My Blog

Why the Website?

I want to get the word out to people in Central Maine about what super pets rats are. Maine's economy is terrible and people don't slow down collecting cats and dogs that they can't afford and don't have time for. A rat takes up little space and can live comfortably on a cheap bag of lab blocks and your table scraps. If you don't have a lot of time, that's ok too. Get two or three rats of the same sex and throw them lots of cloth, cardboard, wood and other assorted things to play with and home decorate with and the rats are fine left alone while you complete that big project at work and catch up on those days you need to spend with your kids.

Why Rats!?

Rats are often like little people, often like little dogs and believe it or not, often like kittens! When properly socialized, fed, housed and loved rats like to cuddle, wrestle with your hands, play tag, grab any available shiny or bright colored thing to hide and covet and they develop personalities and tricks that most people never believe until they see it. Rats come in an unlimited number of body types, coat colors, coat types and even have two different ear types. Any color your dog, cat, horse or mouse can come in, the rat comes in.

Why Me!

Due to a lot of love for animals and a special soft spot for rats I have kept them off and on for 17 years. I could never have an established rattery due to being in the Army from 1994 to 2004. Now that I am settled down I find myself able to keep 20 or so rats comfortably. My life is fairly simple and I have at least 2 days a week to just sit home, organize things and be obsessive. When I found from my Veterans Administration Mental Health councilor that my constant headaches, fatique and mood swings were highly due to stress that I impose on myself he told me to get a hobby. I jokingly told him I'd always wanted to start a rat lovers group. I had to laugh out loud when he got all excited and told me to go home, do just that, and come back in a month to tell him how it's going. Then I thought about it and realized, that is perfect! That is exactly what I want to do. The ideas of what can be done to make rats more accepted are endless and there is a huge following on the internet of people with the same desire. So, now I spend my 2 plus days a week working on this website, taking pictures of my rats, building newer, better rat cages, thinking about potential breedings, observing and playing with the rats and thinking up new ways to publicize my "Rattery" and rats in general. I have had no success finding interested parties in my area but I won't give up, at least not in 2008 since it's my first year really building up and getting established.
See my Blog to find out my latest plans, ideas and happenings as I update at least once a week, usually twice.

Though not a winter loving person by nature I am an original born and bred Maniac. I hibernate in the winter rather than indulging in sledding, snowball fights, ice fishing or snowmobiling. I stay inside drinking hot coffee and worrying about drafts and fuel level to keep the heater running! Being a former "Type A" personality I still like things to be organized and decided if I was to have/be a "rattery" it needed a title and organizational strategy. I decided to name my rats according to places, things, historical figures and facts about the state they live in. Like us humans they all have a first name and a last name. One of those names is their "Maine" name and one is their "Personal" name. Depending on how fitting the names are I call them by whichever fits best. Along the lines of the "Bits of Maine" theme I will be commisioning new cages with green trim and decorating the rattery area with shelves of books on Maine and the Rat Fancy accordingly and decorations from both themes. This gives me a guideline for every ratty little thing I do.

Maine Facts and Trivia

Eastport is the most eastern city in the United States. The city is considered the first place in the United States to receive the rays of the morning sun.
In Wilton there's a cannery that imports and cans only dandelion greens.
Maine is the only state in the United States whose name has one syllable.
Maine is the only state that shares its border with only one other state.
Bath is known as the City of Ships.
Joshua L. Chamberlain born in Brewer received the only battlefield promotion to General during the Civil War. He was also the last Civil War soldier to die of wounds incurred in the War.
The White Mountain National Forest covers nearly 800,000 acres, the forest covers a landscape ranging from hardwood forests to the largest alpine area east of the Rocky Mountains
Aroostook County at 6,453 square miles covers an area greater than the combined size of Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Approximately 40 millions pounds (nearly 90 percent) of the nation's lobster supply is caught off the coast of Maine.
Maine produces 99% of all the blueberries in the country making it the single largest producer of blueberries in the United States.
Maine’s earliest inhabitants were descendants of Ice Age hunters.
Portland was first temporarily selected as the state capital. In 1832 the capital was moved to the centrally located site of Augusta.
In 1641 America's first chartered city was York.
Acadia National Park is the second most visited national park in the United States.
West Quoddy Head is the most easterly point in the United States.
Augusta is the most eastern capital city in the United States.
Mount Katahdin is the state's highest point at 5,268 feet above sea level.
Togus was the first Veteran's Hospital in the United States. The facility was founded in 1866.
An unsuccessful attempt at establishing a permanent English settlement in the New World was at the location now known as Popham Beach. Sir George Popham led the expedition in 1607.
90% of the country's toothpick supply is produced in Maine.
Portland is the birthplace of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Senator Margaret Chase Smith stood up in the senate and gave the famous Declaration of Conscious speech, speaking out against the McCarthy era. Senator Smith was the first female presidential candidate.
Author Steven King is a resident of Bangor.
Former President George Bush has a summer home in Kennebunkport.
Freeport is the home to the L.L. Bean Company.
The skating scene in the movie "The Preacher's Wife" was filmed in Deering Oaks Park in Portland.
The chickadee is the official state bird.
Maine lies farther northeast than any other state.
Maine's nickname as the Pine Tree State comes from the pines that once dotted the state's forests.
With a total area of 33,215 square miles the state covers nearly as many square miles as the other five New England states combined.
The state flower is the white pine cone and tassel.
The coastline boasts so many deep harbors it is thought all the navies in the world could anchor in them.
Maine lobsters have won international fame for their flavor and contribution to the culinary world.
The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport houses numerous historic buildings and marine memorabilia.
Fort Knox erected in 1844 is a state historic site originally built to protect the Penobscot River Valley from British naval attack. The fort was constructed from granite from nearby Mount Waldo.
Numerous lighthouses dot the Main coast including Fort Point Lighthouse at Fort Point State Park in Stockton Springs and Grindle Point Lighthouse on Isleboro.
The Sailor's Memorial Museum in Isleboro features displays depicting life at sea.
Located in Thorndike Village, the Bryant Stove Works and Museum displays an eclectic collection of antique cast iron stoves, parlor heaters, roadsters and touring cars. In addition, the museum features antique layer pianos, pipe organs and music boxes, calliopes, nickelodeons, and hurdy-gurdys.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was considered the most influential poet of his day. The writer was born in Portland, on February 2, 1807. His most popular works include "The Courtship of Miles Standish", "Evangeline" and "Hiawatha".
The nation's first sawmill was established near York in 1623.
York became the nation's first incorporated city in 1642.
The first ship build by English colonists in Americas was launched on the Kennebec River in 1607.
The first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought off Machias in 1775.
Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state on March 15, 1820.
Maine's blueberry crop is the largest in the nation.
The honeybee is the official state insect.
Maine contains 542,629 acres of state and national parks.
Edmund S. Muskie became the first Democratic United States senator ever elected by popular vote in Maine. He was also elected governor for two terms. He was born in Rumford.
Eastport is the only United States owned principality that has been under rule by a foreign government. It was held from 1814 to 1818 by British troops under King George following the conclusion of the War of 1812.
Maine's government entities are comprised of 16 counties with 22 cities, 435 towns, 33 plantations, 424 unorganized townships and 3 Indian reservations.