Where Should I Buy My Rats From?
How Many Rats Should I Get?
Before you begin searching for your new rats, have a think about how many you would like and if you think you would like to keep rats in the short- or long-term. Rats are social animals, so you will need at least 2 at any given time. People often recommend having at least 3 to offer a better group dynamic and in case someone unexpectedly passes away so that you don't have a lone rat. Starting with 2 and adding another pair within 3-8mos is also valid, and it is often easier introducing kittens to younger rats. It also creates a nice group dynamic given the slight age differences.
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If you would like to keep rats long-term, you will need a "rolling group", where new additions join the group so that there is a ~8-14 month age gap between one pair/trio and the next. This drastically reduces your chances of having a lone rat, provides a nice group dynamic (more friends to interact with), and keeps the age gap large enough that you don't have an onslaught of vet bills in a short space of time from ageing rats. Note that not all rats like being a part of a larger group. For new owners, I recommend either obtaining a friendly rescue pair/trio then adding a couple of babies very soon afterwards, or obtaining a trio of babies. For existing owners, I recommend adding a pair or trio at a time while bearing in mind age gaps.
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If you only want to keep rats for a short while, you will need to have a plan in place for when you have 1 rat left. Some people prefer to rehome their rats when there are 2 left so that no one is left on their own. Some people have a home lined up for when they have 1 rat left. Some people decide that they do want to continue keeping rats so add more.
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Lone rats can become detached, stressed and ill, or can become very attention-seeking because of their loneliness, and this scenario should be avoided using good planning. They can also become more difficult to introduce to other rats as time goes on, so new company should be sourced promptly.
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Should I Limit My Search By Location?
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No! Rats travel well if they're in a secure carrier with a nice layer of substrate, something to snuggle into (such as fleece scraps or bedding), some food sprinkled and a source of moisture such as cucumber, apple or carrot. The only limit is however far you're willing to travel. Sometimes alternative travel options can be arranged, such as meeting at a show or collecting from another breeder, or meeting at a train station.
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You will be very lucky to find a decent rescue or rat breeder within an hour of where you live, so I would suggest a travel time of 2.5 hours and assessing your options from there.
Where Should I Get My Rats From?
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Reputable Rescue
There are many rats, both young and old, looking for a home in rescues for a variety of reasons. You can search for rat rescues in your area by searching online or asking your local rat clubs. Nearby breeders may also know of rescues in need. My recommendations for the South East are Gerbil and Rodent Rescue (near Croydon, SE25), Animal Rescue & Care (Twickenham), and Tag Pet Rescue (Margate, CT9), though there are many more rescues. Rescues are sometimes mentioned on Rat Rescue Network UK which is another good place to look and it is moderated by good people.
Be sure to assess the rescue/person rehoming to ensure that the health and living conditions of the rats are adequate. Consider any reviews of the rescue as well. Ask questions about the background of the rats, any previous/current health or behavioural issues, and provide information about yourself so that the rescue can ascertain whether or not you are a good match for the rats. Some rescues can have peculiar homing requirements when rats are not their specialty, but bear with them.
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Even if you only want to have rescues, it is a good idea to be on a waiting list or two with reputable breeders in case you're struggling to source new additions. This will help to prevent a lone rat scenario.​​​​​
Rehomes
There are various reasons why someone may not be able to keep their pet rats. They may be moving into rented accommodation that doesn't allow pets, they may be having trouble with the rats, or have decided not to keep rats anymore going forward and are allowing their remaining pair to go to a new home together.​
As with rescues, ask the current home about the background of the rats, whether they've had or currently have any health or behavioural issues. If these are your first rats, I would avoid rats who are being rehomed due to behavioural issues.
Rat Rescue Network UK has rats available for rehoming as well as rescues. These rats will generally speaking be from rescue, pet shop and backyard breeder origins. Rehomes from reputable breeders tend to be arranged by the breeder or by the current home with the support of the breeder. If you would like rehomes from breeders, keep tabs on any social media they have and/or get in touch with them. Some breeders may home out retired breeding rats too. Sometimes rehomed rats from breeders may be homed out with kittens if the breeder also has kittens available.
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Rehomed rats can be great for those who want to start with a larger group or start with older rats who are often calmer and more established.
Reputable Breeder
Rats from reputable breeders are a great option for those who are new to or inexperienced with rats, have limited time to socialise rats, want rats with a more predictable temperament and background, and/or want rats that have been bred responsibly. These breeders breed rats to advance health, longevity, temperament and type in their rats, and are mindful that many of the rats they breed will be going into pet homes. They do not breed to supply demand, and will not change their breeding plans to suit a pet home (eg. breeding dumbos because a pet home would like them).
Many breeders have some form of homing process to determine the type of home being offered, and some operate waiting lists. It is worth bearing in mind that breeding plans don't always come to fruition and things can go wrong. As such, it may take time for breeders to allocate rats to you (3-12 months is a common time-frame). Because of this, it is worth getting in touch with multiple breeders. Be open with each breeder about this, though.
The NFRS Breeders List has a list of registered breeders who wish to have their details provided. Note that the NFRS maintains a list of its studs and ratteries as a convenience, but doesn't endorse any stud, rattery or member. Therefore, it accepts no responsibility for any rats homed by breeders on the list. Because of this, you will need to look into and contact breeders that you are interested in and ascertain whether their ethics align with yours. If the breeder is not on the list but is intending to be once they can register, ensure that they are an active member in the fancy (which is very important at this stage) and perhaps ask if they can provide references from people who are a NFRS-registered breeder. Also look at regional clubs as some of them having breeders lists.
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When contacting a breeder, DO:
+ Introduce yourself and provide some brief background information about your current situation and experience.
+ Say what you are looking for (2-3 bucks/does, any variety/temperament preference).
+ Ask any questions (eg. "How long is your waiting list?", "What is your homing process?", "How are your rats kept?", "I'd like some advice on which cage to buy", etc.)
+ Remember that most breeders have other things going on, such as work, families and their own pets, so may not be able to respond to your enquiry quickly. If they haven't responded, check their social media/websites (if they have them), ask on a review group what to expect, send a follow-up message after a month or so, or look further afield for a breeder who has litters currently.
+ Let them know if circumstances change once you've been offered kittens instead of ghosting them. That's a surefire way to end up blacklisted!​​
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DON'T:
- If the breeder asks for a homing form to be filled out, try to do some research beforehand rather than saying "whatever you say" or "the best option". Breeders tend to prefer prospective homes who have shown investment into research.
- Ask for a single rat. Rats are a social species and kittens require same-age company.
- Set a deadline for when you want the rats by. This is especially the case for Christmas and birthday presents (which many breeders won't do as there's a high rehoming rate for these rats). A vague estimate is fine.
- Ask for a variety that the breeder doesn't breed for. Try not to insist on a particular variety as rats don't respect plans and there can be a multitude of reasons why the variety you would like isn't available.
- Expect to choose exactly which kittens you have. Breeders will ask for variety preferences, but will often allocate based on which kittens will suit you the best and the kittens that they have.
Backyard Breeder (BYB)
It may be tempting to buy rats through websites such as pets4homes, gumtree and preloved, or someone that you've seen online. They may be closer than a rescue or reputable breeder, or have rats available at short notice. In general, some of the rats sold on selling sites are surplus stock from feeder breeders, some are people who have bred their pets for whatever reason (eg. "because I liked their temperament", "I wanted my child to see the circle of life", "I wanted my rat to experience having babies"), some are breeding for profit. Most, if not all, are breeding with very little regard for or understanding of health, type and temperament. No doubt some are well-meaning, but ultimately if you are going to breed an animal you need to do so responsibly and with the aim of bettering pet rats. Support from these breeders can also be questionable at times and they tend not to be particularly knowledgeable or stay up to date with developments in rat care (I've seen BYBs tell owners that their new rats are bruxing when the rat has an upper respiratory infection).
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Below are some red flags to look out for. BYBs might:
- Have husbandry issues such as the rats being kept in inadequately sized setups, using unsuitable substrates, keeping rats on their own, or feeding an improper diet. A common misconception is that BYBs only breed in their backyard/in an outbuilding, but someone can be a BYB while keeping the rats inside their home.
- Almost always have kittens available to purchase. Having a licence can be a sign that they are breeding in large amounts.
- Breed for unethical varieties such as hairless and tailless. Regularly breeding double rex and selecting for low fur coverage can also be a warning sign.
- Charge more for different varieties and ear/fur types, or use incorrect variety names (eg. 'brown', 'grey', 'husky')
- Not be able to tell you exactly who and where their breeding rats are from (BYBs usually breed from rats from rodents mills, other BYBs, or rescues, which have unknown backgrounds). "I got them from another breeder" or "I got them from London" is not a sufficient answer.
- Breeding from rats who are not good examples and/or with no real aim for improvement.
- Not be involved in the National Fancy Rat Society or local rat club. Involvement in clubs tends to lead to better breeding practices and knowledge. Ensure that the club they're a part of isn't one that they've made up themselves.
- Gives you a lifetime health guarantee. Rats unfortunately have to pass from something, and this is insincere. NO ONE can give you a health guarantee for ANY animal, especially given that they have no control over how the rat is kept once they leave for your home.
- Not ask you questions about you, your setup or care methods.
- Sell you a lone rat (kittens need same-age company to develop properly), let you have more than 3 rats at once without mentioning the benefits of a rolling group of different ages.
- Let you choose the exact kittens or make allocations very early on (before 5 weeks).
- Home kittens before 6 weeks old and lie about their age. Homing consistently at 6 weeks old can also sometimes be a concern, especially if the kittens are fragile-looking.
- Home out different sex kittens (both on purpose and accidental).
- Sell kittens that are small and fragile-looking. They may even be unwell or showing signs of stress.
- Selling dwarf rats that aren't actually dwarf (see the dwarf section of this page for a dwarf vs standard comparison photo).
- Be very sales-focused and use business-orientated language.
- Use manipulative tactics such as saying that if you don't buy the rats they'll go for snake food.
If you spot one of these red flags, ask follow-up questions.
​Pet Shops
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Many people know about the awful conditions in puppy farms and the fallout people tend to have to deal with, but don't then make the connection with other species. Pet shops usually source their rats from rodent mills, the rodent equivalent of puppy farms. Contrary to what some think, the conditions these rats are kept and bred in are legal in the UK. There is more information on this below. These rats are bred with absolutely no or little regard for health and temperament, and are often sold with "no sex guarantee", so it is not uncommon that people are sold missexed rats and end up with an 'oops' litter!
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There are some small-scale pet shops who breed their own stock, and the same concerns apply as with backyard breeders. Be especially wary where multiple species are being bred in larger numbers.​
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One benefit to sourcing rats from a pet shop rather than a BYB is that the pet shop is subject to a greater degree of accountability due to consumer protection laws. If the rats have a health issue within a few weeks of homing, they will usually cover the vet fees. If the rat was sold pregnant, then they need to provide the means to care for the litter or take the doe and litter back.
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It is worth noting that it is entirely possible to have healthy, friendly rats from a pet shop. But these rats are not the norm, and you are at a much higher risk of issues with pet shop rats than rats from a reputable breeder. Plus this still does not mean that the breeding rats and kittens were cared for adequately, which is another important thing to consider as rat lovers. By purchasing pet shop rats, you are funding and fuelling demand for rodent mills, which means more rats will be subjected to poor conditions and intensive breeding. People often forget about the rats behind the scenes that they don't see. But by boycotting pet stores and not condoning their use, demand is reduced. Some pet stores have stopped selling rats because of the lack of demand!
​​​​​​​​Note about the Legislation:
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It is important to remember that rats are used as feeders and in labs where they need to be kept in a very economical way, so the legislation surrounding them and their care standards will be influenced by this.
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Section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act, 2006 states:
(1) A person commits an offence if he does not take such steps as are reasonable in all the circumstances to ensure that the needs of an animal for which he is responsible are met to the extent required by good practice.
(2) For the purposes of this Act, an animal's needs shall be taken to include—
(a) its need for a suitable environment,
(b) its need for a suitable diet,
(c) its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,
(d) any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
(e) its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
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Therefore, an individual is meeting their requirements under the Animal Welfare Act as long as the rats are housed, fed, watered, kept with other rats and any medical attention required is being sought. Part H of the statutory guidance for selling animals as pets licensing gives the dimensions below as minimum requirements. As a reference point, the pets at home XL hamster cage has a floorspace of 3197cm2, which according to the guidance can hold 10 rats for permanent housing. According to the higher housing standards, it can hold 6 rats permanently. Essentially, if the rat has space to lie down, move, groom and stand on its hind legs, can interact with other rats, and has nesting material, that constitutes the ability to exhibit normal behaviours. That's a pretty low bar in terms of care! ​​​​​​​​​
The statutory guidance states that "all selling animals as pets activities need a licence if they’re carried out as a commercial business, [where the operator] makes any sale or carries out the activity to make a profit [or] earns any commission or fee from the activity".
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However, rat breeding can fall under the following exemptions to licence requirements:
"- selling a small number of surplus offspring or excess stock from animals bred as a hobby, for pleasure, exhibition for prize, or for education, study or scientific advancement and for low-value species that may produce large numbers of excess stock, consider the value of the stock and the likelihood that the seller is making a profit​;
- non-commercial rehoming of animals"
And the breeder should be able to demonstrate that "they sell animals as a hobby, for education or scientific advancement, and that they sell only surplus stock, not for profit - evidence could include reports or studies about the species published in scientific journals, pet trade or hobby media or self-published, contributions to conservation projects, competition entry forms, or membership of a relevant club or society, [and] that rehoming is not for profit, and does not meet the business tests"
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There is a trading allowance of up to £1,000 a year for "casual services". If a breeder is making more than £1,000 in profit annually, then they require a licence. Licences require a payment to then inspection from the council, after which their licence can last between 1-3 years where there is a requirement for there to be 1 unannounced visit within the duration of the licence. Bear in mind that the officer making the inspection will have limited or even no expertise in animal welfare. If the inspection process is anything like the inspections for licensing involving animal activities, a vet is very rarely present. The purpose of the inspection is to determine that the licensee is doing the bare minimum.
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My two cents: I had a licence for activities involving animals for a previous job. My inspection was when I'd first obtained the animals and my setups were very basic as I hadn't had any time to improve them/deliveries hadn't arrived. An exotic vet was also present, which was unusual at the time. The snakes had 2 hides, one either end, and a water bowl. The rats had a cage with too small of a small footprint, one hammock and a couple of toilet roll toys. The frogs had a branch and an artificial trailing plant. Yet I had the comments that it was "one of the best setups they'd ever seen". After my inspection, I upgraded all of the enclosures to a point where I was happy with them and continued to improve them. If my setups were the best they'd ever seen, what kinds of environmental conditions are other licensees keeping their animals in? I have encountered very good and experienced vets who aren't great at evaluating condition in rats (eg. square tails, staring coat)... so the person assessing the rats in these situations more than likely won't be competent, even if a vet is present. There is also no legislation surrounding how many times a rat should be bred, the gap between litters, etc either.
So I would encourage potential homes to take the quality of life ensured by licensing with a very generous pinch of salt.
Rats as Christmas/Birthday Presents
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If you are purchasing anything pet-related for someone, it should not be a surprise to the recipient. If you are looking to obtain a pet as a birthday or Christmas present, then it is a better idea to gift the set up on the day, then have the rats come home shortly afterwards. This is better for the rats as going to a new home is a big change for them regardless of the time of year and when you add in celebrations it can start things off on the wrong foot. It'll also mean that you won't be pre-occupied with celebrations and you can focus on building a bond with them.
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It is incredibly off-putting when someone enquires asking for pet rats for Christmas, you get back to them saying that you'll have some in the new year, and they're no longer interested. Breeders and often rescues simply don't have rats to demand and even if they did the statistics and logistics around pet homing as presents are alarming. The rats’ long-term welfare and wellbeing will always be the top priority.​ Breeders and rescues will always be supportive of genuine people who want to have pet rats, and would be more than happy to help advise on getting the right set up as a gift.
Minimum Homing Age
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If you are on rat-related social media, you will unfortunately see kittens who have been homed out underage. You may have even been homed underage kittens in the past yourself (I know I was when I started out)! One of the key ways that you can tell they're underage is if they still have their fluffy kitten coat and their body can look a bit small compared to their head. They also look and feel less robust.
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Kittens are usually weaned from about 4-4.5 weeks old. Once the kittens are weaned, their immune system starts to work for itself. This is a more vulnerable time for kittens and keeping them with the breeder puts less stress on them.
The minimum homing age is 6 weeks old. By this point they should be more robust and their coat will look more sleek as they moult their fuzzy kitten coat. It may not seem like it matters much to home them out a bit before 6 weeks of age, but the differences between these kittens and ones slightly older are noticeable! A lot of change happens at this point in their development.
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Most breeders choose to home out later than 6 weeks of age, especially if the kittens are from a larger litter and/or are on the smaller side. They grow a LOT over the next few weeks, and this improved size and maturity puts them in much better stead for going to their new home. Plus a breeder can’t really judge the conformation of a kitten properly before 5-6 weeks and it takes time to arrange homes, which means that they tend to be homed out at an older age.
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As you can see from the photo below, which shows kittens aged 5 weeks, 6 weeks and 7.5 weeks, there is a huge difference between the ages in terms of their size, robustness, and coat.
