# Feeder rats



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I was just curious as too what health issues can arise? I went too a pet store yesterday and saw the most beautiful Siamese male there....I fell in love,but I had too protect my own so I wasn't allowed too buy him


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

RatzRUs said:


> I was just curious as too what health issues can arise? I went too a pet store yesterday and saw the most beautiful Siamese male there....I fell in love,but I had too protect my own so I wasn't allowed too buy him


Well, if he's a pet store rat he may not exactly be a feeder. Unless he was in a bin labeled "feeders". Basically you're signing yourself up for any inbred disease, especially cancer, and he'll have been introduced to tons of bacteria and so possibly will have a URI. 

If you really want him, you could buy him and quarantine him in a separate airspace (a few rooms away) from your current pack. He'd thank you for it if he's really a feeder. 

They make good pets. It's a shame that people only see them as food.


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

He was in a feeder bin labeled "jumbo" . I,would need him neautered though because I have two females and wouldn't want too get anyone preggers. I just can't stop thinking a bout him and it hurts too know he's just a feeder rat and it's like they are just waiting for certain death. He came up too the door so I could pet him he seemed too love that. The problem is convincing my boyfriend :/


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

RatzRUs said:


> He was in a feeder bin labeled "jumbo" . I,would need him neautered though because I have two females and wouldn't want too get anyone preggers. I just can't stop thinking a bout him and it hurts too know he's just a feeder rat and it's like they are just waiting for certain death. He came up too the door so I could pet him he seemed too love that. The problem is convincing my boyfriend :/


Get him and separate him from the girls. You could always get two males from the tank and keep them separate from the ladies, this way no one would need to be fixed. 

I do recommend fixing the girls, though. They're prone to cancer.


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

My other males have been neautered for aggression purposes. The problem is I have 4 already and I wouldn't be able too afford 2 more. I know I've had one pass away on me from brain tumor and they both had mammory tumors removed when I owned 3 females before the other one passed on me. I suppose I will have too just hope someone buys him as a pet :/


----------



## YellowSpork (Jul 7, 2012)

You could maybe get him and keep him in quarantine and re-home him if you think he's special.  I don't go into pet stores any more... I fall in love with rats too easily. ;_; and my boyfriend would MURDER me if I got another one. xD


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

YellowSpork said:


> You could maybe get him and keep him in quarantine and re-home him if you think he's special.  I don't go into pet stores any more... I fall in love with rats too easily. ;_; and my boyfriend would MURDER me if I got another one. xD


I have tried talking him into it....and he said no =( Don't get me wrong he loves rats,but hes looking at the issues of it would be and what not...he did say he keeps thinking of them too.


----------



## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Ok, If you go back, before getting him do this. See if he is nice. If he is clearly scared of humans or even bites you. Please don't take him. If he is nice though, checking you out, or even likes people (like licking you) By all means take him. Now if you find another rat in there who is nice take him instead, or both (Only if the Siamese guy is nice as well).

As for health issues, you have the same risk as getting one from a pet store, and sometimes even the same as from a rescue or breeder. Keep him in quarantine. Do know that since he is labeled as jumbo he is over 6 months (maybe even over a year). So he would have to be neutered anyways as he'll be difficult to introduce to other rats.


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

LightningWolf said:


> Ok, If you go back, before getting him do this. See if he is nice. If he is clearly scared of humans or even bites you. Please don't take him. If he is nice though, checking you out, or even likes people (like licking you) By all means take him. Now if you find another rat in there who is nice take him instead, or both (Only if the Siamese guy is nice as well).
> 
> As for health issues, you have the same risk as getting one from a pet store, and sometimes even the same as from a rescue or breeder. Keep him in quarantine. Do know that since he is labeled as jumbo he is over 6 months (maybe even over a year). So he would have to be neutered anyways as he'll be difficult to introduce to other rats.


He was very sweet when I came up too the cage. I put my fingers through the cage and he seemed too love me scratching him and talking to him


----------



## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

He sounds like a winner, best grab him before a snake does.... I've found everything in feeder rat bins, from part wilds to dumbo's to high whites. Some very fancy rats get turned in by their owners, other's are surplus or mismarked rats from breeders that otherwise produce high ticket rats. Some come from well managed and humane (well relatively speaking) rat farms, while others come from terrible places. Sick rats in feeder bins are unusual, because even the worst breeders, retailers and wholesalers understand the risks of breeding, maintiaining and raising sick animals, it's just bad business.

For the most part you can do very well from the feeder bin... but I very much agree with LightningWolf, a jumbo rat out of a feeder bin is usually a bad idea as big unsocialized rats come with big problems, don't take him home if he isn't clearly human friendly. If he is friendly, he may very well have been someone's pet before he got to the feeder bin. 

Good luck.


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I will go in tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed he's still there. I may hold him first just too make sure he's okay with humans handling him


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

RatzRUs said:


> I will go in tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed he's still there. I may hold him first just too make sure he's okay with humans handling him


Well... If you find that you can't keep him and you can get him to another person who will take him...


I mean, I am looking for a cage mate for the brat and Siamese are my favorite coloration. It's a shame there's distance between us and that he's not in a good age range to be introduced to my boy. Still. He's sweet..


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I know it's so lame


----------



## Jfaye92 (Mar 16, 2012)

I don't know too much about feeders. Only i was assighned in high school to help in a pet shop for 2 months as a career project. In the time i was there often they would get in PET rats and after a ceartian amount of time if the ratties ( and fancy mice) were'nt sold as pets they were put into feeder bins. It's sad really but there was nothing i could do to stop it. Haveing said that i recently bought a female rattie ( it wasnt planned that way) and after asking for some advise i was told it would be easier to have her spayed and then introdce her to the boys, instead of raiseing 2 seperate colonys.


----------



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Keep us updated on him! I always feel bad for the big males I see at Petco and Petsmart


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

I'm just really hoping he will be there still


----------



## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

Two of my five rats were bred to be feeder rats. They were slightly untame when I got them, but now you would never be able to tell that they were once supposed to be feeders. I've had no health issues from them except some myco flare ups when I first got them, but now they're fine and healthy.


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

The major thing I think I'm worried a bout is even though he let me touch him how will he react too be picked up? -sigh-


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

I wish I could take him if you can't get your boyfriend convinced. I'm dying for a Siamese, and if I can help save a life in the process it'd be great... but at the same time I don't really have extra room for a rat who may not get along with the baby. :/

I say get him and look for someone to take him if you can't convince the boyfriend. You may have enough time between getting him and trying to find a home for him for the boyfriend to change his mind


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

Yeah.....ugh...lol....I'm hoping this just works out......I just kept thinking a bout him all day..I'm no longer allowed in pet stors with feeder rats....


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

What the boyfriend doesn't know won't hurt him...


----------



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm sure if you worked with him, he would come around. He's obviously used to people being around, he just needs to know that people are there to love him


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

i just feel i have to protect them >< And I hate that feeling because I know i can't protect them all,but after seeing them in those cages...I was in almost tears...isnt that horrible? Am I weird ??


----------



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

No not at all! I'm the same way...but you have to set limits. If you feel you can for sure handle having another ratty then go ahead! If you have doubts then just think about the pets you already have...they need you. Sometimes we just have to say no...its really hard tho. Like you said, we sadly can't save them all...if we could then every animal would have a loving forever home


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

Not horrible. I'm often in the same boat. It's hard to walk by all of those faces and know their destiny.

Just in case anyone was curious: Right now I'm typing while the baby is balanced in the crook of my left thumb and index finger. He's just hanging while I type...


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

At least the post has turned into an awh moment...=)


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

So are you going to go back and look for him tomorrow after all? How about the cage you'd need to quarantine him, do you have one?


----------



## Keelyrawr (Mar 7, 2012)

I feel the same way about "Protecting" the feeders.. I was banned from my local feeder shop after cursing at one of the employees for grabbing rats by their tails.. It just upsets me beyond words :/ You can't save them all, but this little guy sounds like he has serious potential. I hope he's still there


----------



## Cocoriggs89 (Sep 11, 2012)

I was reading this story and now I'm on the edge of my seat. I really hope he is still there tomorrow. He seams so sweet and like he likes you. No need for him to be food for something else . Keep us posted


Sent from my iPad using PG Free


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

Yes Unlikely I keep a second cage o pn hand at all times in case for surgerys or quartine purposes


----------



## RatzRUs (Feb 5, 2012)

:*( he was gone when I went back in .....I should have snagged him when I was in there before


----------



## Cocoriggs89 (Sep 11, 2012)

oh no poor little guy


Sent from my iPad using PG Free


----------



## unlikelyfather (Sep 11, 2012)

RatzRUs said:


> :*( he was gone when I went back in .....I should have snagged him when I was in there before


Oh man. Let's all hope someone just like you came along and saw how gorgeous he was and saved him. Yeah?


----------



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Fingers crossed for the little guy!


----------

