# Anyone breed rodents



## woodleighcreek (Feb 18, 2012)

Has anyone here heard of breeding rodents or rodent shows? I am just starting to get into breeding fancy mice and hamsters and I was wondering if any one here knows anything about this.


----------



## Riverside Fainters (Feb 19, 2012)

Here is the fancy mouse registryhttp://www.afrma.org/ , and  apperently they now have a Hamster registry on that site as well. They should list breeders, shows and standards on the site


----------



## annageckos (Feb 29, 2012)

I breed rats. I like them because the are social and friendlier then most hamsters and don't smell as much as mice. I have had at least one rat as a pet since I was ten. I have also had mice, hamsters and gerbils as pets too. And currently have six guinea pigs, but I don't breed them. I don't show my rats, I mostly breed for color and personality. Some also end up as feeders.


----------



## redtailgal (Feb 29, 2012)

I bred rats mostly for feeders.    Hawks and snakes gotta eat too.  But I did keep a select few for pets, they are really sweet, unlike mice, who are evil (EVIL, I say).

I had a large operation, about 20-30 females and several males, and always had several litters on the ground.

What do you want to know?


----------



## woodleighcreek (Mar 1, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> unlike mice, who are evil (EVIL, I say).


I learned that the hard way. Mice from petsmart are BAD. Is it normal for them to eat their mate whole? A full grown mouse-gone-all but its decapitated head.


----------



## woodleighcreek (Mar 1, 2012)

Here are some of my hamsters. Dont ask why some are in a shoe, it was my failed attempt at creativity. 

Itty Bitty Twinkie Pinkie the Robo







Sweetie Bell the Syrian






and Applebloom the Syian


----------



## aggieterpkatie (Mar 2, 2012)

I bred rats for a few years...had all kinds...dumbos, rexes, etc.  I loved them.


----------



## 20kidsonhill (Mar 2, 2012)

I like your shoe pictures.


----------



## 6Happiness (Mar 4, 2012)

I breed fancy rats (used to also do cavies, gerbils, hamsters, mice, and some exotics liek spiny mice etc) and I also used to show rats and mice (and judge, but not at the same time).  Shows used to be pretty popular in the US, but after some repeated outbreaks of SDA (mostly due to lack of awareness/education on how to properly quarantine), they got a bad reputation and were mostly cancelled- either due to over-reactive clubs, or due to lack of attendance. There are still some shows in the US- but they are few and far between.  (populrily varies in other countries- still *lots* of shows in the UK for example)

there are many rat email lists/forums/facebook groups etc out there though, just Google for it.  If you are interested in shows enough to help getting them off the ground again, join a bunch of the email lists/forums and ask around for people in your part of the country, and start organsing some informal meetings for the people (not the pets yet).  When you have enough interest in a show, have  a strict quarantine policy, and have fun.  I have a bunch of the show documents we used to use online for others to use for free here: http://rodentfancy.com/pets/pet-tags/rat-mouse-shows/ like standards, show programs, judging cards, etc

Alan
http://fithfath.com
http://rodentfancy.com


----------



## woodleighcreek (Mar 6, 2012)

6Happiness said:
			
		

> I breed fancy rats (used to also do cavies, gerbils, hamsters, mice, and some exotics liek spiny mice etc) and I also used to show rats and mice (and judge, but not at the same time).  Shows used to be pretty popular in the US, but after some repeated outbreaks of SDA (mostly due to lack of awareness/education on how to properly quarantine), they got a bad reputation and were mostly cancelled- either due to over-reactive clubs, or due to lack of attendance. There are still some shows in the US- but they are few and far between.  (populrily varies in other countries- still *lots* of shows in the UK for example)
> 
> there are many rat email lists/forums/facebook groups etc out there though, just Google for it.  If you are interested in shows enough to help getting them off the ground again, join a bunch of the email lists/forums and ask around for people in your part of the country, and start organsing some informal meetings for the people (not the pets yet).  When you have enough interest in a show, have  a strict quarantine policy, and have fun.  I have a bunch of the show documents we used to use online for others to use for free here: http://rodentfancy.com/pets/pet-tags/rat-mouse-shows/ like standards, show programs, judging cards, etc
> 
> ...


Thank you so much! I am starting a 4-H club for pocket pets and there is some wonderful info in the links you provided! Do you mind if I use some of it for curriculum?


----------



## Roy and Vicky (Mar 6, 2012)

I used to have ratties as pets.  they were awesome.  I never bred them, I only ever had females because mine were mostly pet store ratties, which have the higher attendency to have tumors and not live as long.  If you'd like a lot of help with breeding ratties try www.rmca.org there are some great people there that will help you.


----------



## 6Happiness (Mar 7, 2012)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> Thank you so much! I am starting a 4-H club for pocket pets and there is some wonderful info in the links you provided! Do you mind if I use some of it for curriculum?


Sure, I put most everything under a Copyright Commons  license so people can use it for rodent clubs, 4-H, etc.  
-Al


----------

