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If you follow Forest City Rats, you may have noticed that I’ve started being more open about my experiences, both the positive and the challenging ones. That transparency is intentional. Over time, I’ve also reached a point where I feel confident enough to speak openly when something genuinely questionable or shady happens. Maybe it’s turning 30, maybe it’s the growth of the rattery, or maybe it’s simply the experience that comes from being in this space for a while. But a bi

Note: It's not actually that fun. Lately, I’ve been more open about sharing experiences where people have burned me in the hobby. Not to shame anyone, but to give folks a clearer picture of what I mean when I talk about the importance of honesty and transparent communication, and why I don't mess around. One situation from a little over a year ago stands out, and I think it’s worth sharing because it highlights how small miscommunications, or withheld information, can create

Rats are kid-friendly, but they should not be kid-owned Here’s the truth nobody tells you: 100% of the care and responsibility for a rat, or any animal, falls on the parent. No exceptions. Feeding, cleaning, vet care, enrichment, finances… all of it is on you. Kids are unpredictable. They lose interest, forget chores, and get distracted. When that happens, the responsibility doesn’t vanish; it lands squarely on the adult. I see this constantly in my own experience. In my hous

I Can’t Make the Choice for You I get messages like this all the time : "I’ve been thinking about getting rats for a while, do you think they’re right for me?" "Should I get male or female rats?" "How many should I get?" And honestly… I can’t make that choice for you. Here’s the thing: if you ask a seller whether you should  buy their product, of course they’re going to say yes! We love rats, we think they’re amazing pets, and we want everyone to experience that. But that doe

Heartbreak: Lessons From a Difficult Rat Placement At the end of 2025, I experienced something I’ve never encountered in over 100 rat placements: the sudden loss of two young, healthy female rats shortly after they left my care. Three female rats were placed in their new home on November 5 at 12 full weeks and 1 day old. They were healthy, social, and used to being handled; there are photos and videos showing how friendly they were on my Instagram page. Before sharing more, I

Gatekeeping in the rat breeding community is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately... especially the culture of secrecy around lines, pairings, and “protecting genetics.” I understand the history and the reasons people give, but I still struggle to fully understand why it’s held so tightly. At its core, I think most people outside the hobby assume breeding is just putting two rats together and waiting for babies. Anyone can  technically do that. But ethical, intenti

Recently, I came across a Reddit thread where someone asked if it was normal for a breeder to require a non-refundable deposit to reserve a pet. The majority of the replies immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was a scam or a huge red flag. While scams certainly exist online, the blanket statement that any breeder requiring a deposit is suspicious simply isn’t accurate. Deposits are actually very common practice among responsible breeders across many types of animals.

One thing that has always been a bit crazy to me is how casually some people decide to breed rats. Pair two rats together and suddenly you could have 15+ pups in a single litter. That’s a huge number of animals to be responsible for overnight. Yet many people seem to do this impulsively without any real preparation or plan in place for what happens if those pups don’t all find homes. Every breeder should be prepared to house, care for, and financially support every single rat

This is not a post I ever intended to publish. If you’ve followed Forest City Rats for a while, you’ll know that I’ve written before about the challenges within the breeding community... about integrity, transparency, and how complicated things can become behind the scenes. I’ve talked about how small this community really is. I’ve talked about how honesty matters. I’ve talked about how digital footprints don’t disappear. I wish those posts weren’t necessary. But here we are.

Rats Aren’t Display Pets  Your interaction with them shouldn’t be limited to watching from outside the cage. Rats are social, intelligent, and curious animals. They thrive on direct contact and engagement. The more you handle and interact with them, the more confident and happy they become. Sitting back and observing is not enough; real connection happens when you hold, explore, and play with them safely and consistently. Handling From Day One At FCR, we start handling our ra

Things are changing at Forest City Rats, and in a good way! As the rattery continues to grow, you may notice a few updates around here that reflect how much I’ve evolved over the past year and where FCR is headed next. Expanding Rat Lines One of the most exciting updates for 2026 is the expansion of my rat lines. This year, I’m introducing rex genetics into my dumbo line, with the goal of having pups available around May/June. More Structure & Transparency As the rattery grow

This morning, while browsing Kijiji as I often do, I came across a relatively new breeder advertising rats who stated, “ We do not inbreed .” It was presented as a defining feature of their breeding program, and it immediately stood out to me as a sign that they do not understand rat genetics or responsible rodent breeding. In reality, this claim usually signals the opposite: a fundamental misunderstanding of genetics and rodent breeding. Rats are not humans, and applying hum

Running a breeding program brings me so much joy: watching rats thrive, placing them in well-prepared homes, and connecting with people who have clearly done their homework. It also comes with a recurring phenomenon I’ve come to call: The Question That Lives on the Website. You know the ones... “Is this still available?” “Do you have any males?” “Do you offer delivery?” The answers aren't hidden or mysterious. And yet, the questions keep coming. Somewhere along the way, “bree

Over the past few years, I’ve watched my rat room grow from a small hobby project into a structured, organized rattery, officially established as Forest City Rats in 2024. Along the way, I realized I needed clear systems to make the purchasing process smoother for everyone involved (rats included). One of the biggest changes I made was moving all sales to my website. I didn’t make this change to be inconvenient. I did it because selling through local classifieds became chaoti

I am not a AFRMA member. That might surprise some people, especially since many breeders proudly display their AFRMA membership as a selling point. But I want to take a moment to explain why I don’t have a membership, and what it really means for you as someone looking to purchase a rat. Following Guidance Without Paying for a Membership Even though I’m not a member, I do follow AFRMA’s guidance on breeding standards. I use their resources regularly and often recommend them t

Making a profit doesn’t mean sacrificing ethics. Money can feel like a tricky topic when it comes to animals. Many assume that earning a profit means being greedy or unethical, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Running a rattery properly takes a lot of time and effort. From clean, enriched housing to careful breeding and health monitoring, there’s more behind the scenes than most people realize. Profits make it possible to maintain high standards and provide the c

Owning rats comes with responsibilities that aren’t always obvious at first glance. One of the biggest, and often most expensive, aspects is veterinary care. Rats, like any animal, can get sick. They need regular care, check-ups, and sometimes emergency attention. Some new owners seem to think that because they got their rats from a breeder like Forest City Rats, health issues won’t arise, or that the breeder should cover vet costs if something happens. That’s not how respon

Running a rattery isn’t just a side hobby for me. It’s something I pour hours into every single day. For 2026, I’ve updated the pricing at Forest City Rats, and I want to be open about why. It’s not about trying to squeeze extra money out of anyone. It’s about fairness, sustainability, and making sure both my rats and their future families get the best experience possible. 1. Time is Valuable Every day, I spend hours feeding, cleaning, socializing, and monitoring the health o

The FAQ section on the website gives the short and sweet, but I wanted to expand a bit more here. Q: Can I come visit the rattery? A: We operate a closed rattery to ensure the safety and well-being of all individuals and pets in our household. Rats must be selected in advance, as we do not offer meet-and-greet- appointments. Q: Can I pick out my rats in person? A: All rat(s) must be selected and paid for in advance through our website. Actual footage of some people on my web

As previously mentioned, the rat breeding community can be complicated. It’s easy for breeders to lose sight of what really matters and become preoccupied with how they’re perceived rather than how their rats and buyers are actually supported. Forest City Rats was built very intentionally away  from that culture. I designed my business for my clients' needs. A Trust-Based Model Over a Gatekeeping Model I believe that most people seeking an appropriately priced, well-bred, wel