Welcome to Our Hen House.

This is Jasmine Singer.

This is Marianne Sullivan.

And this week we will be talking with Dr. Beck Gouli about the most maligned animal we know of, rats.

Whether they're beloved pets or their loathed intruders, there are probably

no animals that succeed at living near and with humans any better than rats, which doesn't

always work out great for either of us. But my gosh, is this a fascinating subject? And I am so

excited to get into the minds and the brains of these lovely little animals.

I have a rat too on my arm, as you know.

You do have a rat too.

And I think you are sympathetic from a distance for rodents, but you don't like them in the house.

And I think that's reasonable. Hold on a second. I don't like them in the house. And I think that's reasonable.

Hold on a second. I don't mind them in the house if they're intentionally there.

Really? Like if they're pet rats, you're okay with them? Yes, I have held and cuddled and gotten to

no pet rats. You've grown. You've grown. Thanks. Although, my favorite is seeing them at the subway, like just, you know, an ethical zoo, just watching them do their lives.

But, yeah, there's a definitely, they're quite the maligned animal.

And I, yeah, and there are very, very legitimate issues that have to be dealt with.

I'm excited about this.

And, you know, it's just nice that there are some people like Dr. Goulli who are trying to deal with them in a way that take into account that they're living creatures and they deserve some consideration.

And that has not been the case.

It's always been like, you know, the few people who love rats and then everybody else who acts like they're just the most evil thing on the face of the earth. Really, they're just trying to get by in their own way. And it is true that sometimes that gets in our way. But, you know, maybe we could find a better way out of this. That's what she's looking for. I love that. I love that too. So before we get to that, I am so friggin happy that it's February, just because that means it's no longer January.

I couldn't think of any other reason why you're happy. It's February. I mean, like, oh, you know what? Actually, now that we're talking about it, I have this daylight thing right here. Let me turn it on. Yep. So I have that, you know, lamp. I use that daylight thing every morning. You were the one who reminded me. I was getting, I mean, I think I've mentioned on the podcast that my mood was like pretty, pretty dicey. Yeah. And of course, there are real reasons for that in the real world. But it is important to remember that, you know, I don't like to take drugs. I don't want to get on antidepressants. Maybe I should. I know a lot of you out there think, oh, what is she crazy? But the light, the therapeutic light, you know, the really bright light

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