Adoptions at Rizzle Rat Rattery

Adoptions

Our first and foremost concern is to ensure that every baby is placed in a loving, permanent home where they will be treated as members of the family. To this end, we require that all potential adopters fill out an adoption application. We also require that all adopters sign our adoption contract before bringing home their rats. We reserve the right to reject any application if we feel it would be in the best interests of our rats to do so.

Nearly all rats will be adopted out as pets only. We will place rats on a breeding contract with certain breeders who are members in good standing of the Northern Illinois Rat Organization and who are breeding to improve the whole rat. All other adopters will be contractually obligated to keep their rats as pets only and refrain from any breeding.

Adopters must be over 18 years of age. Responsible older children and teenagers can take excellent care of rats, but an adult must be willing to take ultimate responsibility for the care of those rats.

Adopters must be able to commit to the lifelong care of their rats.

Adopters are strongly encouraged to quarantine their new rats before introducing them to any rats the adopter already owns. For more information on the importance of quarantine, see the links section.

Adopters must provide a cage of adequate size, a proper diet, fresh water, a clean environment, love, and vet care as needed.

We do not ship rats. Plan on making arrangements to meet me in Lakewood, Colorado, at an agreed upon location, to pick up your rats.

To protect the health of our rats, we are a closed rattery. For more information, please see the articles on quarantine and closed ratteries on our links page.

We keep a waiting list, and babies will be placed in homes on the waiting list first. We reserve the right to give preference in certain circumstances, such as to people who have previously adopted from us. The rats' needs are the most important factor at all times.

We cannot guarantee that everyone on the waiting list for a litter will get a baby from that litter. We also cannot guarantee that specific colors, gender, markings, or types will be available from a particular litter. While our understanding of genetics allows very accurate guesses to be made, there is no way to tell exactly what a litter will bring. The surprises are part of the excitement!

Adoption fees are $20.00 per single rat and $35.00 per same-sex pair. We strongly encourage the adoption of pairs, as siblings make great companions for one another, and every rat needs a friend. Rats are very social animals, and we will not adopt out single rats unless there is a same sex or spayed/neutered buddy already owned by the family and who will live in the same cage.

If you have made it this far and would now like to request an adoption application, please click here to email Rizzle Rat Rattery!