05/30/2026
I wasn’t really planning on making a post about this, but I feel like I owe everyone an explanation as to why responses have been slower lately.
The rats are doing great. They are healthy, cared for, and continue to receive the same level of attention and dedication they always have. Their care will never be compromised. I am enjoying spending time with them.
I, however, am struggling.
The amount of negativity, bullying, and hostility that has been directed my way recently has been incredibly difficult to deal with. I have spent years pouring my heart, time, money, and energy into this hobby, these animals, and this community. To be on the receiving end of so much cruelty has been genuinely heartbreaking.
I’m not looking for sympathy or trying to start drama. I simply want people to understand that there is a real person on the other side of this page. Lately, I’ve found myself spending more time trying to process the hurt than answering messages, reviewing applications, or keeping up with inquiries.
If you’ve been waiting to hear back from me, please know that I haven’t forgotten about you. I am still working through hundreds of messages and applications, but I am moving slower than usual while I try to take care of myself and work through everything mentally (as I have many things in addition to rats going on in my personal life).
I want to emphasize that responsible breeding is not something that can be rushed.
Everything I do is rat first. I would never knowingly bring a rat into this world that I believed would suffer because corners were cut, health concerns were ignored, or breeding decisions were made without proper education and evaluation. Just as importantly, I never want adopters to experience preventable loss, heartbreak, or health issues because I chose speed over responsibility.
The quality of a line is built over years, not weeks. It requires observation, education, careful record keeping, honest evaluation of strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes making difficult decisions to slow down or step back when needed. That means I cannot always be producing litter after litter or constantly have babies available. That is simply not how I operate.
Every pairing I make represents years of work and generations of planning. The health, temperament, longevity, and overall wellbeing of my rats will always come before demand, popularity, or keeping up with expectations. I know that approach is slower than some would prefer, but it is the only way I know how to do this responsibly.
Over the past year I have also experienced personal losses, including losing beloved heart rats; members of my family. Those losses take a real emotional toll. I am a person that feels deeply. I need time to grieve, recover, and take care of myself so I can give my best to others.
At this time, I am not actively breeding. Between educating adopters, processing applications, maintaining records, and managing everything else that goes into responsible breeding, I simply do not have the capacity to do it all while protecting my own wellbeing. I am dealing with severe burnout. Especially burnout when it comes to social media.
I do not expect to have any babies available until late August at the earliest.
I know there are breeders who produce litters much more frequently, but for the betterment of the rats, that is not the approach I choose to take. Responsible breeding involves far more than producing babies. It means tracking health outcomes, evaluating lines over time, and gathering information from adopters so informed decisions can be made for future generations. The updates adopters provide about their rats are incredibly valuable to me, and I am always grateful to those who take the time to share them.
Everything I do is driven by a desire to improve and preserve the quality of my lines. I have invested thousands of hours into educational guides, blogs, resources, and helping others learn about proper rat care and breeding practices.
I also hope people recognize the years of work, education, and support that I have invested into this community. The hundreds upon hundreds of hours spent writing care guides, creating educational resources, answering questions, helping owners through difficult situations, mentoring new rat owners, and advocating for better husbandry reflect who I am far more accurately than rumors ever could. While I cannot control what others choose to say, I hope my actions, the quality of my rats, my dedication to their wellbeing, and the experiences of the adopters who have worked with me speak for themselves.
It can be discouraging when rumors overshadow years of hard work and dedication, but I remain committed to doing things the right way, even when that means moving more slowly than others might expect.
I love my rats. I love my adopters. I love the people who have supported Coastline Pets over the years. Right now, I’m just exhausted and hurting more than I can adequately put into words. Burnout is a real problem both in the rat world and in the rest of the world, and I really hope it is met with the grace that I need right now.
While I do not want to get into specifics or fuel further conflict, I would be dishonest if I pretended that the bullying I have experienced has not contributed significantly to my burnout.
Much of what has been said about me over the past year can be traced back to one individual who has repeatedly taken information out of context, shared incomplete screenshots, made assumptions without understanding the full situation, and encouraged others to view me in the worst possible light. Watching rumors spread and seeing years of work, dedication, and good intentions reduced to gossip has been incredibly painful.
I chose to distance myself from circumstances that did not align with my values, and since then, I’ve watched rumors and assumptions spread far beyond reality. I also know that not everyone believes the worst things being said.
The kindness, support, and encouragement I have received from so many people in this community have meant more than I can adequately express. Thank you to everyone who has reached out, checked in, shared updates, supported Coastline Pets, or simply offered a kind word when I needed it most.
Thank you to everyone in my small corner of the community. This is by no means the end of Coastline Pets, this is simply a pause before we come back emotionally stronger.
Hug your heart rats for me extra tight. 💙
