When I say I breed for temperament
this is what I mean
When I say I breed for temperament, this is what I mean:
I breed for friendly, reliable rats that adore their loving owners and their cage mates.
I keep my rats just like I always have done, as pets, which helps me assess exactly what they are like as pets.
I don’t have any rats in my rattery that are unfriendly to me or anyone else, and certainly none that have bitten, but if I did I would never breed from them (not even once because they are a nice colour or "show prospect").
I don’t breed from rats that are aggressive to one another in any way. So, if a rat tends to be a bit heavy-handed in the cage with others, he or she doesn’t get bred from.
I don’t breed from rats that cannot tolerate introductions, either being too afraid or too bossy.
Rats are rodents, and therefore always going to be ready to run if they are afraid, but mine should recover quickly from a moment of fear. If they are unduly fearful or shy, I do not breed from them.
I expect zero scratches or bites or chunks of fur missing at any time, even during introductions. If I get anything like that, I will figure out who is the one inflicting the problem and I will not breed from them.
I prefer rats that race to me when I enter the room and are never too busy to come spend time with me, even if they want to explore elsewhere shortly afterwards.
If I rat was a bit pushy during adolescence but calmed down nicely, I still won’t breed from them. I always have alternatives and they will likely be the better option.
I will often try to find a way to “use” a buck with an unusually wonderful temperament, who is incredibly calm, people-oriented and gets along with anyone I put him with, though I often have a few of these which makes it easy!
I do not breed from rats that barber. Barbering is when a rat chews its fur almost to baldness (usually the feet and legs) and sometimes chews others’ as well!
I will always do the best I can and remember that the rats are doing the best they can, too.
I will never stop improving temperament in my rats. The other two factors that are important to me are health and appearance, in that order. I’ll write about those soon.
