I used to keep rats. They are great pets. Very smart and friendly.
I've been bitten by alot of different animals before, but, never by a rat.
I've actually never met a rat owner that has ever been bitten by one.
When I was in college I had a big male hooded rat named Perry, he was with me for maybe 3.5 years which I think is pretty good. He was very tame and got to be sort of a dorm mascot...which was cool except he probably got fed things that weren't the best for him by some of my floormates. One thing he insisted on doing was sticking his nose in my ear, which was both ticklish and creepy at the same time
Rats are great pets, probably the most tameable of the small rodent type pets people keep (rats, mice, gerbils, hamsters).