Some breeders scoff at the idea of entering into such a difficult breeding program - but I maintain the idea that it is necessary. If we are going to gain back some of the life span that has been removed, we have to be very selective in our choices as breeders.

I will not breed a female until she is seven months old. Most genetic abnormalities, both health and temperament related, will have surfaced by six months. I will only breed her offspring if, once they have reached seven months of age, they and their mother are all still in excellent health: happy and active. If their mother is in ill health at fourteen months old, her offspring will not be bred. This also goes for males.

I am confident that through careful breeding we will be able to achieve life spans closer to what our rats would have in the wild. Poor breeding practices caused the problem, selective breeding can help fix it.

In an additional note: We are the only pet rat breeders in Saskatchewan. We will not sell our rats to feeder breeders, or as feeders themselves. We will only breed rats with known family histories, and will not breed pet store rats, rescues, or "saved" feeders.