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We have test results from our 2012 annual RADIL blood test available. Click here to see the test results, as well as results from previous tests.
Please check our planned litters page for information on potential upcoming litters, read our policies page for information on adopting from us, and fill out our adoption application if you are interested in getting rats from us! Also check our links page for links to other breeders we recommend, as well as rescues.
You can now follow us on facebook by "liking" our Moonlit Waters Rattery page. We will post pictures and updates there, as well as on the website. You can also follow us on Twitter (@MLWRats) for news and updates!
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We attended the 2011 RFL Fall show! We had lots of fun, and even brought home a few small ribbons. Congrats to our rats BVR Corza Jarn for placing 2nd in the Youth Bucks, FSTR Rhea for placing 2nd in Youth Does, BVR Adam Young for placing 3rd in Non-Agouti Bucks. Also our girls BVR Buttercup and BVR Turanga Leela got 1st and 2nd for Marked Non-Agouti Does. And a Big congratulations to our friends who took the bigger ribbons and placements! You all have some absolutely beuatiful rats!
My name is Beth and I live with my husband in Champaign, Illinois, where we have our small rattery in our home. While we are just starting up as a rattery, I have been keeping pet rats for over 18 years, and have been actively involved in the rat community, and interacting with several excellent breeders for many years. With their guidance and support we will be starting a journey to produce our own lines of sweet, healthy rats.
Our primary focus will always be on exceptional temperament and healthy animals first, as these are far more important than any particular color, coat, or ear type. However, we do have varieties we hope to focus on within those goals. We will be striving towards producing Agouti rats with preference for saturated red and black colors in satin and satin rex coats, with dumbo ears, and Fawn rats focusing on the vibrant red-orange coloring in satin and satin-rex coats and dumbo ears. We have also recently received the opportunity to work with Russian Silver as well, focusing on that pale but rich icy blue coloring, in standard coats and standard ears - with hopes to introduce burmese to the line eventually. We will have other dilutes ear, and coat types show up from time to time as recessives carried in the lines are brought out, and outcrosses bring in other types, but our goal is to mainly produce Agouti and Fawn rats, as well as work on the development of the satin-rex coat, as well as work on creating a solid foothold for Russian Silver, with hopes of a future project of Russian Silver Burmese and Sables.
Our rats will always be a part of our family first, and breeders second, and any animal born here will always have a home with us if necessary for their entire lives. We seek out medical attention from qualified exotics veterinarians whenever needed for the sake of our animals, and will not cull healthy animals or overbreed our rats. We believe that quality is always better than quantity, and will work to have that be reflected in our actions and our animals. Please stick around to watch us grow and develop!
Also check out and read through this page on Breeder 'Red Flags' or the signs to tell you if someone may not be a good, responsible breeder. Its a very well written page and has tons of important things to consider to make sure you get your animals from someone who is doing the right thing, and breeding for the sake of improving the animals, rather than someone who isn't on the right track, or may be in it for less favorable reasons. You should use these guidelines to help you develop and idea of what sort of person you want to work with to get your new rats. Every breeder you ever work with should be evaluated using guidelines like these, even if they are recommended by someone who seems good themselves, to make sure they fit the profile of someone who you want to work with and trust.
For anyone out there who thinks that breeding any animal sounds like a good way to make some extra money, please take some time to read this page on the Average Profit/Loss On a Litter. It was published by the AKC in reference to dogs, but the same idea can be applied to any animal, especially animals requiring not just basic care but also socialization time, such as rats. It is an eye opener for many people who don't necessarily consider all the cost in time and money that is involved in breeding and raising a litter.
