It's an interesting thing, really.

My rats don't know they're rats.

They think they're bunny rabbits.

Or, specifically, the sub-genus Bunnyrat.
 

They simply have no idea they're rats.  They've been told from birth that they're bunnies.  When I walk into the room, I'll say something like, "He-e-e-ere's a happy bunny treat."  "The-e-ere's a happy bunny."  If you were born on a deserted island and were told from birth that you were an elephant, wouldn't you believe that you were an elephant?

Of course you would.  It's the same thing.

When we're watching TV and one of those nature specials comes on and they show one of those horrible, ugly, disease-ridden rats, well, they're just as repulsed as you or I would be.

Just between you and me, what with the innumerable negative rat connotations running around, I really think it's better for them, psychologically, to think of themselves as cute, harmless, everybody-loves-them bunny wabbits.  Soft.  Warm.  Cuddly.

Bunnyrats.

And this has a good side effect for me, as well.  It keeps me from feeling hypocritical when I use phrases like "it was a real rat's nest" in some email.  It just seems somewhat two-faced to say something derogatory about rat's nests on one hand, only turn turn around and — literally — reach my hand into one.

If you want to give both you and your bunnyrats a psychological boost, I suggest you get started today.