Discuss Rats With Your Parents
Before you do anything else, you have to know how your parents feel about you having a pet rat, and why they feel that way. Bring it up in a calm and organized way. You may want to prepare a list of reasons why rats make good pets and why you would take good care of them. You should also include some of the cons about rats as well, so they understand what to expect and not just the good things. If they say no, make sure you find out every specific reason why they don't want you to have a rat. If they give you some decent reasons, you can then work on those and try to change their minds.
Be Responsible
Part of being a pet owner is being responsible for their care. Some parents don't believe you are responsible enough to take proper care of a rat without help, especially if you are young. Make sure you help out around the house regularly, do your homework on time, study for tests, get good grades, and take good care of any other pets your family has. If you can show your parents that you can be responsible for your chores they may realize you are responsible enough to care for a rat.
Be Educated About Rats
Most people who are afraid of rats or just plain don't like them are simply misinformed as to what a pet rat is really like. Your parents may hear the word 'rat' and think of a huge, dirty, sewer-dwelling, aggressive beast, which of course is simply not true for pet rats. Make sure you know as much as you can about rats so when your parents have questions you can be ready with answers. Here are some of the most common myths about pet rats along with the facts:
Myth: Pet Rats Bite
If a rat is properly socialized as a baby, rats will rarely ever bite out of aggression. In fact, rats (along with guinea pigs) are the least likely of any rodent to bite you. To ensure that you get a tame, friendly pet, choose a rat from a well-known breeder or a reputable pet store and make sure it enjoys being handled before you decide to take it home.
Myth: Pet Rats Smell
When their cage is kept clean, rats have little to no odor, and in fact are one of the least odiferous rodents commonly sold as pets. Male rats have a bit more of an odor than females, but it is hardly noticeable. If the cage is cleaned properly, along with all the hammocks and toys inside it, at least once per week (depending on the size of your cage), the rats should not have a noticeable smell. The rats themselves do not have an unpleasant odor and they keep themselves very clean.
Myth: Pet Rats Carry Diseases
While it is true that some wild rats can be infected with diseases that could be passed on to a human, this is hardly the case with pet rats. Pet rats are raised in captivity where they do not get exposed to diseases which can be passed on to humans. The contagious conditions that pet rats do get (mycoplasma, mites, lice, etc) are only communicable to other rats. Rats also cannot get rabies.
Show Them Friendly Pet Rats
Most people who hate rats have never even seen a pet rat and don't understand that they can be very friendly and loving. If you know somebody who has some nice pet rats, try asking your parents if they will come over to meet them, or if your friend will let you watch them for a few days. This will give you a chance to show your parents what great pets rats can be; most likely they just didn't know. If you don't know anybody with rats, try finding a breeder in your area or see if there are any rat shows nearby. These can be great places to show them what rats are really like.
If you cannot find any way to show them rats in real life, at least try to find some adorable pictures of rats on the internet. Fancy rats come in all kinds of colors, body types, and coat types, and they hardly resemble their wild cousins anymore.
Respect Their Decision
If none of these suggestions work and your parents still say no, you should respect their decision and drop the subject, at least for a while. If you complain, say 'it isn't fair', whine, argue, or bother them about it too much, they will likely stick to their decision and think you are not mature enough to have a pet rat. It may take a while to convince them, and it may never happen. Just remember that one day you will be moved out of their house and you can have whatever pets you want; it isn't worth it to have an argument with your parents over something like this.
Whatever you do, do not go behind their backs and get a rat anyway, attempting to hide it. They will very likely find out eventually, and when they do they won't be pleased. They will likely make you give up the rat, which of course you will be attached to, and they will also never trust you again and certainly never allow you to get a rat again.
