Where do you get rats to start your colony?

I'm looking to get 1.2 rats to start my own small little colony and I was just wondering where do you guys get your rats? Do you get them from the same place you get your live feeders? Do you get them from shows? How about pet stores?

I'm going to the Daytona Show and was thinking I might be able to pick up some good rats there, but if that isn't an option I might just get them from my local pet store since they breed their own rats.

I started my colony from a number of different places. All of my rats are from feeder rat stock from private breeders and reptile stores. I bought a bunch of weaned rats and raised them up myself to adulthood.

a friend of mine that works at a pet store, she had to get rid of her pet rats...she even included some cages. totally lucked out. couple free other ones online, with cages....I'm pushing 3:11 now. My only cost has been food and bedding...same friend even gave me two "female" bps for free, and the other guy that works at the same pet store, is giving me a free bp Monday. So, I will be getting my quarantine room ready again...lol. Free is key ;-)

I like the idea of getting weaned rats and raising them up myself. How long after being weaned does it take for them to breed? What kind of food do you feed your rats?

6 months

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I have this "rat chow" 50 pound bag. I give them odd treats here and there, veggies and fruit.

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Originally Posted by missriss2012

I like the idea of getting weaned rats and raising them up myself. How long after being weaned does it take for them to breed? What kind of food do you feed your rats?

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They can technically start breed at 5 weeks of age. But I haven't seen any rats that young display any breeding behaviors. I start breeding my rats at around 5+ months of age depending on their size and gender. Then I retire them to my big pet cage after a year of breeding and/or until the litter size drops significantly.



I use Mazuri 6F Rodent Breeder food.

Mazuri is good food too. Ours also get fruit and veggie treats. We also raised ours up from weanlings. They are sweet little buggers.

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I get mine from other breeders, rat rescues (two pets, males that I did breed), and pet stores that I trust. I brought home a rat one time that had the 24 hour flu and 10 of my 13 rats died within 2 days. It was terrible! That's one thing you have to know when you are breeding and be really careful about what you are bringing home. I would definitely quarantine for a couple days just in case that particular rat has the flu. Some can carry it and not show signs, but at least you tried to keep your colony safe.

I got mine as weanlings from a few pet stores in June. Yesterday one of my females had her first litter(11 or 12) and the other two will be having there's soon too. I wanted to get pet quality rats and not just the normal albinos and black hooded rats you see. I ended up getting two female Himalayan dumbos with red eyes, a red eyed hairless male, and a grey and white female who has somewhat longish fluffy hair. I'm pleased with the foundation of genetics I'm starting out with.

I bought a couple that I thought were cool looking as smalls from petco (I know I know) but raised them up and they both dropped their first litters this past month. The rest of mine I bought from a local breeder who comes highly recommended from a few people here on the forum. I feed mazuri rodent breeder. I get 50lbs for $35 shipped. It takes me about 3 weeks to go through half of that.