buying a pet rat

Question
hi, i have been reading everything on pet rats,
for a while now, and a few months ago i got my two females from a pet store.
they were very scared and timid, but i gave them a while, but they didn't come around, they wouldn't come to me, even with treats, they hid in a tunnel and wouldn't come out.
unfortinatly, i found i caouldn't keep them and try and tame them, which i was very sorry about, and don't like taking them back, hopefully this will not happen again.
i wanted to know that if i get them even younger from a pet shop, at 4-5-6 weeksm mayb this would be better.
also, if a rescue centre is a good place to get a pet rat.
i would prefer a breeder but unfortinatly there are not any in my local area, so this is my only option.
i have everything i need, but no rats.
i'm not sure what to do, it has put me off a little as i was very excited and it turned out to be the opositt of what i read.
but i still would love so much to give it another try.
thankyou very much, i hope to hear your reply soon. x

Answer
 Unfortunately, most rats from pet stores are not well socialized and can be quite untame.  The best place to get rats is from a breeder, and though you may not have one in your area it would be worth it to make a one or two hour drive if you are able to get a wonderful pet.  You'd be surprised how different a well-socialized rat can be!  You may also want to contact a breeder that is somewhere near you and see if you can work something out in the way of transport, sometimes they make trips or know someone close to you who can make a delivery.  They also may know a breeder closer to you who perhaps doesn't have a website or you haven't found them yet.

 If a breeder is out of the question I would recommend contacting your local animal shelter to see if they have any rats that are tame.  You may also want to try posting ads on rat-related forums and also looking through their classifieds for rats that need new homes.  I do hope you find a good pet, good luck!