# Feeders > General Feeders >  Buying Live Rats On Line??

## TheAudOne

Dont know if this is done any where or if anyone has dealt with any breeders themselves. We dont have any really neat fancy rats for sale around here so I was just wondering. 
Thank you Thank you!  :Sunny:

----------


## sweety314

Becky (Satanic Intention) knows, and I have some links to a whole slew of different rat fancies. But don't clue them to the feeder angle. Most all the websites and breeders tell U it's an absolute refusal to do business.


Ours started as feeders and become pets, but I'm in contact w/a local breeder to adopt a fancy or two to add to the pet side of things. Once I put the "girls" out in the garage for a feeder colony we're going to want another one or two for the house being lovey pets.

----------


## TheAudOne

Well yeah, I was thinking about that...but when you break it down the breeding 3 are some what like pets...I mean I dont think I could ever feed them off! 

 Dont they figure out that you want to breed when you ask for 2 femals and 1 male?

----------


## sweety314

If you read their terms, they'll most often tell U that U need to buy two of the same sex for company. For the females, that wouldn't be a problem, but I wouldn't suggest buying all 3 from the same breeder. Then when U want to get the male, you'd have to get two (again for the company they provide to ea. other). If you admit that you already have two pet rats, they could argue b/c they're female and the buck would be alone....OR if you DO say you're going to breed, they could refuse you the sale. The four breeders I've communicated w/were VERY, VERY picky (as they should be) where their babies go....and the 8 sites I hit were just as bad. LOTS of questionnaires, contracts, agreements.


Even if U agree and sign the contract for "pets only" (no breeding) they'll be really suspicious if you try to buy a 1.2

Mine aren't the selectively bred "fancies", but I didn't have any run-around getting them either. Now that I've established THOSE as the feeder colony, I'm in the discussions w/a local breeder to adopt some "pet only" rats that need homes.

Hopefully you'll find and be able to buy the ones you want, but just be forewarned.

Good luck!! I'm interested in how U do & where U get them.


RuLyn

----------


## TekWarren

Just wanted to pop in and say shipping live mamals might be illegal and when its not it takes VERY special considerations and permits to do so which is not cost effective. You may already know this but the wording of your topic sounds like you are looking to buy online and have shipped.

I was just reading a topic on Fauna the other day which involved someone shipping rodents which turned into a disaster...some or all where dead and sending party KNEW it was illegal to ship them.

----------


## Amy1217

If you are coming here for the Fire Show, if you have some extra time, there is a great shop that sells feeders, and you can get as many as you want, unless you find some at the show.

----------


## Alice

Audrey, If you're coming to the FIRE show, I'd be glad to bring some young rat weenling (sp?) pups that I've produced to start your colony. Got to keep Balou fed!  :-)  Just let me know

----------


## TheAudOne

Alice...that's so nice of you!! What kind are yours? I have to figure out if we are going to the show or not...we have been so busy around here...
And to answer someone else's question, I was hoping to buy them on-line, havent found any fancy one's around here that I could go pick up...I'll keep everyone posted  :Smile:

----------


## wolfy-hound

I have a few rex-style babies(white) that I can bring to the FIRE show if anyone is interested.  They are just going to be feeders otherwise.
What shop is that? I'm totally interested in a good reptile shop! A address and I can mapquest getting there too!  What if we all showed en mass there? Haha.
Wolfy

----------


## TheAudOne

> What if we all showed en mass there? Haha.
> Wolfy


I know right? lol...I imagine then being like "What the hell??"

----------


## Alice

Hey Audrey.

I'm just learning about the breeds of my rat colonies. From what I understand, I have a few blues and blue hooded, lots of black hooded, some self (one color), some beige hooded, and a few albinos (I tend to feed these out as I've found in my colonies the albinos are mean). I'd really like to get some curly coated rex for my colony but they are not easy to find.

Below are a couple of pics of some of the current pups from this morning - they were still sleeping. Let me know if you want me to bring you a trio to the FIRE show to start your colony. Hope to see you there. Take care

----------


## TheAudOne

awwww so cute Alice...and yes I do believe we will be there...what days will you be there? I didnt know if you were selling anything there or not...we will be going on? We will be there on Sunday...Brians day off. 


 I want the Dumbo one's...sooo cute! I dont know if I have ever seen the one's you are talking about wanting....I'm sure anything with the word "curly" in it is to die for. 

Yeah I was hoping to not get Albino's....all the feeder albino's we have had are mean to  :Sad:  Although I never actually cuddled them or anything....I didnt want to get attached lol. 

But yes I will be there on the 5th...see you and those rats there....pm me and let me know how much I owe you. 

See you then, 

~Audrey

P.S. 
 I'm sure Balou will be very happy knowing that Grandma Alice made his dinner lol.

Also, 
 Last week on feeding day we tried feeding him and he wouldnt eat it...what did he do with it? He followed it around the tub and I sware nuzzled it with his face, him and the rat kept going nose to nose and neither would bite, he loved the rat to much lol. Brian and I were a little scared to take the rat out because he never left it alone, just kept following it around...were going to try him again tomorrow.

----------


## Alice

Hey Audrey! Can't wait to see you guys again. We'll be there both days. Look for the Florida Reptile Room table.


BTW, I wasn't talking about selling these little ones to you - consider it an early Christmas gift.

----------


## frankykeno

Some cute blues in that litter.  Just avoid mating a blue (either hooded or self) with any rat with a blaze face or husky markings no matter what coat color.  Apparently they can carry a recessive tendency for mega-colon so crossing those ones ups the risks of it in their young so I'm told.   The females need to be about 250 grams so you'll want to keep that young male rat off by himself while his ladies do a bit of growing up but then you'll have some lovely feeders down the road.   :Smile:

----------


## TheAudOne

> BTW, I wasn't talking about selling these little ones to you - consider it an early Christmas gift.


Aww shucks  :Smile:  
 Then I will be there, do I need to bring a cage to carry them home in or will you have a box or something for them? 
 I think finally Raigen can relaxe then, because she gets used to seeing rats, and then slowly 1 or more get fed...which she doesnt notice...but then there's those mornings when she gets up and the cage is empty...usually her look of shock is followed by "uh-oh....RAT!!...Uh-Oh" and then she proceeds to look under everything and around anything thinking they got loose.  :Very Happy:  
I'm worried one day she's going to go "We have rats loose in our house" to some stranger! :eek: 

But yes, if our plans change I will let you know..if not I will see you there.

----------

