I gotta second the rescue/shelter option, mine are all rescues and amazing pet rats :) I'm not a fan of breeders AT ALL lol
What's up with Hyde's back legs? HED?
What's HED? I'm guessing we probably have a different name for it here. :p His problem is a combination of bumblefoot (caused by his weight) and....his weight. He used to be 815 grams, but he's down to 705g recently. He's a big boy, and with age taking its toll on his joints, he's just not as mobile as he was. He can still climb, but he can't jump at all now. He has to pull himself up by his front legs.
I have to say, most breeders around here (not that we have many) aren't great, simply churning out litters (from different females, thankfully) without regard to genetics, but the ladies I got Richelieu and D'Artagnan from are really good. :)
Yeah,there are none in Canada that I am aware of. There was a lady here in NFLD some yrs ago, got some rats off her...but she ended up leaving the province and I believe she gave up breeding sue to having a baby.
The ones I am talking about are in the states. Also I know of a few breeders who only breed for colors...I have seen people avoiding varieties like Siamese, hoodeds and the 'common' colors to get things like merle, blue, lilac, chocolate...ya know,the fancy ones. I have bit of a problem with that. I love all rats and do have a merle rat, but some people are more concerned with color and fancy-ness then temperament and health.
I think there was one out in BC that was pretty good, she put her breeding on hold to help out with rescue. I could care less about color or marking myself, I just want them to live long. They pass way to easily. Sadly, most of mine are pet store rats... not many homeless breeder rats around here.
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Originally Posted by Bombalurina
What's HED? I'm guessing we probably have a different name for it here. :p His problem is a combination of bumblefoot (caused by his weight) and....his weight. He used to be 815 grams, but he's down to 705g recently. He's a big boy, and with age taking its toll on his joints, he's just not as mobile as he was. He can still climb, but he can't jump at all now. He has to pull himself up by his front legs.
I have to say, most breeders around here (not that we have many) aren't great, simply churning out litters (from different females, thankfully) without regard to genetics, but the ladies I got Richelieu and D'Artagnan from are really good. :)
HED, Hind End Degeneration. My Dean has this, the muscles start to weaken in the hind end :( My biggest boy was 680g, but he's down to about 500g since he's getting up there in age. I have never seen a rat as big as Hyde in person lol
I chose to get rats from a breeder this time because I was exhausted with the health issues from rescue rats (all my previous were CL rescues or unwanted from aquaintences, one had a litter & I kept the 7 babies). It was soo heart breaking....once one was over an illness or issue, another one came down with something.
Not saying ill never have rescues again, but I'm quite thrilled to have been able to get my boys, and don't have to worry about the health issues. The breeder I got them from has been doing it for 13 years, so she knows her lines and gets rats from breeders she trusts to breed into her lines.
I even got to meet mama and daddy rat, as well as the boy's uncles...and they were all really healthy and so lovable! I'm already planning on getting another baby from a litter their uncle is producing this summer....he apparently produces big squishy super lovey dovey bubs :).
I'd be really interested to see if you didn't have any issues with them. I haven't had any issues with mine, other than URI which any rat can get lol I would be interested in your spotted guy, and if he's a high white (or high white in the litter) which can cause mega colon?
HED, Hind End Degeneration. My Dean has this, the muscles start to weaken in the hind end :( My biggest boy was 680g, but he's down to about 500g since he's getting up there in age. I have never seen a rat as big as Hyde in person lol
Ah, we call it HLD, Hind Leg Degeneration. :) Yeah, Hyde is a bit of a fatty. He's my monster boy, but he is so amazing to cuddle...all that squish...plenty to love. ;) He's so gentle, too...my gentle giant.
I'm going on holiday soon to the Great Barrier Reef (yay, fishies!), and I'm leaving my boys behind with a friend. At the moment, they run to me when they see me, and no matter how happy they are with someone else will always try to get to me when they can. Will they still remember me when I get back?
We talking about the ratties? They definitely will. All 5 will be lined up at the door of the cage(s) when you get back with this that says "please pick me up" (while giving rat version of puppy dog eyes).
I am new around here with Little Benvolio but I just had to chime in. I LOVE rats :D I have 4 myself. I got my first girls in 2010 and I jsut got my 2 boys about a month ago : ) They live in a double critter nation :D This is Quinten, and big fat Beige boy. His brother, Dante, a black silvering Berk. And my girls, Roxy and La Jolla <3 They are sisters and hard to tell apart haha.
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This is Quinten, and big fat Beige boy.
His brother, Dante, a black silvering Berk. 
And my girls, Roxy and La Jolla <3 They are sisters and hard to tell apart haha.
