We have a pet store that keeps their rodents in some pretty disgusting enclosures. I breed my own rats now and am finishing off the f/t that I have but if it were me I wouldnt have purchased a rat coming from that kind of care. Snakes can miss a meal, its not gonna hurt em. I am just not ok with feeding snakes that I have spent a good deal of money on something that could possibly (even if the possibility is extremely low) cause harm to my snake. Its just my peace of mind...