Good responsible breeders care where their babies end up. We want to find not only a home for them but a loving, caring, forever home that will not only meet all of their needs but go above and beyond.
By far most breeders are not looking for a perfect person, because no one is perfect! We just want someone who is going to give these rats a good home.
1. I think for myself personally one of my biggest pet peeves is when someone messages me with a super short barely English question or responds to my question with a half answer. I have gotten messages where I was not completely sure what they were asking, people just demanding a rat right then, etc...
Just sending a breeder a question like:
"U got rats?"
"Can I get a rat?"
"Can I get rat next week?"
Instead...
"Hello. I am interested in two male rats. Do you have any available currently?"
Or if asked, "What type of cage do you own?"
Replying- "a large one" is not helpful. It does not answer the question. We are asking because we want details- the brand, the dimensions, include a picture even helps.
Trust me we are not asking for the moon and stars. Just take your time to write to us.
Be specific about what you are looking for. What varieties do you like? What sexes? It is ok if you are unsure or are not picky, but say that.
Always be honest, open and be yourself.
2. Please be aware that by far most breeders do this as merely a hobby. They may have full time jobs, families, other hobbies, and social life's beyond just breeding. This means they may not reply to messages right away. And even the best breeder may accidentally miss a message.
To make things go smoother between both of you:
- Be patient. Give them time to see, read, and respond to your message. I'd say if a week has gone by with no contact reach out again to make sure they got your message.
- Read their website/info posted. Many breeders take the time to write out all info on how they sell & run their rattery and answers to commonly asked questions. Look over their site to see if it has the answers you are looking for.
- This may also mean that breeders might not always have the time to give long drawn out responses to questions. When given the chance many love to talk about all things rat but limited time may not always allow for that. Please be understanding if they send you links to sites or groups to learn more instead.
3. Breeders are only human. Not all breeders will have glowing social skills. We may be the most amazing breeder because we get rats... people? not so much!
I often hear people complain that breeders are blunt. When you live and dedicate yourself to something things tend to get shortened and simple. So for many people, on all kinds of different subjects, you may end up giving just the facts. No one is ever trying to be rude or blunt. They were simply answering the question.
On top of that breeders may often get an insane amount of messages and most of these are the exact same question over and over. These questions are often answered on our websites. When you are answering dozens of the same question a day/week/month it tends to affect your answers. We totally get that it is the first time you are asking and we are trying to answer each as an individual person but we are only human!
But one pretty big issue we deal with is that many people will reach out, ask questions and we pour our time/energy into this person... then they go poof and never respond to us ever again.
We totally understand, your life may have gotten hectic, you changed your mind, etc... but again this is our hobby within our life, so it can be difficult and a bit hard to get really involved with every single reply when by far most people will disappear.
So if our answers are quick and simple at first this is usually why. But stick around and by far most breeders will open up more!
Never be afraid to ask questions!
We want you to. Most breeders do welcome questions. Asking questions often shows you do care and makes you stand out.
But please understand breeders are not trying to be rude with short quick replies. Many breeders would love to answer questions and chat with you, showing real interest and staying in touch helps with that.
Definitely try to learn about the breeder you are buying from. I highly suggest checking their site/page first. But if you want to know how they do something or why, you can ask that.
4. We are breeders not pet stores.
Many breeders are not going to have babies available 24/7 365 days a year.
Expecting to just contact us and get a rat that week is usually going to end in disappointment.
This is a good thing. We are not mass breeding to make a profit but because we care about our rats.
Breeding takes time and alot of planning.
Female rats have to be the proper age/weight to first be bred. The entire pregnancy has to take place while little babies grow. Then the babies have to grow up and reach the proper healthy age to be sold.
On top of that the breeder usually is holding rats back for themselves to carry on the lines. There could also be many many people who contacted us before you and are waiting.
A pet is a huge commitment and there is no need to rush into it or get one right this very moment.
Good things come to those who wait. Just have patience!
Make sure you understand how the adoption process works. This is usually found somewhere on their site but if not ask.
Every breeder handles this differently.
Some have waitlists. Some of these lists are ordered by different variables such as who contacted them first, other breeders, past adopters, etc...
Some have non ordered wait lists, where approved adopters are listed but in no order.
Some have no lists and do purely first come.
Some people may even just select those who stay in contact with them.
Just ask and make sure you understand.
Another thing to consider and be aware of is that breeders may not know exactly when a litter will be born or available.
When we choose our pairs deciding when to pair them is not so simple as just picking a date. We are looking for specific factors to make sure the rats are healthy and prepared to take on motherhood. We also need to wait for the doe to be in heat and mating sometimes is quick or can take time.
Once the babies are born we are looking for many factors in deciding which we keep and which we sell. It depends on the lines themselves and the breeder. There are many things we are looking for in deciding which we keep to improve our lines. Many breeders may not choose their holdbacks until 3, 4, 5 weeks or even longer.
Patience is hard. We all know that. But it makes everything much easier on all involved if we all embrace it!
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