Just like dogs, rats like in a community and one always needs to dominate, tho rats will fight it is not usually serious. Talk to the breeder about what he recommends as far as bringing the rats home and ask if the two you are bringing home are use to each other or not.

My grandkids have a pair of rats and I believe they are both females. They have had them about 2 years now and they have no problems with them fighting, in fact, they snuggle all the time! They are kept in a huge cage with a couple of those cute little hammocks!! They just love to sleep in those things!! I have held them and they are very sweet, nice pets :)

Rats are given away weekly on our Freecycle here. I can only think that they reproduce so fast there are always plenty available. I expect most people who take them are feeding their snakes!

Do people have them spayed and neutered? Does anybody care that many are let loose to roam? Just wondering.

I know rabbits can be a problem that way, especially irresponsible people letting them go! They(rats) do make great pets; too bad some people don't care for them properly!

You can have them spayed or neutered, but I don't know anyone who has. Normally you only have one sex, (or, if you are a breeder, keep males and females in separate cages.)

Not to excuse the irresponsible people, but there is a demand for snake food - snakes gotta eat, too! My nephew has a pet snake, so we had a running joke about our pets. (but when his snake was a tiny baby, it could only consume newborn rats, so our rats could probably have eaten him!)

A pox on anyone who lets animals reproduce, without regard for what will happen to their offspring : (