Is it really THAT bad to get rats from a petstore?

[Christie]

I'm in the market for about 3 new baby girls and there are no breeders in my area and the shelters do not have nay rats in right now. What should I do? A petstore is my only other option.

 

[twitch]

well, there are a lot of different people that work with rescues but do not call themselves rescues, as technically they are not. where are you located? maybe someone knows of a situation that would fit your needs in your area.

 

[dubchick]

i dont really think its that bad to get rats from a pet store... as they deserve a loving home also.. they didnt choose to be born by the means they were... linds and i have rats from all different places, pet store included... so even if you got some from a pet store now... and when you are ready to get more (i dont know what your limit is), or just next time (in general), you could look into getting some from a different source... like a rat train (im not sure where you are located tho??)... or the spca.. kijiji, ect...
i hate to encourage rat mills... but i hate worse that they would go as food. :sad3:
thats just my take on it..
they will be wonderful no matter where you get them.. :heart:

 

[mercurydust]

Everyone has a different opinion on this subject. I don't think it is the most horrible thing in the world to get rats from a petstore...but it isn't the greatest thing, either. My Lily is a petsore rat, and Lucy was also before i adopted her. Cordi was born in a petstore....It is a double edged sword. I don't like to support breeder mills either. Maybe try to find a store that doesn't sell feeders and actually takes proper care of their pets they sell. And like Dubchick said it isn't the rats fault they were born and they deserve a good home as much as any other rat. One of my biggest concerns with petstore rats is the lineage, they are often inbred and are often sickly due to improper care and failing to seperate males from females at an early age-what can be more heart breaking than buying a sweet little rat from a petstore that could care less and the poor little things gets ill and dies, or you bring home a cute baby girl and it turns out she is ready to give birth to a litter of ten or more.
I won't condemn anyone for buying a rat from a petstore. I have done it, many on here have done it. I am trying to stay strong and not buy from pet stores any more....but it is so hard when they give you that sad 'please rescue me' look. Have you tried looking on the craigslist or kijiji websites?

 

[lilratsy43]

No it is not that bad, especially if there is no where else to find ratties.

But by buying from a pet store you are supporting mills.
...you are taking a home from a rat that really really needs it
...you have a good chance of getting a sick rat, which could sadly die :sad3:
...you have a good chance of getting a rat that is preggers
...you have a small chance of getting a rat this is not the sex you wanted
The list could go on

But don't get me wrong of the 10 rats I currently have 3 are from pet stores. I have just recently swore off pet stores, mostly because I am at my limit right now and also because there are soooo many homeless ratties out there...

 

[lj]

I don't agree with buying from a pet store. But that's just my opinion. It is much better to search out a rescue or a local SPCA. I don't even shop in stores that sell pets.

Where are you located? I'm sure we could collectively get together and find you some babies.

Most stores that buy/sell pets are only concerned about making money and don't really care about the health/well being of the pets in their care.

 

[rat.charmer]

I'm in the market for about 3 new baby girls and there are no breeders in my area and the shelters do not have nay rats in right now. What should I do? A petstore is my only other option.

Not necessarily - you'd be surprised how many people advertise through craigslist or kijiji. Whereabouts are you located?

 

[Christie]

I live in Ancaster. And I would prefer to get them as young as possible. I have looked on Kijiji and there are some on there but they are older rats and mostly boys. There is an ad for dumbo/rex rats but the lady says she has none availabvle anymore I think the hardest part about buying from a petstore would be that I would take 3 and leave all the others. I would probably start crying because i would feel so bad to take some and leave the rest and usually the store has like, 10 rats at a time so its not like I can take them all but if they did have only 4 then of course I would take the 4th and not leave her behind. It's really hard and I'm sure you guys understand. Thanks for the help and maybe you guys know of a breeder or rescue here is Hamilton/Ancaster.

 

[lj]

There are lots of baby pews in London right now. I have a rats in my rescue, but most of them are over 6 months.

 

[Alicemcmallis]

Yes it is really that bad to buy rats from a pet store. Of course it's not the "rat's fault" and doesn't make it a "bad pet", but you're giving money to people who are supporting rat mills, and in essence are supporting the abuse and neglect of rats.

I really don't understand why it's so difficult for people to wrap their heads around. Not only are you risking purchasing an animal that's sick, pregnant, etc. etc., but you're basically saying it's okay to be selling them.

Why do you need 3 baby rats right this second? I'm sure if you wait a few weeks there will be an accidental litter somewhere, or some will come into a shelter in your area. My first guinea pig was purchased from a pet store because I just couldn't wait for one to come into a shelter - she had lice, mites, was pregnant and shortly thereafter aborted a fetus with another retained inside her.

Obviously I loved her and was glad that I had her instead of someone else, but I do definitely regret supporting the moron that bred her and the pet store that kept her in horrible conditions and sold her without a care to where she was going.

And then of course I had to get her a friend, and the urgency was even greater, so I bought her a cagemate at a "better" pet store - PetStupid. They really provide great care (somewhat decent care) for their animals there - you know, until they get sick. Then they get put in aquariums in the back on the concrete floor behind the fish tanks. And... well, use your imagination as to what happens to them after that.

And I know some of you can only focus on those individual animals and say that you're "saving" them from those horrible existences. But if everyone just stopped buying them from pet stores, the pet stores would stop selling them and they wouldn't need "saving" from the pet stores at all. It's supply and demand.

Trust me, with the number of people on this forum alone who have devoted themselves to rescuing rats, you will have zero problem finding 3 baby rats to share your life with, without resorting to a pet store purchase. Even if they're available the other side of Ontario, they will find their way to you.

 

[lj]

And then of course I had to get her a friend, and the urgency was even greater, so I bought her a cagemate at a "better" pet store - PetStupid. They really provide great care (somewhat decent care) for their animals there - you know, until they get sick. Then they get put in aquariums in the back on the concrete floor behind the fish tanks. And... well, use your imagination as to what happens to them after that.

My thoughts exactly. There was a beautiful blue and gold macaw at the PetStupid here. He got sick and was moved into the back room and eventually died.

 

[Christie]

Yes it is really that bad to buy rats from a pet store. Of course it's not the "rat's fault" and doesn't make it a "bad pet", but you're giving money to people who are supporting rat mills, and in essence are supporting the abuse and neglect of rats.

I really don't understand why it's so difficult for people to wrap their heads around. Not only are you risking purchasing an animal that's sick, pregnant, etc. etc., but you're basically saying it's okay to be selling them.

Why do you need 3 baby rats right this second? I'm sure if you wait a few weeks there will be an accidental litter somewhere, or some will come into a shelter in your area. My first guinea pig was purchased from a pet store because I just couldn't wait for one to come into a shelter - she had lice, mites, was pregnant and shortly thereafter aborted a fetus with another retained inside her.

Obviously I loved her and was glad that I had her instead of someone else, but I do definitely regret supporting the moron that bred her and the pet store that kept her in horrible conditions and sold her without a care to where she was going.

And then of course I had to get her a friend, and the urgency was even greater, so I bought her a cagemate at a "better" pet store - PetStupid. They really provide great care (somewhat decent care) for their animals there - you know, until they get sick. Then they get put in aquariums in the back on the concrete floor behind the fish tanks. And... well, use your imagination as to what happens to them after that.

And I know some of you can only focus on those individual animals and say that you're "saving" them from those horrible existences. But if everyone just stopped buying them from pet stores, the pet stores would stop selling them and they wouldn't need "saving" from the pet stores at all. It's supply and demand.

Trust me, with the number of people on this forum alone who have devoted themselves to rescuing rats, you will have zero problem finding 3 baby rats to share your life with, without resorting to a pet store purchase. Even if they're available the other side of Ontario, they will find their way to you.

Thank you for the info and a person has emailed me about some litter that she does have so I will go check it out. And I need some babies VERY soon because my girl has been alone, without her sister for a few months now and its effecting her overall health.

 

[mercurydust]

:disbelief:

 

[SQ]

As for getting rats from a breeder, it depends on where you live.
There are no good ethical breeders ìn Canada, for example.
When you get rats from a`breeder it is important to check them out. They are usually not ethical, not breeding properly, or not breeding pedigreed rats ... so you may be supporting a back yard breeder and possibly getting a pet that is going to have poor health.

 

[ryelle]

LOL you just can't do anything right in Canada can you?

You buy a rat from a pet store and you are supporting a pet mill, and you buy from a breeder and your supporting his unethical non-pedigree breeding

 

[Christie]

LOL you just can't do anything right in Canada can you?

You buy a rat from a pet store and you are supporting a pet mill, and you buy from a breeder and your supporting his unethical non-pedigree breeding

You are soooo right. I wish it was easier than that.

 

[lilspaz68]

LOL you just can't do anything right in Canada can you?

You buy a rat from a pet store and you are supporting a pet mill, and you buy from a breeder and your supporting his unethical non-pedigree breeding

And that is why we promote rescue soo much! Think of them as second hand or deitrus from the rat mill/backyard breeder Machine.

Ratlover...we have little PEW babies desperately needing homes soon in London right now. They are in danger where they are, and Lindy will be bringing some hopefully to Cityratt in Guelph in the next few weeks. Can you wait until then? If so PM Lindy (lj). I am taking in 4 of these beautiful sweet little babies and so is henry's_mum from the first litter, but there are 2 more that are still with their mom's. That is a good alternative.

 

[ryelle]

I suppose Canada is completely different to the UK. Here we dont have live feed, and Rat's aren't that big a pet, so there isn't many to rescue. Our RSPCA's never have any rats there. Whereas the number of homeless dogs or cats is sky high.

I also know the breeder that works in the pet store i get my rats from... and she definately isn't a pet mill lolz. Theres only three stores out of about 20 pet shops in the area that sell Rats. One of those is Petsmart and the other two are small stores. I've even been asked to breed rats myself for one of the local pet stores. Unfortunately i don't have the space or knowledge

 

[Christie]

LOL you just can't do anything right in Canada can you?

You buy a rat from a pet store and you are supporting a pet mill, and you buy from a breeder and your supporting his unethical non-pedigree breeding

And that is why we promote rescue soo much! Think of them as second hand or deitrus from the rat mill/backyard breeder Machine.

Ratlover...we have little PEW babies desperately needing homes soon in London right now. They are in danger where they are, and Lindy will be bringing some hopefully to Cityratt in Guelph in the next few weeks. Can you wait until then? If so PM Lindy (lj). I am taking in 4 of these beautiful sweet little babies and so is henry's_mum from the first litter, but there are 2 more that are still with their mom's. That is a good alternative.

Thank you for the offer!! I was hoping to get three and are they girls? I can only adopt girls as my girl is obvisouly a girl. lol

 

[lilspaz68]

sorry ratlover, I was at work, i missed a word altogether.

2 more litters not 2 more babies. :cheeky: