# Woman at Petco



## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

*This isn't a rant, just something I experienced.

Today Wilder and I went to petco. I spent a good 20 minutes or so looking at their baby girl rats and decided that one looked a little more submissive than the others. It was also super cute, looked like Bronte18's Casper! So I asked this woman if I could see the rat. She pretty much told me no. haha. She told me that she knows I have a boy rat and that they will breed and I will have tons of rats and how will I take care of all of them and so on and so on. I was trying to reassure her that Wilder can't breed with a female rat because they are different species, but she said "a rat is a rat." I didn't really know how to respond at this point. I thought it was nice someone actually caring about the rats. I ended up just letting it go and asked if they had bird perches. I just thought that was a different experience than I normally have there. I hope they keep that lady around, even if she thinks I am a stupid person. haha


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

This made me giggle a little. I would not have taken quite so kindly to being told I was wrong as you did, but I'm glad someone at a chain store actually cares what you do with the rats you buy.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

They're different species? What do you mean?


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Wilder is a black rat (correct?), Rattus rattus, and fancy rats (our pets) are Rattus norvegicus. Same genus (Rattus), different species (rattus and norvegicus).


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

kksrats is correct!! Sometimes I take kindly to it, sometimes I don't. haha Hit and miss really. She was a little rude about it, but I figured this poor woman has to sell these poor rats to people who couldn't careless. Must be a hard job.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Oh I'm probably the most difficult person to get a rat from. I interrogate people until I'm confident that they're not an absolute idiot.


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

That is good though! Must make sure they go to the best homes.


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Another worker there said I shouldn't get him a friend at all. He said because he was raised by me that Wilie probably thinks he is a human not a rat. The man thinks that's why he reacts so funny towards other rats. haha.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

Are black rats wild rats? I'm just curious. 


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

She's not allowed to make that call.

It doesn't matter if you're going to breed, feed, throw away, etc. An employee of the franchise is not allowed to refuse that sale.


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Yea he is a wild rat. I found him when he was a peach fuzz little thing. I think most people know them as Roof Rats.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

Oh. I thought it was illegal to keep native animals as pets. That might just be where I love though.  is he nice? I didn't know people kept wild rats as pets


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> She's not allowed to make that call.
> 
> It doesn't matter if you're going to breed, feed, throw away, etc. An employee of the franchise is not allowed to refuse that sale.


If I had pushed a bit more I am sure she would have got the rat for me. But I didn't want to at that point. It just had weird vibes. I didn't know how to explain to her that they wouldn't breed. 
But ah that kills my heart! She really can't refuse even if I wanted to throw the rat away?


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

I'm pretty sure that wild rats and fancy rats could breed together. 
Like how dogs and wolves can breed together. 
It doesn't seem worth the risk. 


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> She's not allowed to make that call.
> 
> It doesn't matter if you're going to breed, feed, throw away, etc. An employee of the franchise is not allowed to refuse that sale.


Petco employees are actually allowed to refuse a sale if the employee thinks the animal will be mistreated. **This is also the case for feeders** although petco reluctantly sells live feeders they discourage it by continuously slowly raising the price of their rats and if they know the snake/animal was bought there they can flat out say no and that the animal is use to frozen. 

they are actually currently rewriting their policy! (yay for making friends and engaging in conversation with higher up employees of local pet stores!)


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

ClassicFAIL said:


> Petco employees are actually allowed to refuse a sale if the employee thinks the animal will be mistreated. **This is also the case for feeders** although petco reluctantly sells live feeders they discourage it by continuously slowly raising the price of their rats and if they know the snake/animal was bought there they can flat out say no and that the animal is use to frozen.
> 
> they are actually currently rewriting their policy! (yay for making friends and engaging in conversation with higher up employees of local pet stores!)


I've worked at several different Petco branches, and it's just not so.

Even if a customer is planning to breed the animal, an employee is not permitted to refuse that sale.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

RadiantRatties said:


> I'm pretty sure that wild rats and fancy rats could breed together.
> Like how dogs and wolves can breed together.
> It doesn't seem worth the risk.
> 
> ...


Wild rats and fancy rats can breed, but we're not talking about the same species here.


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## ClassicFAIL (Aug 2, 2013)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> I've worked at several different Petco branches, and it's just not so.
> 
> Even if a customer is planning to breed the animal, an employee is not permitted to refuse that sale.


The ones by me have said otherwise. Maybe it just depends on the managers. :/


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## Mrs.Brisby (Jan 4, 2014)

Dogs are descended from wolves they're not different species. Rattus rattus (the black rat) and Rattus norvegicus (the brown rat) are a different species. Different species do not breed under normal circumstances. If they did manage to successfully mate ( which would be extremely rare) the resulting offspring would be infertile just like Mules. Also, wilder is an invasive species he isn't protected under any wildlife laws. http://www.ratbehavior.org/Hybridization.htm


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

Mrs.Brisby said:


> Dogs are descended from wolves they're not different species. Rattus rattus (the black rat) and Rattus norvegicus (the brown rat) are a different species. Different species do not breed under normal circumstances. If they did manage to successfully mate ( which would be extremely rare) the resulting offspring would be infertile just like Mules. Also, wilder is an invasive species he isn't protected under any wildlife laws. http://www.ratbehavior.org/Hybridization.htm


That is a great link! Thank you. I am going to save it.


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## RadiantRatties (Jul 28, 2014)

Oh okay. I understand now. I was just confused I guess lol. Thank you. 


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

It is confusing a little. I didn't really understand it at first. But I think my little guy is the best rat ever! So to answer your question on if he is friendly, yes!  He has never bit anyone, not even the vet. He doesn't like strangers holding him, but is now pretty good with them petting him. I'm so proud of him for that. He goes camping and to the beach and the barn and parks and the movies and work, just about everywhere I go he goes. He is also not a caged rat, he just runs around my room. ** I don't advise people going out and catching wild rats or taking their rats out if it isn't trained.


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