HOW TO PICK A GOOD RAT BREEDER | Rodent replies 🐭

[@Emiology]

I just wanted to add another disclaimer that just because a breeder may do one of the things on this list it does not necessarily mean they are not reputable. A bad breeder may not also do every single one of the things on this list, and the standards of breeders available in your country / area may differ. I also wanted to add (because I don't think I made it clear enough) that just because someone uses shavings does not mean they are a bad breeder. Many reputable breeders use dust extracted, kiln dried shavings that are safe. This comment was more so aimed towards the extreme where a breeder may be using things like tubs or racks to breed their rats with no consideration towards what bedding they use such as regular shavings. Hope that makes sense!

[@jodesu5094]

Looking to get guinea pigs, this helped 😊

[@sleepy_buggy]

Hi Emiology would if you can't find rat breeders in your town and or state??

[@eliewolfe1205]

i was just about to get rats from a breeder before i watched this video, and i noticed he had them in a literal bucket with no room to move and they were on shavings. definitely getting them from a rescue, thank you so much

[@familyshaw1182]

Close one! Thank goodness for Emi!

[@PrettyParodys]

Just wanted to say I have had bad experience with getting rats at a pet store. It was a small chain(2 stores) and this was our first time getting rats. We got a pair of females(sisters) dumbo rex rats. After about a year of owning them one of them developed tumors all over her belly. A few months later that rat died and we discovered shortly after that her sister developed a tumor under her arm. While she is doing alright and does not seem to be physically affected by the tumor, it is harder for her to climb and run around. She is 2 years old now and were not sure if surgery is the right move since it could result in her passing premature. That being said we have several other rats from this family owned pet shop in our town, they are all healthy and super lovable. Really do your research on a pet shop and just never buy from chains, even small ones. We also have two rescues, one older female and one younger female. The younger one was bred as snake food and was actually offered to a snake, but the snake didnt eat her. From that she is a little traumatized. We work with her everyday to get her more comfortable and more socialized, she now takes treats from us and is getting curious enough to come sniff our hands and put her little paws on us. Owning rats can get difficult, especially when they have health issues, just make sure your learn from any mistakes and give your rats the best possible life you can before they pass.

[@charg1nmalaz0r51]

Just to point out here rats getting tumours at around 1 year old isnt that uncommon in rats no matter where you get them from. Its one of the main things they die from.

[@CGpets101]

Every new point you made had me like “wow, that’s another really good point”.. Nonetheless, a great video as always!!

[@hiddenholly5580]

when im stressed your videos make me feel calm

[@Emiology]

That’s so nice to hear 🙂💕

[@jennifermorley9836]

Amen. I love that you hit on the importance of researching breeders, as well as rescues. Super awesome. Love your channel

[@Emiology]

Thank you 💕

[@Ratcrafts]

Great video and a very important topic; especially in terms of giving people the information they need to take ownership of the decision of where they get their rats from. It's likely there will always be breeders who don't approach the task with the rats best interest in heart - but we can all reject this with our feet and our money.

[@xriex]

Great video - this is the topic I would have asked you to cover if you hadn't already addressed it. I'm slightly disappointed that what is possibly one of your most important videos has such a low number of views. I hope the rest of your regular viewers just come along for the cute vids, and prospective rat owners like myself did stop by. Cool content, many thanks.

[@SaskiaVolders]

LOVE this! it makes me all the more happy with my breeder. He is not official but fits all the criteria. Doesn't adopt out singles unless you have similar ages. Comes to deliver them for you. It's a month after purchase and he still replies to me questions on the daily! Gave me pictures of his rats and cages. Tomorrow he's bringing me next pair of rats so i will have 4 total. All girls and with 4 weeks age difference. Different parents. He helped me pick out a suitable cage and gave me tips on food. bedding, etc. VERY happy. My little francine and claudette are happy, chirpy girls who have never even looked at me wrong. They are a little shy still but improving a lot thanks to my breeders tips and now I know how to make my new girls comfortable way quicker! I'm in LOVE with having rats and borderline obsessed. LOVE your videos (Also, breeder recommended your channel to me :D )

[@MaddieSmith]

This is a great video! I wish we had more reliable rat breeders in the US. I have yet to find anyone that doesn't breed in racks. :(

[@MaddieSmith]

((Also I'm jealous of your rat shows too))

[@Emiology]

Thank you Maddie 😌 I’ve noticed that the standards for some breeders in the US and the U.K. is quite different, do you not have rat shows? 😮

[@MaddieSmith]

They sometimes have them in California but never around where I live (Midwest) so it's really unfortunate. Back when I bred for pets I was so eager to get into it that I started by working with some AFRMA breeders and after seeing their facilities (small tubs with extremely dusty shavings on racks with hundreds of breeders) I knew that there wasn't much control for what was going on. I also found that their rats temperaments weren't outwardly aggressive but rather defensive because of how skittish and under socialized they were. (I mean, there's no way to socialize hundreds of baby rats at a time properly... ) I originally went into it because our pet stores stopped selling rats and there weren't any breeders around me at all, most were an hour or more away and those were the breeders I worked with and ended up figuring out how low standards were. I was in Facebook groups and only bred my rats selectively; a few litters a year. The people who got my rats were really happy and then word of mouth started spreading in groups and eventually I was getting a lot of calls and it was just too much. I asked to be taken off of the breeder list on the rat groups I was apart of since I didn't want it to turn into something like the other people where I was thoughtlessly producing rats to meet demand. That's all it seems to be for people anymore, and people would get angry when I told them that I didn't have any litters planned for another several months. It's totally different over here, and it's really sad. I miss having babies around since I love socializing them and it's so much fun to watch their personalities come out, but I also worry immensely about where they are going afterwards. I don't trust people to follow the care guides I send home. I still get updates from people who have my old babies though, so it's nice to know how they're doing!

[@MaddieSmith]

That was so long i apologize lol. I want to go to a rat show so badly though. Definitely a goal of mine.

[@Emiology]

That’s so sad 😩 I’ve not seen or heard of anything like that with breeders on the list here although I have seen a few questionable things from a few of them. I do find the mentality of ONLY the breeders on the lists being reputable quite a dangerous one, because at the end of the day it’s not monitored at all and they don’t have any standards they have to meet 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can see how it became too much though, there’s such a demand for good quality rats but even in the UK and US, good breeders can’t seem to meet these demands which is sad because then people go elsewhere because they’re impatient. Hats off to anyone who does put all their time and effort into breeding rats though, I don’t know if I could ever do it 😩 I actually thought of you when I was talking about the breeders who sell sick rats part because I remember you saying you kept some of your babies back because they had a URI 😌

[@MarandaLeah]

I found an amazing breeder that does everything a good breeder should do. But she does let her rats go to there new homes at 6 weeks old. Is that ok?

[@Emiology]

6 weeks isn’t awful but it’s definitely the youngest I’d recommend getting rats, anything below 6 weeks is far too early. If they’re doing everything else right then I’d say it’s okay 😌

[@gekotoes]

Emiology ahh I’ve found a breeder and she seems pretty knowledgeable but she lets them go at 4-5 weeks!! I don’t know what to do :( is that okay?

[@Megan-sm6fx]

I’m going through the same dilemma. She loves her rats and she hasn’t run into problems in the past by sending them off too early judging on the reviews, so I have no idea what to do!

[@natashalee2054]

oh really! whats the breeder's name I would love to check her out!!

[@TaterTotXDXD]

It's hard to find a good rat breeder that doesn't do any of the things on that list. Mine, I have found sends babies home around 5 weeks, but she seems to hold lines she feels she needs to observe more for 7-8 weeks. I accidentally got sent home with a sick one, but she refunded my vet bill because she got sick in the first week and she is otherwise healthy and both of my girls are perfectly friendly and polite. I can tell she cares about the rats and their health, which makes me want to return to her in the future

[@Emiology]

Yeah, if they do one / a few things it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a terrible breeder. It’s when they do multiple that it’s extremely concerning

[@TaterTotXDXD]

@@Emiology Definitely! I'm new to owning rats again (been many years) and I knew I wanted to find a reputable breeder because the last two boys I got as rescues ended up not living as long of lives as they should have. I love knowing where they come from and the health of their lines. My breeder has the health records of every baby she has adopted out for 14 years. It gives me a lot of peace of mind.

[@HisJenn]

Your new hair colour really suits you! Also thanks for the video, great work as always. 🐀🐾

[@Emiology]

I didn’t think anyone would notice haha it barely shows up on camera 😂

[@shinyumbreon5185]

I really wish I’d found your channel sooner, because I bought 2 female rats from a pet store in the hopes of saving them from those conditions. I’ve only had them for about 2 weeks and I love them both so much already, but I understand that supporting the mill industry was wrong. One of them is very skittish and is obviously untamed, and I know now that’s because of her upbringing. Next time I will definitely adopt or find a breeder!

[@amygaming3664]

I live in a very musophobic state and I only found 2 good breeders so I got 2 berkshires from a lady and they’re super friendly and healthy, especially the harley!

[@benzabot5265]

purchasing a pair of does very soon. i’m ordering my cage tomorrow and getting all of my supplies. VERY EXCITED

[@josephinechloe6210]

I love your intro it’s so cuteee!! I love little fig 💖

[@ilovemyself9565]

great video, I adopted my 2 rats & they are very friendly

[@freefromthematrix7323]

i used to keep pet Rats in the past and ended up with 9! as after the Animation Ratatouie lots of kid's wanted Rats then they didn't look after them as the reality and seeing them in cartoon is different but kid's are kid's,, so i ended up taking in and housing many Rats that where no longer wanted and due to their mis care as the rat was young and as it grew i guess when the kid got bitten due to having food smell on their fingers the rat gets rejected as they are now adults and the kid's at the time did lots of psychological damage so i had some anti social rats that i rarely picked up as it squealed as it did not like being handled and after they passed away one by one it broke my heart when my first pair of rats died,, before you buy rats then consider the care they need and interaction and always have them in pairs as they are social and i have kept up to 3 rats in a cage at any one time as they need room and they had massive cages, plus if the rat cage has a big plastic bottom then cover it with wire you can buy some from B&Q and shape it so it fits the bottom and sides and keep clean as it will not take long for the rat to chew through the plastic and i covered all my bottoms with wire by cutting out the corners then bending the wire up and it is then 1 piece and easy to clean as you do not want to come home to look for your Rat and also they chew anything and keep watch when they are out as i have lost many tops due to rat holes and chewed new clothes ect,, they are great pets but only live 2 / 3 years,, some have been known to live up to 4 years but that is very rare and this is why i have not kept Rats for years as it broke my heart when i lost my 2 favourite Rats,, and make sure the cage is big enough! buying a second hand one is great as long as it is not damaged,, i got some great bargains and some just give them away so check the Big pet stores too as they sometimes sell unwanted pets donated to them and you pay a donation and i got 2 Rats with massive cage for £20!,, as they was mis treated,, it is a shame as you need to train and wash them in their young period from a few weeks old ect as they grow up and get use to it as Males get lazy as they get older and will need a bath every day but females are cleaner and that is why people choose them but Males are more placid and i prefer Male Rats as i do not mind taking care of them in their old age as at 18 months old they are like 65 in our years and after 2 years it is like 70 and if they live 3 years it is like 85 in human years,, not 100% correct figures but it is not far off and you get the picture,, have fun if you choose to buy and keep Rats and clean them out daily and if you don't have the time then do not buy Rats till you have enough time for them as they are a extention to a family, not an accessory,, thanks for reading,,

[@alexisturner781]

I love Rodent replies!

[@codydowning4270]

Thank you for the video!! Super helpful and I will be using your tips when I get more rats

[@BB-iw8sg]

I lost my Sage 3 wks ago , my other 2 rats a still so depressed and missing him ( so am I) what did u do? Did u have this issue?

[@spasticpeach]

Give them extra love. Can you get them some new thinking toys. Try and distract them with activies and attention. Also dont show your sadness around them too much. Pets pick up on our emotions.

[@emilyparkinson3599]

Hi, great video! Could you please do a video on the diet of rats/ what you feed your rats☺️

[@bambitin246]

Can you do more videos about training rats please? :) Oh and great video as always!

[@sixionzear6329]

I’m quite upset. I don’t have many ratteries around me. And the one good lady within 2 hours from me sent a rather nasty email after a miscommunication. And refuses to message back. All that happened was my mom said the rats would be a gift for me. Which I’m 19 and have owned rats before. And I’m fully aware of the rats. By gift my mom meant she’d pay for the adoption and all the supplies. But the woman made a huge jump and said we were irresponsible and that she refuses to sell her rats as a gift to someone who might not be willing or equipped to care for them. She never even asked. I’m very hurt. As I was looking to have the rats as emotional support.

[@user-uf9jx6mv6u]

That’s very sketchy on her part I hope you find a better breeder near you :)

[@talulaschweitzer8936]

I love Your videos and your rats❤️ You are the best youtuber in the world❤️😉

[@blujay3075]

I got my two boys from a pet store because I couldn't find any breeders around my area. When I brought them home one sneezed a lot but it seemed to just be happening when he was nervous or uncomfortable? After a week or so it went away so I don't think it was the stores fault. But when I got them they ran right up to my hand and they seemed very friendly already! So pet stores aren't always bad, you just have to be careful ❤ (also I met a breeder at the store XD. How ironic)

[@SashaKiggen]

My breeder is amazing! She is a rescuer and she rescued a rat that is pregnant. So I am getting two baby dumbo rats. 1. She answers all my questions 2. Sent me pictures of her cages 3. She told me why she wanted rats and her backstory on rats! 4. She is very kind! 5. She loves animals! 6. She told me not to only have one rat 7. She knows that rats can not have shavings for bedding 8. She answers in 48 hours 9. She gave me a bunch of rat tips 10. She won't sell rats over 6 weeks old 11. She also as soon as I said do you still have rats she sent the pictures of the parents! Now I just have to see if these babies are worth it!

[@carolinecullison7193]

The place I got my first rats from was BAD. She lived in a run down tiny trailer with 40 RATS. YEP. 40. She also decided not to mention the fact that her rats had a reputation with being itchy. They were scared, anxious, and aggressive. She also kept them in a tiny bin with ONLY water and an empty food bin. It was terrible.

[@venom_527]

One warning sign is when it's too clean. And if one breed rats they should have some rats and that will always smell a little. If it's too clean and smells really nice around their cage I would be suspicious

[@genevieveonorad]

why

[@jodesu5094]

Huh? Lol

[@youdroppedsomething4334]

Your comment doesn’t make any sense 😂

[@persephoneemmert4818]

The breeder I’m thinking about adopting from uses pine bedding for her rats. She says that there is no proof pine is bad for rats. What should I do? Edit: She uses kiln dried pine. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@bethanyengel2543]

Pine is terrible for rats and causes respiratory infections. I'd find a different breeder.

[@persephoneemmert4818]

Bethany Engel turns out she uses kiln dried pine, my mistake. Thanks for your concern!

[@vectrex2195]

More red flags: Check the tails. If the rat's tail feels shrunken or "crushed" at the base or somewhere else, it means it severally lacks nutrition. Don't buy rats under 8 weeks, it's highly recommended. Baby rats at 8 weeks should be chunky, not scrawny. They lose the baby fat as they age.

[@natashapretoruis]

I was lucky with my girls they were bred as snake food found that out afterwoods. But they are very vriendly and very healthy. I live in south africa in a farm town meaning no petshops or breeders .if you ask for it people look at you like your craze .but will defnitly look furter before i get anymore

[@ratatat1009]

Love the intro, ur rats r soo cute. Any advise on how i can convince my dad (who hates/is disgusted by rats, but I really want a rat and think it would b the perfect pet for me.

[@tofumomo7488]

In Australia, all the pet shops get their rats from a breeder. Although, the cages were a tad small. :/

[@Emiology]

That’s interesting! I don’t know how it is in Australia but I don’t know any good breeder that would sell to pet stores, they’d rather home them out themselves

[@burntbeansoup]

There are no breeders or rescues in my area (south florida) which is both disappointing and confusing. Im going to try to pick up a rat an hour from me but unfortunately I'll have to get mine from a pet store.

[@void-go8ru]

What should I do if my mom keeps saying to get them from a pet store or from where they sell them for food? I've explained to her the difference in care, but she just acts like I'm stupid and says im "brainwashed by the internet"

[@youknowdenii9112]

I got mine from a petshop where i 'work' ( for free ) and i brought them to their new home on friday and they are allready used to me, they will come on my hands no treats needed and walk over my arms to my lap and cuddle with me and play with me. It sounds crazy right?!! Its not even been a week? Anyway thankyou for your videos they are really helpfullll!!!

[@softgrimweeper]

My room has no windows? Is that going to be a good place to keep them? I have my own one bed room apartment so I can put them anywhere I choose. It's just the rest of the place seems to get to much sunlight for a rat and too noisy at times

[@trinityrawnsley7804]

Your video really helps but I’m currently trying to choose out of two breeders, one I have met them before and they live in an hour away from me and I have talked to them heaps but at the Moment they only have the rat colours/coats that I don’t like that much. And breeder 2 I have to save up $265 for postage but they are a much bigger breeder and have my dream colours and some beautiful rats. What do you think

[@Emiology]

I understand where you’re coming from! All of my past and current rats (besides one) haven’t been varieties I particularly like, but I either didn’t have much choice or had to get rats quickly when one passed away. But they’ve all turned out to be amazing rats with the best personalities and I haven’t loved them any less because of them not being my favourite varieties. I’d say maybe go with the first breeder if they’re a good breeder and their rats have really good temperaments, and then save up money for the second breeder to maybe get rats from them eventually when your other rats start getting older and you need to add more babies to make sure you don’t end up with one living alone 😌

[@MrsDizarky]

Hi! I was wondering what is the etiquette when multiple breeders respond to the same post that they have a litter available?

[@thedeadend5621]

You choose whichever breeder you prefer

[@jasmijn697]

I have found a breeder that online appears to do everything right except i did notice the wood shavings. I messaged them about it and they said it was Hysorb dust extracted and kiln dried. What do you mean when you said to be careful? What should i do? Should i still purchase from them?

[@Emiology]

dust extracted and kiln dried is perfectly fine! If they seem like a good breeder then I would go for it! :)

[@Hippie_Ashes]

Hi. Idk where to rly go :( i saved 2 pet rats from being eaten by my frnds snake, Annie and Helga. They are very sweet. I noticed right away how social they were and demanded they should live. I then took them home. But ive had them for a month and realized it's not a good fit for my family. Not bc the rats arent great, i love them! But my dog always whimpers at them and accidently shakes their cage. The cats r always at their cage too, but Annie and Helga dont seem to mind that as much. However, they are still hesitant to exit the cage but i know they rly want to explore and be out by me. :( i feel aweful bc i cant give these little ladies the love and care they deserve. I suffer from depression, anxiety, and adhd which makes it hard to take care of my pets, let alone myself. Soon I will be going back to finish my associates (it has taken me 9 years) and i def wont hv time to care for them. I just want to make sure these ladies can go to a loving owner whos willing to put the time into making sure they have the best life! Simply bc they dont get to be here as long as us. I always go 500% for my pets! I feel so bad giving up on these ladies but i dont hv the time and energy for them. I was hoping, Emily, you could get the word out somehow? Or know of a place I can put these little ladies up for adoption? I live in the midwest (Indiana, USA). If you can help or if any one here is interested in Annie and Helga please reach out to me! My fb is Ashley Landau (Fokee). A bit abt them: they are both white, pink eyed. They are mostly litter trained except for the occasional poo here and there. Annie is very adventurous! She actually got out at my frnds and ended up in a rat trap AND LIVED! Shes a bit more social and playful than Helga. Helga is a little bigger than Annie. She really likes to clean herself and shes a little more skittish. But i think that is bc she doesnt feel totally safe here. when i was at my frnds, where they were more comfortable and felt safer, and were willing to climb on me and sleep on me more. I rly think my dog (a puppy) is making their life too stressful. Please, if anyone is interested, i just want them to go to a loving home that can give them the attention they need!

[@Emiology]

Try joining the facebook page "The rat fan club" the majority of the members on there are american, and if you post some photos of your girls and your location there should be many people who can come forward and help, or try and contact some local rescues to ask if they can advertise photos of your girls on their pages to try and find them homes. I wish you the best of luck with finding them their forever home!

[@amtyh3200]

About 1 year and a half ago i had 2 girls and kiara passed away of a respiratory infection and then i got another rat but the breeder got to gender wrong so i had a boy and a girl but then nala my passed and 2 days later rex the boy suddenly passed away so it was all very sudden then about 2 months later i got 2 more boys taz and bear and they both passed when they where 3 months so i have never gotten rats from that breeder again but my 4 boys at the moment are doing much better thankfully it was a hard time for sure but that breeder definitely didnt know what she was doing i actually think she lied to me about their age because she said they where 8 weeks but they where tiny for 8 week olds

[@millymae3535]

I've been looking on adoption websites 4 rats and I've only found things three or more hours away from me and my mom it doesn't really like rats anyways do you have any recommendations

[@moderatelyaesthetictye6224]

Please , can anyone give me some Rat advice . I am really struggling I bought two new girls from a chain pet store two weeks ago , I have never owned rats before (I'm 16) . I did do some research of course but when I brought them home it soon became very apparent that they are not at all used to being handled One of them (Darwin ) will reluctantly be picked up and held , she likes to be in the front pocket of my shirt and such but after a small while, or if you touch her to much , she will try to run . I know rats are typically playful and I am trying to save up to get them a play pen. However may time Darwin got away from me she hid under an Un-acessable unit for two days and we were unable to persuade her out The other (Heratio) appears to be completely opposed to me . She will bite if I do so much as touch her , she screams if I pick her up and the last time I attempted to hold her she struggled and screamed before proceeding to go limp and play dead until I put her back in the cage and she hid . It really distressed me to see her so distressed . Both of them run and hide The second I come near The cage The cage we bought had been falsely advertised on a selling website and the bars are an inch spacing between each (meant for a rabbit or guinea pig , not a rat as promised ) but this was all I could afford so I've done my very best to try and escape proof . But they do nothing but try to get out .. I have tried to trust train but neither of them will accept a treat from my hand , or even come near enough to sniff it . I know it has only been two weeks but I was just wandering if anyone could offer any advice on anything ? Getting them used to me.? Trust training ? Escape proofing ? Thaks

[@tylerhadley1222]

Have you been able to get them to trust you? I know this was posted a year ago, so hoping they've become friendly! :)

[@user-uf9jx6mv6u]

I have 2 female rats but one has a Tumor and I’m scared I’m gonna be left with just one rat, should I get more rats? And what if they’re different ages I’m worried about what to do since these are my first rats :/

[@theonewithallthepets8503]

Is everything okay now or do you still need help

[@user-uf9jx6mv6u]

j • 189 years ago no I now have 4 rats and the girl with the Tumor is still in great shape thanks tho :))

[@CodySue101]

Just came across this video as I am in the process of getting 4 new little ones. The only thing that stuck out to me in this video was the age. The breeder I went to gave me the date they would be ready when looking at the dates, the rats will be 4 weeks old. I've already paid my deposit, so there is nothing I can do there but is there anything I should be worried about? Everything else about the breeder is great! But seeing it mentioned in a video, it did make me worry.

[@Emiology]

They should still be with their mum until about 5 weeks old ☹️ That’s very worrying and their immune system can also struggle sometimes coming to a new home at that age. I would ask them about this and if their answer seems sketchy maybe ask them to hold onto them a bit longer

[@CodySue101]

Emiology thank you for replying! I will send them a message and ask if they can hold them the extra week, I would prefer until they were 6 weeks like most other breeders recommend for the reason you stated. Hopefully they will hold them a tad longer!

[@garl1cbr3adl0v3r]

I’m going to probably adopt from Kiwi Rattery, do u recommend? X

[@Emiology]

I haven’t heard anything good or bad about them so I can’t say for sure! On first glance at their Facebook page though they look like a really reputable breeder!

[@garl1cbr3adl0v3r]

Imee's World thank you! ☺️

[@garl1cbr3adl0v3r]

Bryony Banks thanks so much

[@Hope-ei6qf]

Yay, good advice!

[@boringmeep650]

Hey I'm slowly settling in to be a new rat breeder, I've gotten lots of help from your videos and I haven't bred them yet because I really wanna be set and ok with everything but I have one question that may seem dumb lol Are albinos ok breeding with normal rats? I just wanna be sure because my female is an albino and my male is a normal rat

[@sinandcyanide7505]

Albino is really just another color of rat. The ones you have to worry about breeding are hairless females because they have trouble producing enough milk. You'd want to use a hairless male and coated female instead.

[@maxcoppola6582]

I have a question for anyone with knowledge about rats. Is petfinder a good place to find rats? I found two young rats on there that I might get instead of a questionable breeder near me.

[@margalothegreat_hams]

I know this was a year ago so you probably already got your rats but yes! Petfinder is a great place to find rats! 99.99% of the animals on there are from shelters, so you're supporting a good cause. There might not actually be any rats on there, but if there are, I would definitely look into it.

[@dideyt908]

Amen what do you do if its new year with al the firework please tell me

[@Emiology]

My rats don’t really seem to be bothered about fireworks. I just keep all the windows shut and maybe turn the tv on or something as background noise to cover it up 😌

[@Weirdgrrrl]

I found a breeder nearby but they offer a “VIP” option for people to have first picks. Is this a red flag? I really want to make sure I get rats ethically. I live in the US and where I am there is a big rat stigma and it’s hard to find good ethical ways to get rats.

[@Emiology]

That is a little odd, and running it more as a business mindset to get more money which doesn't seem great. But if thats the only thing that seems off and they seem to have healthy friendly rats, and you're limited with options I wouldn't let that be the thing that puts you off :)

[@Weirdgrrrl]

@@Emiology Thank you for the feedback (I was not expecting such fast response, if any, thank you). I did find a more ethical and experienced breeder closer by. Your videos have been a great resource for me as I am interested in owning rats in the near future! :)

[@ryleegrace681]

Does anyone know some good rat breeders in Victoria Australia, I am new but I cannot find a breeder. Thank you for any help.

[@ksb3962]

i was wondering my pet store really isnt one its family owned its the only of its kinda and sells completly tame rats is that ok?

[@Emiology]

I’d still say no. It’s a bit better than chain pet stores but you still don’t know where the family gets the rats from they could be buying them from mills of mass / backyard breeders. Even if they’re breeding them themselves they won’t have the time alongside running the store to have enough rats and ensure they’re breeding properly to end up with healthy rats. It’s up to you though, if you think they take good care of them and you want to support their store and you don’t have many other options.

[@gabycastro5520]

yay you posted 🌟💕

[@viktorijabalciunaite1798]

I literally can’t find a breeder that’s not super far away, from Northern Ireland here

[@theonewithallthepets8503]

No breeders near me either :(

[@jadereaper2912]

Would a good breeder supply a small pet and reptile store?

[@Emiology]

Nope. I answered your other comment 🙂

[@wybiefletcher6739]

So I want to get my ratties from a breeder but I know of a pet store called urban exotics that sell rats. Please can someone do me a favour and check them out as I would like to get a second opinion

[@carolinaferrer8457]

Is is okay if I buy my rats from a local pet store? They breed the rats themselves, feed them a good diet, handle them daily, and seem to be very knowledgeable.

[@Emiology]

I’d still say probably no. It’s a bit better than chain pet stores but you still don’t know where the owners got the original rats from and what health issues they may carry . Even if they’re breeding them themselves they won’t have the time alongside running the store to have enough rats and ensure they’re breeding properly to end up with healthy rats. It’s up to you though, if you think they take good care of them and you want to support their store and you don’t have many other options.

[@carolinaferrer8457]

Imee's World OK thanks!

[@talulaschweitzer8936]

🐀 i have 2 baby female rats and i love them❤️ but the only problem is that they are afraid og me:/ do You have any tips?

[@josephinechloe6210]

Talula Schweitzer that was the same for me... my tips are don’t force them to do anything they don’t want to and be patient. I would show them your hand a lot too so they get used to you

[@talulaschweitzer8936]

Thanks☺️❤️

[@lilmckayla6662]

There are NO breeders that I have found in my area :( please help!

[@youdroppedsomething4334]

Lil McKayla That’s what I thought but I went really in debt and found one. You can always go to a rescue, I do think breeders are better but, whatever works for you.

[@SashaKiggen]

Mine is a rescue

[@bearthesyrianhamster207]

YESS QUEEN

[@mariahwatson3525]

I can’t find anyone with rats anywhere near me :/

[@elizabeth.9152]

I found a great one 45 min away. I dont know if that would support asking for one tho *i ment them

[@Emiology]

Why are you asking for one rat ?

[@elizabeth.9152]

Imee's World oh geez I did not mean to put it like that I’m getting 3

[@Emiology]

oh good I just wanted to make sure!

[@noahmalpass9881]

I'm about to get 2 male rats from Rocky Point Rattery in about 8 weeks and so far they seem like a great breeder they are willing to answer any questions I have you must fill out a adoption application first as well so they seem to care care about the rats there they will give updates every week also rockypointrattery.com

[@Doc.62311]

I can’t even find a good rat breeder I am so stressed

[@bendover2238]

Welcome, welcome to earf

[@betsy_s5293]

Great

[@thiagodantas4156]

So your saying that dogs too need to be the same price because at the end of the day they are all dogs too? Same with cats? 🤦‍♂️

[@Emiology]

No. Dogs have breeds, rats don’t. Dogs are bred for purpose, rats aren’t.

[@thiagodantas4156]

@@Emiology let’s agree to disagree but a good rat is a fat rat for snake food

[@Emiology]

You’ve missed the point and changed the subject 😂

[@rickyworld2435]

Good rat breeder

[@mintikajasmine2152]

23rd!!!

[@Eternatease]

Two things. When you're in a small country like the Netherlands there aren't many reputable breeders, nor rats that need rehoming. And using things like Craigslist or Marketplace... I don't really trust getting rats from random people. Also I don't have a car or immediate access to friends or relatives with a car. So it would be rather difficult for me to just ask them to do a trip of over 100 miles and back to visit multiple breeders. I hear you about ratforums and ratclubs. But even on those there are too many people with pseudo-knowledge. People who happily use nylon climbing toys for their rats. Or the fleece bedding lovers. I wouldn't want rats from someone who thinks fleece is appropriate bedding. And what if you are suddenly left with a solo rat? I can't just wait for say 6 months and leave it be all alone. There basically are no rescue rats around here. Thank you for the 'what to look fors' though 💖

[@flowergirl4901]

You are not looking in the right places! There are lots of rescues and lots of breeders. It does not matter if they are kept on fleece. When you take them home you can do it differently. Pettings in Rotterdam is a good place. There are lots of good breeders to. In Purmerend for example. Unfortunately we have just lost the best breeder in Holland in a house fire.. The name was Rapalje. Maybe find her friends who have continued her lines. Just take public transport. Your rat will live and so wil you. And a good breeder will help if you are left with one rat.

[@Eternatease]

Dank je wel. Ik ben nu nog niet op zoek, maar na meerdere slechte ervaringen met een op zich goede ethisch fokker die aan een lokale dierenwinkel leverde, kan ik wel een betere leverancier gebruiken. De fokker had op zich een goede instelling en had ook wel hart voor ratjes, maar helaas werd hij wat ouder en lakser en zijn genenpoel begon teveel slechte nakomelingen te vertonen. Gelukkig is hij er inmiddels mee gestopt. Helaas zijn ik en mijn laatste 4 ratjes daar slachtoffer van geworden. Inmiddels heb ik 1 van de 2 huidige ratjes die ik via hem heb al 3x moeten laten opereren in 4 maanden voor een tumor bij zijn heup. En hij is nog maar net 8 maanden oud. Ik zoek betrouwbare fokkers in de omgeving van 050. Bij voorkeur niet te ver weg, omdat ik voor vervoer afhankelijk ben van familie en kennissen. De lokale fokkers of opvangcentra die ik online heb kunnen vinden zijn er allemaal mee gestopt. En op rattenfora kom ik niet graag meer vanwege teveel mensen met pseudokennis en onkunde. Maar als ik een keer contact met je kan opnemen als ik weer ratjes zoek, dan graag.

[@flowergirl4901]

@@Eternatease ga je al. Die gast is dan bezig voor dieren winkels. Dat is gewoon niet top. Misschien is dit wat voor je www.ratjetoe.info

[@Eternatease]

Het was absoluut geen broodfokker. En je moest wachten tot er genoeg aanvragen waren voor nieuwe ratjes om een nieuw nestje te fokken. En ik geef je op meerdere punten gelijk. Alleen kon ik zelf niet genoeg goede ratteries in mijn omgeving vinden. Zelfs die Ratjetoe heeft niet vaak 2 jonge mannetjes. Hoewel ze beweren wel 2000 ratten per jaar te krijgen. Wel zielig voor die ratjes dat zoveel mensen ratjes als impulsaankoop kopen of oeps-nestjes krijgen door domheid. Ik heb zelf al meer dan 25 ratten gehad sinds 2002 en heb veel geleerd door schade en schande zoals dat heet en beginnersonwetendheid. En ik heb zelfs een oeps-nestje gehad toen ik 2 vrouwtjesratten kreeg van mijn ouders waarvan 1 van de 2 vrouwtjes al zwanger was. En 16 jaar geleden was er nog niet zoveel informatie te vinden over ratjes online. Inmiddels heb ik heel veel bijgeleerd over ratten, goede voeding, ziektes, ouderdomsproblemen. En waar je betrouwbare medische informatie kan vinden. Ratguru is naar mijn mening iemand die denkt veel te weten maar nog veel domme fouten maakt en daarin ook zeer eigenwijs is. Helaas heeft zo'n eigenwijs en rat-onvriendelijk persoon (naar mijn mening) wel honderdduizend en meer volgers, die helaas geloven dat zij de hoogste waarheid in pacht heeft. Terwijl ze op meerdere punten foute informatie verspreid.Trouwens, die Ratjetoe geven gratis Hope Farms voer weg. Hope Farms voer is door de samenstelling volledig ongeschikt voor ratten.