Can you have weaner rats as pets? Best answer?

All rats sold in stores are the same exact domestic pet, whether they are sold "as pets" for £10 or "feeders" for £2.50. Obviously the quality of genetics, handling, care, and otherwise, varies. Pet rats are healthiest when you buy them from private breeders breeding them to be pets. Pet stores usually smack together anything that walks, and sell its babies, whatever it is. Feeder rats also never get handled, so there is a high chance your rats may not come even close to being tamed.

If you decide to get these little guys, there is nothing wrong with that. Just be more attentive to their health and any symptoms of illness. Learn to sex rats by yourself ahead of time, and check their genitals yourself. Pet stores are terrible at sexing, and feeder rats rarely get separated at all. Make sure the babies are at least 6-8 weeks of age, as any younger, and they will suffer from being separated from the others too soon. And lastly, rats are social, so get a same sexed pair or more! Good luck!

Edit: I don't think anyone was insulting anyone else here, but I must say that snakes do in fact require rodents to stay alive. They cannot really eat "other things". I can't imagine what you had in mind, but most snakes are picky even about the type of rodent, or even where that rodent is purchased (for example, if one source goes out of business and you switch abruptly to another, your snake may be put off eating for a while). Mice and rats are really the more nutritionally sound diet for most snake species to eat, no argument there. Snakes aren't my favourite choice of pet, but I do appreciate them and have spent time researching their care :)

Never heard that term before.... I assume it just means that the rats are weaned, or no longer feeding from mom. So probably around 4 weeks old, if not older.

It sounds like a feeder term, to me. Feeder rats are technically the same as pet rats. Same species, same capacity to learn/love, etc. They can make good pets, but be warned!

Feeder genetics can be iffy. They are meant to be food, and other than breeding adults MOST feeder rats don't live to see six months. So genetic health isn't usually documented and handling is next to nil. That means more potential for issues as the rat grows.

Add - "Of course, putting any rodent into a snake's cage for its dinner is evil..." Disagree. Snakes need to eat, you know, and their diet consists of rodents. It's more evil to let them starve.

I do not support live-feeding, and i would never own a snake or reptile. But i don't bash people that do. I hear they can make good pets. To each their own.

Yes, you are correct. The term "weaners" just mean they are weaned as opposed to pinkes. These rodents are typically used with the larger snakes. (Of course, putting any rodent into a snake's cage for its dinner is evil, but sadly we cannot change the world.)

Feeder rats ARE Domestic rats, by the way. They just breed them for quantity, though, and not quality. Although none of our rats were Feeders, I have had mice that were and they were all just as loving as the Domestic, for whatever that is worth.

Have you seen the FancyRats UK-based rat forum? Might be worth checking out for a rat:

http://www.fancyratsforum.co.uk/

ADDENDUM: Wow, I guess you told me-haha. Seriously, though, anyone who has rodent companions must not be a true rodent lover if they think snakes "have" to have rodents. They do not. They can eat other things, and certainly do not "need" live rodents. Did I say they should starve? Hmmm...I do not think I did so...yeah, to each his/her own. I love rodents. Obviously you do not.

Just curious, why did you feel the need to insult me? This is a RODENT forum for goodness sake. Why should I not say that on here where supposedly all users are rodent lovers? Now if I said it on the REPTILE forum, then, yes, I would be out of line like the people asking to kill rodents on here. I have always respected your answers, until now. Guess I was wrong about you being a nice person.

1 3 4 are ok but number 2 I'm not to sure about cuz mice can chew threw plastice. And if you let them in breed the babies won't live for very longer and can get yor snake sick. I'm breeding rats for my snake. And once the babies are 5 weeks I seperate male from femlae so they don't inbreed.