A Breeder
1. Living conditions - living conditions vary between breeders. Rat housing varies between plastic bins, modified bins (bins with ventilation and bars installed) and barred cages. Breeders often keep their rats in a larger and more enriched space than other agencies. Myself and the breeders I work closely with keep their rats in large Critter Nation cages with toys, hammocks, wheels, etc. for optimal enrichment. Large and enriching set ups are recommended for all adopters, and rats that come from breeders are often treated like the breeders own pets rather than an item to sell.
2. Customer support - breeders most often encourage a large amount of communication and are available to answer all your rat related questions for the span of the time that you own rats. Customer support is largely available. Your breeder may also send surveys every now and then to track your rat's progress, behaviour and health to make sure everything is going as planned.
3. The origin of the rats - Breeders often put a large effort into finding the best rats for their lines and will track their lines heavily to make the best pairings possible. Whether the rats come from a pet store, feeder bin, or another breeder, all rats are tracked and notes are considered when pairings are being made.
4. Interactions and treatment of the rats - most breeders will handle their rats daily. Whether this is socializing the rats (allowing them to wander about, teaching shoulder rides, playing, etc) or just checking that your rats are in good shape (checking for any health issues) your rats will be closely monitored and inspected daily. They will likely get a few pets and kisses in the process whether or not it is just a basic health check.
5. Availabilities - breeders may not have an abundance of adoptables. Most breeders have only a few pairings per month, if even that. You may have to wait to adopt your new rattie friends. Breeders may also have a larger selection of rat types.
6. Adoption process - the adoption process for rats from a breeder is often much longer and more detailed. Most breeders have a questionnaire to fill out before adoption and you may have to wait on a waiting list before adopting your new friends.
7. Cost - breeders will often have a higher cost to adopt than other places. This is because of the few pairings they are making a month and possibly because this is a full time occupation for them. Their rats may also be of a "rare" sort and would be priced higher. Breeders tend to put more work in on their rats so adoption fees must be higher.
Research breeders in your area and these factors for each breeder to find one that suits your needs.
Recommended Ratteries:
Atlantis Rattery located in Ancaster/Hamilton
Georgian Bay Rattery located in Midland Ontario
A Shelter
1. Living conditions - living conditions vary between shelters and rescues but are often suitable for rats with enrichment and proper housing. Check with your shelter for a description of living conditions.
2. Customer support - rescues are often less informed on rat care and how to treat their rattie friends, but this varies at an extreme degree between shelters. For customer support, if you are adopting from a rescue, I would recommend contacting a breeder to learn more about your rats or if you have any issues.
3. The origin of the rats - shelter rats come from a variety of situations. Rats may be surrendered because previous owners could not care for them, because they are ill and previous adopters cannot care for them, or because they are aggressive and adopters do not want to interact with them. Shelters also often receive rats from feeder bins that people bring to them hoping for better care. Because of the variety of situations your rats may have come from, be cautious when adopting a shelter rat. Be sure to inquire into the rat's past and to handle the rat/rats before adopting. If you are adopting females, check for signs of pregnancy and be ready for the possibility of pregnancy.
4. Interactions and treatment of the rats - shelters in my area are known for being pretty good at caring for rats and handling them daily. This is important especially at a shelter as one must confirm that the rat has been socialized to weed out any bad genetic predispositions. Please check with your shelter regarding treatment of the rats.
5. Availabilities - shelters have varying availabilities based on the amount of surrenders.
6. Adoption process - adoption processes at shelters are usually pretty thorough and involve filling out a questionnaire to make sure that you are ready to adopt.
7. Cost - Costs to adopt at shelters are usually mid-range, shelters may also adopt rats out for free.
Research shelters in your area and these factors for each shelter to find one that suits your needs.
Recommended Shelters:
Teeny Snoots Rat Rescue in St. Thomas Ontario
All Creatures Rescue in Toronto
A Pet Store
1. Living conditions - pet store living conditions are usually very poor. Rats are kept in small tanks with little enrichment, and often dangerous wheels. Males and females are often accidentally housed together which increases the risk of pregnancy for those bringing female rats home.
2. Customer support - customer support is rarely provided and pet store information on rats is full of poor and false information. Pet stores are more about sales of products than rat care most often, so be wary of information that pet stores provide. This being said, pet stores will often provide a free health check on your rats.
3. The origin of the rats - the rats found at pet stores are often from pet mills where rats are bred in bulk and without any thought toward selection. Pet mills are often dirty and unhealthy and pairings are poorly made. Rats are overcrowded and mistreated. The origin of pet store rats is often the same as reptile store rats.
4. Interactions and treatment of the rats - depending on the pet store and it's employees, rats are minimally socialized. Some pet stores will handle their rats daily to improve temperament and to do health inspections, some will not handle their rats at all. Ask your pet store about this.
5. Availabilities - pet stores almost always have rats available. Pet stores often have "fad rats" available with pretty looking rats or "rare" rats.
6. Adoption process - the adoption process does not consist of anything more than signing a piece of paper.
7. Cost - cost is low to mid range.
Research pet stores in your area and these factors for each pet store to find one that suits your needs.
A feeder bin
1. Living conditions - feeders are kept in Tupperware bins with wood shavings as bedding. Bins are often overcrowded. Bins do not have any form of enrichment save for a water bowl and food placed on the bars overhead.
2. Customer support - reptile stores will usually give you pretty good information regarding rat care and will be more available to answer questions. As many deal with feeder breeders, their information is usually up to date.
3. The origin of the rats - feeder rats are often from pet mills where rats are bred in bulk and without any thought toward selection. Pet mills are often dirty and unhealthy and pairings are poorly made. Rats are overcrowded and mistreated. The origin of pet store rats is often the same as reptile store rats. Reptile stores however will often do some of their own breeding and put a bit more thought towards pairings. Depending on the reptile store, rats may be in great condition or very poor condition. Inspect your rats carefully before adopting especially for pregnancies, mites, lice and respiratory infections.
4. Interactions and treatment of the rats - rats are not interacted with in a pet fashion when they are from a feeder bin.
5. Availabilities - rats are always available from a feeder bin. They will always have rats available, often with a good range of types of rats.
6. Adoption process - No adoption process. You choose your rats from a bin.
7. Cost - cost is very low.
Research feeder breeders in your area and these factors for each feeder breeder to find one that suits your needs.
Kijiji or other ad listing sites.
1. Living conditions - varies greatly. Be sure to ask the previous owner about living conditions.
2. Customer support - usually no customer support is provided.
3. The origin of the rats - varies greatly. Ask the previous owner about origin.
4. Interactions and treatment of the rats - varies greatly. Ask the owner about their treatment of their rats.
5. Availabilities - rats, especially older rats, are always available on kijiji or other ad listing sites.
6. Adoption process - depending on the previous owner, the adoption process could include a few questions. Often the adoption process is short.
7. Cost - cost varies depending on the previous owner.
Research each poster on your ad listing site and these factors for each poster to find one that suits your needs.