FAQ
I now have a Rat Care Sheet to answer to your basic rat care questions!
As this website grows, we'll add frequently asked questions to this page. If you have any questions for us, please contact us at info@littlewhiskersrattery.com.
Q: This is my first time adopting rats from a breeder. What should I expect?
We highly recommend reading through our Adoption Guideline page as well as reading through our Adoption page to get a better understanding of the adoption process. It's not that complicated and we try to make it as painless as possible :) We are always happy to answer questions as well!
Q: Is your rattery run out of a home or a business?
Our rattery is run out of our home, and we are not an official business. However we consider ourselves professional hobbyists and take our rattery seriously.
Q: Where are you located?
We live in Thurston County, WA.
Q: Where do I pick up my babies?
W run a closed rattery in order to maintain a constant quarantine, so we always meet people outside of our home when they adopt. We prefer nice public places such as parks. Our meeting place of choise is Yauger Park in Olympia, WA. There are nice covered picnic tables to meet at next to the playground and horse shoe pits.
530 Alta St SW, Olympia, WA 98502
Q: I live Seattle/Bellevue/Etc. Can you meet me half way or do I have to drive to Olympia?
W are happy to drive as far as Tacoma, however there will be a $10 fee for time and gas. If enough people from up north or down south make requests, we may try to arrange a time that works for all parties to save on mileage. We ask that you try to be flexible, as we are scheduling a LOT of meetings during adoption time.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
PayPal or cash only, please. No refunds, however rats will be accepted back if you no longer wish to keep them. Of course we would hate to see that happen! Please see our comments on my return policy below.
Q: What vet do you use?
A very good question. Every responsible pet owner should have a vet in case of emergencies. Our vet of choice is the Kitty Klinic in Lacey, WA. Despite their name, they see all kinds of exotic pets, and they do a fantastic job. They handle the rats well and know what they are talking about. They are also widely recommended by other vets in the area. They are the best rat vet we've ever been to. For more information, we encourage you to visit their website:
http://www.kittyklinic.com/
Q: Can I return my rats?
We will always accept rats back from people if things do not work out. We would prefer to take them back rather than have them dropped off at a pet store or given to a questionable home. Please note that we would prefer to work with you before taking the babies back. If it's a problem we can solve, we'll help you as much as possible! We will also want to ask questions so we can get an idea of what is wrong. But ultimately, no matter what, we will ALWAYS take them back if you cannot keep them! So please don't be afraid to contact us!
Q: What if my baby becomes ill?
First, we want to make it clear that we will not knowingly adopt out rats with any health issues. All of our rats available for adoption are healthy as per the best of our knowledge.
You will be required to quarantine your rat for one week after adoption. If your adopted rat shows any signs of illness within 7 days after adoption, we will accept the rat back so it may see our vet. At this time, you are welcome to do one of the following:
Option 1) Return the sick rat for 50% refund of total adoption cost. If returning the sick rat leaves only one rat in the adopter’s care, adopter agrees to either surrender both rats, or prove that a new companion has been acquired for the lone rat.
Option 2) Return the sick rat to the Breeder for veterinary care. Adopter will receive the rat back once it has returned to full health. (Please note this could take months.)
Option 3) If Breeder has available rats for adoption; the adopter may choose a different healthy rat to take the sick rat’s place.
Once a rat has been accepted back after recovering, all future vet visits are the adopter's responsibility.
Q: What kind of food do you feed your rats?
We prefer to feed our rats the 2014 Invigo Teklad diet, but it’s not available to consumers anymore. RatsPacNW typically places one large order a year, so we stock up on as much as we can when they do. When we are out of 2014, we buy Mazuri Rodent Food (6F Formula 5M30 Catalog #0001477). It has 16% protein, which is good for both older and younger rats and is low in fat. We can’t say it’s our number one pick, but our rats do very well on it.
Of course our rats are also given fresh veggies and rat safe treats for a varied and healthy diet.
Q: What bedding do you use?
We're currently lining our Critter Nation pans with colorful felt and use fleece as hammocks. Our rats all have multiple litter pans filled with either shredded aspen or paper pellets.
Q: What size cage should I get for my rats?
This depends on how many rats you have or plan on getting. We suggest entering the dimensions of the cages you are considering in a cage calculator. It will give you a good estimate of how many rats can fit in one cage. Just be sure the bar spacing is about 1/2 inch, otherwise your babies will escape! A good cage calculator can be found here: http://www.rattycorner.com/odds/calc.shtml
If you can afford one, we highly recommend the Midwest Critter Nation Cage. It's large, easy to clean, and you'll never want to go back once you experience the giant doors! We also recommend Martin's Cages and Quality Cages for functional, long lasting cages.