I can understand your feelings seeing where you have lived they are wild and probably look quite alarming, but not all rats are disgusting ^^ pet rats are completely different. you can train them, they love to snuggle up with you and whenever i walk past the cages in the morning they will all run from one side to the other because they are so delighted to see me c: my rats only get as big as a guinea pig. Again though the rats where you live sound kinda scary seeing they are wild and all yikes D;
My grandma said the same thing hehe >u< alot of people are grossed out by them i think its just past generations that tell their kids rats are gross from a young age, and then as people grow they just keep that in their minds. for alot of people its the tail that freaks them out c: is that the same for you?
oh yeah >u< my babies i clean their cages every day and feed them twice a day. they get little baths too but only in the summer/spring so they dont get too cold afterwards.
yes! rats are just ;v; amazing. i taught my most beloved rat Revy how to beg for mercy, so when i hold her on her back i say "mercy!" or "show me mercy/beg for mercy!" and she will lick my hands neurotically until i let her go x3