Welcome to our renewed website! My name is Saija Forsström and I am one of the lucky owners of Zaya’s rattery. I was born in 1971 and currently live with my partner Sami in a three-room apartment in Turku on the South-western coast of Finland. I work at a library, according to my education. In addition to fancy rats we have four Richardson’s ground squirrels: Pähkinä, Pikkarainen, Ponteva and Pippuri. Richardson’s ground squirrels are demanding but charming pets.

Apart from spending time with my dear rats my hobbies include for instance photography, being the editor of the South-western Finland’s Fancy Rat and Gerbil Society’s magazine Rapina and of course travelling to fancy rat shows all around Finland and sometimes across the bay to Sweden too. I actively partake in all sorts of rodent activities and am qualified to act as a judge in both Pet and Official classes for fancy rats.

I’ve kept fancy rats since 1990. Ever since I got my first rat Jösse I knew there was no return and that rats were my thing. Each and every rat I’ve owned has had a story of its own and a place in my heart. The only thing that’s certain about my future is that I will always have rats. Fancy rats are truly charming pets, and I can recommend them to everyone with a good sense of responsibility. One cannot help but love these starry-eyed, intelligent and loyal friends.

I am Tellu Sonne, born in 1973, the other half of Zaya's rattery. I live with a pack of rodents in Varissuo, which is a part of Turku. I work at a pet shop and have kept fancy rats since 1999. My first rats were female, because I already had names picked for them: Charlotte Sometimes and Jennifer Ever. These girls just blew me away, and I have never since lived without rats. I have been interested in breeding rats practically since the very beginning. My first litter was born in the summer of 2003, and I became a registered breeder in 2006 (There’s no reason to hurry, eh..?) I also caught a severe case of show fever, and nowadays go to fancy rats shows when ever I get the chance.

My first pet was a mixed-breed dog named Osku. At the moment I have fancy rats, chinchillas, degus, guinea pigs and a couple of bushy-tailed jirds. However, none of the other species are as close to my heart as fancy rats. They are such winningly intelligent sweethearts that I couldn’t imagine my life without them!