When?

I have already said that you do need to think about getting rats well in advance of actually expecting to get them (at least 2 to 4 months is ideal). You would be extremely lucky if your enquiry fell into a breeder's inbox at exactly the time that they have a pair of available 7 week old kittens, ready to home. The reality is that most rats bred by responsible breeders have homes lined up for them either before or soon after they are born. Occassionally homes do fall through for a variety of reasons and kittens do become unexpectedly available at the last minute, but you really cannot rely on this. When you apply to your chosen breeder you can ask about estimated waiting times. Most breeders will happily refer you to another breeder who they know has kittens if their own waiting list is quite long.