Adoption Policy
All of our rats must be returned if you cannot keep them. We must be notified and have first rights if you can no longer keep our rats. We do not want our rats in danger of becoming feeders! We're not judgmental and know many unexpected things happen.... as long as you talk to us, we will happily help out in the best way we can. We just want to know our rats are safe and healthy! None of our rats will be allowed to leave before 5 weeks. After we pick the rats we want to keep, adopters will be allowed to pick according to their place on the waiting list and when deposit was received.
Rats will be registered with NARR as non-breeding unless you are approved for a breeding contract.
We reserve the right to deny any person for any reason should we believe the placement is not appropriate.
Rats will be registered with NARR as non-breeding unless you are approved for a breeding contract.
We reserve the right to deny any person for any reason should we believe the placement is not appropriate.
Adoption Contracts
If you would like to view our Pet or Breeder's Adoption Contracts please feel free to send me a request via email. I will then send you a copy of the appropriate contract depending on if you're looking for Pet Only rats or Breeders. They are in .pdf form and are not fillable. They are just for you to look over. At the time of pick-up I will have your contract printed and ready for you to fill out before you take your pup(s) home.
Deposit
A 50% deposit will be required to Reserve a rat which will be out of the total amount of the adoption fee. This deposit is non-refundable. Be sure to take driving distance into consideration before placing a deposit with us since our deposit is non-refundable as previously stated. The only way the fee will be refunded is if God forbid something should happen to the pup in question. I can then hold the deposit and transfer it to another litter. We accept cash and post office money orders only. All adopters that send in a deposit are moved up on the waiting list. I have no opinion on when people send deposits in, if you would like to wait till the litter is born that isn't a problem, but I WILL NOT hold rats without a deposit. If no deposit is received, then the rat(s) will be placed back as 'Available'. Once the deposit is received your rat(s) will be 'Reserved'. Plans to pick-up your rat(s) will need to be made a few days to a week prior to the adoption date. If we have not heard from you within 48 hours after it is posted that the litter is ready to go home, then the rat(s) will be 'Available' again. Sorry, but we are tired of people wasting our time and making us pass up on homes for the babies. You're either serious about getting the rat(s) or not.... We want to weed out the window shoppers. The deposit will go towards the total adoption price. So if you owe $50 all together then your deposit will be $25, then at pick-up you will pay the remaining $25 etc. Thank you for understanding.
Fees
Pet only adoption fees are as follows, but are subject to change without notice. You must a have rat of same sex in the household for companionship. For a single standard size rat $25, single dwarf $35, single aurora $35, single Harley coat $35, and please email about individual pricing for Manx. Depending on the outcome of each litter prices may vary slightly. Breeders will be priced individually. Retired adults and older juveniles are $10 unless otherwise marked. Deposits must be made in cash or post office money order only. When you have chosen your rat(s) and are ready to put the deposit down contact me via email and I will send my mailing address. The remainder must be made in cash at time of pick-up which is explained in more detail above.
** Please note that we do not profit from our litters, nor try to. The price for a rat may seem like a lot, but when you look at the price to feed each rat, change the bedding often, add new toys to the cages, as well as buying new cages, getting new rats in from breeders to improve our lines. The money that we get barely covers that. Also add in vet bills. We breed to produce great pets not to make money.
All adopters are required to sign an adoption contract. You must be 18 or older to adopt a rat unless you have a parent/guardian contact me. I will only discuss pick-up with individuals 18 and older, since an adult will need to sign the adoption contract. If you are under 18, I am happy to discuss adoption with you, but I will have to talk to a parent/guardian as well. Adopters are placed on a waiting list on a first come, first serve basis. Sweet Whispers Rattery has pick of litter and breeders have priority over regular adopters. If you are on the waiting list and decide not to adopt, please notify me ASAP. This will not automatically exclude you from future adoptions.
** Please note that we do not profit from our litters, nor try to. The price for a rat may seem like a lot, but when you look at the price to feed each rat, change the bedding often, add new toys to the cages, as well as buying new cages, getting new rats in from breeders to improve our lines. The money that we get barely covers that. Also add in vet bills. We breed to produce great pets not to make money.
All adopters are required to sign an adoption contract. You must be 18 or older to adopt a rat unless you have a parent/guardian contact me. I will only discuss pick-up with individuals 18 and older, since an adult will need to sign the adoption contract. If you are under 18, I am happy to discuss adoption with you, but I will have to talk to a parent/guardian as well. Adopters are placed on a waiting list on a first come, first serve basis. Sweet Whispers Rattery has pick of litter and breeders have priority over regular adopters. If you are on the waiting list and decide not to adopt, please notify me ASAP. This will not automatically exclude you from future adoptions.
Pick-Up
As stated above you must make plans to pick-up your rat(s) in a timely manner. I normally like to have pick-up dates and times set-up in advance at least 5-7 days prior to the date the rat(s) will be ready to go to their new homes. When I email you about setting up a date and time for pick-up if I do not get a response back within 48hrs. the rat(s) will become available again and your deposit will be forfeited. I am not a boarding facility. Take this into consideration, look at your schedule and make sure you have or can make time to pick-up your rat(s) when it says they will be ready to go to their new homes.
Health Tracking
Also we ask that you please keep us updated on the health of the rats you get from our rattery. If your rat becomes ill or passes away, we must be informed since it is important in developing healthy lines.
Travel
Right now we are unable to drive out to meet anyone. We "maybe" able to drive locally depending on the situation. Please take transportation into consideration before putting a deposit on one of our babies.
You must bring your own travel carrier unless you are buying one from us in which we will make it and have it ready in time for your pick-up date. I can not allow you to take home your babies without being in an appropriate carrier (no boxes of any type). If you do not have a travel carrier please ask me and I can help point you in the right direction or as mentioned above can make one for you. We are starting to make our own travel carriers here at the rattery for our adopters. Just ask what we have available and if we have nothing pre-made do not worry we are more than willing to go out and get the supplies to make you one.
Here is an example of 2 different sizes that I have made so far from a Sterilite bin. The smallest would be for babies as it is a 4 Qt. The measurements are 12" by 7 1/4" by 4 1/4". The 2nd is a larger 16 Qt. and is made to grow with your babies. It measures 16 3/4" by 11 7/8" by 7". Sizes may vary every so slightly depending on what bins we buy at the time. Our goal with making these travel bins is to fit your needs and those of your new family members.
Pricing for the 4 Qt. travel bins are $8 each and $15 for the larger 16 Qt. Prices may vary slightly depending on the brand and bin sizes if we are unable to get our usual bins. Such as if they would be out of stock and we had to get bins elsewhere and we had to pay a higher price.
Here is an example of the smaller 4 Qt. and the larger 16 Qt. bin below.
You must bring your own travel carrier unless you are buying one from us in which we will make it and have it ready in time for your pick-up date. I can not allow you to take home your babies without being in an appropriate carrier (no boxes of any type). If you do not have a travel carrier please ask me and I can help point you in the right direction or as mentioned above can make one for you. We are starting to make our own travel carriers here at the rattery for our adopters. Just ask what we have available and if we have nothing pre-made do not worry we are more than willing to go out and get the supplies to make you one.
Here is an example of 2 different sizes that I have made so far from a Sterilite bin. The smallest would be for babies as it is a 4 Qt. The measurements are 12" by 7 1/4" by 4 1/4". The 2nd is a larger 16 Qt. and is made to grow with your babies. It measures 16 3/4" by 11 7/8" by 7". Sizes may vary every so slightly depending on what bins we buy at the time. Our goal with making these travel bins is to fit your needs and those of your new family members.
Pricing for the 4 Qt. travel bins are $8 each and $15 for the larger 16 Qt. Prices may vary slightly depending on the brand and bin sizes if we are unable to get our usual bins. Such as if they would be out of stock and we had to get bins elsewhere and we had to pay a higher price.
Here is an example of the smaller 4 Qt. and the larger 16 Qt. bin below.
Shipping
I am currently not shipping.