Anyone know where I can find Dwarf Rats?

[BlessSpecies]

My boyfriend and I have decided to try a new small animal- a rat. Two, really. But we have a preference for multi-colored dwarf rats. Are there any precautions I should be aware about? I could find very little about them online, and even fewer breeders in my area. Any insight into the subject would be appreciated =)

[katiem]

I've never heard of a dwarf rat before. Do you know of anyone who has owner one before? What got you interested in them?

[tiffers]

Have you checked rat rescues or Humane Societies around you?

[BlessSpecies]

I had never heard of a dwarf rat before now too. Apparently they're really just rats bred to have certain traits that keep them small, with dumbo ears and cute little faces. Full grown, they're only slightly bigger than a mouse. I don't personally know of anyone who has owned one, but I found a few breeders, especially in Colorado, who specialize in them (but I live in Cali so I'm having some problems). And yes, I have checked rat rescues nearby- no trace. They're hard to find I guess.

[tiffers]

Can I just say that when you force traits like that on a species, you're promised a world of health problems. Why not get a mouse? A rat that small can't possibly be healthy.

[ratlover16]

I know some one who breeds them here in Las Vegas, but not any in California. Dwarf rats spontaneously showed up in a litter of Sprauge Dawley rats in a laboratory and even if injected with cancer cells, tumors would not grow (even on the girls). They are only about the size of hamsters full grown or smaller and are very cute. I am going to get two dwarf girls after Rambo is gone. Some dwarfs though don't live over two years, but my breeder is working on that by only breeding the dwarfs that live past two.

[TheMADspyrat]

I know some one who breeds them here in Las Vegas, but not any in California. Dwarf rats spontaneously showed up in a litter of Sprauge Dawley rats in a laboratory and even if injected with cancer cells, tumors would not grow (even on the girls). They are only about the size of hamsters full grown or smaller and are very cute. I am going to get two dwarf girls after Rambo is gone. Some dwarfs though don't live over two years, but my breeder is working on that by only breeding the dwarfs that live past two.

I think you can get them in labs. Or at a shelter.
Hoped this helped! ;)