☕️ Welcome to Tea Time Rattery
Hello and welcome to my little corner of the internet!
Tea Time Rattery was founded in October 2019 and has been a true labour of love ever since. What began as a small personal project soon grew into a passion for breeding and exhibiting fancy rats. After nearly a decade of keeping rats as beloved pets, I began breeding to pursue my own goals — joining the NFRS and stepping into the show world in 2023.
🏡 Our Story
Originally based on the south coast of England, my family and I returned to my home county of Buckinghamshire in early 2022, just before the arrival of our second child. Here, on our 10-acre working equestrian property nestled in the heart of the Chiltern Hills, I now work with a small collection of animals — including fancy rats, ferrets, and poultry.
We’re based about 40 miles from London, 15 from Oxford, and 90 from Birmingham, surrounded by the peaceful countryside that inspires the heart of Tea Time Rattery.
🌸 About Me
I’m Ellie — the breeder, caretaker, photographer, and general tea-fuelled matchmaker behind Tea Time Rattery. My family roots in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire stretch back to the 16th century, and this little rattery is one branch of our wider “homestead” — a nod to generations before me who worked the land and cared for animals.
🐀 Our Rats
As a family with young children, it’s important to me that our animals are handled gently and regularly. Every rat we raise is confident, friendly, and well socialised — used to everyday life and human affection from the very start.
I breed for type, temperament, conformation, and health in equal measure, as all are essential for happy, well-rounded rats and a high standard of animal welfare.
🎓 Our Breeding Philosophy
I do not, and never have, bred animals solely for the pet trade. My breeding decisions are guided by long-term goals for the show bench and the improvement of the lines I work with.
When I have rats who are not retained for showing or breeding, those suitable for rehoming are offered to approved pet homes — where they can enjoy the same love and attention they were raised with here.