This is for how I currently have my waiting lists and possible changes I'll be making next year.
As of now, my waiting list policy is as follows. When I know which parents I will place together, I look at the line history, as well as the females' histories (if they've had litters before) to determine about how many babies I'll have. Based on that number, I will announce applications are open and approve an amount of adopters that will fit the guessed number of babies. Sometimes, my guess is lower than expected, and I end up having room to accept a few more people on the lists, or my guess is high, and not everyone approve that round gets to adopt, which can lead to extended wait times. This is the order that people choose their babies: - I choose my potential hold backs - Approved breeders get second choice - Previous adopters will choose from the remaining babies - Newly approved adopters will choose from the remaining babies (the order new adopters will be placed on the list will be determined by their application number. Getting your app to me sooner gets you to a higher spot for the new adopters) While I like parts of this method, I feel it typically has adopters waiting a while for babies. Especially if my pairings aren't taking when planned, and babies are born at a later date, or I have small litters. What I've been considering, instead of having a waiting list, is to open an adoption list when babies are made available. The order that people choose their babies would still remain the same (me, approved breeders, past adopters, new adopters), but I would go to only accepting new applications once the babies are old enough to be reserved rather than before babies are born. I feel this method would give me the most accurate number of babies I'll have available, therefore, allow me to accept a more precise amount of new adopters. This would also eliminate the waiting period for those approved to be on the lists before babies are even born, as well as, any pressure for me to feel like I have to have X amount of babies available for Y amount of people on my lists. Approved breeders and past adopters would be able to be added to the lists at any time, keeping in mind they may have to wait, but new adopters would have to wait until I post what babies are available. This change will likely be taking place after this round of breeding, but I am still working things over first and trying to decide if this is how I would like to run adoptions going further.
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While it's on my mind, I wanted to make a PSA regarding babies I may have available soon and in the future. While I will post and update pictures on entire litters, not all babies will be suitable for pet or breeder homes. I know it can be so so easy to see a baby and fall in love with them (trust me, it happens to me every litter!), but sometimes the cutest babies are lacking in temperament or health. Just because I post pictures of all my ratties and babies does not mean they will all be available.
I've had several people on and off my lists sending me pictures of specific rats asking if they can have them. The honest answer? I don't know. I cannot say if their temperament or health will be sound enough for me to confidently rehome them or not. There have been a few babies in my more recent litters that I wasn't 100% on rehoming but decided to with a shyness warning. One of those was returned to me because he ended up having aggression issues, others, took some time to work with, but I am not in this to produce subpar pets or breedable animals. My goal is to provide sound and healthy babies to amazing homes. I will be cracking down on which babies I allow to leave my care. Some may stay with me until they're a bit older than others so I can fully evaluate them before deciding if they are suitable for other homes. This may mean I do not have babies available as frequently or in as large of quantities, but that is what it will take to ensure I am proving the best babies I can, and they they will make wonderful, loving companions. I try my best to keep up with demand as much as I can while still maintaining my standards. However, I will never be able to have enough babies to keep up with everyone that contacts me. This is a hobby that I do first and foremost for myself and happen to have enough that I am not keeping to send to loving homes. This has been my fourth year breeding, and I feel it is one that has taught me the most. I may change how I do adoptions sometime next year, but for now, my current methods regarding my lists, will remain the same. If anyone had any questions, please feel free to send me a text or e-mail! I have a few ladies looking for forever homes! Two pairs of retired breeders, and one young female from my last litters. The young female can be combined with one of the pairs of retired ladies. :)
New fabric options available to choose from on the customizable hammocks in my shop!
If you would like to see fabric options for my liners, please message me! I don't keep fabric on hand for those orders due to them requiring a lot of material. Your preferences (color/pattern) will determine the options that will be available to you. I am open to making custom liners, beds, and other hammocks I do not have listed on my shop. I will either need pictures and/or exact measurements depending on what you want done! :) Shop Link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RattieRetreats Applications are currently closed. If more babies are born than expected, or if people currently on the adoption lists drop off, I will announce that positions are opening. Please check the bottom of the Nursery page for my next planned litters and breeding timeline.
Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay in updates as well as the lack of litters. We've experienced a few set-backs in the breeding schedule this last month and a half.
The first set-back we had, all the females I had planned to breed starting 4 weeks ago, decided to chew their cage pan for the first time ever and got down to the males below. Due to me not knowing what males they came in contact with, I had to administer the rat equivalent to "plan B." This was the decision I made due to some gene combinations being lethal to the offspring. Without knowing what gene combinations happened while the females were in with the males, ensuring the litters would not be viable was the choice I had to make for the safety of my critters. I then had to wait for the medication to be out of their system before pairing them to their intended partners. However, when the time came to pair them, it was brought to my attention that SDAV, a virus that attacks the rats' immune system, may have been spread to my animals. I wasn't made aware of this until 2.5 weeks past the possible exposure, in which none of my animals have been experiencing symptoms. This last week and a half, I have been calling every clinic within driving distance to get my rats in for bloodwork to see if it was spread. None of the clinics I called were willing to test, told me it was a waste of time and money, or flat out told me to euthanize my rats and start new. You can imagine how defeated I have been feeling with those responses. I was finally able to directly contact a lab for testing and am now waiting for the test kit to be shipped to me. Once I have my results back, which I feel will be negative, but want to be 100% sure, then I will be able to have a definite plan to start breeding again. Even if the test results do come back positive, I only have to shut down for 4 more weeks. This will put a bit of a damper on my breeding schedule, but I would rather that than put my animals at risk. If the results come back negative, then I'll be able to place my next planned parents together sooner than the 4 week timeframe. I have never experienced anything like either of these events in the 4 years of breeding experience I have, so this is all a learning curve and for sure something I am being as cautious as possible with. With that being said, I will not be going anywhere. I will still continue breeding these incredible animals for years to come. This may be a set-back now, but we will come through on the other side with more knowledge and experience. Thank you all for your patience and understanding! I will have a few babies left over after those that are currently on my adoption lists choose. I have 2-3 slots open for the females and 1 open for the males. If you are interested in an application, please reach out! Spots will be filled first come, first served. I have also posted this on my Facebook group.
If you are not able to get on the lists for these babies, I will be reopening applications for my next litters toward the end of this month. There will be a set date coming soon. Important Announcement! (7/23/2020)
As of now, I do not have any open spots on my adoption lists. The next time applications will be open is around late August. If you'd like to see what parents I plan to breed toward the end of August, please check out the bottom of the Nursery page! I've yet to change the website domain. I had a few emergency needs with the animals funds, so that got prioritized over purchasing the domain. I still plan to do that here in the near future, but may wait another month! Yesterday, two litters were born here! GOT Ebony had her babies in the morning. She was paired to GOT Fraser. Yesterday evening, GOT Lilly had her babies. She was paired to GOT Soot. They had 10 healthy babies, with 4 females and 6 males. Lots are Rexes, and ear types will be identified soon!
As of now, there are no more positions open for my adoption lists. The next time they will be open will be around late August/early September, which is when I'll be pairing my next breeders. All of the babies that were born, or will be here soon, will not have any outside availability to those not currently on the adoption lists. I will be updating the domain name on this website to my current, Garden of Tails, name. When I first started breeding, I was called Indiana Little Rattery, but have since changed it. This change will be made within this week! The change did get delayed, but I am now making it a priority on this week's to-do list! As of now, I only have space left for one more applicant on my female adoption list and three more spaces left on the male adoption list. These spots are only for the planned pairings I have posted on the Nursery tab, not for future litters.
Babies have not been born from any of these litters yet, but I am hoping to see some new babies here in a few weeks! Reservations start when they are 5-6 weeks old. I go down the adoption lists in the order I received applications. Each person will have 24 hours to choose before I move to the next in line. Once babies are reserved, you have 7 days to send in the deposit. If the deposit is not received within 7 days, those babies will go back up to be available to anyone. Once babies are reserved, they are able to go home from 8-12 weeks. That time depends on the line, as some have to stay until 12 weeks. Any that have to stay longer will be specified. |
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