Ratatouille sparks rat craze
2007-10-01 22:27
Paris - The kitchen capers of a rodent who dreams of becoming a top Parisian chef in the US box-office hit Ratatouille have sparked a new craze for pet rats in the French capital, a pets association said on Monday.
"Since the film came out, there is no question there is a real fashion for rats," said Gerald Moreau, 25, who runs a group near Paris promoting the long-tailed rodents as domestic animals.
Visits to his website have tripled and sales of rodent accessories have jumped 40% since the movie's French release this summer, according to industry figures.
Children are driving the craze - seeking out soft-coated rats with floppy "Dumbo" ears like Remy, the hero of the Pixar comedy - pushing parents to seek out tips on choosing and caring for a rat.
"Rats are much smarter, much more interesting than hamsters or mice," Moreau said. "They recognise their name and grow very attached to their owner, they play with you like a dog or a cat."
But Moreau, who with his girlfriend has 19 pet rats, tells parents to think twice before taking one home: "They're very sociable animals, and they need a lot of cuddles and play time."
And a word of warning to those conquered by the rat's charms: never put a male and female in the same cage, since the female can give birth to up to 15 pups every three weeks.