The Rats
My rats are trained and available for commercials, film, print ads, and other media work.
If you are interested in using one or more of my rats for a project, please contact us.
If you are interested in using one or more of my rats for a project, please contact us.
Famous (retired)
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Type: Pink-Eyed Himalayan Top-Eared Rat
Gender: Female Personality: Friendly, curious, outgoing, laid-back, affectionate, calm, gentle, sociable, mellow Appearance: Completely white with brown muzzle, ears, rump, and tail; pink eyes; ears placed on the top of her head (top-eared) Forte: Advanced retrieving Summary: If you need a rat who will get the job done, Famous is the one to call. She is any film director's dream rat. Famous is extremely versatile, laid-back, gregarious, and does outstandingly well in any situation. Her stamina and ability to focus on a task is unparalleled, and she is not one to spook. If Famous could be described in a single word, it would be "laid-back". She absolutely loves people, attention, the camera, and the spotlight, earning her her name. With a repertoire of over 40 different behaviours, Famous can be cued to do virtually anything and is always learning new things. |
Below are a few of Famous' 40+ behaviours
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Retrieve any object
Place a ring on my finger Dunk a basketball |
Ride a skateboard
Raise a flag Deposit any item into a cup, bowl, hand, etc. |
Pull on a rope
Pick a wallet Untie a shoelace |
Go through a hoop or tunnel
Get the mail Walk on hind legs while holding an object in mouth |
Walk a tightrope
Jump over hurdles Climb a ladder |
Demo Reel of some of Famous' behaviours
Suki
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Type: Brown Agouti Berkshire Dumbo Rat
Gender: Female Personality: Playful, eager, curious, spunky, sprightly, brassy, mischievous, competitive Appearance: Brown, ticked coat; white underside, white tail tip; round ears set low on the sides of her head (dumbo ears) Forte: Agility Summary: Suki is a rat who is brimming with inexhaustible energy and is always seeking adventure. Her highly inquisitive nature frequently drives her toward mischief and she is by far the most challenging of the group to keep occupied. The simple things that easily entertain the other three will hold Suki's attention for less than a minute before she becomes bored. Suki thrives on challenges and loves showing off her exceptional intelligence and problem-solving skills with a speed that leaves the other rats blinking in the dust. |
Below are a few of Suki's behaviours
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Retrieve an item
Roll a spool forwards with front paws |
Jump over agility hurdles
Roll a barrel by running inside it |
Weave through weave poles
Long distance jumping from one object to another |
Teeter (agility obstacle)
Walk on hind legs |
Raven
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Type: Black Variegated Berkshire Dumbo Rat
Gender: Female Personality: Energetic, audacious, adventurous, orderly, playful, sociable Appearance: Predominantly black with white underside; white freckles blending the black and white border; white on second half of tail; white chin; round ears set low on the sides of her head (dumbo ears) Forte: Jumping Summary: Raven is without question the most independent of the four females. Exploring is seemingly what she lives for and she is notorious for getting atop dressers, window sills, shelves, counters, the table, and other furniture by a single leap from the floor. Raven can leap three feet high from the ground without any difficulty. This skill has lead her to being found in the most peculiar of places, such as carefully perched on a doorknob or on the top of a lampshade. One can never guess where Raven will be found next. |
Below are a few of Raven's behaviours
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Jump straight up in the air from ground
Jump through hoops |
Walk backwards / "Park" between my fingers
Put a coin in my hand |
Long distance jump into my hand (horizontally from table)
Go onto an object |
Cash
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Type: Black Self Dumbo Rat
Gender: Male Personality: Friendly, inquisitive, playful, bold Appearance: Solid black; round ears set low on the sides of his head (dumbo ears) Summary: Cash can be nearly summed up in the words "curious" and "audacious". He follows closely in the footsteps of his more rambunctious mentor, London, when he explores the heights and crevices of a new environment. Cash enjoys challenges and emulating the other rats' skills in the trick department. His boldness is to be admired, as he is typically the first of the rats to investigate a foreign object, noise, or room. His favourite member of the mischief is London, without question, and is rarely spotted without him. |
Mortimer
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Type: Black Self Dumbo Rat
Gender: Male Personality: Laid-back, mellow, affectionate, curious, gentle Appearance: Solid black; round ears set low on the sides of his head (dumbo ears) Summary: Mortimer is the most gentle, affectionate, and mellow rat of the group. While he greatly enjoys exploring and joining his fellow group members in some sort of mischief, his preference is seeking out a human to snuggle with. He showers his person's hands, arms, or face with rat kisses as he drifts off into dream-land or while he watches something that catches his eye in his environment. He is also highly jealous of any attention or affection given to the other rats by his person and will sit on those who receive attention in his place. Mortimer loves wandering about with Cash when he is capable of keeping up with him; otherwise, he is most often seen with Britain. |
Saoirse
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Name Pronunciation: SAIR-shuh
Middle Name: Liberty Type: Fawn Double Rex Top-Eared Rat Gender: Female Date of Birth: November 27, 2014 Personality: Sassy, bossy, inquisitive, playful, rowdy, bold Appearance: Mostly hairless with sparsely-haired muzzle and face, and peach-fuzz covering body; curly whiskers; dark eyes; ears placed on the top of her head (top eared) Summary: Saoirse wins the award for being the most playful, inquisitive, and bossy rat in the mischief. The rest of the group can scarcely keep up with her wild antics and boundless energy; thus she frequently turns to humans to serve as playmates rather than her fellow rats. She plays rougher than your typical rat, and her style of play resembles a rambunctious puppy or ferret on caffeine and a few too many Red Bulls. Saoirse is never in a bad mood or too tired for a wrestling match. |
Other Rats
These are my other rats who live with me but are not available for media work.
They are wild Norway Rat hybrids and due to their wild genes, they are unsuitable as animal actors.
They live with the rest of my mischief and are pampered, dearly loved family members.
They are wild Norway Rat hybrids and due to their wild genes, they are unsuitable as animal actors.
They live with the rest of my mischief and are pampered, dearly loved family members.
London
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Species: Norway Rat hybrid (Rattus norvegicus)
Colour / Markings: Brown Agouti Self Gender: Male Date of Birth: August 4, 2014 Personality: Active, friendly, curious, energetic, cautious, adventurous, playful Appearance: Large in size; brown, ticked coat; grey underside; small kink on the end of his tail; ears placed on the top of his head. Summary: Both London and his brother, Britain, are about as distant from your typical domestic rat as possible. London is the friendlier and more placid of the two, and can be distinguished by his signature kinked tail. Both he and his brother are exceptionally athletic and demonstrate incredible agility and balance that is far superior to any domestic rat. London enjoys climbing up my stone wall (right to the top where I have a carpeted ledge), dashing up my curtains, and racing back and forth along the curtain rod. There is absolutely nothing he can't get into and nowhere he cannot go. London is always on the move, whether he is running, climbing, jumping, or even just walking around. I have yet to see him awake and motionless at the same time. |
Britain
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Species: Norway Rat hybrid (Rattus norvegicus)
Colour / Markings: Brown Agouti Self Gender: Male Date of Birth: August 4, 2014 Personality: Active, curious, cautious, mischievous, vigilant, boisterous Appearance: Large in size; brown, ticked coat; grey underside; ears placed on the top of his head. Forte: Jumping Summary: Britain is much more reserved and skittish than his smaller brother, London, and he is less tolerant of handling, preferring to climb all over me than to be picked up. He dislikes noise and quick movements and spends much of his time with Mortimer. Like London, Britain is highly athletic and agile, and he is the most energetic and rambunctious of the two. His time is often spent exploring, climbing, running, playing, or learning new routes to reach different locations. Britain was born with virtual springs in his legs; he loves jumping more than anything and will sometimes leap right into my arms out of excitement when he sees me. And, like his brother, Britain is constantly on the move 24/7. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do you use clicker training with your rats?
A: Yes, I use clicker training with all of my animals.
Q: What treats do you use for training your rats?
A: I use a variety of different foods as rewards when working with my rats including rolled oats, dried or fresh fruit (their favourites are bananas, blueberries, and grapes), cooked pasta, steamed vegetables, and puffed rice or kamut cereal pieces. I will also purchase fruit or vegetable baby food and offer some on my finger as a reward.
Q: I have two rats that I'd like to clicker train, but they don't like to be separated. How can I train them individually without causing separation stress?
A: I find that rats actually learn much faster when they are not separated during training sessions. They will collaborate when learning new tricks, watching the other rat(s) and trying to copy them when they see they are earning rewards. They remind me of a classroom of children working together on a project, each throwing in their own ideas until one figures it out.
Q: Why are the wild genes of the other rats unsuitable for acting? Is it just acting, or will they refuse to learn tricks?
A: The Norway rats are highly intelligent and catch on to new behaviours at an incredible speed. However, their wild genes make them extremely skittish and reactive, thus they are not suitable as animal actors. Animal actors need to have confidence, focus, and a placid disposition in order for them to be successful in film-work. My other rats listed above all have temperaments suited for this type of work.
A: Yes, I use clicker training with all of my animals.
Q: What treats do you use for training your rats?
A: I use a variety of different foods as rewards when working with my rats including rolled oats, dried or fresh fruit (their favourites are bananas, blueberries, and grapes), cooked pasta, steamed vegetables, and puffed rice or kamut cereal pieces. I will also purchase fruit or vegetable baby food and offer some on my finger as a reward.
Q: I have two rats that I'd like to clicker train, but they don't like to be separated. How can I train them individually without causing separation stress?
A: I find that rats actually learn much faster when they are not separated during training sessions. They will collaborate when learning new tricks, watching the other rat(s) and trying to copy them when they see they are earning rewards. They remind me of a classroom of children working together on a project, each throwing in their own ideas until one figures it out.
Q: Why are the wild genes of the other rats unsuitable for acting? Is it just acting, or will they refuse to learn tricks?
A: The Norway rats are highly intelligent and catch on to new behaviours at an incredible speed. However, their wild genes make them extremely skittish and reactive, thus they are not suitable as animal actors. Animal actors need to have confidence, focus, and a placid disposition in order for them to be successful in film-work. My other rats listed above all have temperaments suited for this type of work.
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For more images of the rats, view their Flickr album.
