
I received this a link to an article, This Animal Rights Activist Reminds Us That Rats Need Rescuing Too Basically it is a write up about someone that has worked and adopted lab rats. From reading the article, I do feel compelled to mention that I would not pay to rescue a feeder from a feeder breeder/pet store and consider them a rescue. In the life of that one rat you are rescuing them from a fate that is rather sad (I also understand that all creatures need to eat) but you are also lining the pockets of the store/feeder breeder to just supply more feeders that will have that same fate.
The one thing that upsets me, as a rat mama, is seeing all these posts on facebook with tiny 2-4 week old babies that people pull from the bins. These babies need to stay with their mamas to get the proper nutrition and mental development that happens within the first 5 weeks. Do not buy babies younger than 5 weeks, it will hurt them in the long run. Here at our rattery, I do not like for our babies to leave until 6-8 weeks. We had a family emergency and needed to let a few go at 5.5 weeks but I felt so terrible not sticking to my own guidelines. Knowing they were all healthy and VERY close to our 6 week mark made me feel a bit better but still wanting them to have as much time as possible with the rest of our mischief to learn how to behave from the adults. All the time babies can get, learning how to be proper ratties from more mature rats the better. Being at least 125 grams at 6 weeks will give their overall system a bit more protection from the stress a new home can cause them. Right now I have 2 girls snuggled up in my neck wrap waiting for their adopter to show up, they are 194 grams at 6 weeks! They will have a GREAT start in their furever home!
Now back to Rat Rescuers' Day! If you are local to Oregon, Washington and British Columbia there are some great places to adopt/rescue ratties.
Oregon Washington British Columbia
If you are interested in adopting Lab rats please keep in mind many do have serious issues due to their treatment and the testing they had to undergo. Also, unlike rats you can get from a rescue/or breeder these rats also do not have the same immunities. Think of a child starting preschool or kindergarten. Their poor systems are hit hard by the multiple viruses they are exposed to. Quarantine is not an option it is a MUST! You do not want them to join your mischief only to become ill from a nasty virus.