Ok....I have not been here in a while but I already know this is going to stir people up...so let me first explain...

There is a PET STORE....oh gosh...here it goes....where they sell FEEDERS and though I realize buying rats from a pet store only continues the cycle...but there was a rat owner who was overwhelmed and gave this store her pair of rats (of course male AND female "friends") and apparently she couldn't handle the litters that ended up being born due to YES...her plain ignorance.

At this time, the pet store (which I only went into for 10 minutes while waiting to meet people for dinner at a nearby restaurant) has them seperated and told me they are selling them as pets, but they have them priced at $4 a rat and honestly, I know better.

Now, my issue is that I know reptiles must be fed....I do not argue with the selling of feeders (don'e LIKE it, but I understand)....but these guys are all DUMBOS!!!  And the majority of them are BLUE MISMARKED DUMBOS!

Now, I know I can find homes for all of these rats...and keep them from being fed as SNAKE FOOD....I can also offer to purchase the parents so as to prevent them from further breeding. 

I do not want to incourage the industry of rat breeding for pet shops to sell...but in this case the rats came from a domestic situation, not a "breeder" and the babies are not PEW feeders (sorry, i love pews too, but you know what I mean), they are approx. 20 just weaned DUMBOS that CAN be taken from their $4 tank and CAN ALL FIND HOMES!!!

I left last night as they were closing to think about it & am now sitting here with less than ample funds to save all 20....but I also feel I can do something good by stepping in.

Any advice or general suggestions?

Also, anyone interested in helping by donating to the cause or adopting one or more of the widdle squeekers?

If I go back today I will have pictures posted by the evening...

SaniTsPlayground is part of RAATS.

Sent you a pm.

Let me knpw how it goes.  I'm in Alabama which is close to nowhere. LOL.  I am about two hours from Nashville, Tenn. and about an hour and a half from Chatanooga, too.  I think Daratter has done some transports to there.  I could probably take in a couple boys or a couple girls.  I prefer squishy boys.  LOL 
Diana

Hey ...I sent you an email to all three email links in your profile. I'm very interested in the cream boys. Also, I'm right outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and may be willing to assist with some transport. Check out my emails or post me something here!!

They ARE really cute, don't get me wrong, but I don't see why it matters that they're dumbos or blue or any other color/shape/size. ALL rats are being sold as feeders all the time--so why aren't people out buying THOSE in bulk, giving pet stores massive profits??

I mean, hell, my favorite color is agouti, but I'm not buying up my local crappy store's feeders and calling it a rescue, just because *I* think they're cute.

Birmingham is doable for me.  I know how people feel about feeder rats, but I'm rarely anywhere near anyone who has babies for adoption.  I would rescue from an established rescue.
Diana

Well, two major diffences....number one is that they are NOT feeders....they were rats bought from a breeder and never seperated.....the owner ended up overwhelmed and dumped them when they had babies and the babies were no longer TINY little things (obviously late enough that 2 of the babies had become preggers)...

As for profits....the store didn't really make any.  They sold them to me, yes, but at less than I would have charged JUST for the care and supplies.  I feel its tacky to say how much money anyone spends on anything, but it was a mere fraction of the costs he was trying to charge to have them adopted as PETS.

Oh, and the color thing isn't an issue with me....its just that in finding these guys homes, I know as well as everyone who is honest with themselves, that dumbos and blues have more luck and response than PEWS or Black hoodeds for instance...I just said what they were in order to let people know what was here...as ANY rescue or organization does...

I am in East Tennessee and could possibly help with transport depending on time/day and all. I would love to take some of those adorable babies, but as it is, the female beige hooded we bought this weekend is likely pg, so I'll have my own to find homes for! But I'd like to try and help these babies find homes, even if all I can do is transport. Email me at itstwinsanity@wmconnect.com

Leah

Ok, this took more than a few minutes....lol....but here they are

Below is a link to a slideshow of each and every individual baby (all 23 of them). 

Once you enter, if you would rather see them on the album page then just click on the link up top that says "Back to Album"

Oh, and they look darker than they are (took pics inside at night)-they are beige and blue dumbos 


http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lizblakeney/slideshow?.dir=/d6e4&.src=ph

If you are interested in any of the babies you can either PM me on here, OR email me SaniTsPlayground@aol.com

Sorry to be slamming the thread with posts here...lol...but I keep thinking of things to add

Ok, Taku if you can meet me an a little closer to me, I can drive these guys down to meet you...then FF can meet up with you in the Atlanta area and transport to Nan.  Everyone let me know if that works, ok?

As for reserving rats...they have all had individual photos taken so look at the link posted previously and let me know which ones you are interested in. 

Nan, I have plenty of boys to choose from so pick a pair

Taku, just let me know which beige babies you are interested in.

Tunes, you let me know how many you want....right now I have you down for 5 boys and maybe a pair of girls. 

Sparrow, I would be happy to send a pair up to you if we can get a train going that way.  I know I am sending a few up towards northern NC (the chapel hill area)...don't know if that helps any...Maybe Arlene can help too...depending on location.

I think I have that all straight...lol...let me know if anything is wrong.

Oh my goodness!! Leah, thank you so much for your offer. I didn't mean to not mention you!!! If there's something that can be done your way, perhaps Liz has a better idea at travel from where she's at to where you are to where I'm at. I'm not sure of the distances between locations. Are you able to get close to the Ga/SC or Ga/Tn border? I may be able to get there quicker on friday morning and still be able to get to work by 3pm, or I could go overnight tomorrow night or saturday night. Although it'd be VERY late. I don't get off work until around 11:30 pm.
 I'm in Marietta/Kennesaw area, which is NorthWest Metro Atlanta. I'll try to check my emails periodically at work (depending on how busy it is!!).
 Pam

Hey,
I may be too late and they all got homes but I will be in atlanta and can do transport  to SC, AL, FL, TN areas. I would be interested in the mismarked boys and maybe what girls you need to place. Just let me know.