NERS guidelines for finding a responsible rat breeder

All rat kittens are cute and desirable, sometimes even irresistible. However, finding the right kittens for you can be a bit of a lottery and these pages are designed to help you to make the best choices. In this context best should be read as best for you, as choices that suit one individual might be wrong in other circumstances. If you need any help in finding the right kittens for you please email kittens@neratsociety.co.uk.

Responsible breeding
Rescue Centres
Rescue kitten links
Pet shops
Responsible Breeders
Questions to ask your breeder
Breeders links

Definition of responsible breeding
A responsible breeder will

¹ Improvement can be in health, longevity, temperament and physical features.

Rescue centres

There are always many kittens of unknown background, who end up in rescue centres, or with individuals who perhaps bought their rats from a pet shop only to find they were pregnant themselves. These kittens may not always be as large, physically robust or healthy as those from a reputable breeder, neither might they be as well socialised, but they do still need good homes. If you have some experience of rats, and feel able to provide a suitable home for some rescue kittens please consider this option.

Rescue kitten links

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/ click on Rehoming Rescue Rats

http://www.pet-rescue.org.uk/index.html click on Links & Resources, and then on Animal Rescue. Scroll down for Rodents & Rats.

http://www.pet-rescue.org.uk/forums/index.php?act=idx click on Homes Needed followed by Rats Needing Homes.

http://www.ratrehome.co.uk/

Pet shops

Many people still do not realise that rats are bred responsibly by individual breeders, and automatically head for the nearest pet shop to supply their new kittens. Rats from this source are just as much of a lottery as those from rescues, as most of them have been bred in large rodent farms where breeding is a commercial venture, and little consideration is given to individual pairings.

People breed rats for all sorts of reasons, and some breeders feel comfortable about selling the surplus to the pet trade. Indeed some breeders breed solely for this purpose. The society does not support this as responsible breeding (see definition above). Once handed over to a pet shop the breeder cannot be responsible for the safety and homing of their kittens. They cannot support new owners or take the kittens back if there is a problem. Nor can they breed to improve their rats, as they have no information on the ongoing health, longevity and temperament of the majority of the rats that they breed.

Responsible breeders

If you are looking for healthy, well-socialised kittens that will not be pregnant and will come with ongoing support and advice, we would advise you to go to a responsible breeder. You may be lucky enough to have such a breeder within easy travelling distance. If so, you will be able to visit their rattery which is always useful in deciding whether or not to get rats from an individual breeder. Try to visit when the babies are about 3-4 weeks old. If you leave it until they are ready to take home you will probably feel unable to say “No!” even if you arrive and find you are unhappy with the situation. If you do not have a suitable local breeder don’t despair. Many breeders are able to move their kittens to other areas of the country via shows and other events. It just requires a little more communication via email or telephone beforehand to be sure that you are satisfied with your decision.

A responsible breeder will expect and welcome your questions about their practices and their rats. Buying an animal from somebody is effectively endorsing their ethics and husbandry, so you will want to satisfy yourself that you are happy with this person. The benefits of building a good relationship with your chosen breeder will also be felt after you take your kittens home, as they will continue to provide advice and support. Different issues will have varying importance to different people.

Questions to ask your breeder

1. How long have you been breeding rats?

2. How long do your rats generally live? (UK average for pet rats is 21.6 months according to one survey).

3. Who is the oldest relative of these kittens that you still have? (Hopefully you’ll be introduced to a rat that is over the age of 2).

4. Would you be willing to take the rats back if I could no longer keep them? (Many responsible breeders insist on this, as they want to ‘vet’ a second home and establish contact with the rats’ new owners so that they can still receive information).

5. Will you be available to give me advice and support after I take the rats home, and throughout their lives? (A responsible breeder will be willing to be contacted).

6. What health issues do you see in the rats you breed? (Be very wary if the answer is none!)

7. Describe the temperament of the rats you breed. (This will vary (laid back, eager, outgoing, gentle etc) and it is important that you choose rats whose temperament is likely to fit in with your own preferences.

8. Have you ever been bitten by one of your rats? (The odd rat bite happens often through ‘human error’ but rat bites are not an expected part of rattie behaviour).

9. Do the rats you breed live happily in groups? (They should)

10. How big are these groups? (Bucks and does should happily live in colonies)

11. How do you get them all out and give them attention?

12. What do you feed them on? (This should be more than rat food! Kittens have requirements for extra protein and calories, plus calcium for growth. Many reputable breeders can supply you with a diet sheet).

13. What do you recommend as cage litter? (Not wood based shavings or pelleted cat litter as these release phenols, which can be harmful to rats). Paper (for example, recycled paper cat litter), chopped card and hemp are all suitable litters)

14. Will you supply me with a family tree? (Answer should be yes).

15. Do I need to sign any kind of sale agreement? (Many breeders now enter into an agreement with prospective rattie parents. It might cover things like not breeding from the kittens, supplying the breeder with information when requested about the rats’ development and more general aspects of care).

There are many more questions you could potentially ask. Many questions have no right or wrong answers but they must satisfy you.

Expect a responsible breeder to ask you lots of questions in return. If they are happy to home their babies without consideration of the kind of home you would provide, be very wary.

Breeders links

NERS rat breeder contacts

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