My husband and I live in Banbury, Oxfordshire. I started keeping rats in 1998 after years of begging my parents to let me have some. My mum wasn't really keen and there were strict rules as to where the rats were allow to go. I got 2 boys, a black hooded called Sylvester and a blacked capped called Lucky.

Not long after I got the 2 boys I ended up with 2 girls and 2 more boys which I took in after people had given up on them. I learnt so much about these wonderful little furries that I have been keeping them for over 10 years now.

I am a member of the National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS), North of England Rat Society (NERS) and Midlands rat Club (MRC), and my rattery is now registered with NFRS. RCT Rats isn't a stud name it is a name used to identify rats bred by me. The initials RCT have come from a nickname which was give to me 15 years ago and it stands for "RollerCoasterTigger"!

I am now registered as a trainee varieties judge with the NFRS which I hope will improve my knowledge and understand.

I have chosen to breed British Blue, British Blue Agouti and Black as they are my favourites. I will be breeding for well tempered and healthy rats, first and foremost and colour 2nd. I may have kittens available on occasions to loving homes.

I AM NOT A PET SHOP AND DO NOT HAVE RAT KITTENS AVAILABLE ALL THE TIME. YOU MAY HAVE TO TO WAIT BEFORE BEING OFFERED KITTENS!

I current am breeding for:
* British Blue, British Blue Agouti and Black Variegated and Blazed Berkshires (Badgers)
It is possible that I will get the following from these lines:
Colours - Agouti, Russian Dove, Russian Blue, Russian Blue Agouti, Topaz, Cinnamon
Markings: Capped, Berkshires, Hooded

I have decided to stop my self line and concentrate on my marked line. There are lots of other breeders concentrating on British blue top-eared, altough I may have some available on occasions.

Breeders who are breeding for British Blue and British Blue Agouti selfs:
Alpha Centauri Stud Weston-super-Mare
Northern Lights Wick, Scotland
Aquaruis Rattery Stroud, Gloucestershire
Luxus Rattery, Fareham, Hampshire
Ionian Rattery, Herford, Hertfordshire
Serenity Rats, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Elkwood Rattery, Kent, South-East England

Information about the varieties I am breeding for can be found here

Why Breed?
I will put my hand up and say that I use to buy my rats from pet shops. I never realised that breeders existed until I joined rat clubs in 2006. Most of the rats I have from pet shops either died very young (under 9 months) or ended up with tumors around 18 months old and had to put to sleep. It was very distressing to me and now I know better. This doesn't include a number which had nasty respiratory infections and those with aggression issues!

To me, that is my aim, to produce healthy and long-lived rats who have fantastic temperments which will make people fall in love with them.

I would like to thank Estelle of Alpha Centauri for the guidence she as given me over the past few months to assist with my breeding plans. I would also like to thank Lisa of Halcyon Stud, Ann of Rivendell stud and Jenna of Hakuna Matata Stud for providing me with rats to start my lines.