Pet stores might be the first thing that come to mind when you’re considering a new rat. But they aren’t actually that great, as I’ll explain below. Fortunately, there are quite a few other options you could try first.
One of the best places to buy a pet rat is from a good breeder. You can also rescue rats and find them at humane societies! Before you adopt any rat, you should spend some time with them to assess their behavior and health.
How to choose a healthy, happy rat
Regardless of where you get your new friend, look for a rat that:
- Has bright eyes and sleek, shiny fur
- Shows interest in you. They may gently sniff your hand or even be interested in climbing on you right away!
Choosing a rat with a good temperament is one of the easiest ways that you can avoid being bitten by your new pet rat.
See if you can spend a little time with them before you take them home. That way you can get to know their personality a little and look for any health issues.
It’s normal for any rat (even a friendly one) to be shy with you at first. Them being curious about you, sniffing you and even licking you is a great sign that they want to be friends, even if they dart away after!
Be on the lookout for any health problems that are immediately obvious:
- Porphyrin around the eyes and nose. Porphyrin is sometimes mistaken for blood, but it’s more of an orangey-red or brown crust.
- Fur is puffed out and spiky looking. Keep in mind that some varieties of rats naturally have spiky looking fur. Some (like hairless, velveteen and rex) may also seem like they’re missing some hair.
- Wounds or injuries
- Sneezing or audible breathing. You shouldn’t be able to hear a rat breathing! If it “squeaks” or wheezes every time it breathes, it probably has a respiratory problem.
Having an initial vet checkup is a great idea when your bring your new rat home to make sure it’s healthy, and to test it for common illnesses.
Just a note if you’re a first time rat owner:
Rats should always be kept in same-sex pairs or groups. Even if you plan to spend lots of time with your little buddy, a friend of the same species is a non-negotiable for rats.
Breeders
A reputable breeder is one of the best places to buy a pet rat, especially if you’re a new rat owner. You’re most likely to get a healthy and well-socialized rat from a breeder.
With that said, anyone can leave two rats together in a cage, so you might want to assess the breeder before you commit to adopting one of their animals.
A good breeder will take the time and care to select two healthy rats who are friendly towards people to pass these characteristics onto the next generation. They also make sure to handle the babies when they’re young. When your new rats arrive at your house, they’re already comfortable with humans.
How do you know if it’s a good breeder, and not somebody who just bred two pet store rats?
- Check if they’re registered with the NFRS (UK) or AFRMA (North America)
- See if they have pictures of their rats’ enclosures. Do they give rats enough space to thrive? Do they use appropriate bedding? Do they give their rats lots of enrichment? Are their cages clean?
- Does the breeder ask you questions to make sure you know enough about rats to keep them happy and healthy?
- Do they have their own website and/or social media pages, or do they advertise on places like Craigslist and Kijiji?
- Do they adopt out rats before 6 weeks of age?
Many breeders have a waitlist. It can take a few months to match you with your new friend(s), so contact them early.
Rat Rescues
If I were adopting a rat today, the very first place I would check is a rescue! There are unfortunately many rats who, for whatever reason, aren’t able to stay with one family for their entire life. Rescues sometimes take on a lot of rodents at once that need to be rehomed quickly.
If possible, see if they’re able to tell you anything about the animal’s history and personality. Rats with difficult pasts can be nervous or even aggressive towards humans, and it can take longer to bond with them. If you’re up for the challenge, it can be so fulfilling to give a rat a second chance at a good life!
The Rat Fan Club keeps a list of rescues in different areas. See if you can find one near you!
Humane Societies
Many shelters accept small animals, including rats. Check their websites, Facebook pages, or call to see if they have any rats available.
Sadly, like rescues, humane societies sometimes have to take on so many rats at once that it’s hard for them to keep up with.
By adopting a rat (or a pair of rats!) from a shelter, you can give them a new outlook on life.
Find pet rats second hand
Sometimes people give pet rats a try and realize they aren’t for them. One bonus of rehoming a rat from somebody else is that they often give away the cage and some supplies along with it.
Find pet rats on Facebook
Pet rats sometimes show up for adoption on Facebook. Check the Marketplace and any Buy and Sell Facebook groups for your local area. You could also post a Wanted post to see if anyone responds.
Kijiji
Kijiji can be used to rehome pets, and you can search your local area specifically. Filter your results by Small Animals as you might still see lots of listings for animals that aren’t rats!
Adopting lab rats?!
Many times, lab rats are used for one experiment, and then rehomed. Surprisingly, these rats are often very healthy and well socialized.
In some countries it’s illegal to rehome lab rats. But some scientific institutions in Canada, the United States and Europe do.
Why pet stores aren’t my favorite
When you Google “where to buy a pet rat?” a whole bunch of pet stores pop up! I’m not a big fan of pet stores myself for a lot of reasons.
Not all pet stores are bad: like with breeders, some pet stores do take a lot of care in making sure their animals are healthy, happy and personable.
Other pet stores have a reputation for being careless about where they obtain their animals (not just rats).
Some pet stores use horrible rat mills where they’re kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions. Female rats are overbred. The rats are never handled, or handled very rarely. They’re often kept in cramped little cages (or bins) together where they fight and injure each other.
Further, pet stores sometimes recommend cages, food and bedding that aren’t actually suitable for rats. Some of the big chains have been getting better about this recently.
You’ll often find male and females together in one cage at pet stores. It can be hard to tell male from female rats when they’re babies, but rats are capable of reproducing even when very young. Some of the females are already pregnant by the time you bring them home.
It’s also super common to adopt two or three baby rats, and one turns out to be a different gender. (I’ve had this happen before!) In this case you might have to neuter or spay so they can live together, or just get a separate cage and another cage mate for the odd one out.
In my experience, pet store rats do come with a lot more health issues and don’t live as long as other rats. Two of the rats I bought from pet stores (before I knew better) only lived to around a year old because they suffered from so many health problems.
One of the benefits of rat breeders who really take their animal welfare into account is that they can selectively breed for healthy animals.
I have lucked out with pet store rats who were super friendly and affectionate, but some were very nervous and took a long time to bond with. I could definitely tell that they didn’t have a lot of human contact early on in their life.
I know it’s tempting to “rescue” the animals you see at pet stores, but doing so only supports and encourages these practices.
Conclusion
Breeders are one of the best options for new and seasoned rat owners alike to find a new friend. Rescuing rats from rat rescues, humane societies, and even labs is another great option.
Though I’m not a huge fan of pet stores personally, sometimes it’s all that’s available in your area.
Wherever you get your new rat from, I hope you have lots of fun together. 😊
