Health and Temperament
Goals
At Moomoo Rattery, we do not breed for looks, whether that be coat type, color, ear placement, or markings. We aim to produce healthy, cuddly rats FIRST and then if we happen to get desirable looks from this then we consider ourselves lucky! We also do not breed for profit. This is a hobby of mine. I genuinely love rats and want to improve upon the pet population, reduce the number of rats in shelters/rescues, and educate prospective rat owners on proper rat keeping.
Health:
Every rat at Moomoo Rattery undergoes frequent health checks. Babies get preventative treatment for mites, fleas, and ticks before they go to new homes. The colony is tested yearly for infectious diseases (see results below). Rats are selectively bred to ensure any genetic health issues are minimized in the lineage. This means we need you, the adopter, to give us updates on the babies from adoption to death to help us better our lines!
Temperament:
We have been breeding since 2023 so our lines are a work in progress. Every resident rat of ours is chosen as being the best from their litter temperament-wise. I will always be the first pick of the litter to ensure the next generation is better. We aim to produce friendly, cuddly, confident rats. My Silvermanes come from another established breeder and while they are super sweet, they are high energy, so they are being crossed with my Moomoo line to produce cuddlier rats. I will do my best to match you with the personality of rats that best fit your lifestyle.
Temperament Testing:
Baby rats undergo temperament testing between the ages of 2-4 weeks to learn their personalities to help you decide who to adopt, and to help us decide who is the best to stay back as a breeder. Every baby gets held and interacted with daily from this point on to ensure they are not fearful of humans. They will be exposed to frequent household noises like TV, loud conversations, and a vacuum cleaner. They will begin litter training by the time they leave the Rattery at 6 weeks of age, and will be used to human contact by means of playing, cuddling, pets, and being picked up. This does not guarantee a bond with your rats and every rat’s personality is different so I recommend that you spend lots of time with your new rats everyday when you first get them.
Health Testing
Health is #1. Temperament #2. Looks #3.
Health tests of my colony from Charles River Laboratories confirm negative results for the following infectious agents as of March 2024:
(SEND, SDAV, KRV, LCMV, HTNV “HANT”, MPUL, PCAR "RRV", CARB “F. rodentium”, IDIR “ROTA-B”, ECUN)
Testing will be completed yearly and my rattery will be closed to the public (no in-person visits) to ensure that disease is not introduced. The health and safety of my colony are my #1 priority and reservations will be through pictures/videos of available rats.
>I encourage a 14 day quarantine if you are bringing home my rats to your existing rats.
>Please disinfect used carriers/cages with bleach water before bringing home rats.
>Wash your hands between touching your cats/dogs and your rats and do not allow inter-species interaction.
>Wash your hands after interacting with your rats.
Rats, like any pet, come with risks of disease. Despite these results, my responsibility as a pet breeder is to ensure the risks are minimized. Therefore, I will not be adopting out to homes with children under 5 years old or with immunocompromised housemates. This includes but is it not limited to: pregnant/nursing moms, transplant patients, HIV positive, cancer treatment patients. Adopters will sign a health risk acknowledgment and are encouraged to do their own research.
Thank you for understanding!