correction: I wouldn't take them free as pets, I didn't say it right; my bad.
I should note here that rats are my favorite, and if you spend a half hour taming a few baby rats before their eyes open, then they won't run from you when they can see, and if you spend a a half hour with each baby you intend to raise, they will be tame for life.
To me that's time any money well spent.
Just a few quick questions, what bedding are you using, what are you cleaning the cages with, what kind of cages do you have, what are the rats/mice eating and how often are you cleaning the cages?
Also, how many males and how many females do you have, and are your family allergic to cats, dogs, anything like that?
Are your rats sneezing?
So many question, I know, but I'm just trying to help get to the bottom of this.
I spend 1/2 hour a day with a random rat from my collection, they just sit on my shoulder as I screw around on the computer, then they usually get too squirrely and restless and they want to go back in their cage. I can say that if a rat pees on my shirt or not, I change my shirt after I'm done handling them for the day, and throw it right in the washer. They do make me itch if I spend too long with them, like over an hour, but in small doses a little 'rat time' is therapudic.
I think they are noble animals, much maligned and don't deserve the bad rap they have, but on the other hand, wild rats will do what they have to in order to survive.
They are very good at surviving.

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