Breeder Questionnaire
Allow me to tell you a little about myself as a breeder.
I've been an established rattery since 2016 but have bred a few litters prior to that throughout the years. Rats have always been my loves since I was in kindergarten!!!!
-I use large Critter Nation cages, bin cages for maternity, as well as chew-proof cages for maternity and weaning. I also have a few Prevue cages too.
-I very rarely hard cull (euthanize,) but I do not tolerate human aggression of any means (does not include biting through bars.) Hormonal males are generally hard culled as I am a small breeder. Soft cull (pet homing, as well as retired from breeding) are done on rats that do not pass my breeding standards to better the lines.
-I very rarely hard cull babies and litters to a certain number. My females generally have around 10 in a litter, but they have done well with large litters. It doesn't happen too often, but I will give my girls extra protein if they do have large litters to help milk production.
-I do not adhere to any strict temperament testing, though I do of course watch and evaluate my babies.
-I try to be hands-on, but with the Rattery at my parents' place...that can be difficult. I am also trying to better my temperaments in my lines so I tend to see their temps better without too much interaction. It helps me decide on keepers and who can be placed in a spoiled home.
I understand some of those methods are not desirable to other US breeders so I just wanted to fully disclose my breeding practices in case that is off putting to interested individuals. Please note that I do not deny breeders whom have different practices than my own so long as they are humane in their practices and knowledgeable about rat genetics and behavior.
***Also Note that having an ACTIVE Rattery Facebook page and/or website is a must for Approval. I WILL NOT approve Breeders without a page and/or website. This is because I use those sources to follow my lines. That way...I don't have to bother people. ***
If you have any other questions about me as a breeder or my practices feel free to get in contact, I am very open about everything I do with my rattery and am happy to answer questions.
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-- ABOUT YOU:
*Your legal name:
*Your full address:
*Do you rent or own your home? (If renting please provide landlord contact information.)
*Do you have a knowledgeable vet available to attend to your rats if they were to become ill? (If yes please list your veterinarian's contact information)
*Where will your rats be kept? (ie inside the house, outside, in a sed, in the garage, etc.)
* Your Facebook Rattery Page:
* Your website (if applicable):
* Have/Do you ever do any type of serology testing (no wrong answer here, just getting to know you)?
* How long have you been breeding?
* What species of animals have you bred in the past and/or breed now?
* Do you keep track of your lines (ie: pedigrees, genetics, etc)?
* Are you registered (Provide registry names and numbers if applicable)?
* What are some other breeder groups that you participate in and why?
* Do you have any breeder mentors that are helping you? Who?
* Would you be willing to adhere to a breeding contract stipulating that you do not adopt rats from my lines to other breeders without my expressed permission?
*What lines/varieties are you currently working on?
*What variety are you interested in adopting from my rattery?
-- GOALS:
* What are the overall goals with your breeding program? (Please elaborate, ie: longevity, specific varieties, etc)
* What would be your overall goal/dream regarding your rattery and practices (you can skip this if you’d like)?
--GENERAL CARE:
* What caging do you have available for your rats (Please list all applicable caging, standard housing, breeding housing, nursing housing, weaning housing, etc)?
* What type of bedding do you use?
* What diet do you feed? Does it differ for pregnant/nursing moms/growing babies?
*Please include Photos of your setup. NO STOCK PHOTOS. To assure that photos are genuine and YOUR SETUP, please place a handwritten note in the photos that includes the date and a drawing of a rat.
-- BREEDING:
* At what age do you breed a female/male for the first time?
* At what age do you retire your females/males?
* How soon would you re-breed a female after she's weaned a litter?
* How many litters would a single female have within your program?
* At what age do you separate males from females after a litter is born?
* Where do you obtain your breeding rats?
- If from other breeders are they aware? Do they consent to your breeding them? (Please list the ratteries who you have worked with if applicable.)
- If from pet stores/shelters/rescues, please explain your decision to use these rats for breeding. (Again please be specific and list pet store/shelter/rescue names – There is no right/wrong answer)
* Are you open and honest with potential adopters about where rats were obtained, practices you participate in, and the overall health of any given rat/verity being placed?
-- ADOPTION:
* Do you adopt the babies out or keep them?
- If adopting them out please answer the following questions:
* Do you require adopters to fill out an application or sign a contract?
* What are the requirements to adopt from your rattery? (ie: specific caging/ tanks, specific bedding, etc)
* Do you allow an adopter to adopt both males and females? Why or why not?
* Do you allow an adopter to adopt males if they already have females (and vice versa)?
* Do you adopt out single rats or require adopters to adopt in pairs?
-- Temperament Testing:
* What type (if any) temperament testing do you do?
- If you do, where do you get the information to temperament test your rats?
* What happens when they do not meet your expectations (if applicable, and again, there’s no right or wrong answer here)?
* If yes to any of these, what are your age requirements for passing any said test?
- Do you have a specific guideline you go by for testing? How does this work with ages, outcome, etc?
* Are you a hands on breeder who socializes your rats or are you a hands off breeding who maintains limited contact with your rats?
-- CULLING & FEEDERS:
* What method of euthanasia do you use (ie: Home methods, Vet, etc – please explain your answer)?
* Do you keep retired breeders, rehome, and/or cull them?
* Do you breed for or sell “feeder” rats or “pet” rats? If both, are they from the same lines? Why or why not?
* Do you cull litters down in size, why or why not?
* For what reason would you hard cull (Euthanize)?
* For what reason would you soft cull (Pet place)?
* In general how often do you hard cull (ie: almost never, 2-4 rats a litter who fail temperament testing etc)?
-- GENETICS:
-This portion is just to give me an overall grasp on if you have any idea what you are doing, again don't feel too pressured, if you are still learning feel free to say so, I'm happy to help and share my knowledge!
* What are the two base colors?
* Give me 3 examples of a dominate gene?
* Give me 3 examples of a recessive gene?
* What usually happens when a rat has one dominant and one recessive gene?
* Do you understand how double rex differs from hairless (Please explain your answer)?
* What's an example of a C-Locus rat?
* Are you aware of the physical genetic markers that can be linked with megacolon (please explain)?
* Do you outcross, line breed, or inbreed and why (there is no right/wrong answer, the question is geared towards your understanding of what this process provides/eliminates)?
* What would you do if a recessive gene popped up that you weren’t expecting (ie, who would you go to for help, how would you figure out what it could be, etc)?
*Questionaire drawn up by Little Paws Rattery with edits of our own.*