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That doesn't really reassure me.

I don't know anywhere near enough about rats in general or this particular situation to say whether or not this is something bad for the rats, but this recounting of basic bonding doesn't really tell me anything.

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Just anecdotally, I had a pet rat as a kid. They're pretty friendly creatures who seem to enjoy company and playtime. Not sure what constitutes "bad for the rats", but I personally think a situation where they're getting food, safety and stimulation would not fit into that category.

Regarding playtime, rats love to be tickled. There are many videos available out there showing it. It really opened my eyes to what was going on in a rat's brain that they would enjoy "pretend goring" by their caretaker and found it enjoyable.

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