Brandywine Rat Kittens

Breeding for health, temperament and longevity in Russian blue based colours, agouti and black, Essex markings and unmarked.

Application Form

Litters

Details of who I am and my breeding plans/ethics are available using the menu on the left of your screen. If you can't see the menu, click here to open it. I'm doing my best to be completely open and honest in how I'm breeding and homing, but if anything is unclear please email me and I'll do my best to give an explanation. I'm trying to make this page a quick summary of what you need to know, so you can move on to someone else if you don't agree with my way of doing things.

I've also set up a facebook group so you can follow my recent litters and see how things are going.

My rat keeping and breeding does not earn me a wage; it makes a substantial loss. I breed two to four litters each year and the kittens are usually reserved before they are born, so I will not usually have kittens available immediately. The dates will be shown on my kittens page. The kittens are usually ready to go to their new homes at around seven weeks of age. I do not home my adults; they are my pets and are here to stay.

Although I am aiming to achieve show standards my rat kittens are not guaranteed to be of show quality. My interest is more towards breeding rats as good pets than in winning rosettes. My driving passion is to extend the lifespan of my rats, both by breeding and adjusting environment.

My rats do not always have perfect health throughout their lives. Their main worry is chronic respiratory disease, which seems to affect a few rats from each generation. Thankfully I have rarely bred down from those who subsequently developed this problem, so anticipate that the incidence will fall as time goes on. We have also had some mammary lumps on the females, but again those that I have bred down from have had them late in life (or not at all) and I hope to push this age back to the point where lumps do not occur during their lifetime.

My rats are inbred. If this idea bothers you, please read this forum thread on Fancy Rats and/or this article on inbreeding on spoiledratten.com, and if it still worries you, you will need to find your ratty babies elsewhere.

The kittens will be available in same sex pairs or trios. I keep a waiting list, and will contact you when rats are available. I will want to meet you and chat with you before I home rats with you. I will also ask you to sign a no-breeding agreement and to keep me updated on their health and temperament throughout their lives. I would be delighted to have your comments and photographs to update the litter's pages in the future.

You will usually need to come to my home to collect your rats. On occasion I may be attending a rat show and be able to pre-arrange a hand over. However I am not happy to transport rats through a third party unless I already know you very well.