Q&A with the BVR

How Long Have You Been Breeding?

I first started breeding with the purchase of a pregnant petstore rat in 1994. Fascinated by the rainbow of colors she gave birth to, I decided to do more research into rat genetics, and was hooked. Back in the 90s, all breeder did in fact get their stock from pet stores and herp breeders, who were the only ones capeable of breeding the sheer number necessary to obtain many of the color mutations we see today. Quarantine was unknown, pedigrees were a matter of your own personal record-keeping and not considered all that important, and there was rampant confusion as to the proper care of the animals. Two warring clubs - AFRMa and the offshoot RMCA - clashed over the ethics of culling and showing. The internet was text-only, and the only way to confirm colors with other breeders was detailed descriptions or snail-mailing actual photographs.

In 2001 I obtained three breeder rats to start my new bloodline to breed American Blue Dumbo rexes from Naarah's Ark and Rogue's Rattery. I ended up ending that bloodline after about 4 years, due to congestive heart failure in the line, but they still hold a special place in my heart.

I'm glad to see that the rat fancy has come so far. Quarantine is now considered mandatory, reputable breeders would never dream of breeding unpedigreed rats from unknown breeding sources, color genetics are standardized and breeders are expected to know them, and the state of rattery ethics is very high among many clubs.

What Are Your Breeding Goals?

My color goals are simple: Russian Blue, Black and Russian Cinnamon. Since I try not to breed any animals who aren't the right color into my lines to begin with, and because rat color genetics are so easy, this is less of a goal than a guideline. As far as improvements to my colors, I'd like blacker Blacks with darker feet, more consistently colored Russian Cinnamons and Doves, and deeper, richer Russian Blue.

As for temperament, this isn't a goal, it's a demand. Every single animal that I breed is a beloved pet. I can plop any of my breeding animals into the arms of a child and feel confident that the animal will be relaxed, happy, and do no harm. If I don't fall in love with a rat, I don't breed from it, period. They can be pretty, they can have a wonderful pedigree, but if they don't have the personality to woo me, then they're not good enough to breed.

If I have a real goal, it's health. I track everything that happens in my rattery. Every sneeze or sniffle is recorded. Every lump and bump. I have every animal that dies fully necropsied, even if they're not breeding stock. I work very hard to make much of that information public. I track health obsessively and wish that more ratteries were secure enough to be open about their health situations.

Where Do You Get Your Breeding Stock?

At this point in my breeding, I mostly home-grow my own stock. All of my rats have multiple generations of pedigree, some going back well more than 20 generations. I work closely with several other reputable breeders, especially the FarStar Rattery.

What Health Problems Have Occured In Your Bloodlines?

I keep open and public health records, both on my Bridge page and Health Information page. All rats of my breeding who die here are given a necropsy so that we can truly discover the health of our bloodlines, inside and out.

How Many Litters Do You Breed From Each Rat?

Generally speaking, I breed a doe or a buck once. I believe in waiting a safe age on a doe in order to gather as much health information on her as possible, so a first litter will be between 8 and 12 months of age. The only time I breed a second litter from a doe is if she is truly exceptional, or if the male she was original bred to developed a fault so that her first litter is unusable.

What Age Is A Rat Retired From Breeding?

15 months is the latest I believe a doe can safely and comfortably have a litter, but most of the time, the first litter is also the last.

Are Your Retired Breeders Kept or Adopted Out?

They are always kept. I need to keep detailed health information on all my breeding stock, and since rats can be highly affected by the conditions they are kept it, in it important to me to keep them consistently so that I can be assured of the results. I also want to do necropsies on all my animals, which can be difficult if you lose contact with an adopter.

More importantly, my rats are my pets, and I only breed my favorites. When a doe or buck gives me the gift of a litter, they have certainly earned a cushy and happy retirement here with me!

How Often Do You Handle Babies?

My litters are handled daily, both during pictures and during a general enrichment time.

What Is The Average Lifespan of Your Rats?

About two years.

Do You Use a Non-Breeding Contract When Adopting Rats Out?

Yes. Every adopter that is not a breeder I know well and are comfortable with signs a contract stating they will not breed the rat, that they will keep them in healthy and happy conditions, and they are registered with NARR as non-breeding animals.

What Special Diet Are Pregnant Mothers And Young Babies Fed?

They get the same diet as the other rats. I don't believe that mother rats should need supplementing in order to raise their litter, and Harlan-Teklad lab blocks are the healthiest diet available! Mothers do get more treats and spoiling though!

How Are New Rats Quarantined?

My best friends who do not own rats keep new rats at their house, which is a bit more than 5 miles away - close enough for frequent visits! They are also experienced rat-keepers who recognize the signs of illness.

What Happens When A Rat You Planned To Breed Does Not Get Used?

That happens more often than it does not! Sometimes something bad crops up in a pedigree, with parents or grandparents; sometimes the rat itself gets sick, or simply doesn't have a good enough pedigree; sometimes the conformation isn't complimentary to my breeding stock. In those cases, the rats stay with me until the end of their lives, through which they receive the same care and affection as my breeding stock, and after which they are necropsied to gain general health information about my rattery and bloodlines.

What Happens to Babies Who Are Not Adopted?

On the rare occasion that there is no adopter for a baby, they live out their lives here in the rattery. I take responsibility for every life that I've helped to create.

Do You Spay/Neuter Non-Breeding Rats?

No, I do not. I do not believe in putting rats through surgery when not necessary.

How Many Rats Do You Generally Keep?

In the neighborhood of 50.

How Many of Your Rats Are Pets and How Many Are Breeders?

All of my breeding rats are pets, it's as simple as that. However, at any time, only about 10 or so of my rats are in consideration for use in breeding, simply because I'm very picky about which I use. If I don't LOVE a rat, I don't use them. I only breed my favorites, and only if they're healthy and have a healthy pedigree.

How Do You Use Your Knowledge of Genetics?

To focus. Since I have a good understanding of genetics, and try to learn all I can about any variety I have interest in, I have less surprises and produce more of what I'm looking for. That means I do not have to do test litters and that my goals are clearly realized with each litter.

Why Do You Breed Rats?

Because I love rats. I love everything about them; their friendliness, intelligence, cleanliness, attitude, the softness of their coats, the brightness of their eyes. I love seeing the consistent look of my bloodlines, I love reaching goals, I love refining my methods. To me, rat breeding isn't just a hobby, it's a passion, and these little animals are the focus of much of my daily energy and attention. I believe that with every litter, I take a step forward in improving the pet experience of the fancier, and the health of my bloodlines.

Are Rats the Only Thing You Breed?

Yes. I do not feel I could do justice to either the rats or a second species were I to diversify.

How Many Litters Do You Breed At Once and How Many Litters Per Year?

I usually try to breed 2 litters at the same time, in case something goes wrong and I need a foster-mother for a litter of babies. Hand-raising baby rats is nearly impossible to do sucessfully. I do not work outside of the home, so I have plenty of time for daily socialization and photographs of my litters.

I prefer to do no more than 8 litters a year. I have on occasion gone as high as 12, but I feel that was too much and wore me out.

Do You Cull? (Culling is defined as killing excess baby rats who are otherwise healthy to reduce litter population, or excess rats who do not work out as breeders)

No. Culling is to put a rat to death for the sake of my own convenience. I do not kill babies so that my remaining babies are bigger and more impressive, I do not kill retired breeding animals, I do not kill babies that don't find homes.

However, I will euthanize rats suffering from painful ailments with little chance of meaningful recovery, and I will euthanize rats whose aggression causes them to be a physical danger to myself or their cagemates.

How Do You Choose Which Rats To Breed?

With great care! First, they have to be a rat I adore. If I don't love them, I don't breed them! That means their temperament has to be impeccable! My males and females alike must be floppy, dangly, curious, attention-seeking, alert, people-loving, and get along well with their cagemates.

Personal health. If that rat has ever had a health setback, they are sadly moved off my list. There are some things that I do tolerate (because no rat or bloodline is perfect and if we only used perfect rats we wouldn't breed!) but they are either environmental or what I consider minor. My vet is a great help in this matter, and has been actively studying rats and the heiritability of their aliments for the last nine years with me!

Then, by pedigree. I like to inbreed my bloodlines so that they are consistent and predictable, and to bring any health concerns to the surface. I have a special "health pedigree" that my breeding program prints out that I use to match rats to the best possible mate for them according to what they are carrying.

What Is Your Daily Routine With Regards To Your Rats?

I visit my rat room several times a day. During that time, I talk to (and sing to!) my rats, reach in and play with them, inspect them for any health issues, listen to their chests, pick through their fur, and generally bother them and give them the attention they crave.

How Often and What Are They Fed?

They are fed Harlan Teklad 2018 Rodent Diet under the brand name Native Earth. Their food hoppers are kept constantly full. They also receive a variety of fresh food - fruit and veg by season, homemade cookies and bread, and daily helpings of flax seeds to promote immune health.

When Are Their Cages Cleaned?

Every week the cages are fully emptied, scrubbed under hot water, disinfected, and refilled with clean Sani-Chips bedding.

How Many Rats Are Kept To A Cage?

The number varies. I find cage calculators useless, as there is no hard and fast rule for how many rats will be happy living in any particular size cage. All my cages are Martin's R-680, R-695 and R-685, some are two of such cages linked together, and between 4 and 10 rats live in each, depending on their temperament and who they are living with. No rats are crowded or have territorial issues.

At What Age Are Your Rats Sold?

At 6-8 weeks I allow adopters to take their babies home. If they haven't found homes by 4 months, they become permanent residents.

What Medical Attention Are Your Rats Given? Are There Persistant Health Problems?

All ratteries have persistent problems. There are no perfect ratteries, rats, or bloodlines, though we do of course strive for them to be as healthy and happy as possible! My rats are taken to a veterinarian when needed, who has worked with me for nine years researching, learning and working to help my bloodlines become stronger and healthier. I often spend hours on the phone and in emails with her, discussing heritability of various factors, breeding ages, and other concerns. Each rat in my rattery is given a necropsy upon death to help check up on the health of each animal and the general status of my rattery, and coious records are kept.

Is It Possible To Buy Your Rats Neutered Or Spayed?

You could, but the price would be the same as if you had it done yourself. I have no special deal with my vet to provide neuters, since I don't see any benefit in putting an animal through unecessary surgery when they can simply be kept caged from the opposite sex.

Will You Be Available To Me Throughout My Rat's Life?

Yes - I love to be a part of my rat's life throughout! I do attempt to make myself available to adopters, though sometimes real life gets in the way and delays me. I give my cell phone number and several email addresses to my adopters when we meet to adopt, so they can always get hold of me! I also rely on my adopters to give me valuable health and temperament updates that I need in order to have a fuller picture of my bloodlines.

Do You Have Any Good Rat Stories?

I have hundreds! Sometimes it's hard to pry me away from other rat people and adopters, because I enjoy talking about rats so much and have so many wonderful anecdotes to share! My husband always blocks out at least an hour whenever we're meeting with adopters, and more than that if I'm meeting with other breeders. If I tried to share them all on this website, this page would never be finished!