[Phalanx]

I like the brown/black one.
I haven't had rat kittens in ages...I've got a female, but the pet retailers around here are just shit and haven't had any in a while.

Yeah, you'll get the friendliest rats by hand rearing them from a young age - The mothers that I've had, haven't been overly psycho, so I've been able to pat them from pretty young ages, and pick them up even before their eyes open...it's good when they have your scent even before they can see...I think the best thing is the day their eyes start to open.

My rat eats pretty much whatever, prefers vegetables though.
I agree, they are a great pet to have, they're friendly and always interesting to watch, they're clean, and don't require too much maintenance beyond feeding and the occasional wash. They're one of the few animals aside from dogs that actually seek out human attention/companionship, and I like that.

- The pissing thing tends to stop. Just put them back in their cage/hut whenever they do it, and don't pick them up right after they wake.