How to Adopt
We do not have a waitlist, so please follow the steps below to adopt a rat from us.
- Sign up for our email list by sending us a message via our contact form located on the homes page. We will send out emails to announce new litters born and what babies are available once we have decided who is staying and who is not. We will also send out email when we have retirees available.
- When we announce our available rats, email us as soon as possible. Rats will be adopted out on a first come first serve basis starting with those who subscribe to the email list (in order of who reached out first) then followed by those who reach out from the website or any of our socials.
- If there are specific rats you are interested in, ask for the application. If on the email list respond to the email, if you are not on the list send a message via our contact form on the home page. The application is not posted to the website to be filled out.
- Fill out the application, which will be attached to the email you receive, and email it back. Please keep all emails in the same thread, do not send a new email every time.
- Once/If approved I will mark your rats reserved until pick up.
- At this point you will be asked to read and review our payment and policies section, and you will be sent our contract to read over and fill out. You must agree to the contract to adopt, if you have any questions or concern feel free to ask.
- Once I have received the contract, we will set up a time to pick up your new friends! If you would like a copy of the contract for your personal files, please let me know.
Go home dates are on each rat’s individual listing.
If you are picking up babies in cool or cold weather, bring a cover for your carrier. If you do not, I won't send them home.
Disease Disclosure
Pets can be a vector for diseases, just as any domestic or wild animal can be. Animal(s) may or may not show symptoms of these diseases but can still transfer them to you. While not as dangerous to healthy adults, these can be hard on seniors, pregnant women, children 5 and under, and those with immunodeficiency disorders or pre-existing health issues.
Below is a list of the zoonotic diseases, and their symptoms, that may be carried by your new pet.
Seoul Strain of Hantavirus
Seoul Virus is a type of Hantavirus commonly associated with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Symptoms appear within 1-2 weeks and in rare cases up to 8 weeks. This strain is spread by Rats, specifically the Brown Norway Rat.
Symptoms include:
- Intense headaches
- Back and abdominal pain
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
- Later symptoms include low blood pressure, acute shock, vascular leakage, and acute renal failure. In rare cases, it can be fatal.
Rat Bite Fever (Streptobacillus moniliformis)
RBF is an infectious bacterium. Contrary to its name, RBF is found in rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs and squirrels can also carry it. Infrequently in dogs, cats, ferrets, weasels, cattle, koalas, non-human primates, and turkeys, but it is not well documented. Symptoms appear within 3-10 days of infection but can take up to 3 weeks.
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Rash
- In rare cases without treatment, Rat Bite Fever can be fatal.
Salmonellosis
Salmonellosis/Salmonella is a common disease which most people associate with undercooked chicken. All common pets can carry salmonella in their digestive tract including: dogs, cats, rats, mice, rabbits, lizards, and snakes. Salmonella infection can occur in humans and the animals.
Symptoms for humans include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- For the immune-compromised, the symptoms can be life threatening.
Leptospirosis
This is a bacteria called leptospiria. Many different kinds of animals carry the bacteria, including Livestock (cows, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, etc,) Dogs, Cats, Reptiles, and Rodents (rats, mice, etc.).
Symptoms include:
- High fever
- Headache
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Vomiting
- Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
- Red eyes
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Rash
Precautions
To prevent potential spread of disease, always make sure to wash your hands before and after handling your pets. Do not eat or drink around your pets and do not share food with your pet. With proper precautions disease and bacteria spread can be prevented/minimized.
For more details and additional information, check out this page from the AFRMA website.
Rodent Disease Contagious to Humans
Pick Up Options
For the safety of my animals and myself I run a closed rodentry. I will provide photos of setups upon request. Pick-ups can be made at one of our local gas stations both located on the highway.
Deliveries may be an option for an additional fee, unless I am already traveling that direction, or it is otherwise discussed. Please contact me to inquire about meet up options.
Policies
- Rats must be adopted as a pair or more unless otherwise stated.
- No refunds under any circumstances.
- Failure to show up to your appointment to pick up babies, without having reached out, will be considered a cancellation, and you will not be adopted to in the future. We do understand that things happen but will not tolerate no communication, so communicate if you will be late or if something happens (like a flat tire, family emergency, etc.).
- In the event of missing your appointment due to a communicated emergency/issue, you must contact us within 2 days to reschedule, or the reserved rats will be offered to the next person.
- Babies must go home within the first 10 days after their go home date. Any longer than that is considered boarding and will require an extra fee depending on how many extra days are required. A 50% non-refundable deposit (rat cost and boarding fees) must be paid within 5 days from the go home date to hold your rats for the extra time. The rest is due upon pick up.
- Cunning Critterz reserves the right to deny adoption to anyone at any time for any reason.
Payment
At this time, we are only accepting Cash and Zelle payments. Please bring exact change when you come to pick up your rats as we will not always have change on hand.
Prices at this time are as seen below.
These prices are subject to change.
Any Other Color or Pattern
(AOC)
Tonkinese, Spotted Tabby (Marble), Silvermane, Marten
Same sex pair: $25
Same sex pair: $35
Same sex trio: $35
Same sex trio: $45
Same sex 4+: +$5
for every rat after 3
Same sex 4+: +$5
for every rat after 3
One of each same sex pair $30
Mixed trio same sex: $40
+$5 for every AOC rat after 3
To inquire about feeders or breeding please contact me for more information.
All rats will come with a small bag of their current food to help you transition them over to the food you plan to feed. Want more?
Add 5lbs of their current pellet/food mix for $10.
What to Expect
What should you expect when you arrive home?
Rats and Mice are, by nature, prey animals, and they may be fearful when you initially bring them home. Even the most socialized rodents have to get used to the new smells and environment. This is to be expected, your new family member will come around! A mistake many new owners make is leaving their new critter alone for a few days to get used to the cage. Do not do this! You want your new friends to be used to you. Offer them treats by hand and handle and play with them from the beginning. Make sure to be confident, confidence is key when working with your new rodent friends.
Something you can do to help you bond with your new rat(s) is using pockets or bonding pouches so they can travel around with you during the day, you can also use a small carrier or tote. Another great way to bond is to use a safe room, such as a bathroom. Close the door and sit on the floor while letting them explore and climb on you. Make sure to talk to them so that they get used to your voice. Rats are very intelligent and will even learn what words mean if repeated often enough, such as their name.
For mice, due to their size, I recommend a slightly different approach. You can still use bonding pouches and pockets, but instead of on the bathroom floor I recommend sitting in the bathtub with the drain closed. Mice are small and can squeeze through some pretty tight spots. Another option is to use a large box to make a makeshift playpen. You can use an animal playpen, but I recommend getting one with solid sides or one that is completely enclosed with mesh or wiring less then 1/2 inch, so they cannot climb out. When handling mice I recommend using flat open hands with your fingers together. Let them sniff you and explore. You can hold treats in your hands as well. As they get more comfortable, they will crawl up into your hands themselves. I never grab my mice unless it is emergent and I need to move them quickly. With mice it is best to let them walk onto your hand or scoop them up from underneath. I always make sure to keep my fingers together.
My rodent is sneezing, are they sick?
Rats and mice may sneeze a bit for the first few days of being in their new home. Rodents have a stronger sense of smell than we do, and it will take them a bit to adjust to the new smells in their new home. If sneezing persists past a few days check your bedding. Some bedding types can be irritating to their respiratory systems, so make sure you are using a bedding that is absorbent and is not too dusty. If the bedding is not the issue and the sneezing continues or gets worse, consult your local exotic veterinarian. Rodents are prone to respiratory issues and may require antibiotics to fight off what is bothering them. As a breeder I will never rehome any animal showing signs of being sick. That does not prevent them from becoming sick due to stress or exposure to illness during their trip to their new home. To help keep your pets healthy, you should be kept in a warm, temperature-controlled room around 65 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit away from windows/doors that may cause drafts and have food and water available at all times.
Helpful Links for Bonding and Building Trust