How to Show Your Rats

So you fancy entering a rat or small furry but aren’t sure what to do?

Hopefully this very simple guide will help explain what you need to do to enter

Before the Show

About ten days before the show you can start thinking about which rats you might enter. Any nervous or shy rats generally do not enjoy shows, and should not be considered.

Pets or Varieties

For people who are showing for the first time, we would recommend that you enter your rat(s) in to pet. Pets are judged on character, friendliness, health and condition so their colour/markings don't matter nor does where they have come from e.g. breeder, rescue or pet shop. You can always ask if your rat(s) fit any of the varieties standards so you know for future reference.

If you wish to enter your rat in to varieties, then you need to check the NFRS websites for recognised varieties and see if your rats fit in to any of the sections. If you got your rats from a breeder they should be able to tell you if the rats are showable and what standard they fit in to.

MRC also has a section for small furries, so those with Rabbits, guinea Pigs, Hamsters or Mice can enter!

Entering

Entries can be taken via the MRC website, email and/or phone, and generally close 3-4 days before the show. The MRC has an excellent online system which gathers all the information required from you to make sure you enter your pet as easily as possible.

You will need to let the club know if you require hire tanks to show your rats in. For the first few shows, I would suggest doing this and if you enjoy showing, consider buying some of your own.

Show Preparation

The evening before the show try get all the rats ready. Clean their tails using a little soapy water and either an old toothbrush or a sponge scourer and brush their tails to try and remove most of the dirt. Rather than bath your rats try using sensitive baby wipes on the fur to remove any stains or marks that might have appeared.

Use this time to check them over for any injuries and scabs and check that they are healthy enough to attend the show. Clip their nails - if this is something that you aren't confident about doing yourself, mention it to the show sec and they should be able to help you find someone who can help you.

On The Day

On the morning of the show check your rats over carefully before you put them in their travelling box, as there is no point in taking a rat to a show that has gained a scratch or a snuffle overnight. Make sure you take a source of moisture for the show - Cucumber, apple or carrot. It is sometime worth taking nail clippers and some baby wipes with you so you can use them before your rats go in to the tanks.

You will also need to take with you some bedding for the show tanks - the permitted substrates vary between the clubs, so check what is acceptable well in advance. Most shows run a raffle to help cover the hall hire costs, so do try to remember to take a small prize.

At The Show

Try to be at a show 30 minutes before judging starts to allow yourself time to sort out your rats. Once you arrive, find somewhere where you can put your rats down so you can go and find the show sec. They are normally located by the door of the hall under mountains of paperwork. If you let them know that it is your first time showing, they will explain/show you what to do. The show sec will give your hire tanks (if you have hired some) and some labels for your tanks.

Place around 3" of substrate in the bottom of the tanks along with 1 piece of cucumber (around 1" thick). This is were you can give your rats another wipe over with a baby wipe and double check their nails. Once the rats are in the tanks, make sure you put the right labels on the tanks. The show sec should have given you a piece of paper with the rats that you entered and the tanks numbers so you can find them again easily. Once you are happy that your rats are ready you can then take them to the judging tables. There will one area for pets and one for varieties. If you are unsure, ask the stewards who will be arranging the tanks into order.

Now you are free to shop, volunteer for kitchen duty, sell or buy some raffle tickets, and talk to lots of people about rats.

If you have rats with you that are not entered in the show make sure you are familiar with the rules for shoulder rats at that venue - some shows do not allow shoulder rats in certain areas, and occasionally they are not allowed at all.

After Judging Has Finished

Once the judging has taken place, you will be told that you take your rats from the tables so the clearing up can begin. Once all the rats & stuff is put away in the car the hall then needs tidying up - tables & chairs need to be put away and the floor swept. The quicker this is done the sooner everyone can start the journey home.

Presentations

At the very end is the presentations. The show sec will announce when this will be as the hall needs to be spotless before they are given out. The judges will then give the rosettes to all the winners of each of the classes plus the Best in Show, Reserve Best in Show and Best Opposite age awards. Anyone who didn't win a rosette will be able to collect their critiques from the show secs table at the end of the presentations.