Here you will find everything you will need to know about rat shows. Including what they are all about, why it’s so good getting out to them and will also take you through the full process of showing your rats for the first time as well as links to show calendars for all the top UK rat clubs so you can pick which shows are best for you.
Why Go To A Rat Show?
Rat shows have so many different uses most people don’t realise just how good they can actually be. It’s not as some may think a high brow place for snooty breeders to compete against each other in a clicky group or an inner circle. People are actually pretty nice and most don’t bite either.
Anyone is free to come along and even enter their rats in the show to have a go too. It doesn’t matter if you’re a breeder or a pet home, adult or child, rat clubs aim to cater any and all. You don’t even have to have rats to come along for a look round either or even help out with running the show.
Below I’ll go through a few points to show exactly what rat shows are all about and why they have multiple different benefits.
Pricing
Most rat shows are free to enter to the public. Larger multi fancy events that some rat clubs attend a few times a year have a door charge but most of the time getting in is free. To enter rats into to show is roughly £1.50-2.50 per rat per entry (some clubs let you enter both varieties and pets with each rat) Its also good to bring some extra money along for the kitchen which serves drinks and food and don’t forget to treat your rats to some new toys, treats or hammocks with some of the great ratty businesses you’ll find holding a stall at the event.
Health Checks
Being judged by an experienced person is like having a free health check for your rats. Not quite an actual vet check however can be just as good if not better as a trained NFRS judge will know exactly what they are looking for and could spot possible problems before you’ve even noticed them. Your rats will get judged by an experienced rat judge. They will give you a written critique of what they thought about your rat on the day. This can be really helpful as you can often make improvements to their diet or care based on what feedback you get from the judge. Sometimes they can pick up on things you might not have known like a start of a URI or a lump you missed or even signs of lice that need treating. This will likely result in the rat being withdrawn from the show however it’s much better that it was spotted so they can be treated sooner.
Confidence Boost
Shows are great for meeting new people, chatting about rats with others and usually if you are quite nervous there are people there in the same boat as you so having a mutual interest like rats can be a good conversation starter. There is also a large amount that attend who are either Neuro Diverse, suffer from social anxieties or have disabilities themselves so its a very accepting and understanding community.
Prizes
Good chances of coming home with a rosette if your rat does well enough. There are many rosettes given out on the day, it’s not just for the top few rats there are many different classes to win in both the pets and varieties sections. There are also cup shows every now and again which means you could walk out with a trophy.
Varieties shopping
This is a very rare occasion where so many different colours and types of rat are all in the same room together. Most breeders will only focus on 2-3 specific lines with their rats so you won’t get to see much variety often by going to the same one. At shows lots of breeders with all different lines come together and the rats can all be seen. This makes it a great opportunity either to learn more about all the different varieties or jot down your favourites so you know which varieties you would like to apply for next.
Getting Fed
Most shows will have a kitchen of some kind on the premises that a team of rat keeping volunteers will run providing drinks, snacks, treats and hot food. Usually butties in the morning and toasties for dinner at the very least but some shows like Midland Rat Club for example do things like cottage pies and chilli con carne too. A lot of rat people are vegetarian, vegan or have other dietary requirements so this is usually all covered.
Treat Your Rats
One of my favourite things about shows is the stalls. Of course you can browse things online but there is nothing better to me than seeing something in person. There are usually a lot of different stalls across the various clubs that attend rat shows and provides a great opportunity to see any new products or just to stock up on favourites.
Meeting breeders
Lots of breeders from across the country travel to either take part in showing or most of them are trained judges too, This not only allows you to see who breeds what and all the different varieties they bring along but also is a great way of getting to know them. Breeders are usually very friendly and are a wealth of knowledge on rat keeping. They are also always looking for great pet homes for the rats they breed so its always good to build up a good relationship with other breeders and show off your knowledge of rat keeping to maximise your chances with them.
Fun events
Every club differs slightly with what they offer on the day but the reality is rat shows are an all day event so having fun from start to finish it the best way to do it. Fun events are a great way of passing time and there are many ways this is done. Some involve rats, for example the MRC offer an agility course for rats to take on while the NERS has a cuddle corner where you can go and sit and handle other rats people have brought along. There are also loads of other ways to keep entertained like raffles, drawing competitions, tombola’s and auctions. There are also lots of activities for the kids to do too.
So if you’ve never been before now is the time to take the dive. If you are wanting to go but would like someone to help show you round all clubs have Facebook pages you can ask in there is always someone willing to help others out.
Picking a Show
The first step is picking a show you wish to attend. You can look for local clubs which are more area specific or you can look at the National Fancy Rat Society (NFRS) which covers the whole country.
You can check the Clubs section here to see what club may suit you best.
Here are links to the show calendars of the top rat clubs in the UK as well as show location maps where you can visually see show venue locations of each club in 2025:
National Fancy Rat Society
Midlands Rat Club
North of England Rat Society
London & Southern Counties Mouse & Rat Club
When you find a club or a show in your area it is worth checking if you can show without being a member first. Most clubs will allow you to show without being a member just to check you like it first without committing to anything. It’s usually in there FAQ section which I will link further down. It is worth saying that signing up to a club is very beneficial though as you will usually get a lot of perks with membership including forum access, cheaper show fees, a digital or hard copy of that clubs magazine, discounts on merchandise and much more.
It is also worth noting if you would like to go ahead and see what it’s all about without taking rats first most of the rat shows allow the general public to attend without paying an entrance fee.
Entering A Show
Once you have picked a show to attend your first action is to do show entries. This is where you pick which rats you want to take and decide which categories to enter them in. You have a choice of the varieties class or pet Class.
Varieties – This is where the judge is looking for the rats with the best qualities to do with its variety. They judge on things like fur colour, markings, body shape and tone, eyes, head and any faults on the rats. Plus much more. They are looking for the best of the best.
Pets – Unlike varieties where your rat must be a good example of its variety the pets section is open to any rat. It can be the ugly duckling or the beautiful swan of the rat world, looks do not make a difference. Pets is all about how fun the rat is, how well they are handled, how inquisitive they are and of course how cuddly they are. The more personality your rat has the better they will do in pets.
If you are not sure if your rats will be able to show in varieties or not your best bet it to sign up to a club and ask someone to help you. The rat clubs are full of friendly people that are always willing to help.
Once you have decided who you want to show and which show you will be attending follow that shows entry method and enter your rats. Some will just be a general email to that shows secretary while other clubs have actual entry forms you fill in online. Complete the entry method and you’re all ready to prepare for the show.
Show Preparation
So now your rats are entered you need to prepare for the show. This will include gathering essential items you’ll need on the day and of course giving your rats an optional clean and pamper to make them look extra ready
What you need to take!
1) Show tank
Each rat will need its own show tank. This is a clear plastic tank with a slide on mesh lid. All tanks need to be official tanks as this allows everyone to look the same so the judges can’t differentiate between entries. You can buy the tanks from any club just ask before the day of the show for them to bring however many you’ll need. The tanks will need to be filled with a small layer of substrate so make sure to take extra with you. Substrate should be a natural brown or beige unscented substance such as Aspen, pale wood shavings, hemp or chopped/shredded cardboard. As of the new 2026 show year a new rule asking to provide a moderate amount of bedding into show tanks when entering. Suggested examples of this are white shredded paper, straw or hay.
2) Moisture/Water source
As the rats will be in the show tank for a few hours you’ll need to put in a source of moisture for them to keep them hydrated. Most people opt for cucumber alone but others like to put a second option which can be carrot or apple. As of the new 2026 show year a new rule will be coming in which will require each rat to be provided with a small “Mouse Water bottle” (Pictured below) at each show. Before this it was only required at the larger Multi Fancy Pet shows and shows on hotter days. These bottles can be slotted into the top of the mesh lid and dangle down but please be aware these are easy to fall over and get mixed up with other rats at shows so to make sure you keep your bottle safe it’s now accepted and encouraged to have them mounted inside of the tank as long as it doesnt disrupt the opening of the lids. This can be done a few ways. You can buy magnetic bottle holders from places like Amazon which will clamp to the side of the tank or you can follow The Rat Wiki guide on DIY Water Bottle Holders For Show Tanks. The magnetic ones look nice and are quite solid however can cost a lot of money especially if you have a lot of tanks to buy for whereas the DIY ones are very cheap and easy and a good starting option for people.
3) Food
Just a small handful of your regular food mix to be added in along with the moisture source to keep them topped up and occupied while they are in there tanks.
They are the main 3 things you will need to show with. You can also take things on the day like travel cages for the journey, water bowls/bottles for before and after shows, baby wipes for last minute pre show wipe downs. treats for after the show etc
Rat Preparation
Although this isn’t compulsory basic show prep is practiced at rat shows just to make sure they are clean and looking their best. None of it is bad in any way for your rats in fact some can be quite beneficial. There are 3 main things to do:
1) Tail Scrub – This is nice and easy to do. Get some scent free hand wash or washing up liquid and a small dish of water. Gently scrub the tail well with a toothbrush and rinse with clean water.
2) Nail Clippings – Quite difficult to do but well worth learning. This benefits your rats, other rats in your mischief (shorter claws leads to less damage with accidental scratching) and it’s also very polite for the judges at the show. Imagine having to handle rats all day with razor sharp claws crawling all over you.
Isamu Guide on Trimming Rats Nails
3) Fur/Feet Clean – Rats are compulsive cleaners and don’t like being bathed generally. They should mostly keep themselves clean so there’s no need to stress them out by trying to give them a bath. A quick wipe down with a scent free baby wipe is more than sufficient.
Show preparation by the NERS will also give you a few more tips on Health checking before shows, clipping nails and nutritional extras for pre show days.
Once all that is done you are ready. Turn up on the day with your rats and other items. Get your show entry forms and number stickers and get your rats on the tables to show. Any help you may need on the day feel free to ask anyone at the show and they should help you out.
Showing Guides
That is the basics for showing from me. But as this website is designed to share as much as possible from as many great sources as possible let’s get onto some guides from other sources.
First of all many of our top contributors of the guides featured so far on this website have all made a guide on this subject. For breeders showing is not only a great way to socialise and catch up with other breeders for rat talk and breeding tips, but it is also a chance for them to see how their rats really are doing. Breeders aim to breed for improving lines and bettering health and temperament and what better way to confirm this for them than a highly trained judge to take a look.
It’s not just breeders shows are beneficial for. As a pet home shows can be used for many reasons. First off it is a lot of fun, it’s a good excuse to learn about new varieties of rats you’ve never seen before and also a great way of meeting new breeders and opening up opportunities for potential new rats in the future.
The following guides are all from different breeder perspectives on their views of what a rat show is all about and although each one will explain the same basic premise each one offers a lot of different advice, tips and explanations of all the various aspects of a rat show.
What happens at a UK rat show? – Azuline Rattery
A Beginner’s Guide to Showing – Lurelin Rats
Showing Rats – Faithful Rattos
Showing Rats – Alpha Centauri Rats
Also join the Rat Chat Podcast on their take on showing with the episode Come to a Rat Show With Us. Learn about what to expect from a rat show and find out what people love most about rats and rat shows! Also Ebonie takes a walk around a Midlands Rat Club show and asks people there what their favourite things are about showing.
Please also consider that there are a small amount of steps you’ll need to look at to make sure it’s safe to take your rats to a show. There are a few rules to know that ensure the safety of both your rats and other exhibitors. If everyone follows these steps then we don’t put any rats in any sort of situation that can cause extra stress or harm. Rat Shows and Risks by the NFRS and also Preventing Show Related Infection by the NERS will talk you through most of what you need to know.
Also although this is not a huge list you will also need to know that there are a small amount of banned varieties that will not be allowed to show. This decision has been made ethically and is all explained in Banned Varieties on the NFRS Website.
There is, as with most places on the internet, a lot of Myths and misinformation out there regarding shows. People will have you believe that only the finest marked rats can be taken to a rat show and also that people that show their rats don’t care about them at all. This Myth is quite wrong with a lot of animal clubs but I feel especially more with the rat community. To clear up some of these crazy and false pieces of info Kismet Rats has a Rat Showing: Myths, Benefits & Cake article that takes those false claims and explains what actually happens at shows including show standards that protect the rats and of course cake to reward good rat owners.
Rat Clubs are always looking for help at shows too. Clubs are run by volunteers so if you are wanting to help its always appreciated. Whether its setting up tables and chairs in the morning or helping cook and dispense tea in the kitchen getting involved not only is a big help but also a good way to get to know people better and make friends. Some inportant jobs like stewarding and scribing often need people to volunteer for the role. This is a great way to not only keep you occupied at a show but also to listen and learn from the judges. If this is something you might be interested in doing the NERS Stewarding Booklet can give you more of an idea about what the role needs.
Finally if you still have some unanswered questions the MRC FAQ guide will hopefully clear most of them up for you.
National Fancy Rat Society Show FAQ
Hope to see some of you at future shows!
The Rat Wiki 