Why pest controller loves to breed ....rats

A man whose livelihood depends on pest control has managed to breed 20 pure lines of rat.

Arnold Sciberras is not “wild about rats”, he admits as he cradles his three-year-old daughter’s pet rat – called Mawsi – in his arms.

But the owner of what he believes is Malta’s largest rat farm, where he breeds them for sale as show animals and pets, clearly understands their importance. Just as he understands, he says, that wild rats could be a major pest and would hurt biodiversity if uncontrolled.

“Rats are revered in parts of the world and considered a delicacy in others. On this side of the globe, they are seen as carriers of diseases and detrimental to agriculture.

“However, rats have also been highly beneficial for scientific research and they are very sociable and intelligent, so domestic rats are also an ideal pet,” says Mr Sciberras.

He believes rats make a good pet if brought up from when they are small, and he would “definitely” not trust the rat with his daughter if it were dangerous.

Even when dealing with clients who want their house clear of rodents, Mr Sciberras tries to counter the culturally-rooted fear of them.

Asked about sanitation – seeing as rats are not...