These Adorable Rats Create Miniature Paintings And Their Work Is Sold Out
It’s no news that some animals can be artists, especially critters as intelligent and empathetic as rats. Toogood’s Tiny Paws shows just how talented such pets can be when making their own mini canvas paintings. Their colorful finger paintings (or should that be paw paintings?) are just delightful!
Steph Toogood didn’t always dream about owning an animal art business. In fact, the origins of this project have quite solemn tones. She elaborated on how it all started: “The idea of painting on canvases came to me after I lost one of my boys, Captain Jack Sparrow (Gibbs’ brother) last year.” Poor Jack had undergone surgery but didn’t wake up from the anesthetic. As Steph works at the vet’s, she was around the pet the whole time and managed to take some paw prints after Jack had passed away.
Losing a pet is always heartbreaking but those mementos we have of them will last forever in our hearts. “I thought it would be lovely for my boys to do something similar when they were with me to keep when they’re gone,” the owner of the rats explained on their social media. “So I got some mini canvases and paint, and they’ve created some pieces for me to keep as a sort of pet memorial.” She also loves to take photographs as a hobby, so she snapped pictures of her pets next to their tiny paintings. After posting the cute rat art online, she attracted a lot of people’s attention. Many wanted to own some of the work so she’s even starting taking art commissions!
More info: Facebook | Etsy | Website
Toogood’s Tiny Paws Art was created by Steph on April 20, 2019
According to the animals’ social media page, there are 12 rats in this artsy collective. Steph also wanted to stress that her pets are friends first, and artists later. She stated that she’d never push the rats to make the mini canvas paintings against their will. “They’re my best friends, and they will not spend their lives covered in paint, no matter how high the demand is for their art right now,” she recently posted. “The rats are never forced to run through paint, and if they show any signs of unwillingness on the day, we stop.”
She shared some details about how the creative process works: “Painting is positively reinforced, so they get rewarded throughout. Some of the boys are target trained and will follow a target stick or my hand to make painting easier. We even have a miniature agility course which some of them are good at!”
Steph went on to elaborate that while the Toogood’s Tiny Paws Facebook page primarily has the rats’ finger paintings on it, it isn’t the only thing she wants to focus on. “I don’t want to use this page just for their art – I aim to promote the keeping of rats as pets and their welfare, as well as sharing what the boys get up to outside of painting,” she explained.
Steph sells a variety of products featuring her animal art: coasters, keyrings, hair scrunchies, and more. However, currently, their Etsy store has no listings available. It turns out, people bought everything they had available and Steph eventually ran out of canvas for the little critters to paint on! “I am making an order this week and hopefully arranging pre-orders soon,” she posted on Facebook.
Check out our collection of mini canvas paintings from Gibbs, Noodle, Albie, and other artists at Toogood’s Tiny Paws. The rats look really proud standing next to their finger paintings — so cute!
116Kviews
Share on Facebook
These little guys are certainly talented, and they paint better than I do.
Well, have YOU tried taking off your shoes, stepping in paint... ??😅
Load More Replies...
They look so pleased with their work! I gather rats are so bright that they probably really enjoy it. And she helps them out with her choice of color palette.
I love rats. They are so cute! And as for everybody who says that rats are gross, go boil your heads!
David Wong why would one cook Ratatouille? Did you forget the comma?
Load More Replies...
Reminds me of Michelangelo Mouse, a picture book from the 40's An artist needed glasses but couldn't afford them. When the mice in his walls heard how sad the artist was, they waited until night then dipped their tails and covered canvases in startling patterns with the ink and paints. When art lovers discovered the paintings they were inthralled. They bought the paintings and the artist (I don't remember his name, Luigi maybe because this all happened in Italy) bought some glasses and could create his art again. He left extra cheese for the adorable mice. It's so nice to remember that story.
THIS STORY WAS JUST TOO SWEET, AND I LOVED IT!! I had pet rats for several years, and I just ADORE THEM! Unfortunately there weren't any pet stores that sold Hand✋Raised Rats~ Only Feeders (😥 🐍 food!). So ended my Rat Luvs! BUT THEEEN, I MOVED ON TO FERRETS~THOSE KRAAAZY, FUNNY, SILLY, ADORABLE LITTLE THINGS! Now, my health is not great THESE days, so My 3 PURRECIOUS KITTIES IS GOOD FOR ME!
I have always loved rats, and at 66 years old, I have had quite a few. This is so heart warming.
Beautiful, Simply beautiful. I have a cavy (guinea pig) and would even know how to do any of this with him. .
SO here's the big question?? How do you clean their feet afterwards without getting bit?
No, no, no not in a million years !! Someone else called Valerie at one time had ug believe her cat Geoffrey painted pictures !!! Look closely ?
I hope that all those "I want rats" comments are not like those people who buy pets on impulse (for example, seeing a movie featuring a particular animal) and than dumping them. Owning a pet - a sensitive being is the big responsibility, and don't forget, pets are like human toddlers they will not "grow up".
Load More Replies...
Now I am left with only two choices, either paint better than them of better give up painting and search for another hobby.,
I dearly love rats, they are so sweet and very intelligent. I love them so much that I've never had any, because they live such a short time. Every time one of my dogs or cats have passed away I become so depressed. At least my four legged friends have had a longer living span.
Sad that one of the rats is missing several toes :/ He seems to be happy though.
Sarah.. I am trying to understand this statement. Did Steph Toogood indicate that she wasn't consulted on the writing of this article?
Load More Replies...
Alternatively, you are a horror by commenting this on someone's pets when you didn't need to.
Load More Replies... These little guys are certainly talented, and they paint better than I do.
Well, have YOU tried taking off your shoes, stepping in paint... ??😅
Load More Replies... They look so pleased with their work! I gather rats are so bright that they probably really enjoy it. And she helps them out with her choice of color palette.
I love rats. They are so cute! And as for everybody who says that rats are gross, go boil your heads!
David Wong why would one cook Ratatouille? Did you forget the comma?
Load More Replies... Reminds me of Michelangelo Mouse, a picture book from the 40's An artist needed glasses but couldn't afford them. When the mice in his walls heard how sad the artist was, they waited until night then dipped their tails and covered canvases in startling patterns with the ink and paints. When art lovers discovered the paintings they were inthralled. They bought the paintings and the artist (I don't remember his name, Luigi maybe because this all happened in Italy) bought some glasses and could create his art again. He left extra cheese for the adorable mice. It's so nice to remember that story.
THIS STORY WAS JUST TOO SWEET, AND I LOVED IT!! I had pet rats for several years, and I just ADORE THEM! Unfortunately there weren't any pet stores that sold Hand✋Raised Rats~ Only Feeders (😥 🐍 food!). So ended my Rat Luvs! BUT THEEEN, I MOVED ON TO FERRETS~THOSE KRAAAZY, FUNNY, SILLY, ADORABLE LITTLE THINGS! Now, my health is not great THESE days, so My 3 PURRECIOUS KITTIES IS GOOD FOR ME!
I have always loved rats, and at 66 years old, I have had quite a few. This is so heart warming.
Beautiful, Simply beautiful. I have a cavy (guinea pig) and would even know how to do any of this with him. .
SO here's the big question?? How do you clean their feet afterwards without getting bit?
No, no, no not in a million years !! Someone else called Valerie at one time had ug believe her cat Geoffrey painted pictures !!! Look closely ?
I hope that all those "I want rats" comments are not like those people who buy pets on impulse (for example, seeing a movie featuring a particular animal) and than dumping them. Owning a pet - a sensitive being is the big responsibility, and don't forget, pets are like human toddlers they will not "grow up".
Load More Replies... Now I am left with only two choices, either paint better than them of better give up painting and search for another hobby.,
I dearly love rats, they are so sweet and very intelligent. I love them so much that I've never had any, because they live such a short time. Every time one of my dogs or cats have passed away I become so depressed. At least my four legged friends have had a longer living span.
Sad that one of the rats is missing several toes :/ He seems to be happy though.
Sarah.. I am trying to understand this statement. Did Steph Toogood indicate that she wasn't consulted on the writing of this article?
Load More Replies... Alternatively, you are a horror by commenting this on someone's pets when you didn't need to.
Load More Replies...
239
46