We are a small hobby rattery located in Nanaimo, BC, Canada, breeding for temperament, type, and health. Our main goal is to promote rats as pets, promote responsible pet ownership, and to improve the species by selective breeding. This means we keep track of the health and temperament of our lines, and the rats we adopt out, and choose pairs which will further the friendly, loving, and healthy nature of our rats. We do not cull, supply pet stores, or sell rats as feeders.
Housing
We believe in keeping the smallest number of rats possible to maintain our breeding lines so that each rat is guaranteed individual interaction. We mostly use Martin's R-690's, with smaller wire cages for maternity / breeding cages. Each habitat is as large as possible and has hammocks and toys so the rats never become bored. Below is a current picture of the rattery.
We free-feed lab blocks, but we also give a bowl of our home-made mix blended with baby food once a day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also given as supplements. Our rat's water is filtered and purified and provided at all times.
Adoption Policy
If you are interested in adopting a rat from us, please fill out our adoption application or send us an email telling us about yourself and how you intend to care for your rats. If you are interested in a specific rat that is available, please let us know. You can also reserve rats before they are born. We generally know what to expect out of a litter, so if you are interested in a certain color, coat, or ear type, we can put you on the waiting list, and when the babies are born, we will let you know. We get first pick on all the litters, and the very few breeders we adopt to get to choose next, followed by those highest up on the waiting list. We generally hold off on confirming reserves until the babies are 7 - 10 days old and we can be sure of the color and markings. Once reserves are confirmed, you will be able to pick up your baby once it is 6 weeks of age.
We require your name, current email address, and telephone number. It's important that you contact us if your information changes, as we do like to be able to know how our rats are doing, or pass on valuable health information if need be. We also would like to receive health information about our adopted rats as they get older, so we can see if any of them develop genetic disorders, or also to see how long they live so we know which traits to bring out in our current lines.
Prices
We only sell rats in same-sex pairs only, unless you have another rat of the same or altered gender at home that your new rat can safely live with. We accept Canadian or US cash, money orders in Canadian dollars, or PayPal.
1 rat - $25
2 rats - $40
We are currently not adopting any rats out as breeders at this time, except to established breeders that are either known by us personally, or recommended by a breeder we know and trust.
Returns
If for some reason you are not satisfied with your rat, we will always take it back, no questions asked. If you would like to return your rat within 30 days of purchase, we can offer a refund, and after 30 days we will gladly take the rat back but we will not offer a refund.
Guarantees
We offer a money back guarantee for 30 days for any health or personality problem. We offer a 6 month money back guarantee on any genetic problems causing death or loss of function. After 6 months, we will not offer any money back, but we will always take the rat back if you need to find it a new home for any reason.
Shipping
At this time we are not offering shipping services. A meet-up can be arranged as far as Victoria or Courtenay, and delivery to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal) is occasionally available if there are other adopters able to meet there on the same day. Though it is not required, we do appreciate any extra donations to cover travel costs, especially when taking the ferry. We do attend most RatsPacNW shows, so pickup can be made in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho at certain times.
Rescues
At this time we are not accepting rescue rats due to the health risks involved. If you are looking for help rehoming a rat we may be able to help you, however, feel free to ask. We do offer a satellite rescue option on our website, where we will post photos of your rats that need rehoming to get them some more exposure and find them a great home. This is only available to those in the lower part of BC, however, as it is easier to find rats homes locally.
About Me
My name is Robin, and I am the daughter of two veterinarians. I have grown up with animals all my life, from regular pets such as cats and dogs, farm animals such as horses and goats, exotics such as iguanas, tarantulas, and an agouti, and wildlife such as eagles, crows, and deer. I have worked at our family's veterinary practice ever since I was little and have learned much about the care of animals through this experience. As a pre-teen I got my first breeding experience through guinea pigs, starting by adopting two pregnant guinea pigs from the animal shelter. I have also previously bred mice for a short time, but once I found rats I realized what I had been missing.
I got my first rat in 1998 after wanting one for several years and was completely blown away by what a wonderful pet they could be. Her name was Grace, a gorgeous little odd-eyed cap-stripe, and she is the reason I am into rats today. She went everywhere with me, and learned several tricks as well as running an obstacle course in record time. I strive to breed rats just like her, so that others may experience the joy of a truly wonderful pet rat.
I started Evergreen Rattery in 2002 with two rats from a local breeder, Dante and Ivy. Their litter was the first I ever bred, and though they were all black they had some of the nicest personalities I've ever seen. After that I obtained some other rats from ratteries such as Whispering Wise Rattery, Curly Whiskers Rattery, and Spiralrat Rattery and began to breed for color and type as well as temperament. I fell in love with the Russian blues after I received a little Russian blue male named Adrian from Spiralrat Rattery, and I intend to breed this gorgeous color and its variations almost solely.
At the moment I am living in Nanaimo, BC, with my lovely rats, a miniature poodle, a miniature dachshund, and two cats.
My Rat Expertise
Most of my knowledge of rats comes from my experience raising them, as well as countless hours researching them over the internet, reading books and magazines, and speaking to other breeders and rat enthusiasts. I am dedicated to knowing all there is to know about rats and educating others in the proper care of rats.
Working in a veterinary hospital has given me access to lots of information about the health care and problems of rats, as well as treatment options for many common ailments.
I have been the subject of a newspaper article about pet rats in the Nanaimo Daily News, and a photo of one of my rats was featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's article about a Seattle rat show.
I am a frequent participant in Yahoo! Answers Rodents category, and am ranked in the top 10 for most number of Best Answers.