouldn’t smell |||no|||Wow that rich8792 guy sux pet rats are the best!!! dont listen to him hes stupid.
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|||Sounds like a great way to plug a website.
|||I wrote a similar letter like this when I wanted a pet cat. (I still do.) I sat both my parents down at the kitchen table and gave them each a copy. They read it and were, admittedly, very impressed. They became more flexible with the idea, and I could tell they discussed the topic very much alone. In the end, I never got the cat that I had been dreaming of for years, but I did gain the respect of my parents for approaching the matter in a serious and adult fashion.
The moral of this story? Go for it. You have nothing to lose. The letter may not have worked for me, but that's no reason it can't work for you. I like how you are going to wait until you have the money saved up. I was so impatient, I gave it to them two days after I had written it. (I was originally going to wait a month.) That is very responsible of you.
My suggestions? Well personally, I feel as though your letter is a little too much infomercial and not enough convincing. I would personally take all the part about the prices and equipment (from "Another issue"... to the end) and put that on a separate sheet of paper. Almost like Part Two of the letter. I would then include maybe something such as "You may be worrying about the cost of our new furry family member, however, let me assure you I have that all covered. If you would kindly flip to page 2 of your letter, you will see I have already thought and made arrangements for this."
I would also include perhaps a little more on rats like perhaps a little bit of history of rats, the Chinese Horoscope/Year of the Rat (the horoscopes are based on true characteristics of this animal!), how the Egyptians worshiped rats (I'm pretty sure they did.), and perhaps other fun facts. Maybe include some examples from good modern media such as the movie "Ratatouille". Everyone thought that rat was really gross, however he turned out to be the hero/protagonist of the movie. I've also heard about a temple in India or a small country where they worship rats and let the rats eat all the sacrifices of food they spread throughout the temple. Just do your research and be creative!
I really hope your letter works. Read it again and again and make sure it runs smoothly and wonderfully. Good luck, and best of wishes!
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