Past Rats
Merriment Glitterbug
Glitterbug is a gorgeous little doe, the spitting image of her heart-stealing grandmother Twinkle and a daft, in your face little thing! Glitterbug was awarded NFRS Silver Pet Champion status in 2015.
Merriment Kissable and Quiet (Lazzara)
“Literate and stylish, kissable and quiet, that’s what girls’ dreams are made of…”
Lazzara is a really super boy. He’s affectionate and engaging but also independent, and playful but gentle, and is shaping up to be just what I feel a Merriment buck should be. It’s not just me who thinks he’s great; Lazzara has also had a fantastic run on the show bench, winning best Guide Standard and best Stud buck on several occasions. He single handedly won me the NFRS stud buck points cup at the 2015 AGM, where he also qualified as the first ever marten Silver Varieties champion – GO LAZZARA!
He’s named after a lyric from a Taking Back Sunday song, and nicknamed after frontman Adam Lazzara.
Merriment Love is a Risk (Lacey)
“Love is a risk, you always get hit out of nowhere…”
Lacey is a soppy, daft, adorable little lad who never fails to make me laugh. In the rare moments when he’s not having his belly tickled he enjoys chasing feathers. He qualified as an NFRS Silver Pet Champion in 2015. He’s named after a lyric from a Brand New song, and nicknamed after frontman Jesse Lacey.
Cupcake Holly Luya!
Holly is from a litter born at Cupcake Rattery to Merriment Scintillio and Lilliput Tommy, and is an absolute delight. She’s incredibly outgoing and people orientated, I’m not sure she ever sleeps and she’s always ready to come out for a cuddle or a play! Holly earned NFRS silver pet champion status in 2014, and became my third platinum pet champion in 2015.
Merriment Helena Handbasket
Helena is a complete stunner, and stole my heart when she was very small. She’s a very independent little lady but cuddly and licky when she wants to be.
Merriment Edith Up!
Edith is a lovely, cheeky, outgoing little doe, and a total Houdini, just like many of her relatives.
Rivendell Hamilton
I first met Hamilton in April 2013 during a visit to Rivendell Stud in search of the Merriment foundation buck. I met lots of gorgeous bucks that day, but Hamilton completely stole my heart. He came for a brief stay during which he sired our first litter, and has now come back to Merriment as a permanent resident. He’s a truly lovely buck, laid back with people and other rats but still full of his own character. He also has the most amazing thick fur, which makes him perfect for cuddles!
Trotamundos (Munie)
I stumbled across Munie alone in my local adoption centre. I’d been keeping an eye out for other bucks to join Hamilton who I knew would soon be coming to live with me, and so I brought this little ginger whirlwind home. He was a hilarious little rat, far more like a doe than a buck, and loved to play and dash about, much to the disapproval of his rather more sensible cagemate.
Merriment Shine Like Truth
“Then I remember you, and the way you shine like truth in all you do.”
Shine is as brilliant as she is bonkers. She’s incredibly confident and outgoing, always the first to explore anything new, be it a show tank, a cup of tea or the inside of an ear, and is a bit of a houdini too. Shine’s name is derrived from a Frank Turner lyric, so fits well with her sister Glimmer’s, and is in keeping with the ‘luminescence’ theme used to name several of Twinkle’s offspring. Shine has had an excellent run in the pet class at shows, earning her NFRS Gold Pet Championship in 2014 and Platinum Pet Championship in 2015.
Merriment Subtle Little Glimmer
“Just give me a sign yeah just a subtle little glimmer”.
Glimmer is named after a lyric from a Frank Turner song, which was being played to death on the radio while I was waiting to see if Twinkle was pregnant with the first Merriment litter. She’s an absolute cutie, very sweet and laid back with people and incredibly playful with other rats.
Twinkle Twinkle
Twinkle is an absolutely amazing rat. She has a wonderful personality, and is very entertaining to spend time with, going from complete live wire one minute to cuddly and licky the next. Like her mum and Great Aunties she is very agile and loves to wheel run, and won the agility contest and Best Pet award at the NFRS Christmas Cup show in 2012, at just over 7 weeks old. She has continued to shine in the pet class at shows, and was named an NFRS Gold Pet Champion in November 2014. In December 2014 she became eligible for the Platinum Pet Champion award, at 2 years and 2 months old. She really is a little star.
Blousey
Blousey is Figs’ daughter, and has inherited her placid, cuddly temperament, as well as her teddy bear fur! She’s an excellent PR rat and will go to anybody for cuddles, but prefers men, perhaps because they sit still for longer!
Ramkin Sonic Death Monkey (Baby)
Baby, like her aunty Porridge, is the very essence of Merriment. She came to me as a pingy, excitable, delightful kitten and has mellowed into a sweet, even tempered lady who is a joy to own. She’s also a keen wheel runner, which has helped her maintain her slender build even after giving birth to 11 babies! Baby has done well in the pet class at shows and is an NFRS silver pet champion
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Ramkin Figs and Leaves
Figs is very good at convincing people that she’s actually a teddy bear, and not a rat at all! Her soft russian fur, slightly podgy frame and soppy, laid back temperament make her the perfect rat to cuddle, and she likes nothing better during free range than to seek me out, climb into the crook of my arm and settle down for a good fuss.
Jackie Oates
Oates was the rat I just had to have. I remember seeing a picture of her at about 10 days old and just knowing that she had to come and live with me! Oates is a very sweet girl, but has suffered from recurrent respiratory infections since she was a baby and being regularly forced to take medicine has made her a little shy and wary of being handled. She’s very happy to come for a cuddle on her own terms though, and loves to play chase and learn tricks, so long as the pumpkin seeds keep coming!
Melting Marshmallow Moment (Mallow)
Mallow is my trouble maker. If there’s a crash or a squeal coming from the cage you can bet that she’s the culprit! She’s a brave, plucky soul who knows what she wants and how to get it – particularly if somebody else is eating it or it’s somewhere she’s not supposed to be! She’s a big squish really though who loves belly kisses and tickles, and has done well in the pet class at shows.
Ramkin Summer Pudding
Pudding is an affectionate, engaging rat who loves to spend time with her humans. She’s incredibly agile and naughty, and is able to scale the surface fronts in the kitchen, the coat rack in the hall, and the bathroom sink, as well as having her own secret fortress inside the sofa!
Ramkin Porridge Soap
Porridge is a fabulous rat, the epitome of what I want to aim for when breeding. She is affectionate and licky, putting up well with being regularly squished and cuddled, but also loves to explore and climb, and is an enthusiastic wheel runner.
