Frequently Asked Questions

No. The NPRS is purely a society, we do have members who breed Pouched Rats. We help and support each other throughout the process as best we can. Many breeders use our process for selecting owners and potential homes.

All breeders we support and recommend follow our guidelines and ethics on breeding with a common goal and direction.

From filling in your application. The NPRS Committee, a group elected annually who help make society decisions will make a judgement on your suitability based a number of factors. This includes, the answers your provided on your application, your activity on our facebook community group or via emails however, we may ask additional questions.

Breeders have access to our application register where they can see details of applicants and our approval status.

Breeders may however, have additional questions they wish to ask, and ultimately it is their discression as to if they find you suitable.

We have a number of requirements we look at for suitability, which includes

• Housing situation
• Young Children and Commitments
• Prior Experience
• Other animals in the household

Every breeder will have different requirements and standards. We recommend reading our article on ‘thinking of getting a pouched rat’ to get an idea around the requirements a breeders may be looking for in an owner.

We Recommend getting involved with the communty. This counts more than any answers on the application form can in helping us understand you and your suitability.

Some questions we ask, or a breeder may ask does seem a little personal. We use this information to paint a picture of you and your suitablity as an owner. We have to be 100% sure you are suitable, our aim is always to ensure we feel the animal is going to the best possible forver home.

Realisticly you could wait around 12 months. We always choose the best suitable approved applications from the list, not based on first come first served.

We do endevour to always personally let you know your application was recieved.

The number one way to ensuring we see you as the best suitable home is to show willing to learn and interact with the community. Ask questions and gain experience from existing owners.

Not always, every requirement is about matching animals to owners but in some cases, yes. It may prevent a breeder homing an animal to you.

Every situation is individually assesed. The main reasons for us advising against ownership is

• Young children
• Other animals
• A lack of community outreach

You must remember that these animals are babies, born from loving animals that the breeders view as family. Their babies are seen as additions to that family.

They want their babies to go to good homes, and to be cared for and loved like their owner animals are.

Demand outstretches supply and so breeders are within their right to be picky. They are unpredictable and challenging animals to handle and we want to keep expectations realistic.

The Society and Breeders want animals to go to loving, prepared and understanding, forever homes above all else.

Yes, our committee can help breeders re-asses.

If you was approved by our process but not by a breeder we can find out why and mediate. It may be another breeder would not have the same concerns.

We cap the price our breeders can charge at a minimum of £250 and maximum of £350 for a single baby. However breeders can choose to give babies away for purpose of extending their lines, swapping or to friends.
Anything around the £500 range is very over priced and generally only seen in the pet trade, pet shops or mass exotic breeders.

For re-homing an adult, it’s negotiable as generally we like to see re-homing animals move to good owners without money changing hands but this isn’t always feasible. Cost in this case has to be at the discretion of the previous home, and their choice of new owner. You should never pay the same rate for re-homing an adult as a baby.

The price of Pouched Rats is high for 2 reasons.

1. We cap the prices breeders can charge at this is the level, where breeders are unlikley to be able to “profit” from breeding. Keeping Pouched Rats is expensive and realisticly, to keep enough to breed sustainably with enough unrelated animals to sustain a line is expensive. Vet Bills, food costs, cages etc will total many thousands of pounds per year.
2. Prices are kept highier to prevent the animals being cheap enough, to become an impulse buy. This means they cost just enough, to make the decision of buying one need some thought. This also helps reinforce the ongoing cost of keeping them will is highier than the initial outlay.

No, We HIGHLY recommend that you also get involed in the community.

We understand, not everyone uses Facebook however that is where our community facebook group found it’s home. We cannot stress the importance of the community getting to know “you” and that you have a willingness to learn before becoming an owner.

We want to know your story, your passions and what you want from the animal.

The first thing the committee will do is see if you have interacted with us before by email,  facebook group, YouTube or Twitter?

Spontaneous applications with little follow up generally get left “in the pile”. Show us why you want a Pouched Rat. Ask your questions on our group or by email and show you are keen to learn all you can before you take on a Pouched Rat. Introduce yourself and build rapport.