Rats

Ray the rat, pictured by Scott on one of his trips from the cage.

So we’ve got a loan of a couple of rats for a few days.

Scott: Yeah.

How are they?

Scott: Great.

What are they called?

Scott: Em… Ray and Steve. Ray’s the brown one that likes exploring and Steve’s the one that does basically nothing apart eat and sleep. I think we’re going to get on well with the rats, aren’t we?

I think so.

Scott: Yeah, you can say that.

What’s the best thing about them?

Scott: (holds nose) I can tell you the worst thing.

The smell?

Scott: Yeah.

The rats don’t smell at all – that smell’s their special Sunday dinner.

Scott: I know – it’s the cat food. Phew!

Luckily, they only have that once a week.

Scott: Will we still be able to watch TV with the rats?

Yes, as long as you’re quiet and don’t jump about.

Scott: I’ll try.

Okay, I think we’ll get on fine then.

Scott: Okay!

Pets

A vampire bat- the worst pet in the world.

What kind of creature are we looking after at the moment?

Scott: Hamster.

Is it good?

Scott: Em, it’s only good at nighttime. You know, because…

Why?

Scott: It’s always sleeping at daytime.

But we’ve taken him out a couple of times.

Scott: Yes, they were near nighttime.

What does he look like?

Scott: He looks a bit more like a mouse, rat sort of. Sort of like a mouse and rat combined, even thought I don’t know what they look like.

Does he have a name?

Scott: We just call him HS.

What does that stand for?

Scott: Humphrey Sophia.

Nice name – why is it called that?

Scott: Because we argued over what name to give him, so we combined them together so it was fair.

Are hamsters good pets?

Scott: Sometimes – if they wanted to come out more.

You don’t sound sure.

Scott: If they wanted to come out more, they’d be the best pets -and if they were awake in the morning, like we are.

What do you think the best pet would be?

Helen: A hamster?

Scott: The ones you used to have, what were they?

Helen: A bunny?

We had gerbils and rats.

Scott: I guess they’d both be really good pets in that case. Did they stay alive for longer than the usual?

The gerbils were about four years and the rats were about three.

Scott: The gerbils were a bit older.

Why do you think they’d be good pets?

Scott: Because they’re awake at the time we are and they’re not nocturnal.

What do you think would make bad pets?

Scott: A vampire bat, for a start.

Why?

Scott: What it’s like goes with its name.

So you wouldn’t want it as a pet?

Scott: No, because they’re… wouldn’t like a hedgehog either, it would leave spikes all over everything.