2 weeks ago, I got two seemingly average-shaped female pet rats. Then, 1 week ago, I came home to find NINE squeaky pups around one of my girls!! I’m going to keep one baby, but I have to find homes for the rest of them. I emailed my entire workplace with the story but nobody is interested. I made colour posters with super cute pics of the babies, advertising that they’re free, and put them up all over town…no luck yet. I’ve tried to debunk the stereotypes about rats, telling people how smart, clean, and affectionate they are, but people believe what they want to believe. My only other option is to give them to the pet store once they are weaned, but I heard that although pet stores will take unwanted rats and other small animals, they usually wind up as snake food. I mean, snakes have to eat too, but I really don’t want to think of these little pups whose mother is so caring and gentle towards, and gives so much of herself to, spending their last moments terrified, confused and in pain.
I am keeping one baby; I would love to keep them all, but I don’t have the space or the money.
Any advice? I will feel like a horrible, cruel person if I give these unsuspecting, trusting babies to a store that will just kill them in the end.
btw, yes my vet has confirmed both my rats female…the one with the babies had been pregnant for at least 4 weeks before I got her.
Awww! I wish I could help, but I have a non rat safe home (3 cats, two of which hunt for a living.) and after the sumer I’m going to China. I wish you the best of luck though, rats are pretty sweet, as rodents go.
I wish I could help. I’d love to have pet rats, but I just don’t have room for a proper cage. Plus, I have 2 cats, so letting them out to roam around is out. Of course, not knowing where you live, even if I were interested, I may not have been able to take them.
Whoop, yeah, my location might help on the off chance that someone who sees this lives near me… Waterloo, Onatrio, Canada.
This was sooooo not the kitten story I thought I was in for! :eek:
A free advert in Canada’s version of the Thrifty Nickel?
I think you still take a chance on someone wanting them for pet food, but maybe you could screen potential adopters?
Thrifty Nickel = Pennysaver where I live. Good call!! I’ll try that, too.
btw, I meant to put Ontario , not Onatrio…yeesh… :rolleyes:
But Onatrio sounds so much more exotic…
I live in Torotno, Onatrio!
Yeah, baby!
WAIT!!! Just realized… Do NOT put an ad in the Pennysaver unless you want those babies fed to someone’s pet snake.
Especially if they can “adopt” them for free.
BTW, a rats gestation period is 3 weeks. The females are sexually mature at 3 months. So you know.
I raise rats for snake food, and I can tell you that I do NOT feed them live. I’m down with that whole circle of life and all, but I was kind to these rats in life, so I always give them a quick death.
Maybe you could put then down (a CO2 chamber’s the most pleasant, but hardest to do) then sell them as rat food? Rats are pretty hard to give away as pets.
But they really are nice and clean. And EXCELLENT mothers.
After I seperated my rats to give them non-breeding time before the move, I had one litter of 12 and one of 15. At least you don’t have to get rid of that many.
Also, if you do manage to give them away, give them away in same-sex pairs. They’s social critters.