You dont ahve any big chain pet stores in the area?
You should try African Soft Furred Rats. Super easy to breed. All you need is a couple 20 gallon longs. One for the breeders and one for a grow out tank.
I breed my own and its simple. Want me to send you some pics of the setups?
If he's in CA then ASFs are out of the option I believe. They were illegal here last time I checked.
As for the OP, what part of LA are you in? You can pm me and I'm sure I can help you figure something out.