Breeding fancy rats is an interesting hobby. It is very rewarding but also requires a lot of time and money from the breeder. You must be prepared for setbacks because unfortunately every active breeder will have to face them sooner or later. If you are interested in breeding fancy rats, think twice before getting started. To breed excellent pets and show winners you need more than just enthusiasm about letting your rats have babies. Breeding fancy rats requires persistent planning, and you must be prepared for sad and negative things too. It's not worth starting breeding if you have pictures of rosettes and other prizes shining in your eyes, because the most important thing is not winning, but to breed standard-fulfilling fancy rats and healthy and good-tempered pet rats.

Saija Forsström started breeding fancy rats actively in 1992. The registered breeder name Shaman's was granted in the same year. In the beginning Saija shared the Shaman's breeder name with Sue Salminen. Unfortunately their breeding plans had to be separated as early as 1993 because Sue moved to a different part of the country. This is also why Saija applied for a new breeder name. The first litter under the breeder name Zaya's was born on Christmas Eve 1993. In 2002, Zaya's rattery celebrated ten years of breeding fancy rats. Officially Tellu Sonne joined Zaya's rattery in January 2006, although Saija and Tellu had in practice been working together in Zaya's rattery for few years before this.

Zaya's rattery has bred several colours over the years:
siamese 1992-2000, 2006-
champagne 1992-1999
silver black 1992-2002, 2006-
silver chocolate 1992-
silver blue 2000-
blue agouti 2000-
silver lilac / lilac 2001-
lilac agouti 2002-
and on a small-scale, marked rats:  capped, bareback, hooded, variegated (pink eyed white, black eyed white) 1994-1997.

At the moment, Zaya's rattery concentrates on breeding self lilac and lilac agouti and also siamese (both red and black eyed). Sometimes there are other colours born, such as blue, blue agouti, ice, ruby eyed blue and chocolate.

Zaya’s rattery breeds for smooth coated and rex rats.

The years that have passed have included tears of joy and lots of success, but also many sorrows and losses. Yet all in all we count ourselves lucky for being able to have these amazing animals in our lives.