I read the article from BVR on the goosemoose site....the rattery is only an hour or so from us...and I was a little surprised. One...his vet costs were over the top...most of the stuff was fine, but there were a few things on the list that just bugged me. The one that annoyed me the most was the charge for euthanasia. CO2 is by far more cost effective, and is still endorsed by several animals rights organizations, etc.

Apart from that, I still think they are high and mighty. I don't believe a potential breeder needs to be a master of everything rat before they can breed. Take the "high and mighty" stance on megacolon for instance. Ratteries and the higher end private breeders are very careful about keeping megacolon out of their lines, but they assume that every feeder breeder is going to screw it all up. I see no difference between this and what almost everyone on this site will protest against when the gov comes knocking because a handful of people let out some burms or retics.

I honestly believe that these people are taking their hobby to the extreme. Before I got our rats from Connie, I contacted several ratteries in the area, and none of them were willing to even talk to me about any breeding plans. All of them quickly ended the conversation as soon as feeders came up. What I think a good alternative would have been is..."Typically I dont sell to feeder breeders because I have found that the majority of them do not take this seriously, but I would be willing to mentor/"Get to know
you to see if you would in fact be suitable for a potential client"

I realize this is a lot of potentially tedious "homework" on the sellers part...but isnt the overall expansion and progression of the hobby and the rats their main concern to begin with?

I think I have been taking the generous, helpful and overall good nature of this forum far too light, and I am sorry, I just wish people in other hobbies could be so open minded too.