# are breeders better than pet shops?



## archie (Jan 23, 2011)

Hi ;D
does anyone know wheather or not it is better to get a rat from a breeder or a pet shop?


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## blenderpie (Sep 10, 2009)

A RESPONSIBLE breeder is the best place to get your ratS from. Because there should be a plural amount. But keep in mind to do your research about your breeder. The people here can guide you. Because back yard breeders aren't much better than pet shops.

But, RESCUE, can be a great experience. I know I won't get a rat another way.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

there's a sticky at the top of this section discussing this very question... please be sure to give the stickies a read before posting, as a lot of them answer common questions like this.

http://www.ratforum.com/index.php/topic,21120.0.html


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

blenderpie said:


> A RESPONSIBLE breeder is the best place to get your ratS from. Because there should be a plural amount. But keep in mind to do your research about your breeder. The people here can guide you. Because back yard breeders aren't much better than pet shops.
> 
> But, RESCUE, can be a great experience. I know I won't get a rat another way.


However, most rescue rats come from back yard breeders or pet shops and are no different than these.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Yes many rats in rescues are from pet stores at one point but i still prefer to rescue because my money is going to a cause that helps more animals.
Instead of going to a filthy rat mill that is horrible to animals.

If your looking for a rat most likely to be healthy go for a breeder rat. Please don't support pet stores.


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## karinulph (Jul 19, 2010)

Responsible breeders who track genetics and health are the best place in my opinion to get healthy socialized rats. These rats are carefully monitored throughout their lives through updates to the breeder so they can breed healthy happy rats

Rescues are great if you are looking to save a rat and give them a home. Most of the time they will be spayed/neutered already. Yes a lot do come as pet store stock because that's where most people get them. You won't know what future health problems they may have so you'd just need to be prepared

Edit to add
My experience with pet store rats has been awful laving two rats passed on way to early and onebiting female that has a bad temperament. Pet mills do not breed for happy healthy pets. They breed for profit, pumping out sick sometimes aggressive rats


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

I just want to add, nobody should get a breeder rat thinking it means no vet bills, you never know what will come up. The rats as a whole from _*good*_ breeders may be healthier, but there are always the statistical outliers, plus even mostly healthy rats get sick or injured.

But yes, they are the worst place to get from. It is not the rats, my favorite is from pet store stock, but it's not giving money to a cruel business that matters.

And like others said, rescues are an option as well, and if you do choose a breeder, read this to know what to look for:

http://blackwolfrattery.com/redflags.html

And, definitely check out the stickies, there's tons of good info there.


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

A rescue or a GOOD breed (one that is responsible, ethical, and doing it for the rats' health and temperament and not for pretty colors or for profit - these breeders are few and far between and sometimes harder to determine) are the places to get rats before going to a pet store.


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

begoodtoanimals said:


> blenderpie said:
> 
> 
> > A RESPONSIBLE breeder is the best place to get your ratS from. Because there should be a plural amount. But keep in mind to do your research about your breeder. The people here can guide you. Because back yard breeders aren't much better than pet shops.
> ...


A rescue should not be directly supporting the mills (by buying rats from them) and thus are still a better place to get rats from. 

The OP didn't ask about the rats, but about the place.


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

smesyna said:


> I just want to add, nobody should get a breeder rat thinking it means no vet bills, you never know what will come up. The rats as a whole from _*good*_ breeders may be healthier, but there are always the statistical outliers, plus even mostly healthy rats get sick or injured.


And this is an important point to remember.

Because that ONE rat gets sick, does not make the breeder bad. Rats are biological beings, they are not mechanical toys that can be engineered for "perfection". There is ALWAYS going to be something that happens to some of the rats, even from the best of breeders. That is the nature of a biological being. Part of it may be genetic: Improvement does not happen immediately, it takes time. Part of it may be a mutation: these happen randomly and cannot be predicted. It could be environmental: uncontrollable or unrecognized factors can and do affect the health of our pets. But *overall* the rats from a good breeder should be healthier. Instead of 50% of that breeder's rats developing tumors or respiratory issues or whatever, maybe only 25%, or maybe only 20%, or perhaps 10% or less will. And over time there should be improvement. Maybe when the breeder started with that particular line they saw 40% of their rats developing this particular issue. Next year only 30% did, then the year after that only 15%. At some point the breeder might reach a plateau where they are seeing less and less improvement, but they should still maintain the improvement they achieved. So perhaps a breeder reaches a point where year after year a consistent 5% of their animals develop issues, but no more and no less. That breeder may never reach the perfect 0%, but that 5% is still better than say a pet store where perhaps 80% of their animals develop problems.


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## Critter Aficionado (Jan 30, 2011)

I agree that even though many rats in rescue were originally purchased from pet stores or back yard breeders, the biggest difference is that you when you adopt, you are supporting an organization that saves lives, not mass produces them for profit. A knowledgeable and reputable rescue and even many shelters if they have someone exotics-knowledgeable will be able to tell you any known health problems with the rat(s) you are wanting to adopt, quarantines incoming rats, and will provide veterinary care (some shelters/rescues even offer a certificate for a free veterinary exam with a participating exotics vet of your choice); and they may even be already spayed/neutered. 

A breeder who sells rats on contract only requiring the rats to be cared for properly including appropriate housing and has a very high standard of care for their own rats is a thousand times better than a pet store.


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## axwell2010 (Feb 13, 2011)

I got my rats from a rescue. Couldn't bare the idea of them being left there in a small cage with only a cardboard box and shredded paper to keep them company. Plus there was 3 rats, so I feared 2 being bought and one being left on its own. Plus the workers there didn't seem to know much about rats!!


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## jessyyyissiqqq (Feb 7, 2011)

To be honest, I bought my first rats from the SNAKE FOOD SECTION! I just felt so bad for them I wanted to save them all  But I wouldn't do that again because I don't want to support feeder breeders and animal mills and stuff but I didn't rreally think about that back then:/
But either way, I got them alll as "small rats" and every single one of them has been perfectly healthy! I was and still am surprised too, I was totally expecting a lot of vet visits and always have money set aside for that. but so far they've all been perfectly healthy, and that's all six rats lol. I'm very thankful and I hope this didn't jinx it! 
That being said, I don't think i'll buy anymore from pet shops, but I just get so so sad thinking about how MY babies could've been eaten if I wasn't in the right place at the right time! I "rescued " them tooooo.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

There's plenty of free rats being given away as "pet or food" online everywhere...you will be able to save future babies from being eaten don't worry :/


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

My outlook is that as long as no money is going to mills and pet stores or BYBs, I am okay. 
Craiglist former pets(be wary of BYBS charging more then 10 dollars) , rescues, humane society, pet-store freebies, and owner surrenders are all good ways to obtain rats. As long as your ready to pay vet bills, which are present regardless of where you obtain your rats.


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