Zephyr Rats is run by Mary, based in south Cambridgeshire, and achieved NFRS Stud status in 2012. Most of my rats are top eared, and all are smooth coated.
page for Zephyr Rat Stud (http://www.zephyrrats.co.uk) (FB alters this link, please type it out instead of clicking)
Breeding pet rats in varieties based on the american mink gene Being part of the NFRS community means that I am able to tap into a wealth of knowledge which has been gained by others over the past 40 years or more, and I'm also able to give back by making my own contributi
on in various ways. I believe that by working together, we're more able to make effective advances in rat breeding and husbandry, which benefits all rats. (Note that although the NFRS maintains a list of its studs (and other members who breed) as a convenience, it doesn't endorse any stud (or member). Therefore it accepts no responsibility for any rats, including rescues, homed by me or anyone else. So it is always important to satisfy yourself that a breeder you wish to get rats from meets your own expectations, this is a helpful article which suggests what to take into consideration - https://azulinerattery.wordpress.com/identifying-reputable-rat-breeders/ )
I breed rats primarily because they are amazing animals, and I'm committed to my core line because of the particular set of personality traits they exhibit (active, people oriented rats, who are self assured with a combination of cheekiness and affection), traits which I adore and have selected for since beginning to breed in 2004. Temperament and health are priorities, but I limit the varieties I work with to those involving the american mink gene. My main line includes american mink and cinnamon, black and agouti, with some chocolate based, some essex, and some silken. I also intend to introduce russian blue to this line for dove. I have a second line for platinum and quicksilver, varieties based on a combination of american mink and pale british blue. Once this line is ready I will be passing it on to other breeders. I am developing a new line for chestnut (an unstandardised variety with an agouti based orange coat and black eyes). Once this line is established I will be passing it over to other breeders. This page acts largely as a signpost, photos and full details of my current breeding plans are kept up to date on my website: http://www.zephyrrats.co.uk (FB alters this link, please type it out instead of clicking)
Please contact me if you are interested in joining my waiting list for kittens. I am happy to give advice whatever your level of experience with rats is, and will expect you to visit (if feasible) before I make any allocations. Full details of my homing process are on my website. Try to plan ahead, and allow 3 - 6 months on average before expecting kittens to become available. If the wait is likely to be longer than that, I will put a note on my website.
2024 will be a time of change here at Zephyr...
I will be having my last litters for the quicksilver/platinum line and the chestnut/ash line, but they will continue in the safe hands of other breeders.
That means I can focus on just my original american mink based line, but will be exploring a new direction and I'm hoping this little chap will play a key role.
This is a really great book for any rat owner to have on their bookshelf, well written and comprehensive, with lots of useful advice to absorb and to refer back to. I recommend getting an order in soon before it sells out. ;)
📖🐀TODAY IS FINALLY THE DAY!!📖🐀
You can officially buy Pet Rat Care on Amazon!
You guys are amazing- I can’t believe how many of you were there at midnight ordering when it went live! 🥰🥰
Please don't forget to review it on Amazon once you've read it! If you think it's the book that new owners need to read, then we need reviews to make sure owners know that this is the one to go for!
Find it here: https://amzn.eu/d/eBOLv7w
If anyone is looking for some kittens or youngsters, these are in London (SE 25)
Lots of lovely rats looking for homes at Wood Green Animal Shelter in Godmanchester. This is a great way to start off a group while waiting for babies to become available from a breeder.
https://woodgreen.org.uk/pets/?species=rat
It's come to my notice that some emails sent to my cyber_ratty address have been returned to sender. I don't know why, because most other emails are coming through fine (yahoo occasionally puts them in the spam folder, but that's a different matter!). So if you've emailed me and not had a reply within a week or two, then please try again.
3 adult bucks looking for a new home, originally rescues, estimated ages 15 - 21 months.
Following a change of circumstances, one of my pet homes has sadly had to give up her rats, and they are now with me (in South Cambridgeshire), eager to go to a new home.
This group of boys have experienced recurring neck abscesses, and as these are believed to be contagious, this group cannot be introduced to any other rats. They would suit an experienced owner who has no current rats, but would enjoy caring for a group for a while.
Bruno (faded agouti roan dumbo) - estimated age 21 months
"My sweet Bruno has been through the wars. Lost his brother 10 months ago, and didn't take well to that. Has a scar on his face from an abscess which was quite serious and we were at the vets alot with him. He survived and generally doing well just getting a bit fragile. He was a lovely boy but started to show signs of hormonal behaviour, kept booking him in to be neutered but with the abscesses had to keep cancelling. He has settled a bit since his being poorly ordeal. He loves to be handled but can be territorial out of the cage."
I can see Bruno has the beginnings of HLD, and is looking relatively elderly, so although a neuter may have been beneficial some time ago, I don't believe he is in need of one anymore.
Buzz (cinnamon berkshire) - estimated age 15 months
"Rescued as a kitten from a family who bought him and Bruce from PAH. They looked too young even when I got them and due to this have always had issues. After a year of working with them they will now come to me and get excited to see me but still reluctant to be picked up. I can pick them up but I do so at my own risk. They are more runners than fighters but knowing the damage a buck can do people should be aware of this. If you build their trust with a box or bucket they will happily sit in and take a petting and eventually climb out onto you. Buzz is very easily spooked and needs experience and patience."
I have not seen any aggressive behaviour here but Buzz is less relaxed than the others.
Bruce (faded black roan dumbo) - estimated age 15 months
"Less easily spooked than buzz but only slightly."
If you are interested these boys, please email me and I will send you a questionnaire, and answer any further questions you may have.
[email protected]
2 big adult bucks from Beeghos Stud looking for a new home, 6 months old.
Following a change of circumstances, one of my pet homes has sadly had to give up her rats, and they are now with me (in South Cambridgeshire), eager to go to a new home. These boys originated from another breeder in Scotland, but due to the distances involved, she is happy for me to arrange their rehoming.
I feel these boys would be best going to an experienced home without other current rats, where the owner will add kittens soon to form a group.
Beeghos Groot (chocolate dumbo)
"Groot is the more people orientated of the two, likes a fuss, likes to explore. Food is life to Groot."
Beeghos Rocket (chocolate)
"Have had a few troubles with rocket but I hold him very close to my heart. He's such a special little boy but started to show signs of serious territorial behaviour at a very young age. Has bitten me twice and drawn blood. Found a solution, he can only be free roamed in an area that does not smell of any other rats at all! But we did have a special bond and if you take your time with him he's a sweetheart!! Never experienced any cage aggression or anything just when out in larger spaces."
I have not witnessed any signs of hormonal behaviour from Rocket here, so this may have been a temporary teenage phase, but equally there's a chance Rocket may turn out to need neutering later on.
If you are interested these boys, please email me and I will send you a questionnaire, and answer any further questions you may have.
[email protected]
Adult does looking for new homes - group of 4, or 2 pairs.
Following a change of circumstances, one of my pet homes has sadly had to give up her rats, and they are now with me (in South Cambridgeshire), eager to go to a new home. I feel these girls could be easily introduced to an existing group.
Zephyr Pesto (agouti) and Zephyr Pepper (american mink) are 7 months old, and can either be homed together as a pair, or as part of the foursome.
"Pesto is a right little character, responds to her name, loves to play, very people and rat sociable."
"Pepper is very affectionate but a little more reserved than Pesto, can be spooked by noises but recovers well, very sociable with people and rats."
Poppet (odd eyed faded roan dumbo) and Pixie (pew dumbo) are about 18 months old. These are not Zephyrs, and can either be homed together as a pair or as part of the group of 4.
"Poppet is rat sociable but a bit of a push over, more people orientated, and her favourite thing is to rumble around in someone's hoodie."
"Pixie has a neurological problem causing her to frequently throw her head backwards, treatments have had no lasting effect. Apart from this she is good in herself, she runs to the cage door to great me, and knows her name. She will let you pick her up but I advise just letting her move on you, once the ground is taken away the wobbling gets worse and she can lose her balance quite bad."
I've found that Pixie copes well with this disability, and is a happy girl, she will however need a cage layout which has suitable fall breakers just in case.
If you are interested these girls, please email me and I will send you a questionnaire, and answer any further questions you may have.
[email protected]
Sorry that my website's been inaccessible all week -we are not getting much joy from my domain name provider which is where the problem lies. Hopefully it will be back soon!
Edit 27/03/23 - seems that they have finally solved the problem, and the normal link should now be working
If you've ever wondered what a rat show is like, then you might like to pop into the NFRS show in Meldreth at the Village Hall on Sunday 26th March. Free admittance from 11 - 4.
We're expecting over 100 rats, so there's bound to be some varieties you've not seen before. Plus plenty of people who love chatting about rats! ;)
Bring some spending money for refreshments and shopping at the Heidi.B Gallery and Rat Rations (or you can place an order in advance for collection at the show).
If you drop by, please come and say hello. I'll be at the Show Secretary table.
Prompted by a post made by another breeder (Kinra), I thought it would be fun to dig out a selection of pictures showing some american mink mums going back through the Zephyr generations.
I'll tag each picture with more details, but they range from the latest, Zephyr Liza Jane (born 2022) back to her 22 times great grandmother, Zephyr Velouria (born 2005).
A discussion that crops up regularly on social media is the issue of people supporting the pet trade by buying from places such as Pets at Home, given where they source their animals from, and how they are treated throughout the process.
Some owners are not aware of the conditions in the rodent farms that supply the pet trade, or if they are, they don't believe that boycotting pet shops will have any meaningful impact. I disagree, and thus I will always do my best to encourage people to consider the bigger picture, and source their rats from ethical rescues or breeders. Raising awareness, offering education, and providing information is the best way to get habits to change.
I personally do what I can to help in a number of ways:
If I see a thread by someone who has bought rats from a pet shop, I will reply to suggest they use an ethical source in future, and explain why. (Unfortunately this isn't always met with appreciation, sometimes people misread it as an attack on them, which it absolutely is not.)
When someone justifies their purchase as rescuing, I may post the graphic of The Soldier poem to explain how leaving the rats unsold will in the long run do more good than harm. It has often been used by other people in their replies too, and I appreciate their support in it reaching a wider audience.
I am involved with the National Pet Initiative, which aims to share information on improving husbandry, building an understanding of the animals, and promotes ethical sourcing of small companion pets.
For many years, I have been an admin on a facebook group and a long standing forum which encourages discussion and good quality advice on rat care.
I am currently doing my best to compile a log of missexing cases to take to the PAH management, in the hope that they will begin to understand the impact, and take the easy steps needed to prevent further cases.
As a breeder, I provide an alternative option for people seeking pet rats.
And I do my best to encourage and enable new breeders who wish to do so responsibly, meaning there will be more rats available for pet homes who have been ethically bred.
There is no quick fix to the commercial pet trade, but every pet shop who sees a drop in demand and decides to no longer stock rats is a step in the right direction, so I will continue to do what I can, and encourage others to do the same.
I'm looking for a lovely new home for 3 adult Zephyr does. They have been much loved in their current home, who unfortunately can't keep them.
Chocolate girl Kimchi is 25 months old, and her two black companions Nori and Soya Bean are now 8 months old. All are very friendly and healthy, their owner describes them as "sweet, enthusiastic, and playful". They will need to have a couple of babies added to their group in a few months time, and I will ensure their new home is able to add more Zephyrs if that is what they wish.
If you are interested in offering these girls a home, please drop an email to [email protected], and I will send you my questionnaire.
A lovely trio of rescue girls needing a home
Babybel, Candy and Grape are around a year old, they arrived in our care last month with 11 other rats. The girls are no longer on pregnancy watch, and are now ready to find their forever home. They will require a nice spacious cage with plenty of climbing opportunities and fun things for them
Interesting to find that russian blue has been carried into my essex line via the Ellfin foundation 3 years ago. These are the first russian blue based Zephyr kittens born since 2005, but hopefully not the last.
These girls are a russian blue agouti essex dumbo, and either a russian dove agouti, or a copper (she's very pretty, and I may decide to make more!
Breeding? That's just putting 2 rats together isn't it? Lol!
Look at that tail! Perfectly balanced.
It's not often that kittens are available at short notice from an NFRS breeder, but Oddbodz happens to have some lovely does who are ready for their forever homes now. Worth getting in touch if you are in the southern part of England.
https://www.facebook.com/Oddbodzrats
Based in Dorset currently breeding for Ivory.
we home our babies to approved homes only.🤍🤍🤍🤍
Guess who wants to stay?! At just 4 weeks, her personality is already starting to shine through
Food mixes.
Some years ago I developed a Shunamite diet recipe for a straights based mix which is now premixed and sold by Rat Rations (mix #11), but at the moment I am feeding a cheaper mix which doesn't require separate supplements (they are already built into the rabbit food and cereals) so thought it might be of interest to show how it is put together.
This recipe also follows the Shunamite diet principles (base mix + processed grains + protein + dried veg and seeds). Note that it is important to include a good variety of ingredients for each section, and some 'higher value' elements can be included for interest but should be limited to small amounts. The precise make up of each section will vary between mixes, but those shown below are the main staples that I use.
I can recommend following this page this week for lots of tips and ideas on rat care.
https://www.facebook.com/ratawarenessweek
Welcome to the first ever Rat Awareness Week! 4th – 10th April 2022
All giveaways are country-spe
As much as I love breeding to investigate and develop new varieties, and as striking and beautiful as varieties like silken, chestnut, and quicksilver are, my original and true love is my american mink line... these are still the litters which make my heart sing the loudest.
My waiting list has dropped to a more reasonable length of time, and it now stands at around 3 months.
(...unless you want silken, in which case it's over a year.)
RIP camera lens, thank you for your service taking nearly 200,000 pictures over the past 10 years :(
I do love it when a mum chooses to make her nest right by the door
Keeping cool...
People often worry about keeping rats cool on hot days, and there are lots of frequently shared tips on what can be used in or around the cage, but the most important task is to keep their environment as cool as possible.
The first step is to open all windows and doors when you wake up in the morning to let the heat of the night out of your house/flat/room.
Once the temperatures inside and out have equalised, shut all the windows and doors again, and close the curtains.
The key is to minimise the amount of light coming in, because it will contribute to heating the environment up again. If your curtains or blinds are pale, or there is nothing fitted, then propping a large piece of cardboard against the window/door will work really well.
Close internal doors to reduce the transfer of heat from one room to another, and ideally move the cage to the room which will stay the coolest.
This should make a huge difference to the base temperature the rats will be in, but additional measures if necessary include:
- lay a frozen water bottle above the cage (ideally out of reach of investigating teeth!), as air will be cooled by it and then drop down into the cage.
- offer them some frozen food e.g. frozen veg, or ice cubes with fruit inside.
- dip a tea towel into iced water and lay it on a surface in the cage for them to lie on.
- chill a tile, and pop that in for them to walk or lie on.
- place a tray of ice cubes in front of a fan, and then direct so the cooled air is blown into the cage (note that a fan on its own does nothing because rats don't sweat)
- provide a shallow tray of water in the cage as well as a fan blowing at them, because being wet will mimic the effect of sweating.
- ensure there are enough places for them all to sleep separately in case they wish to.
Royston
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