RodentFancy

RodentFancy HOURS: BY APPT ONLY!!! Updates for RodentFancy.com & Rodentry of Sixth Happiness (6H); Handmade Pet Toys available at: http://fithfath.com/shop/shop.cgi

The http://RodentFancy.com website, and the Rodentry of 6th Happiness belong to Alan di Gangi, an Autistic "Gentleman Scientist" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentleman_scientist ) interested in genetics and behaviour of small animals, particularly rodents, although he also has experience with sheep (Babydolls), birds (poultry and African Grey Parrots), and dogs (Livestock Guardian Dogs, and tra

ining disability service dogs). Alan has worked with rodents, especially rats and gerbils, since the mid 1990's. His main focus of study is of white spotting genetics, and taillessness ('Manxed'), and the defects that can be related to these. He is well acquainted with coat colours, coat varieties, etc and served as a mouse and rat judge in 2 RMCA chapters and the RMFE between the late 1990's through the middle of the first decade of 2000. He also has had experience with fancy mice, cavies (guinea pigs), rabbits, spiny mice, voles, deermice, dormice, dwarf hamsters, syrian hamsters, degus, and chinchillas. Photos of the Rodentry's current set up can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151158883264005.461403.190708704004&type=3

Because the rodentry is a hobby, in his private home, and because Alan's autism can make both social, and unplanned, activities highly stressful, obtaining pets, breeding stock, or mentourship is strictly by pre-arranged appointment only. Generally, appointments are available between 2pm and 10pm on most weekdays and weekends. Please be patient when waiting for replies to emails or private messages- the care of our pets, and current family and medical concerns come first, and can sometimes cause delays with communication.

~~~~

“A breeder is at once an artist and a scientist. It takes an artist to envision and to recognize excellence, and a scientist to build what the eye desires.”

Rats love climbing; bird toys can be good for this outside of a wire cage.
05/11/2023

Rats love climbing; bird toys can be good for this outside of a wire cage.

19/12/2021

for anyone that posted me in the past few months... i apologise but I cannot find the current messages on facebook's new layour for pages like this one. Please resend your message and i will get back as soon as possible between med/family and holiday. thank you for understanding.

30/06/2021

SO there were a bunch of major TStorms and Tornados that came thru the area last week.... we didnt get hit by a tornado, but the sumppump and the backup pump BOTH died the same night.

As many of you know, the rodentry is in the basement, along with pantry in the shelter area with human food and petfood etc - as basements are the safeest plaes to go in tornados, so only have to tell the dogs to go downstairs and not worry about getting everyone else downstairs in the few seconds you might have on spotting a funnel cloud or hearing sirens.

Yes the CRITTERS ARE ALL OK and staying upstairs. But my rodentry-office was in a room in the basement- I kept all my important stuff on high up shelves.... but one decided to pull loose from the wall, spilling everying into the water and knocking over another shelf.... Domino effect.... all my books and magazines are underwater and I cant get to them because wood etc is on top and there is about 3 ft water now there.... This included stuff like club magazines, some going back to the 80's, including AFRMA, NFRS, RMCA, RMFE, ARBA, ACBA, adoption/purchase records, research notes/journals, books ranging from generic pet care books (some back from the 30's- interesting to see how pet care advice changed over the decades), science related books (genetics, dissection guides, etc) even a 1st printing of Roy Robinson's Genetics of the Norway Rat and publisher pre-print copies of books I was either interviewed in, or given to write reviews for (In a photo of the way the rodentry USED to look like, there is a bookcase in ne photo that has books to the bottom.... but after we had a SMALL amount of water, which didnt damage those, I moved everything up to top shelves of bookcases (with other heavy items to balance it on the bottom selves) or on shelves screwed to the wall up high to keep them sefe).... also underwater is my Rodentry dedicated laptop, plus the furnace/ac, waterheater, washer and dryer, egg incubators for my poultry, months worth of food for the animals and humans in pantry, handmade toys I used to sell for some extra $ (took a break but was planning to return to it), supplies for making toys, miscellaneous stuff in storage (holiday stuff, paintings, etc)....

I dont know we are going to clean this up... Tams Hemiplegic, fall risk, cant even sit up for long without pain, and has seizures- not safe for them to go down there and get badly injured or drown; My Ehrlos Danlos is becoming severe- i have trouble carrying 1 gallon jugs of water.

I've no idea what to do. Water damage isnt covered- my mother said it wasnt worth it- 'we arent in a flood zone' (but we are built on a drained marsh!?) SHe pretty much handled everything about getting the house etc because the government thinks that being Autistic and being able to do population genetics/statistics in my head = too stupid to handle my own money. And she will no doubt find some way to blame this all on me- because in 40 decades I can count the times she didnt on one hand.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=RodentFancy&set=a.10158517952254005

Below is what the rodentry looked like before the flood....

Polish Tatra Sheepdogs are great Livestock Guardians, usually with sheep or goats etc ... but as pets, they will likewis...
20/01/2021

Polish Tatra Sheepdogs are great Livestock Guardians, usually with sheep or goats etc ... but as pets, they will likewise 'adopt' their human family and the other pets kept in the home, including pet rats if properly socialised early on! (I can let you know how to do this). If anyone is looking for such a pup, contact me!
This photo is of Mikolaj and Jadwiga, our eldest of the pack; Mikolaj is also my Service dog, and will be retiring for one of his sons in training to take over soon. Such smart and gentle dogs!

20/01/2021

Anyone interested in chickens and/or ducks in spring - please contact us if you'd like to go in on an order together (must be able to pick up for 60187 area).

20/01/2021

Questions re: genetics, mentoring etc still welcome until we get back to breeding/placements

20/01/2021

been working mostly on our deermice until we more rats , hopefully later this year.

Address


Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when RodentFancy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

  • Address
  • Alerts
  • Claim ownership or report listing

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share

Our Story

The http://RodentFancy.com website, and the Rodentry of 6th Happiness belong to Alan di Gangi, an Autistic “Citizen” or "Gentleman Scientist" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gentleman_scientist ) interested in history, genetics and behaviour of small animals, particularly rodents and chickens, although he also has experience with sheep (Babydolls), birds (other poultry and African Grey Parrots), cats and dogs (Livestock Guardian Dogs, and training disability service dogs). He has shared his knowledge through mentorships and writing articles for several publications, as well as online booklets. Alan has worked with rodents, especially rats, mice and gerbils, since the early/mid 1990's. His main focus of study is of white spotting genetics, and taillessness ('Manxed'), and the defects that can be related to these, such as ‘megacolon’. He is well acquainted with the genetics and judging of coat colours, coat varieties, white spotting, etc, and served as a mouse and rat judge in 2 RMCA chapters, and the RMFE, between the late 1990's through the middle of the first decade of 2000. He was a founding member of one of the RMCA chapters, and a founding officer of the RMFE. He also has had experience with cavies (guinea pigs), rabbits, spiny mice, voles, deermice, dormice, dwarf hamsters, syrian hamsters, degus, and chinchillas. Photos of the Rodentry's current set up can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151158883264005.461403.190708704004&type=3 Because the rodentry is a hobby, and because Alan's autism can make both social, and unplanned, activities highly stressful, obtaining pets, breeding stock, or mentorship is strictly by pre-arranged appointment only. Generally, appointments are available between 2pm and 10pm on most weekdays and weekends. Please be patient when waiting for replies to emails or private messages- the care of our pets, and current family, and medical concerns, come first; this can sometimes cause delays with communication. NOTE: due to current situations, mentorship, breeding stock and pet adoptions are on hold until further notice. Alan is a poly-citizen of the United States, Italy, Poland and United Kingdom. He highly supports and recommends the National Fancy Rat Society ( http://nfrs.org/ ) based in the UK as the most reliable club for accurate rat care, breeding and genetic information. Their full-colour, 6-issue per year magazine and access to their private forum is well worth the overseas price, even if one is unable to attend their shows due to geography.

The name of the Rodentry comes from the movie The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, which, despite its historical and cultural failings which Alan became aware of as an adult, was inspirational to him as a child. The opening title card reads: "This story is based upon the life of Gladys Aylward, a woman of our time, who was, and is dedicated to the simple, joyful and rare belief that we are all responsible for each other." And he would add the animals, and the earth, which we all have in common.

Gladys Aylward: Yang says everyone in China wishes you the five happinesses: wealth, longevity, good health, virtue... and Jeannie Lawson: And a peaceful death in old age, yes. Gladys Aylward: But he didn't mention anymore. What is the sixth happiness? Jeannie Lawson: That you must find out for yourself. Each person must find out in his heart what the sixth happiness is.

~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ “A breeder is at once an artist and a scientist. It takes an artist to envision and to recognize excellence, and a scientist to build what the eye desires.” ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~