Whats the difference between the rats I saw at the pet store?

Question

so i was at the pet store today and i saw so many cute rats but they were all different sized, and the prices were different too. the bigger the rat the higher the price and the hooded ones were most expensive. whats the difference between small rats, medium rats, large rats,and hooded rats? i know hooded is just a color and im geussing that the small ones were feeder rats but does that mean that the regular rats are better than the feeders? i thought the feeder ones were so small and adorable but are they like less healthy then the regulars. i dont care about color but the hooded ones were really pretty and most expensive.............solid ones were least expensive.....what does it matter?

Answer 1

The pet store I go to ("Pet kingdom", great store!!!)

sells only hand picked, pet quality rats from local breeders.

Some are bought as pets, some are bought as feeders, but there is no difference.

I doubt all pet stores take that much care.

"Feeders" are most likely mass produced & not very good quality/unsocialized. --Depends on the store.

Answer 2

I'm guessing the differance in price with the feeder rats is because they are bigger therefore more a meal for a bigger snake.  The hooded rats are more expensie because they are meant to be pets are have pretty markings.  I believe they are also called fancy rats

Answer 3

It doesn't matter at alll

Answer 4

The bigger they are the more expensive, just like a bag of fruit, the more it wieghs, hte more it costs (sorry for the example), the bigger the rat the older it is, also, hooded rats, and all of the other non-feder rats, have better breeding and are there for naturally healthier. Its all about preference.

Answer 5

It may be due to the fact that feeder rats and pet rats are sometimes acquired from different breeders.  A breeder of pet rats will often put much more effort into breeding selection, husbandry, holding the babies, etc., than a feeder breeder will.  This takes more time and results in a better-socialized pet, causing the pet rats to cost more.

It is possible to have an excellent experience with having a feeder rat as a pet.  Many have done so.  But if you're thinking of getting rats, perhaps get two (always get a pair!) that are bred to be pets.  As you become experienced with rat ownership, you could try raising a feeder rat.

Answer 6

It is like the larger the rat the higher the price. Also the type of color or design makes it more expensive like hooded rats having a type of design. I see the same things at petco, large birds were more than 100 dollars, while small ones were 20 dollars. And a petsmart a different designed bird cost $599.99. (Yeah, I was shocked too!)

Answer 7

feeder rats are not always less healthy I have a feeder rat and she is very healthy

Answer 8

They are the same.  The small ones are younger generally around a couple months old and the larger ones are older.  If some of the younger ones dont sell and are there long enough to grow bigger some stores move them up to the medium, then larger sized rats and sell them for more.  They are seperated by size because most are sold as feeders and different sized snakes eat different sized rats.

The hooded rats are the same they have different coloring patterns and many people like them as pets because they look "fancier".  But hooded rats and solid rats can come from the same litter and they are probably from the same breeder if in the same store.  They just separate the hooded ones, or the dumbo ones, or any other physically looking ones from the plain looking ones and sell them for more.  Smart marketing.