# Another small rant about a store



## Malarz (Sep 7, 2014)

I went to an independent let site in Columbia MD. It looks nice, has many animals for adoption, including rats. There are two huge aquariums with rats. It was impossible to count exactly how many there were, but it was well over 30 rats in each. And in both of those aquariums I saw males mixed with females. I thought I could be wrong just looking at them through the glass, so I asked an employee who bluntly said "Oh yes they're totally mixed." As if that was completely normal. I asked why, and he couldn't tell. 

I looked at those little guys and wondered what would happen to them. They were all young, and so happy and so excited about everything. How many of them would end up as pets? Chances are not many. And if they breed in that aquarium, those chances go way down again. 

Then there were 3 other smaller containers with larger rats, also with hairless ones. All in all they had around 90 to 100 rats in the store. Surely in a couple of weeks they will have a few dozen more. 
What is the thinking behind such policy? What do the people in that store have in mind?


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## TattedRat (Jan 28, 2015)

I'd hate to say this but do they have snakes in the store? Maybe they use them for food :/ . Seems crazy for those people to have all those males and females in the tanks together. 900 - 100 rats in one store! That's alot! How can they take care of them all? Seems cruel and careless to me. Maybe they have a huge market of customers needing feeders. Seems strange to me..


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## Galaxy13Gecko (Dec 6, 2014)

I know a lot of people who breed and own snakes, this sounds like a store that supplies feeders for them.
I bet you there is a room in the back where they put the females with litters. That way they always have live feeders of all sizes (pinkie, fuzzy, hopper, etc) available. 

As unfortunate as it is this is usually the case.

In my opinion they should keep feeders and pet stock separate. Give people the chance to own a healthy taken care of rat opposed to a over bred feeder rat that you feel you have to save as its out in the open and you can see how they treat them...


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## Malarz (Sep 7, 2014)

Yes, of course they had snakes there. And probably some of those rats will be fed to them I did not think about it. Anyways, Galaxy you are right that those rats that are meant for sale should be separated, and not inbreed in those large tanks.


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## Galaxy13Gecko (Dec 6, 2014)

I try to mentally keep them separate, like seeing goats or cows at the farm. You know where they are going. 
My love for rats and mice is the only reason I can't own a snake. They really are quite great pets, its a down fall about what they eat.


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