Most of the rats sold in shops will be sold as "food" for reptiles, while a lucky few will be sold as pets. (It is only relatively recently that some shops have been aiming to sell to the pet-buying public.) This means that the rats do not need to be "nice", or socialized with people before being sold. They don't need to be healthy, beyond the first short days, weeks or months, since they will not be living long anyway. The large population of reptile owners demands a constant supply of "pinkies" (rats less than a week old), "fuzzies" (rats one-two weeks old), and older animals, often labeled as "small", "medium" and "large", in the cages or "feeder bins" of pet shops. For all these reasons, most pet shop rats come from facilities where there is mass production of rats. Breeding any and all females (regardless of age), over and over and over again, is the norm. It doesn't matter what males father litters, so rats are all jumbled together, producing litter after litter, which then go out the door and into the shops. Rats can be fed on poor quality food, just what is needed to get them to live for a while, and no veterinary care is given, as this would be too costly, and is not necessary, given the goals of mass production. There is no selection for future health or temperament, and no handling/socializing of babies.
I have heard many sad tales, of people adopting rats from pet shops, only to have them fall ill shortly after, or even die within a very short time. Many are purchased already sneezing from respiratory problems, and carrying mites. Many are skittish and afraid of people. Others, who appear friendly, can "turn mean" or bite a few months later, as a rat's hormone levels change. Sweet, healthy rats can be purchased in shops, and may even live long lives. (Rats normally live 2 1/2 - 3 years.) The odds though, are stacked against this happening.
A good, responsible, reputable breeder carefully chooses healthy, good-tempered rats as breeding stock. In fact, the rats will have pedigrees that are known for many generations. Records are kept on the health and longevity of each animal, which a breeder then uses to choose which rats to pair. A good breeder wants to produce healthy, people-friendly animals. Some, who also show their animals, work to improve type (conformation) as well. Babies are handled from the day of their birth and are well socialized by the time they are placed in new homes, no earlier than 5 weeks of age. (Most breeders place babies at anywhere from 5-8 weeks of age.) Breeders put in a lot of time and effort raising their rats, so they naturally have a desire to see that babies are placed in homes where they will be cared for properly (appropriate cage, bedding, diet, and lots of playtime with their human(s)), and with owners who will keep the breeder updated as to the health of the animals. (This is to aid the breeder in being aware of any health issues which may affect the future use (or not) of a particular breeding line.) When you contact a breeder about wanting to adopt rats, expect that you will be asked a series of questions about how you plan to care for your new pets. Responsible breeders will also require that you adopt in same-sex pairs (due to rats' social nature) unless you have other rats already. You will be asked to sign an adoption agreement too, where you agree to provide proper care (and veterinary if ever needed) of your new rats, agree not to breed (anything sold as pet only...breeders have special requirements of those to whom they sell breeding stock) to sell to pet shops or to produce "food" for reptiles.
Many people call themselves breeders. Sometimes sorting out the good, responsible, reputable ones from the uneducated, irresponsible ones can be tricky. The best breeders will be established, meaning that they have been around for at least a year, and ideally, several. They will have good reputations. Ask around! Don't ever be shy about asking a breeder for a list of references, either from other breeders, or from people who have adopted pet rats from them before. A good breeder will eagerly advise prospective buyers as to what constitutes proper caging, bedding, and diet, and will answer any questions about rats as pets. She/he will be able to tell you about the parents and relatives of any babies you are interested in adopting, and will be able to show you a pedigree. Their breeding rats will all have at least three generations of known pedigree, and will be registered on NARR (North American Rat Registry -- http://www.ratregistry.org/) Any babies the breeder produces who do not find new homes will be kept by the breeder, and are NEVER given/sold to pet shops. Any breeder who raises so many rats that they can't keep what doesn't get placed, or who gives/sells rats to pet shops is NOT a good breeder. Responsible breeders will also tell you that they will take back any rats they have raised, at any time, should the adopter ever feel compelled to re-home them.
Buying rats from a good breeder gives adopters the opportunity to add healthy, socialized pets to the family. While there are never any "guarantees," responsible, reputable breeders will have done all in their power to produce rats that will live out a normal life span with good health. Should an adopter's rat(s) become ill – respiratory problems are common, unfortunately – the breeder should "be there" to offer help and advise as to care you may be able to give yourself, or to tell you when to take your pet to a rat-knowledgeable veterinarian. Good breeders KNOW what they will produce in terms of health and temperament. Adopters of animals that have such relatively short lives, deserve to start out with rats that have been bred with care. If you choose to buy from a pet shop, you are playing a kind of "rat roulette"!
© 2008 Debbie Fratini
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