Question 1

Step 1: The Application

Accepted Answer

The first step is filling out and submitting the application itself.
 
**PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS OR SELLING ANIMALS**

Question 2

Step 2: The Conversation

Accepted Answer

Next, we will email you about your answers provided in the application, as well as discuss any questions or concerns that you may have as an adopter. 
The most common topics addressed during this step are bedding, food, and cage choices that adopters make. This step can take a couple hours or a couple weeks.

Question 3

Step 3: Approval or Denial

Accepted Answer

We determine whether an applicant is approved or denied based on several factors, including knowledge (and willingness to learn) about proper rat husbandry and care, what the applicant is looking for vs. what we can offer, and the attitude of the applicant, to name a few. 
We understand that learning is a never-ending process, and so you as an applicant will never be denied immediately based only on the husbandry answers you provide in your questionnaire.  We will always reach out to you to discuss questionable practices and attempt to educate you and help you understand why any answers you gave may be unacceptable. If during our attempt to educate and help you, you display negative attitude or are unwilling to adjust your care to the betterment of your rats, you will be denied.
Applicants may also be denied if they are looking for something we can not provide, are too far away to realistically adopt from us, etc. Approval or denial is at our discretion.

Question 4

Step 4: The Waiting Period

Accepted Answer

This is likely the most frustrating step. More often than not, we will not have available rats at the same time as your application process is complete.  We produce only a few litters per year, and produce litters on our own schedule, based on what we want or need to grow our rattery. 
We will always keep both the website and Facebook page updated when we plan to pair, and have paired a male and female, when the pregnancy is confirmed, when babies are born, updates throughout the babies' lives, and of course the final announcement of which rats are able to be reserved to adopt. 
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We do not keep an official wait list of approved adopters. Once you have been approved and are in this waiting step of the process, it is your responsibility to watch the Facebook page and/or website to know when babies will be posted for you to reserve. We do this to minimize wasted time on our end. Please feel free to email us about updates as well, we are always open to discuss our hopes and plans for the rattery - just keep in mind that the rats don't always cooperate!

Question 5

Step 5: Reservation

Accepted Answer

We will always advertise when we plan to post available babies in order to give everyone as much of an equal chance as possible, but once the babies have been posted for reservation at around 6 weeks of age, reservations take place on a first-come, first-served basis as long as the potential adopter has completed the rest of the application process.
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In order to reserve rats, you must email us or message the Facebook page clearly stating the ID of the rats you would like to reserve (they will be marked/tagged when posted).

Question 6

Step 6: Paying the Deposit

Accepted Answer

Deposits are due within twenty four (24) hours of reservation, and can be made via PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or Facebook Pay.  The deposit is equal to 50% of the total cost of the rats reserved and goes towards the total cost (i.e. - You chose a pair of rats priced at $40 for the pair.  Your deposit is $20 to be paid via an aforementioned method, the remaining $20 is due at pickup).
If you select rats and fail to pay the deposit within the 24 hours, the rats will  go back up for reservation.
Deposits are non-refundable.

Question 7

Step 7: Adoption!

Accepted Answer

Typically, unless otherwise noted, our babies go home at about 8 weeks of age. We typically meet adopters at either the Carbondale Rural King or Carbondale PetCo. We do not allow adopters into our home, nor do we conduct adoptions in or at our home. No exceptions. 
We can also meet (within reason) for you to pick up your rats, but this is also subject to a fee and must be worked out around our schedule. Travel fees are due 24 hours before the scheduled meet time, and are non-refundable unless the issue arises on our end and a reschedule is not possible. For more info on travelling for meets, please send us an email!
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Do not forget your traveling cage the day you get your rats!  Unless otherwise discussed, LFNP does not provide travel cages at adoption!
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At pickup, all adopters (both new and returning) will be given a copy of the Adoption Agreement to sign and keep (we will keep a second copy). Please be sure to read over this contract BEFORE meeting to pick up your rats.  This contract MUST be signed at pickup, or the adoption will not proceed and all deposits will be forfeited. 
 
**PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS OR SELLING ANIMALS**

HOW TO ADOPT