Colorado Rat Breeder: Shinkelydinks Sunrise Rats, a rattery specializing in breeding the happiest, healthiest pet rats in Colorado

Photo On Right: "Mom says I'd be more photogenic if I stopped pretending to be The Flash and posed for pictures, but life is short, and who really has time?"  DINK Letting off Steam 

I've gotten grief recently from people who feel that rattery-bred rats are too expensive, and that those of us running ratteries are simply out for a quick buck.  Anyone who feels that way has probably never considered the number of hours or dollars spent maintaining a responsible breeding program.  Most breeders don't come anywhere near recouping their expenses--nor should they.  It's fair, though, for breeders to ask an adoption fee to at least cover a portion of the expenses they incur bringing an adopter's pet into the world, and socializing babies so that they are happy, friendly, well-adjusted pets.

 Listed here are some of the reasons I feel that it's important to adopt from small, privately-run ratteries rather than your local pet store.  There's a reason rattery babies are more expensive.

1)Most pet stores purchase from USDA-certified animal wholesalers.  What does this mean?  Rats are bred for quantity, not quality.  They are typically kept in deplorable conditions, with the barest of essentials for physical development while mental stimulation is ignored.  People are aware of the horrors of puppy mills, but rarely stop to think about where the cute little hamster, snake, or bird came from.

2)Animals from pet stores are genetic unknowns.  For pet owners, it doesn't matter what color these animals carry, but the unknown health issues are often quite scary.  Responsible breeders keep accurate health records not just of every animal they own, but of every animal they produce as well as the lines that are related and living with other breeders, and work diligently to breed away from potential problem areas.

3)Animals from pet stores typically lack socialization before being brought home.  Certainly if you get a pet young enough, this is often something that can be worked through, but it shouldn't need to be.  Breeders handle baby rats daily from birth until they day that they go to their new homes to ensure that babies are sociable and suitable for handling from people.

4)Breeders work hard and do a lot of research to ensure that their animals are fed a proper and nutritious diet, so that babies have the best chance from conception through adulthood to have the best foods and hopefully boosted immune systems.

5)All good breeders are available for questions from adopters for the life of their pets, and will know about any health issues in the line that you adopt from.  Often, breeders and experienced pet rat owners have more rat health information available than the majority of veterinarians, and can serve as a valuable resource to the rat enthusiast.