Well I don't see a problem with it since you would be getting them from pet stores both rats are most likely going to have health issues. You will have to socialize the feeders because most often they are skiddish and sometimes nippy. I recently got 3 little manrats from the feeder bens. Well they are actually "pet rats" but hardly anybody goes there to get pets they are almost always used for feeders so they werny very social . I have had mine for almost 4 weeks and I have used forced socialization and they have come a long way. I did have one nipper out of them (Hershey) but he didn't bite real hard but just enough to hurt. So I actually had to let him bite me so I could squeak so he could learn not to bite. Fortunately he got out of that in about 3 days. He is still the most skiddish out of the 3. All of them are still not fully socialized but they are coming around slowly but surely. You will just have to be up for that challenge if you decide on feeders. Sometimes it is best not to save the feeders and just get a regular pet rat. As bad as that sounds it's true. Feeders can sometimes be permanently damaged from their past experiences. Though most of the time they are too young to have any bad experiences. Also, a lot of times they are taken from their mother too early and that can cause malnutrition throughout their whole lives. I can't really say much since I rescued "feeders" but I have the time and money to work with them. Just I few things to think about.

On the plus side I feel that I'm going to have a very close relationship with my ex-feeders from spending so much quality time with them and being the first human they can trust. I felt really close to my boy (Pickle) the other day because I was walking around the house with him on my should getting him more used to it then my mom wanted to hold him and she put him on her shoulder and he pooped and peed on her like no other and I just felt like I am getting a good bond with them. It just feels like I'm the only human they trust and it just makes me feel so good inside. Like I'm their actual mom. And they lick me and groom me all the time. Ok I've been ranting throughout this whole thing so I'm just going to stop... lol

♥Amber

EDIT* I forgot to say that I think it's great that me and you and a lot of other want to save rats from being fed to snakes. They will be just like normal pet rats with time. I say go for the feeders if you want to go through socializing them and you have money for vet bills if they become ill (it you get fancy rats too). Anything would be better than being fed to a snake.

Our feeder rats have been just as awesome as the fancy ones.  I think it is all about your preference!  I like the idea of rescuing too!  

Well I don't care what anyone say it IS rescuing. How can saving a little ratty from a painful death not be rescuing. I think if he's up to the challege then to go for it!

♥Amber

all three of the girls i have are feeder rats...im getting another soon that is a rescue though....the thing with feeder rats is from most of the pet shops ive worked at/talked to the rats the sell as feeders ARE fancy rats..my rex was a feeder rat..i really see no difference besides buying a rat labeled pet or feeder except feeder rats are usually not handled so they are skittish and nippy compared to pet labeled ones..but there are some feeders who despite the lack of attention are very sweet and social..my girls were right away..

but as for the "rescuing" the rat from a feeder bin..its a great gesture to save them from being fed but the store will just replace them with another rat...so you are giving them money and they just buy another to feed..

Fancy rats are domesticated rats. Feeder rats are "fancy" rats also, so it's all the same.

feeder rats ARE fancy rats....there is really no difference in that aspect...

petstores will sometimes sell only PEWs as feeders but they ARE a type of fancy rat...the only reason the say feeder and fancy as petstores is so they can sell one more expensive than another..but they are ALL fancy rats

Yeah I once bought an older female rat with head tilt from the petshop because nobody wanted her She was the sweetest rat and I was always proud of her when she first learned to climb etc. because it was so difficult for her with her head tilt.

I'm in the same situation, I haven't found a breeder in southern New Mexico, so mine are feeders. My  rat Kakie came form the worst pet store I have even been in. The kind straight out of a horror flick, dark, dingy, no food bowls, just food thrown on top of the pine bedding. But since there old as feeders, they can get away with it. I was about to just say "Thank you" and walk out (after the 1.5 hr drive to get there, since there seemed to be a shortage on females) but I looked in the tank anyhow... The Cinnamon pearl (right, red color with a blue undercoat) caught my eye, bigger/older the what I wanted, but I put my hand in, and she climbed right on top of it. Had to take her home...really just didn't have a choice. She has been the coolest female ever, and I have had rats on and off for most of my life. I'm SO glad I took her. Ill NEVER go back to the shop, but I have my baby. 
The other 3 I got from a "breeder" kinda. She breeds and takes good care of the babies, then screens them for temperament. the one that are less friendly go to the "feeder bin" and the more mellow/ friendly ones are sold as pets, and you have to call her in advanced to see the pets. The other 3 are really great as well, still hand skittish, but one you have them in your arms they are very friendly. And once they go back into the cage they wan right back out. I think once they are old enough to completely free range, they'll be perfect 

When I usually go in for a pet rat, I'm rarely look for certain colors, I play with all of them, and the ones that pick me get to come home.
...although, there have been one or two occasions where they...ummm....ahem... followed me home. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it. (least, while my husband is in the room  )

i think she was saying that she takes in peoples unwanted rats that probably come from feeder bins...so itd be like a second hand feeder...so take clothes for example if you buy it straight from the store its first hand...but if you get it after someone else owned it its second hand..so she has feeder rats second hand...she was given a feeder rat someone else owned and no longer wanted

As I understood it, she wasn't saying "saving is secondhand" just that the rats that she rescues are usually surrenders at the shelter, or older rats on Craig's list, that sort. Most of which were originally feeders that people got board with, making them "second hand" as in shes the seconed hand to handle them.

But please correct me if Im wrong  

Also, my local shelter dosent deal with small animals, I believe they are just euthinized. They might possably take them in if they know someone is willing to take them though. The closest "shelter rat" is a 9 hr drive. everyone once in a while they pop up on Craig's list, but its really few...so, its usually off to the petstore for me. I do try to pick the better stores. The cleaner ones that upkeep their animals better.

You know it's so hard to understand when you are talking this way!  Here's my voice:  I have 21 ratties 6 are from an unsuspected pregnancy, one rescue, the rest from different pet stores.  I have, Hooded, PEWS, Dumbos, and who knows what else, I have never looked at them as what their lineage is just that they would not be in these small aquariums with no one to take care for them and love them.  So to me, there should be no debate about saved or rescued because they all are saved and rescued.  To say that we have "feed into it" so be it!  I have still "saved at least more ratties than most people.  If I had more room I would save more.  If I had more time and money, I would make sure that no more ratties would go unloved or sold as feeders!! But don't we all wish for that!!