What to look for when selecting a rat

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A PET RAT

When buying a rat from a reputable breeder or rescue, it should be healthy and socialized. If buying from a shop or mill breeder, check the following:

1. The shop / breeder should be willing to show you where they keep the rats (even the ones in the back).

2. Males and females should be kept separate after 5 weeks. If the breeder / shop keeps them together it is a sure sign that they simply don't care about the fact that the females might be pregnant and that it will be hazardous to the young females heath and development as well as produce poor quality pups.

3. Make sure the rats do not sneeze or wheeze when breathing. Some rat pups have permanent lung scarring due to bad husbandry. These rats will constantly need veterinary care throughout their lives which can be VERY expensive.

4. Their eyes should be bright with no discharge from the nose or eyes – a red discharge from the eyes might be a sign of stress, wrong bedding or illness.

5. They should not be skinny or bloated.

6. They should not have any lumps, tumours or diarrhoea

7. They should be interested in you and its surroundings – sick rats will hunch up and be unresponsive.

8. They should not be wild or skittish. It might be a sign that pups were mass bred and never socialized but it may also be a sign on inherited aggression where they might become even more aggressive later on.