If you've been to my web site recently, you will notice that Bingo's name is no longer with Makoto's.  That's because Bingo started biting and had to go away.

Makoto is a male fancy rat.  He is a lynx Berkshire rat (meaning he is golden on top with a gray undercoat and a white belly and feet).  He is very clean and exceptionally sweet.

Why did I get a rat?  In January, we had to put my dog down.  I didn't take it so well and needed a pet that I could keep at college.  Well, I used to live in the dorms, and rats were one of the few animals that I could sneak in there.  Rats are also very smart.  A rat can be trained to do just about anything a dog can be trained to do, and rats are a lot smarter than Guinea pigs and gerbils.  So I got a rat instead of a more "traditional" pet for the above reasons.  And as far as his name, Makoto means "devotion" in Japanese.  It turns out that I picked the perfect name.  He's about as devoted as any pet I've ever had. 

My sister, Kat, also owns a rat.  His name is Nichibotsu (Nichi for short) and he is Makoto's son.  If you ever want to hear that whole story, email me and I'll tell you about it.  As soon as I get the picture from Kyle, I'll put a picture of Nichi on here too.

'Koto lives in a giant rat condo in my apartment in Menomonie.  He also has a rat condo at my parents' house.  Kyle helped me build it one weekend, and we're both quite proud of it.  When I'm gone Makoto stays in the cage, but when I'm here I shut the door of my room and let him run around.  Makoto is curled up next to me as I'm writing here.  He does a minimal amount of destruction, and then that's only when he's mad at me or isn't getting enough attention.