Alberta has very strict anti-rat policies and wildlife management laws. Rats have been outlawed in Alberta since the 1950s.
However, as far as African Soft Fur Rats go, are they legal in Alberta?
Are African Soft Fur Rats Legal in Alberta?
Yes, African Soft Fur Rats are legal in Alberta, because they are a different genus and subfamily as typical rats that Alberta actively keeps out of the Province.
Why Is Alberta Rat Free?
So you might be wondering why Alberta would stress so much about being rat free, then be ok with African Soft Fur Rats.
As Mentioned above African soft for rats are different than the main most common rat that causes a nuisance.
You can read all about the history of rat control in Alberta here. But the general story is this:
The main type of rat that is a pest and causes damage and disease in North America is the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus).
They are a royal pain because they depend on humans for their own survival, which means they dig in our garbage, ruin crops, spread disease and more.
They came to Canada in 1775 on the East coast and made their way westward.
Alberta is currently the largest rat free land mass on earth because the Provincial government made laws, policies, and educational programs in the 1950s to essentially stop rats at the border.
Using pest control like poison and traps, as well as teaching people about how to identify and avoid rats has led to Alberta being basically rat free.
We say “basically”, because it would be impossible to guarantee that absolutely zero rats exist in the entire province, but as an Albertan of over 40 years, I can say I have never seen a rat in Alberta.
Difference Between African Soft Fur Rat and Norway Rat
Alberta is very particular about keeping rats like the Norway Rat outside the provincial borders, and that includes keeping pet rats, as pets often escape into the wild.
The African Soft Fur Rat (Natal multimammate rat) can make a good short term pet as they only live a few years, but most people raise them to feed snakes.
How the Norway Rat and African Soft Fur Rat are related:
- Kingdom – Animalia = Same
- Phylum – Chordata = Same
- Class – Mammalia = Same
- Order – Rodentia = Same
- Family – Muridae = Same
- Genus – Rattus = Norway Rat / Genus – Mastomys = African Soft Fur Rat
As you can see, they are both very similar and related, right down to the fact they are both rodents.
The fact that the Norway Rat (Also known as the brown rat) is in the genus of Rattus, and the African Soft Fur Rat is in the genus of Mastomys, makes them different enough in the eyes of the Alberta Provincial Government to make one legal, and one illegal.
This makes sense, as we could consider Alberta to be “Rattus” free, not “Mastomys” free.
See our list of other exotic pets that you can own as a pet in Alberta called What Exotic Pets Can You Legally Own in Alberta?
In Summary
- African Soft Fur Rats are legal to own as pets in Alberta.
- They are not in the same family as the rats that the province restricts.
- Alberta is well known as a rat free place, but the African Soft Fur Rat is something different.
