I find the rats as a whole to be my favorite to own and care for. Most are about as easy as any snake to care for. They all eat like mad, grow quickly but never get too big.

The diversity of rats is massive too. Just think even in "low cost animals" (under 150 bucks) you have the Asians (pile right there) the Japanese Rats (cool and big) the red tail green (I am with you and want one some day). Move over to the new world and you have the common corns and black rats but there is also the Trans Pecos and Bairds to name a few.

Head south and you have the Tiger Rat (which grows HUGE). So much diversity, so many different patterns and so much still to be learned about many of them.

I put most of my efforts into house snakes but if I had my way they would be considered a rat snake anyway,