# Trying To Find My First Companions...



## Voss (Aug 29, 2011)

I've always been fascinated by these amazing creatures and have recently decided to find a great pair of rats, however I am finding it quite difficult to find a local breeder or any at the local shelters. It seems like a pet store might be my only option for adoption and I was hoping you guys could suggest any other options.

I live in Milwaukee, WI and if any of you could help me find a breeder that's willing to ship(I'm sure this is stressful) or provide me with another option I would be very grateful. I have been researching how to care for these little guys for weeks and now all I need is to find a pair of lovely rats.


----------



## HighwayStar (Aug 20, 2010)

Really, if at all possible, you should absolutely avoid a pet store unless you have plenty of money for vet visits. The rats a friend of mine and myself got from pet stores all got tumors regularly, URIs, and never really got to be very friendly. My current two girls I got from a breeder. They are sweet and curious and I drove 6 hours one way to the Indiana/Kentucky border to get them. As much as I loved my pet store rats they never cleaned my teeth for me like my breeder rats do. ;D


----------



## 3NakedLadies (Jan 27, 2011)

I bought my first male rat at a petshop, and after 4-5 months of training and aloooot of bites he's now an amazing rat. But I would never go to a pet shop ever again, unless it's a small petshop that breeds them and looks after them properly from been babies it isn't worth the hassle. So avoid big chain pet shops! A pet shop near my house finds buyers before they breed, and then from babies the buyers handle them until they are ready to go, so you could try that approach to it? Good luck! and I hope you find some lovely ratties! x


----------



## Voss (Aug 29, 2011)

Driving for hours for pickup is out of the realm of possibility for the current time, I wish it wasn't so difficult to find little ones to adopt.


----------



## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Many rescues will do rat trains to get you your rats, some rats have gotten across the entire country this way!


----------



## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

Have you tried Craigslist? And if everything else fails your last resort could be a pet store but you have to really check for the living conditions and the health of the rats, this also goes for adopting from indivuduals from CL. Then have them ( assuming you get at least two) checked out by a vet. If you adopt tiny ones, you can still tame them with patience. My pet store rats have been the healthiest and sweetest (from Petco even!)
It is easy for everyone to say to never adopt from a pet store but sometimes it is the only reasonable way to get rats. No need to feel guilty in MHO.


----------



## HighwayStar (Aug 20, 2010)

I'm jealous of you, ratjes. I always felt so bad when another tumor would pop up and it meant another scar and more meds. Sometimes I wondered if it was right to keep taking her to surgery.


----------



## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

There is always a way other than petstores, between shelters, rescues, rat trains, and CL/other personal rehoming situations. It just can take some patience and effort, and knowing you are not supporting rat mills is worth the wait.

http://www.petfinder.com/pet-search?animal_type=Small&pet_breed=rat&location=milwaukee%2C+wi&startsearch=Search


----------



## Voss (Aug 29, 2011)

Thank you all for the great replies, I decided to post a wanted ad on CL this morning and within a few hours I received an email from a small breeder about 30 miles away. He set aside two little beauties from his first litter for me to pickup this Friday. Apparently he has been handling them a few days after they were born and they are quite friendly, they are going on 6 weeks this Wednesday. Any advice for getting them comfortable in their new home when I get them Friday?


----------



## Ruairidh (Aug 29, 2011)

A few questions to think about in preparation: 

1) Do you have a cage, a carrier, food, and bedding for your new babies? I couldn't get ahold of any of that before my appointment to get mine, which meant a) carrying them four hours on a bus and through the city in a cardboard box, putting them in a rubbermaid bin in the bathtub for the night, and running out at six in the morning the next day to go to PetCo and get them a suitable house. 

2) Do you know what kinds of foods to feed them, and what kind of bedding to use? I didn't my first time with rats, and it was heartwrenching to watch the first pocket pets I had really grown to love get sick and not know what I was doing wrong. It wasn't until years later that I found out that you can't use cedar bedding with rats.

3) Rat-proof your house. Even if you think you won't be letting them out to play in your living room... never say never. Just make sure that you don't have things that are toxic that they can chew on, and you should be fine. 

4) get ready for the most fun you've had with a pet in a long, long time. Get a couple of wooden bird toys, and, if you can, a few stalks of long grass (again, just make sure it's not toxic). Get a bag of chocolate chips for rewards and treats, and some doggie Liver Treats (the sort of treat that's basically Liver Jerkey. They love it.) get a bit of polar fleece and make a few hammocks. Failing polar fleece, do what we ended up doing, and find an old, ratty (sorry) pair of undies, and tie it inside the cage. This provides the ratties a safe, warm place to hang out, and as a bonus, smells like you, which will cause your babies to bond with you more, and, once the bond is established, make them feel safe and secure. 

Good luck! Post pictures! Have fun with finding names!


----------



## Voss (Aug 29, 2011)

I already have everything I need in mind and will be picking everything up a day before getting them. I'm still deciding on the staple diet I can find locally, however I've already picked up all the necessities for the grain mix, I simply need to mix it lol.


----------



## Ruairidh (Aug 29, 2011)

I tend to forego a staple, and just go with what basically amounts to granola, trailmix, and lab blocks, which are available online and, if need be, there's something like it from PetCo/Smart/Etc. My babies love to eat dried fruit and nuts in the shell and that sort of thing. The only thing is that I get it all from the local organic food co-op so I can regulate the sugar and fat content, so... Yeah.


----------



## HighwayStar (Aug 20, 2010)

I'm so happy to hear you found some little ones~! I'm sure you'll have a great time with them. Love them and they will love you back.


----------



## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

I'd honestly be wary of a breeder who answers want ads on CL. When going through a breeder it is important to look for red flags:

http://www.blackwolfrattery.com/redflags.html


----------



## Voss (Aug 29, 2011)

I can understand the concern however my options are the poor rats at petsmart or this seemingly nice guy who is beginning his breeding hobby who kept rats housed separately in decent looking cages, has handled them regularly and claims they have a very sweet disposition.


----------



## prairieorchid (Jul 19, 2011)

I wouldn't be at all concerned to buy from a breeder who answered your ad. He could very well have more babies than he had people on his waiting lists. There are people who say never to sell to someone who places a want ad, so I think it works both ways. You were satisfied with what you saw and he was satisfied that you weren't going to feed his babies to a snake!  Enjoy them little ones...I'm looking forward to adding to my rat family as well!


----------



## TGQ (Dec 26, 2010)

A breeder looking for buyers on craigslist is a huge red flag to me personally. You never know what weirdos are on craigslist. Most of the ads I see from "breeders" on craigslist are unfortunately feeder breeders  Or BYBs that aren't getting their rats to sell and have to resort there. It always seems to be a last resort.
But perhaps I could give this breeder the benefit of the doubt. Do they have a website?

Also, another route you may want to consider is Huron Valley Rat Rescue. They are located in Michigan, which may seem like a hike, but often there can be rat trains arranged. HVRR is moving soon, so there are many rats that need homes.


----------



## eatingdirtysocks (Sep 1, 2011)

Does he have a website or pictures? that may help to determine if he is indeed good or not. If not I'd find a GOOD well known breeder for your first pair. You always wanted to start off with healthy rats as your first IMO


----------

