I give them toilet paper tubs filled with toilet paper. I give them lunch bags filled with pieces of fleece and or brown paper towels / packing paper.
I do not give them a hide so that the babies will be exposed to all of the sights and sounds of the household. (This is another reason why I recommend that you keep your new rats in a room that you will be in most. This will help them adjust to you.) I have found that babies who have a hide are more timid and not as adjusted to every day movements and noises. Without a hide they are forced to be out in the open and experience things. On adoption day because everything is so busy I will give them a hide.

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My Rattery's Policies

My rattery is a closed rattery. This means I do not allow people into my rattery. I do this for the safety of my rats and the babies going to their new homes. I can not guarantee the health of babies if they have been exposed to a bunch of people. People may not follow my instructions and they may bring in lice or illnesses. I do pickup at a separate location (my Mom's house).

"If people are not allowed inside the rattery then how do we pick out our babies?" - How baby picking works.

"If people are not coming to your house how does pickup work?" - How pickup works.

My rats and their offspring are very important to me. They are all my pets. I will do my very best to assure that they go to good homes. I make sure they are well cared for, healthy, and happy.

I do not support back yard breeding and the rats will come with a contract that states that you will not breed them. Breeding contracts can be given to people with proven experience in breeding rats. The contract will also state that if you can not keep the rat for any reason, you will return them to me (refunds are based on the individual situation). (I do not often sell to breeders. I would rather trade rats with them. Thus we would become breeding partners and help each other with our love of rats.)

If your rat develops any illness you will report it to me so I can make a note of it and adjust my breeding rats accordingly. I do not want to have any health problems in my lines and the only way to know is if my adopters keep in contact.

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Adoption Policies

No rats will be adopted without an approved application.

If you change your choice of food, bedding, or cage you must notify me immediately to get the change approved. Your application was approvdd based on the supplies you filled out the application with. It does not cover any undisclosed changes. I highly recommend getting the change (especially a cage change) approved before purchasing it.

If you are under 18 or still live with a parent/guardian I will have to talk to them on the phone to make sure it is ok that you are getting rats.

If you use Carefresh bedding, anything like it that uses recycled paper/paper fluff, cedar, or scented bedding then I can not adopt to you. My fact page explains why. ( My fact page has a list of beddings that are not acceptable but the list is not all inclusive.)

If you will feed the rats a seed mix or a homemade mix as their main diet then I can not adopt to you. My fact page explains why.

If you have a cage that is too small, an aquarium, or a cage that has wire levels that are not covered then I can not adopt to you. My fact page explains why.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but I love my rats and only want the best for their offspring. My fact page explains why I feel this way and explains the knowledge I have to back up my beliefs. Once you read it and know how harmful Carefresh (and other beddings like it), wire levels, and seed mix as a main diet can be to rats I am sure you will understand and agree.

By adopting my rats you promise that you will keep me informed on the health of the rats. (I would also like to know when they pass away.) I need this information so I can adjust my lines accordingly and keep breeding healthy rats.

By adopting my rats you promise that you will keep me informed if you rehome them. Remember I will always take back my rats or help you find a home for them. Taking Back My Rats Policy

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Deposit Policies

I can not accept a deposit until the application has been approved.

I can not hold your place in line and I can not hold rats without a deposit.

The deposit is a little more than half of the adoption fee. The other part of the adoption fee is due at the time of pickup. People pick babies based on the order that they sent their deposit in.

Deposits are nonrefundable in most cases. There are few exceptions where they are refundable; it is at a case by case basis and completely at my discretion. Your deposit lets me know you are serious about adopting rats and are fully committed to these little living beings.

If you put down a deposit but for some reason can not adopt any more, need to wait longer, or you have skipped four sets of litters then I will only be able to hold your deposit for a year from when i notify you of this deadline. After that your deposit is forfeited. If you can not give me a definite time frame (such as you sent a deposit in March there are babies available in May but you want to adopt after September) then I will need to take your name off of the waiting list. (It will go on a different list that keeps track of your deposit for the year. But it is not holding your picking spot on the waiting list.) This is because the waiting list sets the order in which people pick their babies and it let's me know how many homes I have secured. It makes things confusing when your deposit is included in the count but it's unknown when you will actually adopt. It's also inconvenient for others who are waiting because they do not know their true place on the waiting list. (They could be planning on a certain time frame due to their place in line and waiting to buy their cage closer to the expected time. However because of the unknown time frame deposit they could then be moved up several places and suddenly babies are available much sooner than expected. This means they do not have everything they need yet because they thought they had more time.)
You must contact me within the year to get added back onto the waiting list. I will not contact you because I am waiting on behalf of your request. (I will only contact you with available babies if you gave me a specific time frame.) Once you contact me I will add you back onto the waiting list and tell you your place in line. Once added back onto the waiting list you will need to adopt within two sets of litters when babies become available to you. (Meaning, you can only skip a set of litters once. You must adopt when I contact you with the second set of available babies.) This is so people do not use this as a way to have me hold the deposit indefinitely.

I reserve the right to refund your deposit and cancel the adoption at any time. Depending on the situation, for my mental health, I may or may not give you a reason and I will cease communications.
Such instances would be in extreme cases. Like finding out information that makes you an unsuitable/unsafe home, me being verbally abused or treated rudely, inconsistent/lack of communication (such as me having to email and text multiple times over multiple days to get a reply to time sensitive questions every time I need to contact you), etc.

If you do not like any of the available babies then your deposit can be transferred to the next set of litters. (I post many sets of group photos so you have a good idea of what the babies look like. If you're skipping a litter you must inform me by 3 weeks old so I have time to find the babies a home. Otherwise your deposit is forfeit. Telling me last minute is extremely inconvenient and does not give me enough time to find them a home before they're ready. That's also very unfair to the babies.)

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Picking Your Rats

People pick babies based on the order that they sent their deposit in. Babies are picked from photos. I take multiple sets of group photos then one set of photos of each individual baby at around five weeks old. I also take videos of the babies (at the time individual photos are taken) so you can get an idea of their personality. These are uploaded to YouTube. (A set contains 10 to 30 photos of the baby to show their color and unique pattern.)

People pick their rats from the baby photos. There is absolutely no picking babies in person. (Since people pick babies in the order they send in their deposit it'd be impossible to have them schedule appointments in that order. Also, I do not let anyone handle any babies except for their owners. (I even seperate their babies into a smaller cage before they arrive to make sure there is no contact with other people's babies.) I do this because someone could bring an illness or parasite in and infect all the babies. I can not risk sending home a rat who has just gotten sick or infected with lice. I want to be confident that I am sending home healthy babies. I can't do that if they are all being handled by every person who comes into my rattery.)

I will email you with links to the baby albums and YouTube videos when it is your turn to pick. I will tell you which babies are taken and which are available. Please respond in a timely fashion. There are people eagerly awaiting their turn to pick. If I do not hear from you within 24 hours of sending the email then I will send a reminder. If I have not received your pick or heard from you in 48 hours (from the first email) then I will send you an email with a deadline time. If I do not have your pick by the dealine time (usually 12 hours after the email) then I will have no choice but to move on to the next person. That will have given you 2.5 days (or more) to pick your babies. It's extremely unfair to the other people waiting to pick their babies. You will still be down for two rats but you will have lost your place in line.

If you do not like any of the available babies then your deposit can be transferred to the next set of litters. (I post many sets of group photos so you have a good idea of what the babies look like. If you're skipping a litter you must inform me by 3 weeks old so I have time to find the babies a home. Otherwise your deposit is forfeit. Telling me last minute is extremely inconvenient and does not give me enough time to find them a home before they're ready. That's also very unfair to the babies.)

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Pickup Policies & Procedures

If you own rats I will ask that the day you are coming to the rattery that you wear clothes that your rats have not come in contact with and that you not hold your rats that day. I ask this of all clients who have rats. I also ask that you do not visit a pet store 72 hours prior to visiting my rattery. Pet store rats are often sick and you could easily carry something home on your clothing or in your nasal passage way (like mycoplasma). All of this may seem silly but it is to keep everyone safe. Thank you for understanding.

I do baby pickup at a separate location that is located about 15 minutes away from my house. My Mom allows me to use her breezeway to do pickups. I bring all the babies to her home and they wait inside for their owners. Before the pickup appointment I bring out the babies you've previously selected. That way your babies are only being exposed to you and handled by you. (I wash my hands in between appointments and babies are all in their own cages.)

You will need to bring something to bring the babies home in. A carrier with appropriate bar spacing or even a cardboard box. Please put bedding in it.

If you are concerned that the rats may get hungry or thirsty on the drive home you can put in food and vegetables/fruits with high water content like cucumbers or watermelon. The rats should be fine even for a couple of hours.

I will contact you before the designated pickup weekend to schedule appointments. I try to schedule everyone on the same day. Appointments are 30 minutes long. (You do not have to stay the full 30 minutes.) I schedule 30 minutes so you can handle your babies and ask any questions you may have. Please try to arrive on time and please try to not stay longer than 30 minutes (that takes away from others' appointments).

IMPORTANT COVID-19 Pickup Procedure Changes.

I let you know as soon as the babies are born what weekend they will be ready. (If I am unsure, due to their size, I give you two weekends.) I ask that you pick them up on that weekend. They must be picked up on the weekend they are ready. (I can not let them go home early.) If you can not pick them up on the weekend that they are ready then I ask that you pay a fee to cover the costs of their supplies and care. I only factor 6 weeks into their price (If I choose to keep them for 7 weeks I do not increase the adoption fee.). For the extra time I am keeping them I have to house them in a separate cage, pay for food and bedding, care for them, and I have to continue to socialize them every day. Of course if you have only just contacted me on the weekend they are ready and can not come that weekend I understand. But then you will need to come get them the next weekend. Otherwise I will have to charge a fee for every week they are with me there after. Thank you for understanding.

IMPORTANT. Effective 3/30/2015 - If you show up with the wrong supplies then I have the right to turn you away and not adopt to you. (You may come back the following weekend (remember I ask that you not visit a pet store for at least 72 hours before coming to my rattery so going out that day and buying the supplies does not work) when you have bought the appropriate supplies but you are subject to the fee for picking your rats up late.) When submitting an application you are telling me what supplies you are choosing. I discuss the options with you if you are unsure or if you are choosing an inappropriate supply. So you have ample time and information to get the right supplies. If you change your mind on a supply you need to verify the change with me. (My contact me page, my fact page, and my "Taking Home Your New Baby Rats" information email (it is sent out at least a few days before you come to get your rats.) goes over the kinds of food, beddings, and cages that are appropriate for rats. They also go over what is not appropriate. I do ask you to re-verify your supplies before selecting a pickup time. There should be no reason why you do not have safe supplies.) I can not guarantee the health of any rat nor am I responsible for any rat who is not cared for with the proper supplies.

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Taking Back Rats Policy

If you can not longer keep the rats adopted from me then you promise you will let me know so I can take them back or help find them homes. (I highly prefer to not take back rats when I have babies. I can not risk them getting sick. If I have litters then I will most likely ask you to wait until they are gone to their homes.) It's also an easier transition for the rats if the new adopter gets the rats from you. Rather than the rats coming back to me, adjusting to my home, then being uprooted again and having to adjust to a third home.

There will be no judgements passed. If you can not keep the rats or you feel the rat has a social problem I will take them back. I only ask questions to better determine what I may need to do for the rats and to alert any potential new adopters about the rats' personalities.

In most cases I do require that they are returned with their cage. I do this because One: I do not have extra cages suitable for long term living for the rats to live in while they are being evaluated, quarantined, and then waiting to be adopted. Two: If you are getting rid of the rats, you do not need the cage. I have seen people return rats and then get another pet and use that cage. Which shows me they grew tired of the rats and I find it highly unfair to the animals. Three: Most times when I adopt out older rats who were returned, they are free with the purchase of the cage. (That money from the cage pays for the supplies and the time they spent back at my home.) Or if someone already has a cage I can sell the existing cage to pay for their care.

Depending on the situation a refund may be given. Refunds are given on a case by case basis and are only given at my discretion. If you just grow tired of the rats I will not give a refund, if you no longer have the time and/or money to care for the rat I will not give a refund, if it has been a few months and this is the first you have contacted me about an on going problem I will not give a refund, if you have not followed my advice then I will not give you a refund, ETC.

If something happens (a rat dies, you lose a rat and can't ever get them back, etc.) I will not take back the rat who is left and adopt a different gender to you. That is highly unfair to the rat you have left. It would be completely irresponsible to take back a rat that has no issue and then adopt new rats to you just because you "now have to opportunity to get a different gender". If your current rat is altered and you have vet proof then I can adopt the opposite gender to you.

I will not adopt out rats of the opposite gender to the ones you already own. (If you have females, I will not adopt out males to you. If you have males, I will not adopt out females to you.) If those rats are spayed/neutered then I will. But I will need to see the vet bill/record as proof.

In the event that you think there is a personality issue with the rat (the rat is biting) I will take them back. I then give three options.

1. I can take the rat back. (If you only have one rat left then I will require that you make plans for a new cagemate. It is unfair to the rat left to live alone. (Of course age will be taken into consideration.) To be fair to the other rat I'd prefer not to take back the rat in question until you have made arrangements to get a new cagemate. Rats should never live alone.)
2. I can take the rat in question back and you can buy two new babies after the evaluation period. (I say two babies because baby rats should not be introduced to grown rats until they are at least 12 weeks old. This means that the baby will be alone for at least 6 weeks until they can join your old rat. This is extremely unfair to the baby. Rats should never be alone. After going through puberty, just leaving all they know, and then being kept alone it may change their personality. (I rarely adopt out single rats because I feel so strongly about the babies being kept alone.) It's also possible that your older rat may not accept a new rat and now the new baby has no one to live with. (They'd have to be alone longer to get a new cagemate.) But if adopted with a sibling the new rat has that sibling to live with.) I will require that you buy the two new babies and upon completed evaluation of the problem rat a refund may be given for one of the babies. (I will only replace the rat who has an issue for free if the rat shows that issue here. (I evaluate* them for 2 to 3 weeks. My breeding partner does an evaluation if needed.) If the rat does not bite here then I can not replace the rat for free because it may have been situational. (Your home may have been a little chaotic for that rat and it made them fear bite. (Each rat is unique and not all rats are for everyone.) There was mishandling and they now bite you and your family because they are scared. (It takes a lot of work to gain the trust of a traumatized rat. It may take many months before they trust a human again.) You were hand feeding/feeding through the bars so now the rat bites your hand when you hold your hand in front of them because them assume they are getting fed, etc.)) Most times I do not have babies available right away; it's advisable to keep the rat in question as a cagemate for your rat and then drop them off when I have babies available for you to take home after the evaluation.
3. I can take both back. Either that's all or you can adopt two new babies after evaluations. I will require that you buy the two new babies and upon complete evaluation of the problem rat a refund may be given for one of the babies. (I will not replace the rat that didn't have an issue for free. I will only replace the rat who has an issue for free if the rat shows that issue here. (I evaluate* them for 2 to 3 weeks. My breeding partner does an evaluation if needed.) If the rat does not bite here then I can not replace the rat for free because it may have been situational. (Your home may have been a little chaotic for that rat and it made them fear bite. (Each rat is unique and not all rats are for everyone.) There was mishandling and they now bite you and your family because they are scared. (It takes a lot of work to gain the trust of a traumatized rat. It may take many months before they trust a human again.) You were hand feeding/feeding through the bars so now the rat bites your hand when you hold your hand in front of them because them assume they are getting fed, etc.))

My goal is to make everyone happy but I also have to be fair to the rats and myself. Please understand that. The rats will always come first.

* Evaluations last 2 to 3 weeks. (Longer if needed.) During the first week I will hold them and interact with them as normal letting them adjust to the new settings. After a week I will begin behavioral testing. Basically I will try to illicit a bite. (I will touch them every where, lightly tug their tail/ears, look in their mouth, clean the cage with them in it, wash the cage levels with them there, pet them in the cage, etc.) I will do this for 1 to 2 weeks. If I do not get bit or I discover the root of the biting then I will not be able to refund for a new baby.

If the root of the biting is something such as, the rat was hand fed so now when you pause in front of the rat they think they are being fed so they bit. Which means not holding your fingers out to them results in not getting bit. I will then begin to train them to not bit fingers offered. It may be a hard habit to break as most rats are very food motivated. But that was not a defect with the rat. It was what they were taught after they were adopted.

Or maybe they were mishandled (dropped, squeezed, tailed pulled, etc.) resulting in fear that lead to them biting in order to protect themselves. (Before allowing you to take home more babies I will do a quick physical examine of the rat. The rats leave here very social and healthy. If they return and there is physical evidence of mishandling/abuse/neglect then I will not adopt more rats to you and I will not refund you. If during the 2 to 3 week evaluation they display signs of abuse then I will not refund you for the baby you purchased and I will never adopt to you again. I also will alert other breeders of this issue and allow them to make their own decision. (This decision will not be made lightly. Rats are rodents, they are prey animals, so some are timid/skittish. They may also be nervous if they are not handled often. But like other animals they will display signs of abuse and it will not just be that they are unsocial.)

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