slightly ripped off

[kwaka_80]

Just went down to the local pet store and they were going to charge me $12.50 for a pack of 5 pinky rats :O... now im a regular at the shop so she "kindly" did me a buy 4 get 1 free deal. She was telling me they were hard to get and they are paying top dollar for them $1 each apparently. Wheres the costs in pinkys really? they charge me $3 for a 6 week old rat that has had food and care etc. Is there any justification in this charge?

[Matty01]

Originally Posted by kwaka_80

Just went down to the local pet store and they were going to charge me $12.50 for a pack of 5 pinky rats :O... now im a regular at the shop so she "kindly" did me a buy 4 get 1 free deal. She was telling me they were hard to get and they are paying top dollar for them $1 each apparently. Wheres the costs in pinkys really? they charge me $3 for a 6 week old rat that has had food and care etc. Is there any justification in this charge?

YES, covering there overheads, power bills, rates, wages etc etc etc. why not breed your own??
cheers Matt

[Auzlizardking]

Try Troy
He is just outside of Ipswich and will deliver.
0437 632 453
His rats are the best in QLD and now NSW and his prices are great as well.

[chloethepython]

it pays to shop around i was charged $20 for 5 weaner mice.....what a rip off.i will start breeding my own in future

[kwaka_80]

yeah well... i took down the guy's number that is selling the rats here on APS, and they told me they have a supplyer they would rather stick to I just said to them well Im going halves with a mate in getting a bulk load. they are a great pet shop as im allowed to chose the quality of all my products (I got out back into the freezer myself) but they arent willing to see its not cost effective (the higher the price, the less sales you do, the less profit you see).

[Hoppa1874]

i know centralian11 has rats and mice for sale and his prices are great and he is a top bloke to boot..u cant beat barry..

[munkee]

A female rat can only give birth to so many babies per month. If they are killed as pinkies or adults the single female can only produce so many. This is the main reason why pinkies cost more than caviar (per kilo basis). The increase in cost for a 6 week old is only food, labour for cleaning and the space they take up that could have been used for a breeding female.

The high cost is due to the extra profit margin required to make it good for the shopkeeper. I tried to breed my own rodents before and I far prefer to pay someone else for the trouble of rearing the rats for me.

Kwaka - There is a balance in cost effective sales, Too cheap and thus too low a profit margin and they need to sell too many to make a decent income. The extra sales requires time, the extra freezer space increases cost and required floorspace and so on. Too high a price and their sales are also low but the profit per item is high, less cost of freezer etc. There is more too business than throughput of stock.

Private breeders who you know have reliable stock are by far the best option to go with IMO. I have not had to by any rodents from pet stores for about two years bar 15 pinkies to feed newborns.

Here endeth my rant,

[Joy from S & T]

I agree with AuzlizardKing...... Give Troy K a phone call. His prices are great and the quality of his rodents is outstanding. On here he's known as Kolt.
His name is Troy K
Phone No: 0437 632 453
Hope this helps
Cheers
Happy