WHY ADOPT FROM A PRIVATE BREEDER? 

A breeder is always a great choice due to the specific knowledge you will obtain about your new pet before you bring it home. Pet stores often do NOT have the time to socialize, play with, or handle their animals daily like a breeder would. Some pet store-bought rats have a higher possibility of biting or going almost feral after not being handled for even a few days. Not a trait you want in your new family pet. A breeder will know the animal's lineage, the parents, default behavior traits, and personality -- and also has the time and ability to socialize them accordingly, especially with other animals, noises, and children. If your breeder is also a rescue, they will at least know where the animal came from and information about its previous owner. A win / win! A reputable breeder will never sell you a known aggressive rat or a rat with a bite history or bite history in its line. A properly bred pet rat from a breeder will be accustomed to being randomly handled, grabbed, picked up, carried, restrained when necessary, and will not bite out of aggression or fear. Some rats can be shy by default, but a well-bred, pet-quality rat should be open to learning, socializing, and should be naturally curious.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH COMMERCIAL PET STORES?

Nothing is really inherently wrong with commercial pet stores at all! Oftentimes, they are run by employees and staff who truly have an amazing love for animals. They hire passionate, hard-working, and knowledgeable people. However, with all of that often comes corporate, policies that often do not make sense, and time constraints - all of which can sometimes contribute to a lack of attention in other departments that may need it. While we don't discourage you from giving your pet stores business, just keep the above in mind, depending on the kind of new pet you want and if socialization is important to you. While pet-store rats are handled at times, it is not very often and they can become unpredicatable.