How to convince dad to let me get two female rats?

I let my son have a rat when he was about 15. The problem was, it turned out she was pregnant (Too early when we bought her to know. He'd wanted a male but liked the colors on this one.) Anyway, about a month later she had 10 babies!

The pet shop offered to take them back, but we knew they'd end up as snake food, so I allowed him to have 11 rats in his room! He had to get two huge cages; one for boys, one for girls. His room smelled horrible!

--but then again, he wasn't that diligent about cleaning the cages. I had nothing to do with them (except they were really cute when they were babies) and said they had all better be dead before he went to college, which they were. They don't live more than about two years, and many of them got tumors, which is apparently common with rats.

I'd say one rat is not a big deal--but I have to agree about the urine smell. If your dad thinks it's ugly, he doesn't have to look at it.

1)big is a good thing, they are less likely to escape and easier to catch if they do (mine are more likely to run TO you than away ;) ) 2) Urine of any animal (including people!) never smells nice obviously, but there are ways to reduce/minimise the smell a) proper caging, obviously a cramped cage will smell quicker than a roomy one, also good ventilation so the ammonia doesn't get trapped (avoid tanks) and go for coated metal not galvanised/bare, because that holds onto the smell really bad b) spot cleaning, just wipe up any puddle you might spot with an unscented baby wipe or kitchen towel, you can also toilet train them for poos c) a good substrate/litter will absorb smells (try cardboard squares like they use for horse bedding its cheap and good) but some things, like using newspaper will get stinky really quick d)Tap-a-Drop is also good if you still have trouble with smells to put in perspective they smell a lot less than mice or even hamsters though! 3) this is a personal one, there's not much you can do to convince him they are attractive, but usually people who don't like the look of rats don't mind the look of fancy rats with 'non wild' markings, so maybe get a hooded rat for example instead of an agouti (natural brown colour) and you are right the expected life span is about 2-3 years, for one to reach 6 would be very unusual! It might be worth talking to a good rat breeder in your area, they cost about the same as getting them from a pet shop (where they will have come from a rodent farm which are bad for the same reasons as puppy farms) and not only do they have healthier rats but they will also be better socialised.

Plus the breeder would be able to back you up with facts on rats and temperaments for the record mine have been handled pretty much from the day after birth and they have never bitten anyone, they might lick you to death though ;).

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.