Ethical Breeding for Happy, Healthy Pets

Rats are terrestrial animals, meaning they can climb but they primarily live on the ground and in burrows. Rats also have poor eyesight and they "see" with their whiskers that are found all over their body not just on their face. All of our rats are kept in stable, same-sex groups with space to move, climb, dig, and rest. Cages are set up with multiple levels, hides, and hammocks designed to meet their biological needs. Not only do they get enrichment in their cage but we also do plenty of free roaming time.

Our adult residents are fed a 18% protein Kalmbach diet while our moms and babies are fed a 23% protein Kalmbach diet. All rats get fresh foods a few times a week. I am always on the hunt to find what works best for my rats but this is what we currently feed. We sometimes feed Mazuri Breeder 6F but I found the fat content to be to high, causing weight gain.

Cleanliness is vital to the health of rats. Not only do the rats get weekly cage cleans but we also do monthly deep cleans of our facility.

Our Rattery is what we call a "closed rattery" meaning who enters the facility is limited to protect the rats health. If something is contracted by one rat it can quickly spread through the colony even with all our precautions in place. Trust me, I wish everyone could come see how we run things! I myself will change clothes and wash my arms after working as a dog trainer to ensure I am not taking anything with me into the rattery.

Rats that have been outside of the rattery and are being brought into the rattery get minimally 2 weeks of quarantine before being integrated. Quarantine occurs in a separate space with a separate air space.

Brand new babies are checked daily to ensure they are healthy and thriving. The first few days of a baby's life is the most vulnerable. I try my best for the first 3-4 weeks to allow them to grow and learn from mom and their environment. Around 6 weeks they get separated by gender and I begin to assess behavior. At 7-8 weeks I do a full temperament assessment on each baby.

Babies are well-socialized when they go-home. They are exposed to sounds, smells, handling, etc. The babies get extra enriching cages filled with different textures and surfaces so they come home confident!