Early Life
Handling will be kept to a bare minimum for the first few weeks of all pups' lives to avoid temperament masking.
After this period is over, generally around weaning-rehoming age (6-8 weeks for rats), I then temperament test each one to ensure they would be pet quality. Depending on how things go, a pup may be approved to be adopted as normal, held back as a breeder, soft-culled (strictly pet only), or hard-culled (euthanized). Things like aggression, FTT, neurological issues, etc will all be hard-culled.
I do, however, socialize spiny mice as pups to some extent, though handling is still infrequent.
I am less strict with them due to them being undomesticated, but I still try not to tolerate mice who show aggressive behavior towards cagemates.
After this period is over, generally around weaning-rehoming age (6-8 weeks for rats), I then temperament test each one to ensure they would be pet quality. Depending on how things go, a pup may be approved to be adopted as normal, held back as a breeder, soft-culled (strictly pet only), or hard-culled (euthanized). Things like aggression, FTT, neurological issues, etc will all be hard-culled.
I do, however, socialize spiny mice as pups to some extent, though handling is still infrequent.
I am less strict with them due to them being undomesticated, but I still try not to tolerate mice who show aggressive behavior towards cagemates.
Breeding Does
About a week before a doe's due date, she's moved into a smaller bin known as a maternity bin or nursery bin.
I do not colony breed rats, though I will likely begin cohabbing nursing mothers in pairs in the future when possible. Each doe is paired for a max of 3 litters in her life before retirement. I retire around a year old for female rats, depending on the doe for exact time, to avoid any complications or extra stress on the doe. Once her litter is weaned, she'll be moved back in with her old cage-mates and likely kept as a pet unless for whatever reasons she is a cull.
2-4 pairings will be paired at once.
I do not colony breed rats, though I will likely begin cohabbing nursing mothers in pairs in the future when possible. Each doe is paired for a max of 3 litters in her life before retirement. I retire around a year old for female rats, depending on the doe for exact time, to avoid any complications or extra stress on the doe. Once her litter is weaned, she'll be moved back in with her old cage-mates and likely kept as a pet unless for whatever reasons she is a cull.
2-4 pairings will be paired at once.
Husbandry
All animals are given adequate space and care.
Rats are primarily kept in Midwest Critter Nations and occasionally large bin cages (200qt), meanwhile the mice are generally only kept in varying sizes of bin cages. My Egyptian spiny mouse colonies also get 200qts bins per colony. ALL bins have 1/4-inch hardware cloth as a large window on each lid + a majority of the cages have at least one (1) window on the side as well. Rat bins have at least two-four (2-4) windows depending on what's needed (Nurseries having two (2), permanent cages having four (4)), spinys have at least two (2), and mice have at least one (1).
All cages get their own hides, enrichment, and water sources, bottles being a preference here.
I feed Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food for my rats and dog food + dried insects for my Egyptian spiny mice.
For bedding, I personally use TSC kiln-dried pine flakes.
Rats are primarily kept in Midwest Critter Nations and occasionally large bin cages (200qt), meanwhile the mice are generally only kept in varying sizes of bin cages. My Egyptian spiny mouse colonies also get 200qts bins per colony. ALL bins have 1/4-inch hardware cloth as a large window on each lid + a majority of the cages have at least one (1) window on the side as well. Rat bins have at least two-four (2-4) windows depending on what's needed (Nurseries having two (2), permanent cages having four (4)), spinys have at least two (2), and mice have at least one (1).
All cages get their own hides, enrichment, and water sources, bottles being a preference here.
I feed Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat Food for my rats and dog food + dried insects for my Egyptian spiny mice.
For bedding, I personally use TSC kiln-dried pine flakes.
Adoption Age
For rats, I home out generally at 8 weeks of age, but often later to monitor temperaments during the testing period.
Spiny mice, however, are held until 8-10 weeks typically.
Spiny mice, however, are held until 8-10 weeks typically.
Breeding Stock
My rat lines however are unestablished and therefore are unavailable to the public
currently while I work to improve their health and temperament.
I want to be fully transparent with everyone regarding the backgrounds of my animals at all times and take full responsibility for any issues that come from working with unestablished stock. I have been working with the same lines for the past few years, but I am still heavily working on improving them in private before I consider making them available to the public once again. Eventually I will be bringing in new breeding stock, ideally from my mentor at some point, to work on and hopefully make public while I continue my own lines in private, but there is no set date for any of this.
The only species currently available as breeding stock are my Egyptian spiny mice.
Rats and mice are both on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. Mice I no longer have breeding stock for at this moment and rats have unfortunately had aggression as well as general temperament issues pop up, therefore they were pulled back as a private project.
Note: No animals are available as feeders. Please do not ask. Thank you.
currently while I work to improve their health and temperament.
I want to be fully transparent with everyone regarding the backgrounds of my animals at all times and take full responsibility for any issues that come from working with unestablished stock. I have been working with the same lines for the past few years, but I am still heavily working on improving them in private before I consider making them available to the public once again. Eventually I will be bringing in new breeding stock, ideally from my mentor at some point, to work on and hopefully make public while I continue my own lines in private, but there is no set date for any of this.
The only species currently available as breeding stock are my Egyptian spiny mice.
Rats and mice are both on hiatus for an undetermined amount of time. Mice I no longer have breeding stock for at this moment and rats have unfortunately had aggression as well as general temperament issues pop up, therefore they were pulled back as a private project.
Note: No animals are available as feeders. Please do not ask. Thank you.
MentoringMy current mentor is Taylor from a Tale of Tails Rodentry. They have helped me to get where I am now and continue to help me improve my knowledge and practices. While they are not my mentors, I appreciate all the other breeders who have and continue to help me along the way. This community is the only reason I've gotten as far as I have now, and I am grateful for that. ---- I do not currently mentor, as I'm still heavily learning myself, but I am open to help out! Feel free to contact me with any questions. |