My future breeding endeavers

[Bettacreek]

Well, since everyone wants to turn the other thread into something that it's not, they can do it here...

It seems to me that if your breeding for the Fancy, then wouldnt you want to start out with lines that are already far beyond the mixed bag pet store rats?

Actually, yes, you would. Some breeders bring in petstore rats if there's something really special, but always breed them to pedigreed rats with well known health history, so that they can weed out the bad genes. In fact, rats are lucky enough to have a whole fancy registry all for them, called the NARR (North American Rat Registry). I don't currently have a membership, but will be getting one soon so that I can check out specific rats/lines. Unfortunately, in order to get a membership, you must already have a rattery name, and I haven't come to that yet. There are numerous breeders in PA who are registered with NARR, as well as breeders in surrounding states AND you can have rats flown in from states that are much further away. As I'm sure you can imagine, there are plenty of rat lines to choose from, all being registered with the NARR, and all having the health of the line documented.

And I simply cannot understand your refusal to use newspaper bedding for the health of your animals. If you can't keep them off of urine and fecal matter (that is there, whether you see it with a naked eye or not), then why keep them at all?

I'm not sure I understand why you are so adamant about newspaper bedding. Believe it or not, but, there are other options out there. The rats that I currently have are being litter trained (as well as other rats that I adopt later) and have fleece "bedding". If you don't like the idea, well, that's fine, that's your opinion, but a lot of people choose this route, and thankfully for us, your opinion isn't the only way.

What do others in the rat fancy think of your housing and breeding efforts?

Housing and breeding efforts? Until this post, do you know ANYTHING about my breeding efforts, besides the colors, varieties that I am interested in? Housing? Umm, do you mean that I don't use dusty aspen bedding (which, ironically enough, a lot of rats are allergic to as well), and I don't use newspaper bedding like you THINK I should? Sorry, again, the world doesn't revolve around your opinion, there are other options.

Anything else? Now can we PLEASE leave the other thread the hell alone so that people can actually have fun and tell others what varieties they have in their colonies, instead of having people attack me for my "breeding efforts" and "housing" that you know absolutely nothing about? Thanks.

[littleindiangirl]

I'm not sure I understand why you are so adamant about newspaper bedding. Believe it or not, but, there are other options out there. The rats that I currently have are being litter trained (as well as other rats that I adopt later) and have fleece "bedding". If you don't like the idea, well, that's fine, that's your opinion, but a lot of people choose this route, and thankfully for us, your opinion isn't the only way.

Sorry, then was your whole post about not using any bedding all just a joke?

Actually, it's set up in a way that it goes to a ditch, which I have actually put paper towels in, so that it's easier to clean, then the tubs are sprayed every other day. So far, no issues.

You never once mentioned using fleece. And yes, I have seen many people use fleece as cage lining, it's quite popular, however you never once mentioned that in your thread you created, rather stating that you wipe/spray down the tub and the tub's ditch that the pee flows into once every couple of days.

I'd had rather you use some sort of bedding, not just newspaper pellets.

But since you've brought it to light that you do indeed use fleece cage liner (as contradictory to your other thread where you stated you didn't use anything), then I do apologize. MY mistake


I personally have no care what your breeding, but I DO know that many Fancy rat breeders do not appreciate their animals being bred in a manner they don't agree with.

That was a simple question on my part, so what does the Rat Fancy think of your (before no bedding, but now you do apparently) housing on no bedding, and breeding efforts?

Oh and really, that's a rhetorical question... I have a good idea of what they think.

[Bettacreek]

Actually, I was making an attempt at no bedding for the mouse colony. The rats came home after I got the mice, and, since I know that they can be litter trained, I have been "training" them since they've come home.

I DO know that many Fancy rat breeders do not appreciate their animals being bred in a manner they don't agree with.

Yup, which is why you use contracts and "pet only" registrations and "open registrations" for rats that qualify as breeders to people who sign breeding contracts and pass your application process.

I have a good idea of what they think.

Do you? I'm so glad that you're so confident of other peoples' opinions.

Believe it or not, but, when litter training, a lot of people use absolutely no bedding material, let alone fleece, because it's easier. Hell, some people don't even line their upper levels with ANYTHING and let the rats walk on straight metal. I'm glad that you're so concerned with my personal keeping practices (and apparantly my breeding practices...?) but, my animals are taken care of, in clean, comfortable enclosures with veterinary care when needed. When I finally get my breeding rats, they will have the same conditions. If you want to babble on further, be my guest, but, again, keep it on the correct topic, or make your own if you really want.

[littleindiangirl]

If you want to babble on further, be my guest, but, again, keep it on the correct topic, or make your own if you really want.

I'm pretty sure you made this thread to discuss your rodents conditions and breeding efforts. So I think I'd like to continue to use this thread for my "babbling".

It's hard to accept advice from someone that can't even provide the simplest needs for their animals, something to keep them off of their excrement's.

So are you litter training your mice as well? Have you gone on to use some sort of litter or cage liner in the mouses tubs?

Oh, and thanks for the schooling about Fancy rat breeders and their practices, but I got all of that covered if you hadn't noticed. (Which, apparently you didn't... since you like to bring up random "factoids" like I'm ignorant to it.)