Welcome to the Rattery!

Feel free to browse around the website for information, upcoming litters, and available rats for adoption.

Breeder listed with AFRMA.
This Rattery was founded due to my love of pet rats. At this time I am working with the following varieties: D'argent and Essex. I have owned rats for over 20 years, and have begun the journey of breeding. I wanted to breed rats because there aren't enough friendly, healthy, rats in the world.

UPDATE 6/8/22: I am now working directly with Black Wolf Rattery, my friend and mentor. I have been entrusted with her revered dalmatian line. Once I am producing litters from this line my adoption process for those kittens specifically will be changed. See adoption process for more on this line.

The rats produced by me are bred for temperament, health, and genetics. With that being said, I only breed from rats who have displayed no temperament issues, no chronic health issues, and overall great body condition.

I run a closed rattery. This means I do not allow adopters into my home. This is to protect the animals in my rattery for potential viruses and illness that can be unknowingly transfered from an adopter.

I adopt out only to approved adopters, and I try my best to make the entire process as smooth as possible for both parties. I require an adoption application and a contract filled out prior to pick up.

I am now partnered with Bun Run, a transport service! Bun Run services Central and Southern CA as well as Arizona and Nevada. Now more adopters are able to adopt rats from my rattery!

Whether you're a first time rat owner or a veteran owner, I feel there is always more to learn and improve on. I am always here to answer questions and give advice. So please feel free to reach out!

Last but certainly not least, all rats adopted from me have a take back guarantee. This means, if for ANY reason you cannot keep your rats, they must come back to me and only me. I have this in place to ensure no rats end up in bad hands and so that way my adopters feel comfortable knowing their babies will have a safe haven if needed. There are far too many rats in this world dumped in shelters or rehomed due to unforeseeable situations.

Thank you for reading!
Swipe to the right 👉

Social Media link

Ethical Breeding

What makes breeding, ethical?

The term "ethical" gets floated around alot, but what actually makes a breeder ethical? Well, that can be many things! Here's what being an ethical breeder means to me:

1. Breeding isn't for personal or financial gain. Animals are living, sentient, beings. With that being said, it is important to me that any ethical breeder believes this! Animals are not a dollar sign. I like to think of it as I would with people. It is extremely draining on our bodies to make one baby, let alone multiple. It is the same for animals. We all have the ability to procreate, however that doesn't mean we should at every opportunity.

2. Mothers are of an appropriate age to become pregnant. An appropriate age for pregnancy to me is summed up in multiple factors. I look at mental maturity, body condition, and age (in months as we are talking about rats). I believe some does (female rats) are just not mentally mature to have a litter, despite being in the target age range. This is displayed to me with overall kitten behavior. Does who seem to still be in the kitten(baby rat) mentality may not be ready to take on the burden of raising a litter. Body condition is how physically well off the doe is. I look at bone structure, muscle tone, and body fat. A robust doe will have a better pregnancy and birth vs a petite frail doe. Age is almost as important as the other two as it is linked. Most does are in the mental maturity and body condition I prefer between age 6 months to 8 months. This can very between individuals.

3. Paced breeding vs forced breeding. Now this is a controversial topic and each breeder approaches this differently. I find giving my does an option to court with the buck(male rats) and allow her to seek him out gives both rats a much less stressful breeding experience. I provide a larger cage with a hide only big enough for the doe, so she can feel secure if she is not ready for the buck. The doe will tease and play until she is ready for copulation. It's very romantic in a sense!

4. I do not over breed. I believe a doe should only be bred once in her life. Being pregnant and giving birth is draining on their bodies, and it can lead to a shorter life if continously bred.

5. Picking temperament. I do not breed rats who display undesirable temperament. This can be skittishness, aggressive tendencies, insecurity, or aggression linked to hormones. Hormonal aggression is primarily seen in bucks, but can also be present in does.

6. Picking healthier rats. Rats can be notorious for having a wide variety of health problems. It is important to me that my breeding rats do not have chronic health problems. For example, a rat who has had to be treated for illness multiple times in their beginning months of life. This helps make sure their weaker immune systems do not get genetically passed on to their offspring.

7. Breeding standards. The way a rats body looks does impact their health. For example, those long pointy heads that most find so attractive are directly linked to narrow nasal passageways which increase URI flare ups and worsen symptoms. Breeding for a standard of body type helps in more ways than just aesthetics.

8. Living conditions. My rats live in the largest cages I can reasonably fit in my home. I provide enrichment, proper food, and a clean environment for them.

9. Veterinarian care. All pets may get sick at one point or another, and some pets need assistance passing over the rainbow bridge. I make sure I have a Veterinarian who can treat my animals if I need treatment. I also ensure no rat suffers from an illness that cannot be treated.

These are just some of my practices but I hope this gives you an idea of what I stand by in regards to ethics.
Adoption application link below! 👇

Adoption app

Swipe for how the adoption process works!

Once kittens become available I will post individual pictures/details here.💜

ADOPTION PROCESS

How it works:

PLEASE READ BEFORE FILLING OUT AN APPLICATION! FOLLOW UP IS REQUIRED ONCE YOU'VE APPLIED.

My adoptions work a bit differently than other ratteries.
•Once kittens are born, I will make an announcement allowing adopters to be updated on their arrival.
•At around 5 1/2 to 6 weeks of age I will begin temperament testing.
•At 7 weeks I typically decided who my hold back(s) will be. This is so I can continue lines.
•At 7 1/2 to 8 weeks old the kittens will be available for reservations/adoptions.
•Adoption applications need to be submitted before the 8 week mark to ensure you have first dibs on reservations/adoptions.
•It's EXTREMELY important you communicate with me and inform me of your adoption application status BEFORE asking for rats. This is so I can establish relationships with my adopters and help pick the right rats for their households.
•I DO NOT adopt out any kittens before 8 weeks old. However, adopters who have been on my waitlist for the longest take priority over newer inquiries.

❗ At this time I am not selling any breeding animals. Pet homes only. ❗

🌟 Any kittens with the variety labeled "Dalmatian" will be adoptable with duel approval from myself and Black Wolf Rattery. This is to ensure none are taken for breeding. This line is BWR's prized line and it is required to be screened by both ratteries prior to adoption. Any adopters who do not agree to this will be unable to adopt that line.🌟

ADOPTION FEES:
Base adoption fee is $30. This is for my pet lines only. Show lines are priced higher due to their caliber. It will be stated underneath their listing if so.
Adoption fee is due upon pick up.

RESERVATIONS:
I do not require a deposit to reserve rats once they are available.
Once a pick up date is made, it is expected that the rats will be picked up on that day. If things come up I need to be informed. I will hold rats within reason if a pick up day needs to be changed. If I do not hear from an adopter for 3 days past the day pick up was scheduled, the reservation is void and the rats will be back up for adoption.

PICK UP SCHEDULE:
Pick up for the kittens happens on the WEEKENDS only as that is my availability. I meet at my local petsmart for pick ups, as it is public and both parties can feel comfortable doing the exchange! You MUST bring an appropriate carrier. I do not provide carriers.

Before adoption pick up date, the terms and conditions form needs to be signed. Form link is below.

Please feel free to message me if you'd like a more in depth explanation or have any questions about my process! Thanks for reading!

Terms & Conditions

Here are some things I think every adopter should know when picking a breeder!

GREEN FLAGS ✅:
• Open & honest about breeding practices.
• Ability to answer all questions without defensiveness or dismissive behavior.
• Willing to show pictures/videos of their animals when asked.
• Animals appear healthy and body condition looks good!
• Animals are appropriate ages when bred.
• Adoption fees are clear and stated.
• Good Reviews(while not always a for sure indicator, can definitely be a good sign when factoring other details).

RED FLAGS 🚫❌:
• Lots of Animals for adoption all the time.
• Inability to provide photos/videos of Animals when requested.
• Misleading or confusing breeding policies.
• Hypocritical adoption requirements. (You must have A B and C in order to adopt, but the breeder does not have A B or C).
• Asking for payment without proof of Animals being born/available (please do not fall for this scam!)
• Animals are seemingly being bred very very young.
• Adoption fee increase due to varying colors/coats. (This has always been a red flag for me)
• Negative reviews(while you cannot please everyone, pay attention to valid points and/or negative experiences).

External link

Rat Care

Cages & Bedding:
There's varying opinions out there when it comes to cages. Some people use a bin cage, some people use lab cages, and some people use wire cages. This works for some breeders, however, I personally believe a large wire cage is the best and better option. Wire cages will provide the best ventilation due to be open on every single side. They also come in different sizes, so the option to go bigger is always there. Rats are highly intelligent and due to this, I prefer to offer a large cage to explore and stimulate their brains. Bin cages, lab cages, or even "rat cages" that you can purchase at a petco/petsmart, are just not suitable for rats adopted from me. My rats are born into a certain lifestyle that i want them to have for the remainder of their lives. Temporary housing such as introductions and hospital cages I feel a smaller cage would be fine. However, permanent caging should be as big as possible with maximum ventilation. The best cages in my opinion are Midwest's critter nation! Ferret nations can also be used for adult bucks only. 1 inch bar spacing is too big for does and kittens.

Bedding options are a little more flexible with rats! The main things to avoid are dust, scents, dyes, and phenols. Aspen or pine shavings (kiln dried) are acceptable, however I find it difficult to find good quality shavings that truly put out little to no dust. Those may take some trial and error on your part to find a suitable brand sold in pet stores. Equine shavings are higher quality and are better option. Hemp litter is awesome if you can locate high quality hemp. Paper bedding is decent if changed frequently and granted the brand of your choosing has little to no dust. I would recommend yesterday's news unscented paper pellets. I would advise paper bedding only be used in a litter box and not as a main bedding. Fleece liners are a hard pass for my rattery. The aesthetic does not justify the amount of work and lack of functionality in my opinion. Fleece liners have to be changed daily in order to prevent ammonia build up and do little to nothing in regards to absorbing waste. My bedding of choice is hands down PJ Murphy's Sanichip.

Water & Diet:
Rule of thumb is 2 water bottle per 3 rats in my rattery. Ideally you want a water bottle available at any given time should someone need to wet their whistle ;). Water bowls can be provided in addition to water bottles, but I'd recommend refreshing (dump and clean the bowl) at least 3x a day. Rats need fresh untouched water 24/7.

Diet can vary, many rat owners opt in for a pellet diet along with fresh foods a few times a week. Oxbow is my recommended pellet if this is what you would prefer to use. I personally feed my rats my home made mix. I have a whole section about my mix. Rats need to have access to their dry food 24/7. Even though they are not eating 24/7, it can cause significant stress if rats cannot locate food in their cage.

Health & Veterinarian Care:
This is a huge part of owning rats. No matter where you've sourced your pet rats from, no matter what a breeder/petshop/previous owner claims, ALL RATS GET SICK EVENTUALLY. Rats are born with a bacteria known as mycoplasma that directly effects their lungs. It can lay dormant for a long time or it can flair up at random. Keeping a clean cage along with proper diet and minimal stress are the best ways to keep it at bay, but not fool proof. When your rat gets sick, it is extremely important that a Veterinarian can be reached as soon as possible. Rats often require antibiotics in order to recover from any Respiratory illness.
There are many rats who do not suffer from RIs until later in their lives, and all breeders should strive to improve that in their lines.
Rats are also prone to cancers and tumors. Again, this can happen in even the most established rattery lines. It is something that can happen, and it is something I like all adopters to be aware of and prepared for. Most tumors are operable if caught early and granted the rat is a good candidate for surgery. However, this will require a Veterinarian. The best rat Veterinarian in my area is Critter Care Center in Norco CA.

Free roam & Handling:
It is recommended that your rats have at least 1 hour per day of free roam time. Also known as outside of the cage time. This can be as simple as supervised play time on your bed or sofa or as elaborate as an entire play room dedicated to your rats! Rats should be handled and interacted with daily as they are highly social animals! They genuinely enjoy you as much as you enjoy them! I will note that not ALL rats want to sit and cuddle with you, they all have unique personalities! If they prefer to explore you vs cuddling with you, that is totally fine! They're happy and you're doing your part as their owner.

Introductions:
When you are bringing in new rats it is important first and foremost to quarantine them if you already have rats. I have an entire section dedicated to this if you keep swiping 👉. After your quarantine period is up, it's best to decide what method of Introduction you'd like to use! I personally like the carrier/small space method. I will link a tutorial video below. Introduction method is so important to your overall success in adding to your mischief. Rats are notoriously territorial, so under NO circumstances are you to try and put new rats directly into an established groups housing. General rule of thumb with the intro process is: no blood no foul. Rats need to establish their hierarchy as I explained in the 3 is better than 1 section. Sometimes in order to establish it, some bickering and squabbling has to happen! Do not panic if your rats do this during intros, it is absolutely normal.

This is just the basics I felt needed to be covered for anyone new to owning rats. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions!

Isamu Rat Care Tutorial

Rats are very similar to humans in the respect they need companionship! Rats of all ages need same age, same sex, company. It is important to their mental health and overall happiness.

Rolling groups: this is a term used to describe a mischief(group of rats) that has Rats of varying ages. Many rat owners end up with rolling groups. This is to prevent any rat from ever being alone!

Three is better than one: I always advocate for three or more Rats in a mischief. The reason for this is due to many things. I will break it down for you!

Rat Hierarchies: Rats have a very complex social system and it involves a dominant(alpha) rat and so on down the totem pole. Rats need this hierarchy to fulfill their natural behaviors as colony animals. When you have just a pair of rats, it makes it difficult to establish a healthy hierarchy, as one rat is often always the bottom rat and never has a break from the dominant rat.

Three or more: Three is a good starting point for any mischief, it allows for a healthier hierarchy. There is more than one other rat, so the chain of command is more evenly distributed. This also prevents any rat from being alone should one pass away!

Same age company: rats like to have at least one companion their own age. As rats age and mature it is important they have a companion their age. Imagine being 21 and only having a friend that was 16! It is the same for your rats.

Due to the reasons stated above, I only adopt out in pairs or more. Even if you have 12 rats at home, I will only adopt if a pair goes. Kittens especially need that friend who is their age for mental development and social development. Also so they have someone to play with, as our older rats tend to be on the nap and snack schedule!

I hope this information is helpful to new rat owners or potential new rat owners who were unsure how many a mischief should have. 💜

Click the link below to fill out the waitlist form! 👇👇❗❗

External link

Quarantine Do's:
• isolate new rats from existing rats
• provide a separate air space from existing rats
• wait at minimum 14 days before introducing new rats to existing rats
• wash hands before and after handling new rats
• use precautions when handling new rats

Quarantine Dont's:
• place new rats in the same space as existing rats
• rush and start intros under 14 days
• handle new rats and then immediately handle existing rats without cleaning your hands/changing clothes
• wash new rats items with existing rats items
• cross contaminate items
• allow new rats to "see" existing rats by holding near cage (even if for a few moments as airborne virus are highly contagious)

Click for more information!

When it comes to diet, I spent alot of time researching what my rats would benefit from the most. There are many options out there, but I eventually settled on making my own mix. With that said, I do follow the guidelines set by the Shunamite Diet.

I add beneficial ingredients as well as make sure the mix is balanced so my rats nutritional needs are met.

There is some controversy about mixes vs lab blocks, such as mixes promote selective eating. I personally haven't seen this behavior as my rats have been eating my mix their entire lives. Not only is it essential for their overall health, but a mix provides extra enrichment!

I do sell my mix to adopters per request along with providing a sample bag with adoption.

It is ultimately up to you what you want to feed your rats, but in my experience my rats are overall healthier due to eating this way. 💜

KITTEN PACKS

Fun fact: baby rats are also called kittens!

Each kitten is sent home with a kitten pack, which is included in their adoption fee! The kitten pack includes: 1 toy or hammock, a small bag of smelly bedding(so they have a familiar smell in their new home), a sample bag of the rat mix (which they have been fed their whole lives), a birth certificate, and a treat item to use for bonding!

I find it extremely essential for the kittens to have these items when leaving the rattery, minus the birth certificate 😉. Familiar smells, yummy treats, their normal food, and a toy or hammock can make a world of difference! The world is a scary place for a baby!

External link