Welcome to All About Rats!

You’re here! Grab a coffee, take a breath. Don’t worry, I’ll wait. I’m only sitting around with my rats anyway.

I’m here to share with you the pleasures of my not-so-secret hobby, one I’ve had for many decades. I keep (and now breed) fancy rats.

In weekly (and often daily) articles, I’ll give you an inside look at keeping and breeding pet rats. I’ll share with you my best advice on ensuring your rats are happy and healthy, and enjoying these charming, mystifying creatures to which I’ve dedicated a great deal of my life.  

I am a show judge with the National Fancy Rat Society here in Great Britain, as well as an NFRS “stud”, which means my rats are well up to show standard. So if you are interested in the genetics of rats and what influences decisions over breeding, you’ll learn and have a chance to participate in discussions around these issues.

I’m also a novelist and tutor at the University of Oxford, but if you’re here to learn about writing, you’ll have to find my other Substack, called Great On The Page. :)

Here, on All About Rats, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on rat keeping and best practices on how to have happy pets, as well as specific issues I cope with daily as I seek to maintain my line of rats here at Blue Apple stud.

I’ll tell you about the people who have inspired me, and the practices that have benefitted me and my rats, and yes there will be lots of pictures, videos, and examples in all my posts.

Subscribing lets me know you like what I’m doing and want to see more. So thank you ahead of time for the encouragement! Breeders (and writers) need it and it’s free to give. 

Plus, as Substack says, I want you to never miss an update—every new post is sent directly to your email inbox. 

And, also as Substack says: For a spam-free, ad-free reading experience, plus audio and community features, get the Substack app.