Is no rat at all better than a pet shop rat of unknown origin?

[MaMight]

I have been doing some reading and I think that a couple of rats would be a great addition to our family.

However, I keep reading about the importance of finding a reputable breeder who knows the temperaments of the parents and is able to care for and handle the babies from a young age.

We live outside the UK and that just isn't an option for us.

I hate the idea of buying animals from a pet shop. The pet shops here are Not Nice Places

I don't want to support these horrible businesses or the trade in animals. I would also worry that a pet shop rat might be sickly or not be nice natured (I have young children who want to be friends with our new rats).

Is it better to have no rat at all, or would a pet shop rat be okay?

What would you do?

The question you need the answer to is have the young rats been exposed to mycoplasma and infection that can lay dormant in the rat and then rear it's ugly head later causing pneumonia. Mycoplasma is much more likely in shop bought rats as they are often mixed from a variety of sources.
I would suggest start with the National Fancy rat societies website (sorry no good at links).

What Lizcat said.

www.nfrs.org/

Have you had rats before? They are amazing pets

Pet shops rats almost always come from rodent farms, so for me that makes them a real no no on ethical grounds alone.

There are some photos of what is probably one of the better rodent farms here:

www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=85838

Farmed rodents aren't that different to battery chickens, only the rats will be bred repeatedly and cruelly in their short lives with little or no break in between and nowhere to escape lactating babies so they never get a break. They are also bred with no concern for health or temprement.

Would taking on rescue or rehomed rats be an option for you? Is there any RSPCA equivalent where you are? Or can you look in local papers for older rats being rehomed? At least that way you wouldn't be funding the pet shop/rodent farm trades.

Oh dear.

Yes, the rats in a pet shop out here would very probably have been exposed to all sorts of nasties. There is minimal care taken with animals over here.

There is no sort of rat rescue.

I will try finding a rat to rehome but it is unlikely. I'll put some notices on a forum board.

How about going to a wildlife and conservation centre and asking to buy a couple of the rats they breed for reptile food? Perhaps I should ask that question on the nfrs board?

You need to be a NFRS member to post on the message board unfortunately.

You could get them from somewhere that breeds feeder rats, but they are likely to be kept in the same or worse conditions than the rodent farmed animals. They will also not be bred with health/temprement in mind.

You might be able to find someone who has bred a pet litter or had a 'suprise' litter on a forum board, or maybe if you advertise in a local freeads type paper? Quite often people rehome unwanted pets here for free with cages.