Buying from a pet shop tends to make the whole process very quick and easy, which although it sounds good, isn't always the best thing. These are living creatures that you are taking on responsibility for, and you need to take time to consider this and to plan for their care.
Some pet shops do not guarantee the sex of the pets they sell. Many of the accidental litters offered for homing on rat fora and mailing lists are the result of pet shops mis-sexing their rats, or separating the male and female babies too late. The in joke is that you 'buy one, get twelve free'.
Pet shop rats are often separated from their mother too early, looking undersized and still in their baby fur when offered for sale.
Poor advice is often given on the size and type of cage required. To give the pets shops the benefit of the doubt, I'm guessing this is because they usually see tiny young rats and don't realise that they can grow into a relatively large adult.
The rats have no history given, often only an approximate age, and no information is fed back to the breeder. The only way that a breeder can select for good health and temperament is by gathering information through contact throughout the life of the pet. There is no facility for this from a pet shop rat.
The rats may originate from pet stock or a feeder/pet supplier farm, with overbred females and lack of selection for health. Farmed rats are not handled frequently enough during the crucial early period when young rats bond with humans. Further reading: Why not use pet shops?
The rats are often not handled while in the shop, leaving the new owner with nervous or aggressive pets.
Because of these points, I believe that live animals should not be sold in shops, and would not support the shops by buying from them. Buying a rat from a pet shop helps the individual rat, but encourages the shop to restock, which in turn encourages the breeding of more stock. I'm not going to condemn anyone who does buy from petshops, though, as I completely understand the urge to take the individual rat out of there.
A rescue can be an organisation or an individual which has taken in the rats with the aim of rehoming them. You may be required to undergo a home check before adopting rescue rats. I don't see this as a disadvantage because it shows that the rescuer is concerned about their wellbeing, although it does then restrict you to homing rats from rescues which cover your home area.
Adults: Rescue adults vary from the well socialised to the traumatised and aggressive. You may find yourself paying out a lot in vet fees and spending a lot of your time on an older rescue, but often this is the time when you bond most closely. It's a gamble but very rewarding to take on an adult rescue.
Kittens: Rescue kittens are generally those born to adults taken into rescue. Giving a home to young rats is generally less of a gamble than homing an older rat, especially if the rescue or foster home have spent time socialising the youngsters. You will most likely receive little or no information on their hereditary disease resistance or tendency to develop tumours.
These are usually rats which have previously belonged to a friend, or the friend of a friend, and which for some reason need to find a new home. I find that they often have undisclosed problems, or that the information on their age and health can be patchy. On occasion it seems apparent that they are being discarded to make way for the latest new flavour of pet, but I admit that it difficult to refuse a rat in need.
I'm really struggling with this section. There are many people who breed rats for many different reasons. What you need to be looking for is the 'reputable breeder'. This is complicated by the fact that there are as many definitions of a 'reputable breeder' as there are people looking to find one, so what you really need to look for is someone whose viewpoint coincides with your own.
I would like to emphasise one point. Don't be afraid to approach a breeder even if you are not intending to show your rats. Every breeder has kittens to home on occasion, and there is no reason to suppose that you wouldn't provide the kind of home they are looking for.
You will probably have to go on a waiting list for a breeder rat, especially if you are seeking a particular variety. If you ask to be added to the waiting list of several breeders, it is courteous to let them know if you have found your rats elsewhere, so please keep a list of who you have applied to.
One good reason for turning to a breeder is to find rats with good health and temperament. These are factors which can be bred for, so you are looking for someone who keeps good records of their lines and who uses these to influence their breeding decisions. These breeders will be keen to keep in touch with the new owners of their kittens. Ask about health and temperament.
You may also want to ask the breeder about their breeding practices and ethics:
Annette, Jan 2008
Ratty Corner is the home of Brandywine Stud, NFRS Registration 2011-04
Last modified: Friday, 19-Feb-2010 18:40:48 GMT
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