[Trance]

About a month ago, I became the care-taker of 9 baby rats. But now they are getting too big for their cages, and lack the funds to purchase a bigger cage.

I thought about advertsing on Craig List, but they have a policy on advertising pets.

Will a pet store take them in?

 

[S-Harkey]

Yes, many pet stores will take your baby rats off of your hands, but they probably won't be taken care of very well. They will very likely become food or be handled roughly by the staff.
I would instead recommend taking them to a rat and/or rodent rescue or to a shelter that does not practice euthanization.
What area do you live in? I might be able to help you find a rescue.

 

[rodentopia]

or maybe friends who like them might want two or three?

a good temporary cage i've found (for like a hospital cage, but i guess this purpose is fine as well) is if you get a large, tall plastic storage container, we call them curvers over here, with a lid and cut a big square hole in the lid, leaving just a border around the edge and stick something over to stop them getting out, like a wire mesh, or grating or something.

that way you'd be able to split them down so they'd have more room, this would only be a temporary measure though

 

[RodentzRule]

Yes, if your prepared for them to become food. I agree with the others, find a rescue or give them to freinds

 

[Scris129]

yes most pet stores do take in animals, you just wont get any money i dont think. only breeders do. if you call the petstore you got em from and play the guilt trap they will take them in. just be prepared for 6 year old kids to buy them, not take care of them, torture them. and eventually kill them. and for them to be sold as feeders

 

[Jennicat]

Craigslist has a pets section under their community heading -- there is no policy against posting pets unless you are a breeder.

 

[rodentopia]

why dont you try and advertise your rats in the pet shop? leave your phone number etc. that way you can know who's having them and it'll hopefully help you get rid of them

 

[Kendalle]

Craiglist doesn't allow you to SELL pets on craiglist but an adoption fee can be requested.

 

[lilangel]

try kijiji if in your area too or used site like usedottawa (it will have your area hopefully where you live) pet stores will most likely sell them for food or mis treat them like the other posters say. but yeah just looke for free classifieds where you live online. goodluck.

 

[rodentopia]

thank god in the uk it's illegal to sell live animals as food (for other animals)

 

[VanillaRat]

A pet store will take the rats most likely (you won't get money for them) - but they won't screen anyone who buys them,therefore they could be sold as feeders or to just anyone.Try your local classifieds sites.Also what if your local vet let you put an ad up? The vet here lets you post ads and I know people who have rehomed their animals that way.

 

[CrWoodyspets]

I know that petsmart takes in animals for sure and they do NOT feed them.

 

[LAG1992]

I bred my hamster twice and had 7 babies each time, first litter i took 2 and gave the rest to a petshop, yet because i had handled them alot they had all sold within 4 hours.
Second litter i gave 1 of the hamsters to my sisters friend and sold the rest to a different petshop for £1 each, but these werent handled alot.

I knew that some may become food for a snake or something (which live feeding is illegal in the uk)

 

[Dustette]

I work at a pet shop (I'm quitting tomorrow! YES!) and all i can tell you is... if you want your baby rats to have a good life DON'T GIVE THEM TO A PET SHOP!

I am quitting because the people there suck, but also because rodents are treated as worthless pieces of crap. The rats are on pine shavings and they're all starting to sneeze and have runny noses. I warned the owner and she said that anything other than pine is too expensive, and we'd just sell the sick ones as feeders :'( horrible, horrible, horrible.

 

[Lisa009]

thank god in the uk it's illegal to sell live animals as food (for other animals)

That doesn't mean they can't kill them and then sell them.

 

[Lisa009]

I bred my hamster twice and had 7 babies each time, first litter i took 2 and gave the rest to a petshop, yet because i had handled them alot they had all sold within 4 hours.
Second litter i gave 1 of the hamsters to my sisters friend and sold the rest to a different petshop for £1 each, but these werent handled alot.

I knew that some may become food for a snake or something (which live feeding is illegal in the uk)

I never heard of hamsters used as live food. Mostly rats and bugs

 

[ajan774]

i work at a pet store in Ontario and I take very good care of the rats but that's because I love them. I understand some pet store wont take care of them but don't fully throw the idea away.. ask them questions and ask how they will take care of them. Also if you ever need to rehome them they will most likely take them easier if they come with a cage. thats just my advice though. we have people surrender animals all the time but part of my job is to make sure they get handled appropriately and that all the animals are well taken care of