choosing a pet rat

Question
hi i am looking to get a rat for the first time. i thought i would want a female
because they are more active and dont stink as much but i dont know if two
males woul be a better beginners pet. i think i would get a pet rat from san
diego when we move but we may get one here in virginia beachthe female
rats i am intrested in are two females at a great pet store for 22 dollars for
the pair. one is albino while the other in a dumbo patchwork i dont know
what patchwork is but that rat looked like a half naked rex rat. they are like 4
months. the next are the shelter rats powder and mystique. both live together
and are 12 weeks old. they are not well socialized and because of that
mystique is shy and powder is very protective of her and was the first rat to
ever bite me hard. each rat is 25 dollars because they are both going to be
spayed before adopted. jerry is another better socialized male rat that is 8
months but lives alone he is also 25 dollars. the last rats i am considering are
young females that are at petsmart they are very gentle and a little squirmy
but well handled thay are both beige one has red eyes the other has black
eyes. out of these rats which should i choose or should i wait till we move?
also is 185 dollars a good deal for a 3 level rat cage with solid base floor
included with water bottle, swirly rope that goes down all the levels, a grass
weaved nest hide, a food dish, a bag of food, and a bag of carefresh bedding
but could i also use aspen bedding thanks!!!!!

Answer
 I would highly recommend you choose the rat(s) with the best personality, no matter the cost or what they look like.  Some frightened rats can become great pets with a lot of work, but it's much better to start with a rat that already is friendly.  Have you looked into finding a breeder in your area?  If you are in the US here are some links to rat breeder listings:

http://www.altpet.net/rodents/breeder.html
http://www.ratster.com/breederlinks.html
http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Pets/Rodents/Rats/Ratteries/North_America/United_...
http://www.rmca.org/Resources/breeders.htm

 A breeder is the best option if they are a reputable breeder.  It's often well worth a few hour drive just to get a great pair of rats, and who knows there may be one in your town or closeby.  No matter what you choose, make sure the rat enjoys being held, doesn't try to run away from you or pee or poop all over you in fear.  They should come up to your hand when you put it in the cage, and shouldn't run to a corner to get away from you.  It's also very important that they are healthy and well taken care of.

 If you are moving in the next little while it would probably be a good idea to wait until you are all settled in.  Moving can be stressful on a rat, and if it is brought from its first home to your house only to move again it can stress them out and stress can often trigger respiratory infections in rats.

 I think $185 is a decent price for pretty much everything you need for a pair of rats.  The cage is usually $100 - $150 in itself, depending on the size, though they are fairly easy to make on your own if you want to save money there.  There are lots of good cage plans available on the internet.

 To answer your other question, a patchwork rat is also known as a double rex, which is a rat with two copies of the dominant rex gene.  It makes them have a thin, sparse coat that grows in and falls out constantly in different places, leaving them with hair in some places and completely naked in others at different times.

 Well I hope no matter what you find a great rat or preferably two!  For more information about choosing a rat and other useful information about rat care please visit my website at http://careguide.evergreenrattery.com