Ciara Barsotti

This animal I wouldn't call a 'Real weird animal' but rather a 'Real clever animal'.
Many years ago I used to have three albino rats at home as pets. They came from a university lab and were considered 'superfluous' and would have been killed together with more colleague rats, if not some student had tried to find a home for them in time. Luckily all of them found a safe shelter, and three of them became member of my - at that time one person - household. So funny animals, such a pleasant company!
And I learned that these animals really are clever and sympathetic pets. O.k., I admit: my little room mates had red beady eyes, which seemed weird to some people. And their long pink tail looks a bit weird, too. But turned out to be a super handy 'tool', a fifth 'limb' for holding balance, for climbing etcetera.

So I was happily surprised when Ciara Barsotti sent me this great little Pet Rats Zine. The reason to exchange mail was a swap about a totally different subject. So this Zine - and look at the great silhouet animal rubberstamps! - wasn't meant for this RWA-blog either. But as I regard Ciara as an amazing animal designer (and she draws much more, check her sketchbook for the SBP), I am happy to welcome these animals here.