FAQ | onceuponamischief

How my adoption process works.

Covid-19 Updates:

Currently, the state of New York is allowing some businesses to open. As we are simply doing pickups outdoors, I feel this is acceptable. I will be wearing a mask and require all adopters and anyone with them who get out of the car to wear a mask as well.

If you have any further questions, check out the FAQ below or contact me!

As of June 2020, my adoption process has changed! Please read below for details.

If you would like to join a email list for updates on when applications open please fill out this form to be added:

https://forms.gle/m2MjuPE7ErLXCX7R8

I now will be keeping a limited waitlist!

This will allow people to have a sense of when or if they will get babies and allow me to have time to approve people on a simple schedule. This will be less like a lottery and feel less stressful for both of us.

My waitlist will have no more than 20 people per sex.
Everyone on the waitlist must be approved and have a cage
The list will open everytime a litter is sold and adopters are cleared out
The list will also open every 6 months to clear out those who are unresponsive or no longer wish to be added. Every June/January.

Past adopters still get first pick!

I will also be keeping a variety-specific waitlist.

This is for someone who is interested in a specific variety, such as only Silvermane (or another variety...) They will only get pick when that variety is available.

You have to be approved and they will be counted with the other waitlist number of people.

Are you impatient? This may not be for you!

I can not stress this enough. I do not just have stock of available rats. I do not have shelves of products. I am a responsible breeder and so I breed with a purpose and goals not to flood the market with an abundance of rats.

Every single litter has been carefully planned to better my lines and work towards a goal. Selling is not my first goal at all.

Generally, most of the time when you contact me you may be waiting 3-6 months or more. Breeding is not instantaneous or for those not patient.

It takes time, I generally do not breed a female until they reach 5-6 months old.
Once paired it might be right away or take weeks if I'm unlucky lol before she gets pregnant
The pregnancy is about 3 weeks!
That's already around a month just from pairing
I don't sell until 10+ weeks. That's is 2.5 months.
So about 3.5 months if all goes well from when I paired.

While I generally have litters paired every month or two, some are still new lines not yet available and as always we are dealing with living animals, and mother nature had a mind of its own! I can't know how many babies I will get or of what sex.

You will be waiting 3-6+ months generally, depending on how picky you are on variety.

I am not a pet store. I am not some back yard breeder who is just mass breeding for $$$.

I hope that those coming to me are doing so because they want a wonderful amazing well-bred animal. That requires work and time!

My Adoption process:

This is an involved process. I want my adopters to be excited and involved! This is one reason I am changing to a waitlist so those interested can follow along.

Why does it take so long for babies to be reserved (why can't I reserve babies at birth or 1-2 weeks old?)

Some varieties don't show at birth, things like Dwarf may not show up until 4+ weeks, Silvermane may not be shown anywhere between 12 days- 8 weeks!
I am choosing my keepers and I obviously want the best of the best, that takes time to judge them and see how they blossom into something amazing! I don't generally choose my keepers until 5-7 weeks.
Sometimes flukes do happen, even in a wonderful line someone may have an issue rarely.

At 5 weeks old-
I will email a notice to past adopters, those on my variety list if applicable, and those on the waitlist. This will simply be a notice that the litter *should* be available and asking those who may be interested to let me know within 2 weeks.
You will not be picking but being added to the list to get to pick so you have time to know if you are interested or not.
Things can go wrong, babies may not be made available. This is not a guarantee for babies.

At 8 weeks old-

I will email past adopters to allow them first pick. You will have 2 days to respond.

At 8.5 weeks-

I will email those on the variety list if there are any.
I will email those on the waitlist.
Each of them will receive a form to fill out with first, second, third, etc... picks.
It will go in order of those on the waitlist
Everyone has 3 days to respond.

At 9+ weeks-

Most babies will be available to go home.
Deposit is due by 9 weeks.